Fauci says it's too soon to tell whether holiday gatherings should be avoided

• Dr. Anthony Fauci said the US should focus on vaccinating more people before the holidays.
• 70 million eligible Americans remain unvaccinated against COVID-19.
• Only 55% of Americans are fully vaccinated, according to Fauci.

In a "Face The Nation" interview on Sunday, Dr. Anthony Fauci told host Margaret Brennan that the acceleration of COVID-19 cases is slowing, but it is "too soon to tell" whether it will be safe for loved ones to gather during the holiday season.

"We've just got to concentrate on continuing to get those numbers down and not try to jump ahead by weeks or months and say what we're going to do at a particular time," Fauci said, adding that the country should focus on continuing to lower COVID-19 cases through vaccinations and boosters.

In the months leading up to the holiday season, Fauci warned that the US should not become "complacent" because of the history of surges throughout the pandemic, especially as 70 million eligible Americans remain unvaccinated. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky confirmed this figure during a White House press briefing on Friday.

As of October 3, 55% of Americans are fully vaccinated and 64% have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to Fauci and the latest CDC data.

The COVID-19 death toll in the US surpassed 700,000 on Friday, with approximately 2,000 new deaths being reported each day, according to data compiled by the New York Times.