LOCKDOWN WE JUST TALKED ABOUT IS TAKING PLACE, PLUS "NEW YORK
TIMES" ECONOMIC SAVANT.
DR. NGUYEN, LET’S STAY FOCUSED
ON THE MOST URGENT ELEMENTS OF
THIS STORY AND THOSE CONTINUE TO
BE THE CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO
HANDLE WHAT IS ABOUT TO COME IN
TERMS OF EQUIPMENT, IN TERMS OF
HOSPITAL BEDS, IN TERMS OF ICU
UNITS, NOT JUST IN PLACES LIKE
NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA, BUT
PARTICULARLY IN THOSE PLACES.
TELL US WHAT YOU’RE SEEING RIGHT
NOW IN TERMS OF THAT QUESTION
AND WHAT YOU’RE HEARING IN THE
NAKED KIND OF ALARM ON THE PART
OF PEOPLE LIKE GOVERNOR CUOMO
THAT WE’RE NOT, IN FACT, READY.
>> WE ARE NOT READY.
OUR PROJECTIONS HAVE SHOWN WE
WERE READY FOR A MILD OUTBREAK,
BUT NOT A MODERATE OUTBREAK.
IN LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS FROM
CHINA, FROM ITALY, IT DOES LK
BLEAK.
BLEAK. IT LOOKS LIKE WE’RE HEADED
TOWARDS THIS RAPID ESCALATION
PHASE WHERE WE’LL BE SHORTENS OF
THOUSANDS, MAYBE HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF ICU BEDS AND WE’RE
NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLY.
WE NEED TO INCREASE SUPPLY OF
THESE SERVICES RAPIDLY THROUGH
TELEMEDICINE, SURGE CAPACITY IN
HOSPITALS BY BUILDING ADDITIONAL
FIELD HOSPITALS, BUT WE ALSO
HAVE TO TRY TO DECREASE THE
DEMAND FOR THESE SERVICES.
AND THAT’S WHY ALL THESE SOCIAL
DISTANCING MEASURES ARE SO
IMPORTANT.
IMPORTANT. WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE PEAK OF
THIS CURVE IS GOING TO BE.
BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY NOW TO TRY TO
FLATTEN THAT CURVE AND REDUCE
DEMAND.
DEMAND. THAT’S WHY EVERY SINGLE PERSON
IN AMERICA NEEDS TO ADOPT THIS
WARTIME MENTALITY BECAUSE WE ARE
AT WAR.
AT WAR. >> DR. WEN, I WANT TO PUT UP A
HEADLINE FROM "THE WASHINGTON
POST" ABOUT ITALY, ICU BEDS NEAR
FULL CAPACITY IN ITALY IN THE
LOMBARDY REGION.
LOMBARDY REGION. ITALY HAS MORE THAN 31,000 TOTAL
CASES, A DECENT SIZE KRUNT BUT
VERY SMALL COMPARED TO THE
UNITED STATES.: IT LOOKS LIKE
WE’RE FOLLOWING THE PATH OF
ITALY, MAYBE ONLY A FEW DAYS
BEHIND IT.
BEHIND IT. TOTALLY TAKING ON BOARD THERE
ARE A BUNCH OF THINGS WE’RE
DOING TO FLATTEN THE CURVE.
IF YOU BELIEVE THOSE
STIPULATIONS, WE’RE GOING TO
HAVE A GIGANTIC PROBLEM, THE ONE
GOVERNOR CUOMO WAS POINTING TO
IN TERMS OF HAVING THE HOSPITAL
SYSTEM OVERWHELMED.
SYSTEM OVERWHELMED. I’M WONDERING WHAT THAT WILL
MEAN FOR HOW MEDICINE IS GOING
TO GET PRACTICED ON THE GROUND,
NOT JUST FOR THE TREATMENT OF
THIS VIRUS BUT ALL THE OTHER
THINGS THAT THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS
IN THESE STATES ARE USED FOR,
EMERGENCY SERVICE, OTHER SURGERY
SURGERIES.
SURGERIES. WHAT COULD IT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS
OF CAPACITY QUESTIONS I’M
TALKING ABOUT NOW?
>> DEPENDS ON WHAT WE DO TO
FLATTEN THE CURVE.
LET’S SAY OUR INTERVENTIONS ARE
NOT SUCCESSFUL.
