| "..it is conceivable that you would have a good degree of flexibility during the summer." - Dr. Fauci on a potential return to certain summer activities this year if vaccinations continue.
Welcome to "Face the Nation"'s Five at Five newsletter. Scroll down for your five takeaways from today's broadcast of "Face the Nation" with Margaret Brennan on CBS. Did someone forward you this? Sign-up at cbsnews.com/email. 1. Fauci warns against potential new COVID-19 surge as cases remain high  Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Biden, warned Sunday the nation could be at risk of a new surge of COVID-19 infections as the number of daily cases in the U.S. has remained at a plateau. What we asked: "What's driving these infections? Is it the new variants?" What Fauci said: "When you're coming down from a big peak and you reach a point and start to plateau, once you stay at that plateau, you're really in danger of a surge coming up, and unfortunately, that's what we're starting to see." Why it matters : During the interview, Dr. Fauci noted that while COVID-19 variants may be contributing to the plateauing of infections at a high number, the larger picture factors in spring break travel and several states pulling back mitigation efforts. While the nation experienced a sharp decline in coronavirus cases from January to early March, the number of daily new infections has hovered between roughly 50,000 and 60,000, according to data from the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC). On Friday, the number of new cases reached 71,593, as 30 states and the District of Columbia reported a rise in infections. A leveling-off at such a high rate of infection is "a risk," Fauci said. 2. A look behind the border: Cuellar shows exclusive images on FTN  In a "Face the Nation" exclusive, Texas Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar shared images his office took during his most recent trip to the southern border. Pictures from inside a Customs and Border Patrol facility in Donna, Texas, offered a glimpse at the more than 18,000 unaccompanied children being held in federal custody. Cuellar's images showed children waiting to be processed, held in overcrowded conditions, and sitting on the floor with foil blankets. Here's a look at just what Cuellar saw. Why it matters: Journalists are currently being blocked largely by the Biden administration from bringing their own cameras inside to do first hand reporting. President Biden has offered little assurances that will change, but said last week at his first press conference since taking office, "I will commit to transparency and as soon as I'm in a position to be able to implement what we're doing right now. This is being set up and you'll have full access to everything once we get this thing moving." 3. Gottlieb says vaccines should provide "pretty big backstop" against surges  Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said Sunday that the increasing number of Americans who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 should provide a "pretty big backstop" against a renewed coronavirus surge. What we asked: Do you agree with Dr. Fauci in terms of his projections on where we are headed with this sort of stuck at about 60,000 infections a day level? What Dr. Gottlieb said: "We've now vaccinated 92 million Americans. It's about 28% of the public. About 50 million have been fully vaccinated, that's 15%," Gottlieb said on "Face the Nation." "So, I think that's a pretty big backstop against a true fourth surge." Why it matters: His comments come as 30 states and the District of Columbia have seen a recent uptick in new infections after weeks of decline, worrying public health officials. Gottlieb said the Biden administration should begin focusing vaccination efforts on areas of the country experiencing outbreaks, noting that places like Massachusetts, Michigan and the states that make up the tri-state area have all seen increases in cases. 4. For Louisiana's Letlow, COVID fight gets personal  Rep.-elect Julia Letlow, Louisiana's first Republican woman elected to Congress, shared her personal story of COVID-19 after successfully winning the seat left vacant by her late husband Luke Letlow who succumbed to the virus in December. What we asked: I'm wondering how that experience firsthand with COVID is going to inform your work here in Washington. What Letlow said: Well, it's definitely going to inform my work. You know, I just want to take a second to acknowledge all of the Americans out there who have lost loved ones to COVID. I want to say that I- I see you. I hear you. I most importantly, pray with you. I'm a huge proponent of the vaccine. It has lifesaving capabilities. And I want to encourage anybody out there who's eligible to go ahead and get that vaccine. It's so important. Why it matters: Letlow's voice could prove critical in the fight to combat hesitancy of the COVID vaccine, which CBS polling shows is growing predominantly amongst Republican voters aged 65 and younger. Her message to those in her party: "Look at my family, use my story. You know, I experienced a tragedy in my immediate family and COVID can touch every family out there. And so, you know, there is a vaccine that has lifesaving capabilities. I want to encourage everyone to trust it and get the vaccine." 5. Take a listen: IMAX's Rich Gelfond bets big on blockbusters  In this latest episode of Facing Forward, Margaret Brennan interviewed Rich Gelfond, IMAX CEO, on how Hollywood is betting big on pent-up demand after a challenging year with COVID restrictions. Can the industry convince enough people that it's safe to return, despite the ease of streaming? Their conversation here.
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