President Biden on Tuesday touted the progress the U.S. has made against the coronavirus pandemic but acknowledged that the country has a long way to go amid a rise in cases due to the delta variant.
Speaking at a Cabinet meeting marking his first six months in office, Biden said that his administration’s focus is on persuading those who are not yet vaccinated against COVID-19 to get their shot.
“I know it seems like a constant uphill climb but gradually we’re making progress,” Biden said. “We got a way to go yet.”
Biden tried to put the recent rise in cases into context, saying that deaths due to COVID-19 are down “dramatically” since he took office. He credited his administration’s vaccination program, which picked up from Operation Warp Speed under the Trump administration and expanded access to vaccines.
“We have to stay vigilant, especially with the delta variant that’s out there. While COVID-19 cases are rising, virtually all of the COVID deaths — virtually all of the COVID deaths — and hospitalizations are from unvaccinated people,” Biden said. “That means the safest thing to do is get vaccinated.”