Biden's approval rating DROPS by 10 percent as COVID cases grow, mask mandates return and inflation surges to derail promised 'summer of freedom'

Biden's approval rating dropped to 52 percent from 62 percent in June

Joe Biden's approval rating has plunged by 10 percent in the latest poll as coronavirus cases saw a summer resurgence and more Americans lose confidence in how the government is handling the pandemic.

The president's approval dropped to 52 percent, down from 62 percent in June.

His disapproval rating however is still 43 percent, according to a Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll released Monday and first obtained by The Hill, marking a slightly more favorable if unenthusiastic outlook overall. 

The steep drop means Biden's post-inaugural 'honeymoon' is 'officially over,' the poll's co-director Mark Penn told the outlet. 

And although the US recently reached Biden's July 4th 70 percent vaccine goal on Monday, his promised 'summer of freedom' seems to be slipping from reality. 

Biden's decreased favorability comes as more Americans are worried about the coronavirus pandemic. A 36 percent majority of respondents say it's the top issue facing the US. 

Just 46 percent of people believe the US is on the right track in its COVID fight as of July. In June the number was 53 percent, the highest it's been.

The number of people who think it's on the wrong track rose to 47 percent from 39 percent in June. 

The latest numbers also indicate more Americans are concerned about the pandemic than any other issue facing the country 

The number of people who said the US is moving in a favorable direction with the pandemic has also fallen as cases surged over July

July's COVID spike has been attributed to falling vaccination rates and the Delta variant

Americans' July cynicism coincided with a wave of new COVID infections across the country.

After making significant strides in the fight against the virus infection numbers soared again in July. Vaccination rates slowing down and the prevalence of the highly-contagious Delta variant were blamed for the spike. 

More than 103,000 new COVID cases were reported on July 30 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the highest one-day total since February.

In total more than 35 million COVID cases have been reported in the US and 613,758 people have died. 

With the rise in cases the CDC issued new guidance urging fully vaccinated Americans to wear masks if they live in COVID hotspots. Ten California counties have so far reinstated mask mandates. Louisiana has also reinstated indoor mask mandates in response to surging cases and hospitalizations. 

White House staff were also asked to wear masks indoors again as cases in Washington re-emerged in people who were fully vaccinated (pictured: Press Secretary Jen Psaki enters the briefing room on August 2)

'Overall the country has come down from its mood highs as the Delta variant is putting a crimp in America's plan to party now and go back to work after Labor Day,' Penn said. 

Even the White House has asked staff to start wearing masks again, after a handful of reported cases in Washington in fully-vaccinated people including most recently Senator Lindsey Graham. 

The number of Americans optimistic over the US economy being on the right track has also dropped from 43 percent from almost 50 in June, and 49 percent believe it is on the wrong track - a seven point increase. 

Mask mandates have returned to parts of the country as well (pictured: Los Angeles shoppers wear masks amid rising COVID cases on July 19)

US inflation rates for urban consumers rose 0.9 percent in June, the largest month-over-month increase since it rose a full percent in June 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Inflation across the US soared 5.4 percent in one year as of June, keeping prices high despite an optimistic long-term projection from the Federal Reserve just last week. 

However, 53 percent of Americans still view the economy as strong, six points above the number who deemed it weak. 

Biden's 10-point plunge in popularity is no outlier - Congress' approval rating also fell 9 percent from June with a similar rise in disapproval. 

Both Republicans and Democrats are feeling the heat with approval ratings just below 50 and disapproval just above.

The Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll surveyed 1,788 registered voters from July 28 to July 29.