COVID-19 cases are rising again—and Dr. Anthony Fauci says Americans shouldn’t put all the blame on virus variants from overseas. While the mutations have fueled some of the increase, Fauci told Face the Nation that “premature” relaxation of mask mandates and other restrictions, combined with spring break revelry, is driving up the numbers. The New York Times reports that as the nation’s vaccination program began, new case numbers began dropping and then plateaued. But last week new cases were 11 percent higher than they were two weeks ago, although deaths remain on the downswing.