On a day that typically sees lines of early shoppers looking to score deals, Black Friday looked uneventful aside from smaller, socially distanced lines as stores opened.

And if COVID-19 continues to surge as it has in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, the remainder of the holidays may be just as grim — if not more so. 

At least, that's what the United States' leading infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci told USA TODAY last week in an interview in which he cautioned that Americans should "show our love and affection for people by keeping them safe."

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The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations continues to rise, hitting a record for the 17th straight day Thursday with more than 90,400 admissions, according to the COVID Tracking Project. That record came even though 30 states didn't file reports or filed partial ones due to the holiday.