7:20 am: Joe Biden remains cautious about the end of the pandemic
The last time the end of Covid-19 seemed near in the United States, President Joe Biden declared victory too quickly. This time he might be late.
The Democrat, who had promised to defeat the pandemic, finds himself in an increasingly difficult position as the decline of the Omicron variant allows Americans to dream of a return to normal life.
In many Republican states, leaders have long tried to pretend the pandemic is a distant memory, even as their hospitals remain full.
But today, as the number of cases plummets, Biden’s allies join them.