Half million COVID-19 deaths possible by February -study

[NFA] The COVID-19 death toll could reach a half million in the United States by February unless nearly all Americans wear face masks, researchers with the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation said on Friday, a day after the number of new infections reported across the country approached a record high.

This report produced by Jillian Kitchener.

The United States’ COVID-19 death toll could soar to a half million people by February… unless nearly all Americans wear face masks.

That’s according to a study published by the University of Washington on Friday - a day after the number of new infections nationwide neared a record high.

The study’s projection is in line with fears that colder weather will drive people indoors where the virus is more likely to spread.

(BIDEN) "This is a dark winter ahead." Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Friday criticized the president for his lax approach to controlling the spread: "...holding rallies with no masks, no social distancing where people contracted the virus, inviting virus into the White House, hosting what Dr. Fauci called super-spreader event… We don't have to be held prisoner by this administration's failures." Biden highlighted the effectiveness of mask usage, Friday.

"Masks save lives.

Period." A sentiment in line with the study, which found that half a million figure could drop by 130,000 if 95% of Americans used face coverings.

(TRUMP) "You catch it.

And you know what, I caught it.

I learned a lot." During Thursday night’s presidential debate, Trump said the country was rounding the turn on coronavirus, which has already killed over 221,000 people in the United States.

"There was a spike in Florida.

It's now gone.

There was a very big spike in Texas.

It's now gone.

There was a very big spike in Arizona.

It's now gone.

And there are some spikes and surges and other places - they will soon be gone….” And yet - Eight states on Thursday set new records for single-day increases in cases, and seven states reported record numbers of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.