President-elect Joseph R. Biden and his wife Jill sent a Christmas message to the public urging them to follow the COVID-19 health guidelines from officials this holiday season.
“Jill and I wish you and your family joy, health and happiness this season. But we know for so many of you in our nation, this has been a very difficult year,” Mr. Biden said in a video message. “And we’re reminded in this season of hope of our common humanity and what we’re called to do for one another.”
The Bidens also thanked first responders, military families separated for the holidays and offered condolences to those that have lost loved ones during the coronavirus pandemic.
Vice President-elect Kamala D Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff issued their own Christmas greeting and, like the Bidens, acknowledged that they’re downsizing their holiday celebrations because of the pandemic.
“There’s so many families who are having the same experience of — it’s going to a be a much smaller situation, and I think about all of the families who also are going to have, like Joe says, an empty seat at the table,” Ms. Harris said.
There have been 18,661,461 coronavirus cases in the United States and 329,118 deaths, according to data from John Hopkins University. The U.S. has a population of about 330 million.
