U.S. vaccination plods on as COVID-19 claims over 700,000 lives

A man sits beside white flags placed on the National Mall to honor the lives lost to COVID-19 in Washington, D.C., the United States, Sept. 18, 2021. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

NEW YORK, Oct. 3: The United States has set the pace to expand the spectrum of COVID-19 vaccines, while its vaccination campaign drags on as it hit a grim milestone of 700,000 deaths in the pandemic that has entered its 19th month.