Experts have said safety measures will be crucial because multiple variants of the virus are circulating -- including the highly contagious B.1.1.7 variant that was first identified in the UK.
B.1.1.7 is projected to become the dominant variant in the US by the end of this month or early April, Walensky said Monday. Because it is highly contagious, it could cause a surge in cases, and vaccination levels are not high enough to stop such a spike, experts have said.
Research published last week suggested that the variant was associated with an estimated 64% higher risk of dying from Covid-19.