Covid-19 infection and hospitalization numbers are now plummeting nationwide after rounds of devastating surges that followed the holidays. More than 67,000 people remain hospitalized with the virus across the country, according to the COVID Tracking Project. That's why it's especially important state leaders don't ease restrictions and lift mask mandates now, experts have warned. "It's encouraging to see these trends coming down, but they're coming down from an extraordinarily high place," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told NBC on Sunday. "We need to all take responsibility to decrease that community spread, including mask wearing, so that we can get our kids and our society back," the director added.

Source: CNN February 15, 2021 11:06 UTC