- President wanted 70% of adults at least partially vaccinated by 4 July
- 1,000 US counties where less than 30% of people are vaccinated
- The anti-abortion extremists gaining ground on the right
3.18pm BST
It has been described as America’s darkest day since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. But whereas 9/11 is solemnly memorialised in stone, a concerted effort is under way to airbrush the US Capitol insurrection from history.
Six months on from the mayhem on 6 January, when a mob of Donald Trump supporters stormed the heart of American democracy to disrupt the confirmation of Joe Biden’s election victory, Republicans and rightwing media have variously attempted to downplay the attack or blame it on leftwing infiltrators and the FBI.
Related: Republicans’ effort to deny the Capitol attack is working – and it’s dangerous
2.59pm BST
Jeff Zients, the coordinator of the White House pandemic response team, acknowledged that lower vaccination rates among younger Americans contributed to the US missing its July 4 vaccination goal.
On the White House missing its July Fourth vaccination goal, COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients tells @MarthaRaddatz young adults “have felt less vulnerable to the disease,” adding they were made eligible for the vaccine later as well. https://t.co/j3J01CTcMy pic.twitter.com/3sOnuibc6Y
2.37pm BST
In his address over the weekend to mark US independence day, Joe Biden urged all Americans to get vaccinated as quickly as possible, arguing it is the “patriotic” thing to do.
2.25pm BST
The Guardian’s Edward Helmore reports:
Several Republican governors with lagging vaccine rates in their states have urged residents to accept the shots as the Biden administration comes under pressure to reopen US borders to overseas visitors.
Related: Republican governors urge vaccine-hesitant residents to get Covid shots
2.19pm BST
Greetings from Washington, live blog readers.
Joe Biden will speak this afternoon on his administration’s ongoing efforts to get Americans vaccinated against coronavirus.
WATCH: Dr. Fauci says Covid-19 vaccination rate disparities could create ‘two types of America’ #MTP pic.twitter.com/jFHF2L9OBC