What they're saying: "We are watching these concerning data very closely to see where they will go over the next few days. But it’s important to remember where we are in the pandemic," Walensky said.
- "Things are tenuous. Now is not the time to relax restrictions," she added.
- "I want to be clear: Cases, hospital admissions, and deaths all remain very high, and the recent shift in the pandemic must be taken extremely seriously."
For his part, Biden said that "cases and hospitalizations could go back up as new variants emerge."
- “And it’s not the time to relax. We have to keep washing our hands, staying socially distanced, and for God’s sake, wear your mask. It’s not a political statement. It’s a patriotic thing to do.”
By the numbers: Walensky said the country is currently reporting a 7-day average of 66,350 COVID-19 cases and 2,000 per day, a slight increase from the seven-day averages reported by the CDC earlier this week.
- "The latest data suggests that these declines may be stalling, potentially leveling off at, still, a very high number," she said.
Go deeper: About 20% of U.S. adults have received first vaccine dose, White House says
