which doubled once October hit. Since March 2020, nearly 50 million people have tested positive for the virus in the country, JHU data shows.
The grim milestone in the U.S. is especially frustrating to public health leaders and medical professionals on the front lines because vaccines have been available to all eligible Americans for nearly six months, with data showing the shots overwhelmingly protect against hospitalizations and death.
FILE - A white flag memorial installation honoring the nearly 27,000 Los Angeles County residents who have died from COVID-19 stands outside Griffith Observatory on Nov.18, 2021 in Los Angeles, Calif. RELATED: Omicron variant appearing milder than delta, South African doctors say Now, as the year ends, the.