Fmr FDA Chief: We Should Be Optimistic Covid Infection Rates Will Likely Continue Declining Into the Summer

Former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb offered an optimistic take on the U.S. progress in combatting the coronavirus on Sunday.

The current U.S. covid death toll is expected to reach half a million this week. The data collected by the COVID Tracking Project suggests encouraging news — with daily cases, hospitalizations, and deaths on a downward trend.

Our daily update is published. States reported 1.3M tests, 72k cases, 58,222 people currently hospitalized, and 2,074 deaths. pic.twitter.com/2FUTqBPqof

— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) February 21, 2021

Gottlieb, who sits on the board of Pfizer, told CBS News’ Margaret Brennan, “This has taken a tragic toll on the United States, but we should be optimistic, in my view. I think we’re going to continue to see infection rates decline into the spring and the summer. Right now, they’re falling quite dramatically. I think these trends are likely to continue.”

He clarified that new variants certainly “create new risk” of potential resurgence of infection, but still thinks the downward trends will continue.

Brennan brought up the issue surrounding schools and when children can be vaccinated.

Gottlieb said that Pfizer and other companies manufacturing vaccines should be able to “prepare much better for the fall” and develop boosters for the new variants.

You can watch above, via CBS.

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