CNN  — 

Though many Americans are eager to return to normal after a year of living through the Covid-19 pandemic, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday reminded Americans that “we’re not quite there yet.”

“We are so close – so very close to getting back to the everyday activities we all miss so much, but we’re not quite there yet,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said at a White House Covid-19 Response Team news conference.

“This is a critical moment in our fight against the pandemic,” she said, noting that Americans still need to follow public heath guidelines for social distancing, mask use and hand washing.

“I know this is not easy and so many of us are frustrated with the disruption this pandemic has had on our everyday lives, but we can do this as a nation working together,” she said. “There is reason to be hopeful because we now know so much more about this virus.”