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The former FDA commissioner said he believed the downward trend in coronavirus infection rates would continue until the summer.
Dr Scott Gottlieb said that despite the emergence of new variants of the virus that still create a risk of infection, he believes rates will continue to fall.
Average daily deaths and hospitalizations have fallen to their lowest levels since before the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
There have been 1,286 daily deaths recorded in the past 24 hours, with numbers now at their lowest since October 23, at the start of this winter’s wave of infections.
Former FDA commissioner Dr Scott Gottlieb said the United States would likely continue to see infection rates decline in the spring and summer.
The number of daily cases, hospitalizations and deaths is now decreasing
As of Sunday, the number of people currently hospitalized with the virus was 56,159, marking 40 consecutive days of declining hospitalizations.
“It had a tragic impact on the United States, but we have to be optimistic, in my opinion. I think we will continue to see infection rates decline in the spring and summer. Right now they are dropping dramatically. I think those trends are likely to continue, ”Gottlieb, who sits on the Pfizer board of directors, told CBS News.
“With the increase in vaccination rates and the fact that we have injected about a third of the country, this is sufficiently protected immunity. If you look at the counties of New York and New Jersey which had a prevalence of over 45%, meaning over 45% of the population was infected before winter, they really didn’t have much of a winter flare. .
“Once you reach about 40% of the population with some sort of protected immunity, you don’t have collective immunity because it will continue to transfer, but it will transfer at a much slower rate,” Gottlieb explained. .
RN Robert Villa (right) gives Armando Montes a Moderna Covid-19 vaccine at the City of Los Angeles’ newly opened vaccination site at Pierce College
There have now been 40 consecutive days of declining hospitalizations
Gottlieb said he believes Pfizer and other companies that make vaccines will be able to “ prepare much better for the fall ” and develop boosters for new variants of the virus circulating.
“I think we will have spring and summer to solve this problem. I don’t think we’ll ever achieve full herd immunity. Hopefully we will vaccinate the elderly to protect them from death, but this will continue to spread.
Gottlieb also said he believes this fall may be a good time for schoolchildren to receive the vaccination as well.
“I think it is possible that this vaccine will be transferred to the high school population in the fall. We have seen the spread more in high schools than in elementary schools. There is less risk in school-aged children. I do not believe this vaccine will pass to 12 and under this fall.
“It may be trying to reformulate the vaccines at a lower dose for young children, because they develop a more robust immune response to the vaccine,” Gottlieb theorized.
Motorists and passengers line up for their Covid-19 vaccinations administered by members of the National Guard at a joint state and federal COVID-19 vaccination site on the University of the State of California to Los Angeles to Los Angeles Wednesday
More than 28 million cases of COVID-19 have rocked the United States since the virus first arrived in the country almost exactly one year ago.
The effect of the virus was so severe that it took a full year on average life expectancy in the United States, the biggest drop since World War II.
So far, less than 15% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, with nearly 43 million having received at least one vaccine and nearly 18 million receiving a second vaccine, according to U.S. statistics.
Some places are easing restrictions, like indoor dining, and moving to reopen schools as millions await their shots, sparking debate over the safety of teachers, students and others.
The total number of people who have died in the United States from the virus is rapidly approaching 500,000
Financial pressures also continue to weigh on even as economists express their optimism for the year ahead.
Congress is weighing Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, the House of Representatives expected to vote this week, and the Senate seeking to pass it by March 14.
The White House said on Sunday it was planning a commemorative event in which Biden would deliver remarks.
A White House spokesperson said the president along with First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Mr. Doug Emhoff would hold a moment of silence on Monday and that there would be a lighting ceremony for the candles at sunset.
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