An ex-FDA commissioner warned that the school year could see an increase in COVID-19, especially in northern states.Dr. Scott Gottlieb stated that "northern countries are more impervious than the type of spread we saw from the South, but not completely impervious."He made these comments as the highly infectious Delta variant spreads across the US.10 Things in Politics: Get the latest news in politics and economics Loading... Click Sign up to receive marketing emails and other offers from Insider.Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner, said that northern states could see an increase in COVID-19 as children return to school. In addition, infections in other areas of the US may rise due to the Delta variant spreading.John Dickerson, CBS' Face the Nation host, asked Gottlieb about his views on the current pandemic. He cited a poll showing that Americans believe the situation is getting worse.Gottlieb stated, "It's definitely getting worse." "I believe you're going see improvements, especially in the South. Evidence suggests that South-based cases are beginning to slow down in growth.In recent weeks, the Delta variant has been linked to an alarming surge in new infections in certain states including Florida, Louisiana and Arkansas. These were some of the most severely affected throughout the summer.Gottlieb stated, "I believe that this week you might see some of those states that were previously the outbreak states start tiling over in terms of showing fewer cases on a daily basis." "The epidemic is slowing down in states such as Florida, Louisiana and Arkansas, but we also see the virus spreading to the northern states."Face the Nation (@FaceTheNation), August 8, 2021Gottlieb stated that northern states such as North Carolina, Indiana, Illinois, and Illinois are experiencing a rise in cases. Raleigh News & Observer reported that North Carolina had reported more than 4,000 COVID-19 patients on Friday. Hospital beds are also filling up fast.Gottlieb said that while I believe the north is more resistant to the spread of the disease than the South, they are not totally impervious. They have higher vaccination rates. They have had more previous infection. There are still vulnerable people in these states. The problem right now is that the spread of the infection will coincide with the opening school.Health officials are concerned about the possibility of infection as school starts in just a few weeks.National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins stated that the hospital is home to 1,450 children from COVID-19.New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend that all school students wear a mask to help prevent the spread of the virus.
