Biden COVID deaths reach 800,000 more per capita than other wealthy nations

The United States crosses 800,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths as 2022 begins, more Americans lost to the virus than died in all U.S. wars combined since World War I. Despite vaccines being widely available since April 2021, the U.S. death toll continues climbing driven by unvaccinated Americans and the Omicron variant. The U.S. death rate of roughly 240 per 100,000 exceeds that of most comparable wealthy nations. Biden releases a statement mourning "800,000 COVID deaths" as Omicron surges to record case levels. The milestone shows the deep limits of federal action against a politicized pandemic.