The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases — which had been on the decline nationally since September — first plateaued and is now ticking upward, with states in different regions experiencing the most pronounced increase in cases.
The seven-day average of COVID-19 cases in the United States remained below 80,000 since Oct. 18. As of Nov. 14, it sat at 86,778, according to Johns Hopkins University's worldwide case tracker.
The upward trajectory precedes the Thanksgiving holiday, which is expected to involve greater travel and congregation than in 2020. "Well, look, we're going to see a post-holiday spike, there's no question about that," Scott Gottlieb, MD, former FDA commissioner and current Pfizer board member, told CBS News on Nov. 14.
Thanksgiving travel is expected to be near pre-pandemic levels this year, with a rebound in air travel making the greatest difference.