Vaccine Efforts Redoubled as US Death Toll Draws Near 500k

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — States are redoubling their efforts to get the coronavirus vaccine into more arms after last week’s winter weather closed clinics, slowed vaccine deliveries and forced tens of thousands of people to miss their shots.

The effort is unfolding as the nation closes in on a startling new milestone: 500,000 deaths from COVID-19.

President Joe Biden planned to honor the dead with a moment of silence and a candle-lighting ceremony at the White House. He will also order U.S. flags lowered at federal buildings for the next five days.