Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb predicted on Sunday that the contagious new strain of COVID-19 will be responsible for the “majority” of cases in the United States in March.
“There are some estimates that the new variant probably represents about 1 percent of all infections in this country. In March, it will be the majority of infections, ”said Gottlieb on CBS’s“ Face the Nation ”program.
Gottlieb said it will “grow quickly” and its arrival adds more pressure to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccines are distributed as quickly as possible.
“I think the existence of this new variant that spreads more readily really creates more urgency in trying to distribute this vaccine more quickly and getting more people to be vaccinated – even if it is a more general population,” said Gottlieb.
“There is a lot of excess demand for the vaccine now, especially in the elderly population. I think we should think about moving quickly through these stages that we have outlined and start moving more quickly to a general vaccination program for people aged 65 and over, ”he continued.
At least three states – Colorado, California and Florida – have confirmed cases of the new coronavirus strain, which first appeared in the UK.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that the new variant of the coronavirus may be 70% more transmissible than other known strains.