http://recordcdn.quklive.com/upload/vod/user1587016609771948/1710407456496260/origin.mp4Morethantwoyearsintothepandemic,theCOVID-19deathtollintheUShitthe1millionmarkinMay.Thedeathtollhassincegrownto1.05million,andthecumulativecasesexceeded95million,accordingtothelatesttallyfromJohnsHopkinsUniversity.EventhoughUSPresidentJoeBidendeclaredlastSundaythatthepandemicisoverinthecountry,itisstillseeingthousandsofnewinfectionsandhundredsofdeathseachday.HowisthedeadlyoutbreakevolvingintheUS?Wetrytovisualizethegrimpath."OnemillionCOVIDdeaths,onemillionemptychairsaroundthefamilydinnertable,"saidPresidentBideninastatementmarkingwhathecalled"atragicmilestone".Ifeachdeathismarkedwithanemptychair,thisiswhatitlookslikewhenwelineupasmanychairsasliveslostintheUSduetoCOVID.·InlateFebruary2020,a50-year-oldmaninWashingtonstatediedfromCOVID-19infection.·Amonthlater,all50USstatesreportedcases,andthedeathtollcrossed100.StateslikeCaliforniaannouncedacompletelockdownthatrequiredpeopletostayhomeexceptforessentialneeds.·InAprilofthesameyear,theUSovertookItalyasthecountrywiththemostCOVIDdeathsintheworld.·Threemonthsafterthefirstreporteddeath,theUSreachedthe100,000milestone.OnMay24,2020,thefrontpageoftheNewYorkTimesgatheredthenamesofthedeadtomarkthe"incalculableloss".·Bytheendof2020,thecoronavirushadkilledmorethan300,000peopleacrossthecountryasthefirstvaccinationdrivestarted.ThetollwasequivalenttorepeatingatragedyonthescaleofHurricaneKatrinaeverydayfor5andahalfmonths.·Thefirstmonthof2021hasbeenAmerica'sdeadliestmonthsincethepandemicoutbreak.Thevirusclaimednearly96,000livesthatmonth.Deathswererunningatabout3,150perdayonaverage.·Daysafter,theUSrecordedmorethan5,000COVIDdeathsinasingledayafterthedateaudit,makingFebruary4,2021thedeadliestdayduringthepandemic.·TheDeltawavebroughtanothersurgetothealreadyhugedeathtoll.BytheendofOctober2021,COVID-19hadovertakenthe1918influenzaasthemostseverepandemicinmodernAmericanhistory.InSeptemberandOctober,morethan100,000peoplediedofCOVID-19.·OnMarch25thisyear,everyUSstateandterritorysawanendtomaskmandatesinmostindoorsettingsastheOmicronwaveebbed.Atthattime,thenumberoftotaldeathsexceeded977,000.·BythisMay,just27monthsafterthefirstconfirmedCOVIDdeath,thevirushadtakenthelivesofmorethan1millionAmericans.Onepersondead,tragedy;onemilliondead,statistics.Humanbrainsarejustsobadatcomprehendinganumbersobigas1million.Whatexactlydoes"onemillion"looklike?Ifmeasuredintime,that'soneCOVIDdeathperminute,fornearly700days.OnemilliontollsoftheWashingtonNationalCathedralaroundtheclockwouldlast49days.Alineof1millioncasketswouldextend1290milesifsetendtoend.It'sabouthalfofthedistancefromLosAngelestoNewYork.ThenumberroughlyequalsthepopulationofSanJose.Itislikeanemptycitywithnooneinthebuilding,nooneonthestreet.Whatnext?Astimegoesby,thepushforareturntopre-COVIDnormalcyseemstobrushasidethestaggeringtoll.TheUShasalreadycharteditspathintonewnormalcy,butthere'snothingnormalaboutthismanydeaths,aboutthosewhoarestilldyingfromthevirus,andaboutlifewithnopolicychangesonthehorizon.RELATEDCONTENTDeadliestEvent:OneMillionCOVIDDeathsinPerspectiveRippleofLastingPain:OneMillionCOVIDDeathsonIndividualsEditor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.