One million new COVID-19 cases have been reported in the U.S in just the past five days, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University.

The staggering case total comes as the nation prepares to begin distributing two coronavirus vaccines, which are expected to get emergency authorization from the FDA approval this month.

The White House vaccine chief says that in order for life to begin to return to normal, Americans must do their part.

"We have a light at the end of the tunnel, but we will not all have the vaccine in our arms before May or June, so we need to be very cautious and vigilant," says Moncef Slaoui, chief adviser of Operation Warp Speed.

The total of confirmed U.S. coronavirus cases stands at 14.5 million, with more than 281,000 deaths from the virus. Experts fear those numbers could rise further this holiday season.

"The gatherings we saw in Thanksgiving will lead to a surge," says Dr. Deborah Birx, who is on the White House Coronavirus Task Force. "It will happen this week and next week and we cannot go into the holiday season, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza with this same kind of attitude, that those things don't apply to me. They apply to everybody."

According to the COVID Tracking Project, more than 100,000 COVID-19 pateints have been hospitalzed nationwide in thhe past four days.