US President Joe Biden, who previously promised his citizens a "summer of freedom," was forced to offer a set of incentive measures to encourage Americans to get vaccinated. 

"We are not safe yet," the US President said in a speech at the White House, at a time when the country was recording a significant increase in infections due to the outbreak of the Delta mutant. 

For the first time in months, Joe Biden entered the room, where journalists were waiting for him, wearing a black mask that he took off when he began to speak.

In this way, he respects new recommendations issued by the US health authorities that even those vaccinated should wear a mask in areas where the virus is spreading strongly.

Unvaccinated federal employees must wear a mask even in areas where the virus is not very common and undergo regular tests once or twice a week. Their travels will be limited.

Without clearly and explicitly referring to the mandatory vaccination, this procedure constitutes a shift in the position of the US administration, which until recently rejected this idea.

"I realize that people talk about freedom, but responsibility goes with freedom," Biden said.

"It is exhausting to think that we are still fighting [the pandemic]," he acknowledged.

The federal authorities employ four million people, including two million civilians.

With regard to the military, Biden called on the military to study "how and when" adding the Covid-19 vaccine to the list of mandatory vaccinations for the military.

- $100 for a vaccine -

On the other hand, Biden called on local authorities to give $100 to each person who receives the vaccine, to be taken from emergency funds established to confront the pandemic.

These stimulus measures seem far from the statements made by the US President in June and early July, in which he spoke of a “summer of freedom” and during which he promised to declare the “independence” of the United States soon from the virus in reference to the Fourth of July.

The United States was counting on a vaccination campaign that saw a very promising start and set an example for the whole world to follow, but its pace has recently declined.

European officials are now considered to have overtaken the United States in the proportion of the population that has received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

A number of commentators are questioning the possibility that the Democratic president declared victory over COVID-19 prematurely.

However, the White House refutes this, stressing that it "follows the opinions of scientists" and adapts daily to the new health situation caused by the most contagious Delta mutant.

It remains to be seen whether this mutation will also change political attitudes regarding vaccination. Currently, opposition to vaccination is still greater among Republican voters.

"It's not about red (Republican) states or blue (Democratic) states," Biden stressed Thursday. "It's a matter of life and death."

Recently, a number of Republican officials have joined the ranks of those calling for vaccinations.