On the eve of inauguration, President Biden honours the victims of Coronavirus

President-elect Joe Biden led a national memorial ceremony on Tuesday on the eve of his inauguration Wednesday to honour 400,000 Americans who died from COVIED-19 over the 11 months since the Coronavirus caused the first victim in the United States.

The ceremony, held at sunset, was held just hours before President Donald Trump left the White House leaving a place in crisis. The ceremony, run by Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris from Lincoln's Memorial, marked the federal government's first official admission of large numbers of deaths from the pandemic.

We must remember. Sometimes it's painful to remember, but that's how we recover. It is important to do such a thing as nation,” said in brief comments marking the start of similar memorial ceremonies in cities across the country.

As darkness fell on the country's capital, 400 electric lamps that were placed on both sides of the Reflexing pine were lit to honour 400,000 lives lost, followed by the interpretation of song “halelujah” by evangelist Yolanda Adams, and later by a moment of silence in memory of the dead from COVID-19.

Although we may be physically divided, we American people are united in spirit,” Mrs. Harris said in her comments.

A nurse from a Michigan hospital, Lori Marie Kay, sang “Amazing Grace” before Biden took the stage. About 6.5km from the site where Beden appeared, the bells of the National Cathedral were resounded 400 times after he spoke.

According to Reuters agency data, the United States now has over 24 million infections with COVID-19 and over 400,000 lives lost by the virus. The country has recorded more than 200,000 new cases and 3,220 deaths on average over the past seven days.

Among the other monuments that were lit for the ceremony were the Empire State building in New York City and Space Needle in Seattle, Mr. Biden's inauguration commission said in a statement. The commission also said it was encouraging Americans to light candles in their windows and churches in a sign of unity.

Local officials from the city of Majemi in Florida to San Diego in California said buildings in their cities were expected to be lit up specifically for the occasion.

St. John's cathedral in New York City was inviting the public to light candles on its front steps Tuesday evening before the fall of a solemn bell.

A New Chapter in Answer to pandemic

ceremony marked start of new chapter in country's battle against COVIDD-19 under the direction of Beden, who has pledged to make the easing of the Coronavirus a top priority when taking office Wednesday under unprecedented security measures in the country's capital.

Beden inherits a mourning country and included by the pandemic from Trump, which critics say was responsible for an uncoordinated and inefficient response to pandemic, resulting in the highest number of deaths in the United States on a national scale from COVID-19, compared to other countries.

On Tuesday, his last full day as president, Trump had not planned any public events, although Vice President Mike Pence was planning to gather the Coronavirus Labor Group for the last meeting under his direction.

Many of Mr. Biden's policy plans are diametrically contrary to the Trump administration's approach to combating pandemic. They include a forced use of the mask on federal objects, planes and buses, and a reconfirmation of commitment to the World Health Organisation after the United States was removed from Trump by the agency.

Beden will also face task of distributing and managing vaccines against COVID-19. The United States has been left behind with its vaccination target, with only 12.3 million vaccines injected by more than 31 million scattered since January 15th, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The states, tasked with preparing their vaccination programmes, have complained about lack of funds and support from the federal government. Some locals say they do not have adequate supplies to meet the requirement.

Mayor Bill de Blasio warned on Tuesday that New York City will run out of vaccine doses perhaps Thursday, and will be forced to cancel many vaccine visits unless it is refueled quickly.

“There will be nothing left to give since Friday,” said de Blasio at a press conference.