Up to 30 Percent of Americans May Be Infected With COVID-19 by Year's End

Dr. Scott Gottlieb predicted 30% of the U.S. population would be infected with the coronavirus by the year's end, but 2021 would be less intense because of these high numbers of cases.

"You're getting to levels where this virus is not going to circulate as readily," the former Food and Drug Administration chief told CNBC on Monday. He added, in some states, the number of infected people could be as high as 50%.

Gottlieb, a board member of Pfizer, which is awaiting FDA emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine, said the high number of infections coupled with vaccination, might help stem the tide of COVID-19.

"You combine a lot of infection around the country with vaccinating 20% of the population, and you're getting to levels where this virus isn't going to circulate as readily once you get to those levels of prior immunity," Gottlieb said, according to CNBC.

Diseases like measles and chicken pox, once very common in children, are no longer a threat because we developed "herd immunity." That means, thanks to vaccines and recovery from the illnesses, at least 60% of the population became resistant to these diseases.

Experts hope the same phenomenon stamps out the coronavirus, according to The New York Times.

Gottlieb previously warned Americans to take precautions during the holiday season to reduce their risk of transmission by "trying to find excises not to go out," instead of "excuses to go out."

"We have to get through the next two or three months, and so this is going to be, really, a temporary pain," he said.

"I do believe 2021 is going to get better," he told CNBC.