STAGGERING

U.S. Tops 600,000 Coronavirus Deaths as Vaccination Pace Slows

The staggering death count, the highest reported death toll in the world, comes as life returns to a semblance of pre-pandemic normal.

The United States reached 600,000 deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The staggering death toll, the highest reported death count in the world, rises even as life returns to a semblance of pre-pandemic normal in many parts of the country thanks to a massive vaccination campaign. Though coronavirus vaccines are readily available in much of the U.S., the pace of daily injections has dropped by nearly half since a peak in April, leading experts to worry that the country will not be able to reach a level of immunity high enough to stop the virus’ circulation. President Joe Biden said mid-May that roughly 60 percent of the population has received at least one dose of the preventative, and he aims to increase the percentage to 70 by July 4. More than 33.5 million Americans have tested positive for the virus, the most of any country on earth.