New Year's Eve gatherings could accelerate COVID-19 spread: "We cannot let our guard down"

With New Year's Eve just one day away, health officials are sounding the alarm about large gatherings to ring in 2021. Their warnings come as the famous ball drop in New York's Times Square and many other big celebrations will be virtual this year.

But gatherings at home and other places could accelerate the spread of COVID-19.

"It's very important to avoid large gatherings and small gatherings, and as we approach New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, we cannot let our guard down," Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine warned.

According to AAA, as many as 84.5 million Americans were expected to travel from December 23 to January 3 to celebrate the holidays and the New Year.

"It would be magical thinking to think we're not going to see a bump after all this travel around the holiday season with Christmas and New Year's," CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook said.

LaPook is among many health officials concerned about large gatherings violating coronavirus protocols. And testing negative for COVID-19 doesn't make gatherings safe, LaPook said.