Welcome to the lead. I'm Pam LeBron in for Jake Tapper and we start today with our

health lead. And while there are encouraging signs that more Americans are getting vaccinated

against coronavirus, there is also worrying new data out today showing how great the threat

still is. The highly contagious Delta variant now makes up more than 93% of all new cases

in the United States. That's according to the CDC. The number of Americans dying from

COVID every day is up 42% from just last week. And hospitalizations are three times higher

than one month ago. And we know vaccines are the best way to stop the spread. But combating

misinformation about the vaccines is still one of the greatest challenges for health officials.

And the new pull out today shows that among unvaccinated Americans, 53% think getting

the shot is a bigger risk to their health than catching COVID, 53%. Adding to the confusion,

the contradictory messages coming from the Biden administration. As Anna's Christian

Holmes reports from vaccine mandates to masking, the nation's top doctors are having a tough

time staying on the same page. As the Delta variant rages across the country, Americans

are struggling to understand how to best protect themselves and others. He misspoke.

The top health officials in the Biden administration only adding to the confusion with a series

of contradictory messages from masks to mandates. The communication about who should wear

a mask, causing whiplash. You have the opportunity to make the personal choice to add extra

layers of protection if you such as just days after the head of the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention said masks for the fully vaccinated were an individual choice,

a complete 180. In areas with substantial and high transmission, CDC recommends fully vaccinated

people wear masks in public indoor settings to help prevent the spread of the Delta variant

and protect others.

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