| CORONAVIRUS: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to attach a new warning to doses of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine because of an association in data to a serious but rare autoimmune disorder called Guillain-Barré syndrome. The administration is expected to announce the new warning as early as Tuesday, with European regulators likely following suit (The New York Times). About 100 preliminary reports of Guillain-Barré have been detected after the administration of 12.8 million doses of the one-shot vaccine in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The cases, which have not been observed with Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, have largely been reported about two weeks after J&J vaccination and mostly in men, many aged 50 and older. Despite the new warning, regulators maintain that the benefits of receiving the J&J shot continue to outweigh the risks of being affected by the rare disorder or contracting COVID-19 (The Washington Post). The FDA also has attached similar warnings to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, but some health officials told the Times the warning about Johnson & Johnson was more serious. 
© Getty Images > Variant trouble: After months of dwindling daily case totals, they are once again on the rise as the delta variant and other strains take hold in a number of Southern states, reminding Americans that the pandemic is by no means over despite the easing of restrictions across the country. As The Hill’s Justine Coleman reports, 41 states and the District of Columbia have documented an increase in average daily cases over the past two weeks. But nine in particular, including seven in the South, have seen cases at least double in that time period (The New York Times). In Los Angeles County alone, officials recorded more than 1,000 new cases for three consecutive days this week for the first time since March. Arkansas also reported more than 1,000 new cases for a third straight day on Friday. “The majority of states have large swaths of population that are still not protected,” said Amber D’Souza, a professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Overall, the U.S. is now averaging more than 19,000 new cases for the first time since the end of May, representing a 60 percent increase from just two weeks ago. The Associated Press: Summer camps have been hit with COVID-19 outbreaks — are schools next? The Hill and The New York Times: The administration told Pfizer during a Monday meeting that more evidence is needed to determine whether COVID-19 booster shots are necessary. The federal recommendation will depend partly on data gathered about infections in vaccinated people that cause serious disease or hospitalization. The Hill: World Health Organization (WHO) chief pushes back on Pfizer booster shot. CNBC: Most fully vaccinated people who are infected with the delta variant are asymptomatic, WHO says. The Hill: Utah governor apologizes for vaccine data error. > International: French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday ordered all healthcare workers to receive COVID-19 shots by Sept. 15 and mandated COVID-19 passes starting in August showing that individuals are protected from the virus in order for them to eat at restaurants or travel, among other activities. In order to obtain a pass, people must prove they are fully vaccinated, have recently recovered from the virus or have received a COVID-19 negative test result, allowing them to eat out, enter a shopping mall or hospital, or travel aboard a plane or train. As of Monday, 40 percent of the French population is fully inoculated (The Associated Press). The Associated Press: France rushes to get vaccinated after president’s warning. In Canada, the government is sending nearly 18 million AstraZeneca doses to low- and middle-income countries. Top officials said on Monday that the doses would be distributed via COVAX, the global vaccine sharing initiative, and were part of the Canadian government’s advance purchase agreement with the pharmaceutical company (CBC). Finally, Spain on Monday announced the reintroduction of COVID-19 restrictions as cases increase due to the delta variant, spurred largely by younger unvaccinated individuals. Catalonia and Valencia, two Mediterranean coastal regions, are experiencing new virus outbreaks, leading officials to once again limit social gatherings to 10 people. The northern Asturias region went so far as to ban indoor bar and restaurant operations (The Associated Press). ****** CONGRESS: The Senate is struggling to break a stalemate over funding for the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), even as the department faces a funding crunch fueled by the fallout from the Jan. 6 attack. As The Hill’s Jordain Carney writes, just the prospect of furloughs across the USCP set off bipartisan alarm bells late last week, sparking fresh awareness of the situation that could take hold next month. However, divisions remain between the two sides, as Republicans want a more narrow bill aimed at police and National Guard funding. The Associated Press: Are Jan. 6 rioters traitors? So far, criminal charges say no. The Washington Post: “This is really fantastical”: Federal judge in Michigan presses Trump-allied lawyers on 2020 election fraud claims in sanctions hearing. Niall Stanage: The Memo: Trump pours gas on tribalism with Jan. 6 rewrite. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) unveiled a $3.7 billion bill on Monday that includes funds for the police and National Guard. However, the bill is more broad and includes monies for Afghans who helped the U.S. military, to fund the Justice Department’s investigation into the Jan. 6 attack, and to fortify and protect the Capitol complex. The legislation is nearly double the $1.9 billion measure the House OK’d two months ago. The Wall Street Journal: Democrats hone price tag for climate and antipoverty package. The New York Times: Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), in an interview, says he trusts Biden and is confident a bipartisan infrastructure deal will prevail. Politico: GOP support for bipartisan infrastructure deal going wobbly. | 
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