The United States has felt the effects of the coronavirus pandemic much more severely than other nations, unfortunately ranking first for most COVID-19 related deaths in the world at nearly 400,000.
Now that the total numbers of deaths from the virus have reached unseen numbers, the consequences of not properly dealing with the pandemic sooner have begun to come to light. While the first of the COVID-19 vaccinations are underway, the Center for Disease Control is reporting that 2020 is on track to be the deadliest year in American history thus far.
According to reports from the government agency, 2020 is on track to see more than 3.2 million deaths in the year alone, though final mortality numbers for the year will not be available for a couple of months. With the number of coronavirus deaths increasing daily and showing no signs of slowing, however, it is more than likely that the country will surpass three million deaths this year. This is the first time the country has ever reached this feat.
In 2019, the life expectancy in the United States increased by a couple of weeks, but according to the CDC, 2020 could see that dip by as many as three years. While deaths in the country due increase year after year, the rise this year is an increase of about 15 percent, the biggest increase for deaths since nearly a century ago in 1918 (46 percent), when soldiers were dying in battle during WWI and the flu epidemic also struck the country.
With vaccinations starting, hopefully, the number of deaths will stop rising so rapidly. President-elect Biden is the latest to receive the vaccination live.