300,000 Americans forecasted to die of virus by December

(FOX NEWS) — Experts are predicting more than 300,000 Americans will die from COVID-19 by December first.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, releasing its projections Thursday.

However, researchers say nearly 68,000 lives could be saved if a nationwide mask mandate were imposed.

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, more than 5.8-million Americans have been infected with the virus since the pandemic began, and more than 180,000 have died.