But just because we aren’t looking at the best-case scenario, doesn’t mean that we’re now in a worst-case scenario. Instead, according to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, we’re looking at something in the manageable middle.

“It is really important that we convey that success does not equal no cases,” Murthy told POLITICO in an interview. “Success looks like very few people in the hospital and very few dying.”…

“This is obviously a very difficult part of the pandemic,” Murthy added. Delta is a genuine danger, but vaccinated people may overestimate their peril, just as unvaccinated people may underestimate it.

“This is the dichotomy developing,” he said. “It’s almost like living in two different Americas.”

This uneven picture will pose political challenges. Joe Biden has staked much of his presidency on getting the virus under control. He’s missed a few self-imposed deadlines but his administration has gotten tens of millions of Americans vaccinated, reopened schools and presided over a recovering economy. He’s generally had a more consistent, science-based response than former President Donald Trump did — although lately he’s angered some FDA officials by getting ahead of them over decisions about booster shots.