With hospitalizations already surging nationwide, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former chief of the Food and Drug Administration, offered a dire warning for unvaccinated Americans on Sunday, saying “a majority” of those who haven’t had Covid-19 before will likely become infected by the delta variant, which could end up being one of the most serious viruses they face in their lifetime.

Key Facts

• Gottlieb, who served as the FDA commissioner for two years under former President Donald Trump, told CBS’ “Face the Nation” the delta variant is “so contagious” it will infect most unvaccinated people.
• “The bottom line is that many people are no longer susceptible to Covid,” Gottlieb said, outlining that nearly 50% of Americans have been fully vaccinated and another third of the population is estimated to have contracted the virus before.
• But even if it is just 25% of the country or less that remains at risk, that is still a “lot of people” in “absolute terms,” Gottlieb stressed. 
• The former FDA head also emphasized that for many who are infected with the delta variant, “it is going to be the most serious virus they will get in their lifetime in terms of the risk of putting them in the hospital.”

Surprising Fact

As it stands, 97% of hospitalizations are among those who have not yet been vaccinated, and the trend is nearly identical for deaths, Gottlieb said. “Most people will either get vaccinated or have previously been infected or they will get this delta variant.” 

Key Background

Vaccines appear to be working well against the delta variant. However, public health officials have repeatedly highlighted the risk in unvaccinated counties and states across the country. Hospitalizations have surged more than 30% in the past two weeks, according to federal data compiled by The New York Times, with hospitalizations growing more than 80% in four states: Nevada, Mississippi, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Deaths have also been on the rise, though—hovering at less than 300 each day— they are still vastly lower than the rate in the winter. These upward trending numbers have led a number of places to reimpose certain restrictions. 

Crucial Quote 

Gottlieb wasn’t the only public health expert to sound the alarm about the delta variant on Sunday. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told ABC News’ “This Week” it is “deeply concerning” to see surges in parts of the country with low vaccination rates, encouraging “mitigation measures” where necessary. “I anticipate that will happen in other parts of the country, and that’s not contradictory to the guidance the CDC issued,” Murthy said.

What To Watch For

A Harris poll released earlier this week suggested warnings about the delta variant from public health officials may actually make unvaccinated Americans less likely to get the shot. Some 62% of unvaccinated adults surveyed between July 9 and 11 said the delta variant “makes me second guess where I should even get vaccinated.”