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How Delta fears have pushed the White House bring back pandemic restrictions in just two weeks: Fully-vaccinated Biden and Kamala mask up and spread out, 14 days after cramming into cabinet meeting

President Joe Biden kept plenty of distance from the vice president and guests at a White House meeting with Asian American leaders – in the latest sign of how the Delta variant is bringing health precautions that the White House had jettisoned weeks ago.

The president was seated at the center of a long table covered in a white cloth for his meeting with Asian American, Hawaiian, and Pacific leaders. 

Press who came to cover the event were let in just seconds before the president spoke, with initial remarks about the passing of AFL-CIO head Richard Trumka. 

Officials set up a long rectangular table in the State Dining room for Biden's event with Asian American, Hawaiian, and Pacific Island leaders

Officials set up a long rectangular table in the State Dining room for Biden's event with Asian American, Hawaiian, and Pacific Island leaders

The president was seated about 10 feet away from his Vice President Kamala Harris, in a throwback to White House social distancing when vaccines were not nearly as widespread. 

Harris and other officials were masked as Biden spoke. 

Just two weeks ago, on July 20th, it was a very different visual displaying, with Biden's top advisors all cramming into the cabinet room for a cabinet meeting.   

The closest officials to Biden were across the room or all the way at the corner

The closest officials to Biden were across the room or all the way at the corner

It was another story two weeks ago, when Biden and cabinet members crammed into the Cabinet Room at the White House

It was another story two weeks ago, when Biden and cabinet members crammed into the Cabinet Room at the White House

The distancing kept the glad-handing Biden far away from other officials

The distancing kept the glad-handing Biden far away from other officials

The change reflects new CDC guidance and new restrictions amid the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

White House aides are now masking up in doors, in keeping with guidance for Washington, D.C., given its case loads. 

Those in proximity to Biden continue to be tested for COVID-19. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki and cabinet secretaries who accompany her mask up on their way to daily press briefings – but then remove them when at the podium. 

There were different guidelines on display for an outdoor event Biden held on electric cars later Thursday. There, lawmakers, including members of congress, were seated closer together, most didn't wear masks outdoors. 

Biden, after taking a spin in a Jeep electric vehicle, spoke unmasked to a group of reporters who crowded together outdoors to get comment from him.

After his remarks, he spent several minutes chatting up close, still outdoors, with former colleagues from the Capitol. 

At another outdoor event, in the Rose Garden for officers who protected the Capitol during the Jan. 6th riot, Biden shook hands and spoke to a line of officials and visitors to the event, which honored those who lost their lives as well as the bravery of those who protected the building.  

At the earlier event, Biden spoke about hate attacks on groups of Asian Americans in recent years. 

'In fact, let me start by acknowledging that on this day, in 2012, I was with another friend who's half Sikh -- he's a Sikh. And we were on -- dealing with the 10 people shot in a hateful act of bigotry at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Seven people lost their lives that day,' he said.

'Today, we honor everyone impacted by this tragedy. And we think about all the pain during this pandemic, with the rise of hate crimes, harassment, bullying, and other forms of bias against Asian Americans. It seems not to stop.'

'And after the shooting in the Atlanta area, Kamala and I traveled to Atlanta, met with a group -- some of whom are here -- of Asian American leaders. The discussion was very raw. It was powerful. And a common theme was that Asian Americans feeling unsafe, unwanted, and some of you indicted feeling invisible sometimes.'

'Our message back to you was, at that moment: We see you. We see you,' he added.

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