During remarks from the White House on Tuesday, Joe Biden gave an update on “our” (Donald Trump’s) coronavirus vaccine program. While Biden lauded “his” (largely Trump’s) plan, he also did what Democrats do every time they talk about the virus — even if sharing good news — he tossed in a few ominous warnings for good measure.

After announcing “We’re now on track to have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of May,” Biden said:

“We’re making progress from the mess we inherited. We’re moving in the right direction. And today’s announcements are a huge step in our effort to beat this pandemic. But I have to be honest with you: This fight is far from over.

“I told you I’d be straight-up with you from the beginning. As I said many times, things may get worse again as new variants spread and as we face setbacks, like recent winter storms in the Midwest and South.

“But our administration will never take this public health threat lightly.”

Fine, Joe. You’re being “straight-up” with us. How ’bout we be straight-up with you?

Here’s the thing, Joe. According to a Morning Consult tracking poll, Americans’ comfort with engaging in activities like eating at restaurants, going shopping, seeing movies at the theater, and taking vacations took a “yuuge” jump in February, to levels, as noted by The Blaze, that have not been seen since the pandemic began.

Wait. What does Tony Fauci, the be-all and end-all of expert advice on all things COVID, think about all of this renewed optimism? Not too much. As reported by CNN on Thursday, Fauci called loosening of COVID restrictions — most recently in Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama — “inexplicable.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Texas: “It just is inexplicable why you would want to pull back now.” pic.twitter.com/57jMQ1xpIx

— The Hill (@thehill) March 4, 2021

Fauci told CNN’s Erin Burnett on Wednesday:

“I understand the need to want to get back to normality, but you’re only going to set yourself back if you just completely push aside the public health guidelines — particularly when we’re dealing with anywhere from 55 (thousand) to 70,000 infections per day in the United States.”

Anybody get the feeling Fauci would mask us up and lock us down for the rest of our lives (or his) if he had the power and authority to do so?Me too.

Fauci aside, in a comparison of January 2 and February 28, the Morning Consult poll found that 51 percent of Americans would now feel comfortable eating at a restaurant, 46 percent would be comfortable with going shopping, 43 percent would feel comfortable going on a vacation, and 32 percent would be comfortable going to see a movie.

In contrast, the same poll on January 2 showed only 37 percent felt comfortable going out to eat, 32 percent said they’d be comfortable at a shopping mall, 29 percent said they would feel comfortable going on vacation, and just 21 percent said they would feel comfortable going to see a movie at a theater.

In addition, as noted by The Blaze, respondents said they’d feel even more comfortable participating in the above activities in six months, including at least 69 percent who said they would feel comfortable eating at a restaurant. Clearly, people are increasingly “over” the restrictions put on their lives in the name of the pandemic. Sorry, Tony.

As I mentioned, earlier, Texas and Mississippi  — joined by Alabama on Thursday —on Tuesday lifted COVID restrictions, including ending mask mandates and capacity limits on businesses. Biden was not a happy camper. Channeling Hillary Clinton and her “basket of deplorables” blast against half of America during the 2016 presidential campaign, Biden called lifting mandates “Neanderthal thinking.”

“I think it’s a big mistake,” Biden told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about the two states lifting their mandates.

“I hope everybody’s realized by now these masks make a difference. We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because of the way we’re able to get vaccines in people’s arms.

“The last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime everything’s fine, take off your mask, forget it. It still matters.”

Oh, nice shot, Joe. Lemme guess. “Unity”? A “time for healing”?

President Biden on Texas and Mississippi lifting their statewide mask mandates: “I think it’s a big mistake…It’s critical, critical, critical that they follow the science…” pic.twitter.com/ETcTJw04ij

— CSPAN (@cspan) March 3, 2021

So whaddya expect, Joe? Whether we’re “Midwesterners clinging to our guns and religion,” a “basket of deplorables,” or “Neanderthals,” to quote Hillary, what difference does it make? Just let us be “stupid” and forget about us; we’ll do just fine.

Meanwhile, Tony Fauci was last seen walking around in circles and mumbling to himself.

Something about “troglodytes.”