THE WHITE HOUSE KEEPS IT SIMPLE ON COVID — Coronavirus cases are falling across much of the U.S. — except in the pockets where they’re rising sharply. The vaccination campaign is making headway, but at a far slower and more arduous pace. And as the Delta variant spreads, new reports of breakthrough infections overseas have suddenly dampened the July Fourth mood. Yet, if the pandemic is getting more complicated, the White House’s perspective is only getting simpler: “If you’re vaccinated, you’re protected. But if you’re unvaccinated, you’re not,” President Joe Biden said Monday. That straightforward message is fast becoming the White House’s new Covid mantra — and one that reflects a narrowing of the federal response to focus almost exclusively on the 30 percent or so who remain unvaccinated. After months of mass appeals and pricey education campaigns, nearly everyone who wants a shot has gotten one. What remains is a single, difficult task: Changing as many resistant Americans’ minds as possible. The administration has vowed to throw everything at that goal, and Biden on Monday highlighted a range of additional outreach initiatives. But he also alluded to the reality that any progress from here on out will be halting and difficult, with no total victory any time soon. “We need to go community by community, neighborhood by neighborhood, and oftentimes door to door,” Biden said. “We can’t get complacent now.” DELTA VARIANT DRIVING US COVID CASES — The more transmissible Covid-19 strain accounted for more than half of all cases between June 20 and July 3, according to new data from the CDC. That represents an increase from just 30.4 percent in the two-week period ending June 19, POLITICO’s David Lim and Erin Banco report — raising questions about how the administration will contain the variant on a national level. In states such as Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, CDC projections indicate the Delta strain represented more than 80 percent of cases during that time. The spread has added fresh urgency to the vaccination effort, with Biden officials warning that unvaccinated communities are increasingly vulnerable to outbreaks. Still, the administration isn’t considering precautions like new recommendations on mask wearing — opting instead to redouble efforts to get more people vaccinated. The White House is also downplaying the threat to vaccinated individuals. On Monday, press secretary Jen Psaki dismissed early research from Israel indicating the Pfizer vaccine was less effective against the Delta variant as “preliminary.” “The vast majority of data from larger assessments and larger studies shows that it is quite effective,” she said. BIDEN FACES BARRIERS TO BRINGING DRUGMAKING BACK ONSHORE — Biden wants more essential drugs to be made in the U.S. But it's not clear if there's enough political will, or money, in Congress to make that happen, Katherine Ellen Foley writes. The problem: Regulatory and industry experts have known for years that the drug supply chain is fragile and opaque, but the Covid-19 pandemic put these problems in the public spotlight. For example,: 29 of 40 critical drugs for treating Covid-19 patients were in shortage at various points in 2020, including common pain relievers and sedatives used for people on ventilators. The White House last month announced plans to boost domestic production of anywhere from 50 to 100 generic drugs through public-private partnerships. Congress also channeled $60 million to HHS in the last relief package to jumpstart efforts. But the goal is likely to take billions — plus regulatory overhauls, reimbursement changes and research investments, Katherine writes. So despite bipartisan congressional support for onshore manufacturing, some lawmakers could balk at more spending. “[Republicans] are getting spending fatigue,” a Democratic Senate staffer said. “They have a feeling of 'well we've invested through the American Rescue Plan,’” and that’s enough, the aide said, referring to the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package enacted in March.
| 
