We could be celebrating the 'end of the pandemic' as early as January, says Dr. Scott Gottlieb

Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said that the "end of the pandemic" in the United States is within sight because of a powerful toolbox to "eliminate death and suffering" from the coronavirus.

Gottlieb made the comments while appearing on the "Squawk Box" on CNBC Friday.

"I think the bottom line is the end of the pandemic, at least as it relates to the United States, is in sight right now given all the tools we have to combat this disease," said Gottlieb.

"Now we still have to get through this Delta wave; unfortunately we're not going to be able to vaccinate our way out of it. These therapeutics are coming too late to really affect that wave of infection," he added.

"Once we get through this Delta wave of infection over the course of the next two months, I think that this therapeutic and the other innovations that we've seen coming to market really mark the end of the pandemic for the United States, and we need to think about how we put that victory sign on the side of the White House," Gottlieb explained, "how we declare victory over this pandemic, at least here in the United States."

He put an exact date on when the pandemic might be over.

"By Jan. 4, this pandemic may well be over, at least as it relates to the United States, after we get through this Delta wave of infection," he said. "And we'll be in more of an endemic phase of this virus."

Gottlieb reiterated his comments by tweeting a video of his appearance from his social media account.

"We have an overwhelming therapeutic toolbox to eliminate death and suffering from COVID. For U.S., the end of the pandemic is now in clear view, and secure. We need to evenly distribute this triumph of science over disease around the world, and make sure this never happens again," he tweeted.

In September, Gottlieb also said that the U.S. should be heading toward making masks optional and not mandated as coronavirus infections and deaths continue to drop.

Here's the video of his appearance on CNBC:

Dr. Scott Gottlieb: End of Covid pandemic in the U.S. is 'in sight'www.youtube.com