U.S. President-elect Joe Biden has given a preview of what his January inauguration will look like, noting that the event will not be typical due to the pandemic.

“We’re gonna follow again the science and recommendation of the experts on keeping people safe.

“So, it is highly unlikely there’ll be a million people on the mall going all the way down,” Mr. Biden told reporters in Wilmington, Delaware.

He added: “I think you’re going to see something that’s closer to what the convention was like, than the typical inauguration,” referring to the 2020 Democratic National Convention, which was held primarily online.

“First and foremost, my objective is to keep America safe and still allow people to celebrate.

“To celebrate and see one another celebrate,” he noted.

The president-elect said discussions are currently ongoing with leading members of congress.

Mr. Biden hinted that the large, in-person events that are usually held during a presidential inauguration, including a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC, will likely not take place.

He also spoke of “a lot of virtual activity in states all across America, engaging even more people than before.”

The inauguration will be held on January 20, and the number of confirmed coronavirus cases is expected to continue to rise until then.

The number of coronavirus cases in the US has spiked sharply in recent weeks.

More than 14.14 million Americans have been infected with the novel virus since the beginning of the outbreak and over 276,000 people have died from the disease, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. 

dpa/NAN