The pandemic will worsen in the U.S. after the holidays

Famous American immunologist Anthony Fauci said Sunday he feared that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. is still to come, following the holiday season. 

"I share President-elect Biden's concern that it could get worse over the next few weeks," he told CNN, saying he fears "an increase on top of the increase" that the United States is already experiencing.

The world's leading power, which has the highest number of deaths from VIDOC-19 in the world, has seen a dramatic rebound in the epidemic, with more than 200,000 confirmed cases and more than 3,000 deaths per day on a regular basis for nearly three weeks.

Already a member of President Donald Trump's Crisis Unit and appointed by his successor Joe Biden as an advisor, Dr. Fauci said Sunday that this resurgence of cases could come at a "very critical time" and put "additional pressure" on an already stretched hospital system.

U.S. Chief Medical Officer Jerome Adams acknowledged Sunday that he is "very concerned" about the potential increase after the holidays.

"Even if you've traveled ... there are still steps you can take," he said, recommending that you don't visit people at risk for two weeks after travel.

In the week leading up to Christmas Day, about one million Americans flew every day, according to the TSA, the agency responsible for security checks at airports.

The start of a massive immunization campaign has given Americans renewed hope, despite delays in vaccine distribution.

But Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, whose state has so far received only a "fraction" of the doses it is supposed to receive, acknowledged on CNN Sunday that with an apology from Trump administration officials, things were "moving in the right direction.

"We are making a lot of progress, but we need the federal government to play its role," she said.

By Sunday, the United States had recorded more than 19 million confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic and more than 332,000 deaths.