Flags are placed on the National Mall ahead of the inauguration. Shortly before Vice President-elect Joe Biden departed for Washington, the U.S. reached another grim milestone in the pandemic, surpassing 400,000 deaths from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Inaugural organizers on Monday finished installing some 200,000 U.S., state and territorial flags on the National Mall, a display to represent the American people who couldn’t come to the inauguration, which is restricted under the tight security and COVID restrictions.

The U.S. Capitol is seen between flags placed on the National Mall ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, scheduled for Wednesday.

State flags including the Tennessee state flag, in front, are placed on the National Mall on Monday. Aides say President-elect Joe Biden will use Wednesday's inaugural address to call for American unity and offer an optimistic message that Americans can get past the dark moment by working together.

A worker installs flags on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony, on Tuesday in Washington.