After being asked by a reporter if the country has ‘lost control’ of the COVID-19 pandemic, Press Secretary Jen Psaki refuted the claim and listed measures the Biden administration has taken to combat the recent surge
. The 978,856 new infections on Monday includes some cases from Saturday and Sunday, when many states do not report.The average number of U.S. COVID-19 deaths per day has remained fairly steady throughout December and into early January at about 1,300, according to a Reuters tally, though deaths typically lag behind cases and hospitalizations.
"The truth is that the next four to six weeks will be the most challenging time of the entire pandemic," Hogan told reporters. "Our newest projections as of today show that COVID hospitalizations could reach more than 5,000, which would be more than 250% higher than our previous peak of 1,952 last year."
The unrelenting surge has prompted more than 3,200 schools to close their buildings this week, according to Burbio, a site that tracks school disruptions. Schools that have remained open are facing staff shortages and renewed concerns about virus spread.