With COVID-19 cases surging, much of California entered a new lockdown period yesterday, as the incoming Biden administration announced its nominees to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).At the global level, the world added about 1.5 million more cases over the weekend, putting the pandemic total past the 67 million mark.California surge squeezes ICU capacityAs cases surged across much of the nation, White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Deborah Birx, MD, yesterday on Meet the Press voiced frustration that many governors and local officials are refusing to order the COVID-19 mitigation steps that were successful in the fall.