NOT SUCCESSFUL. WE COULD BE LOOKING AT NEEDING
200,000 ICU BEDS WHICH IS THE
PROJECTION FOR WHAT HAPPENED IN
A MODERATE OUTBREAK.
THE U.S. ONLY HAS 100,000 ICU
BEDS, MOST OF THEM ARE OCCUPIED
WITH PATIENTS WITH OTHER
CONDITIONS AS YOU’RE MENTIONING.
WHAT’S HAPPENED IN ITALY IS
PHYSICIANS, NURSES HAVE BEEN PUT
INTO THE UNTENABLE SITUATION OF
HAVING TO RATION HEALTH CARE,
HAVING TO DECIDE WHO ARE THE
PATIENTS WHO CAN HAVE THE BEST
CHANCE OF SURVIVAL?
WHO ARE THE PATIENTS WHO MAY
HAVE TO GO WITHOUT HEALTH CARE.
YOU’RE RIGHT.
YOU’RE RIGHT. IT’S NOT JUST THE COVID
PATIENTS, BUT OTHER PATIENTS
COMING IN WITH TRAUMA, STROKES,
WHO NEED THESE BEDS, TOO.
THAT’S WHAT WE COULD BE FACING.
I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE
HAVE A CHANCE TO FLATTEN THE
CURVE AND PREVENT THEM FROM
HAPPENING.
HAPPENING. >> JONATHAN LEMIRE, YOU’RE
REPORTING ON THIS WHITE HOUSE
ALL THE TIME.
I’LL NOTE THE LAST COUPLE DAYS
AS PRESIDENT TRUMP’S TONE HAS
TURNED A LITTLE BIT, HIS TONE
BEING A LITTLE MORE TETHERED TO
REALITY THAN IT HAD BEEN IN THE
PREVIOUS COUPLE MONTHS, HE’S
STILL TALKING IN VAGARIES ABOUT
THINGS LIKE THE VENTILATOR
ISSUE, THE ARMY CORPS OF
ENGINEER, GOVERNOR CUOMO SAYING
YOU HAVE TO SEND THEM HERE TO
BUILD THE ICU UNITS.
AND THE PRESIDENT SAYS, THE ARMY
CORPSE OF ENGINEERS, THAT’S
SOMETHING WE CAN DO.
THOUGH HIS TONE HAS GOTTEN
BETTER ON THESE TANGIBLE THINGS
LIKE THE VENTILATOR ORDERS, ICU
BEDS, ARMY CORPS, IT OOH ES NOT
LIKE WE’RE SEEING TANGIBLE
MOVEMENT OF RESOURCES AND TIME
IS WASTING.
IS WASTING. >> A QUICK UPDATE ON SOMETHING
YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING.
THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK PUT OUT
A STATEMENT SAYING BLANKET
QUARANTINE SHELTER-IN-PLACE
QUARANTINE SHELTER-IN-PLACE POLICITION CONSIDER STATE
ACTION.
ACTION. THAT’S NOT UNDER CONSIDERATION.
HE’S SUGGESTING THAT IT MAY NOT
BE IN EFFECT.
THOSE TWO DO NOT ALWAYS
COMMUNICATE PARTICULARLY WELL.
THAT AT LEAST APPEARS TO NOT BE
IMMINENT.
IMMINENT. NO QUESTION IN THE LAST 48 HOURS
OR SO, THE PRESIDENT’S TONE HAS
CHANGED.
CHANGED. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT
SHOULD BE APPLAUDED NECESSARILY
OR FRANKLY SOMETHING THAT SHOULD
BE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE.
THIS IS WHERE HE SHOULD HAVE
BEEN ALL ALONG.
HE’S MORE CLEAR-EYED, MORE
SOMBER, REALIZED WHAT A THREAT
THIS IS TO NOT JUST THE AMERICAN
POPULOUS, THE ECONOMY, BUT HIS
OWN RE-ELECTION CHANCES.
JARED KUSHNER HAS BEEN TELLING
PEOPLE HE BELIEVES IT’S GOING TO
REQUIRE A WORLD WAR II-STYLE
NATIONAL EFFORT TO GET THROUGH
THIS.
THIS. CONCRETE PROMISES HAVE BEEN FEW
AND FAR BETWEEN.
THE BRIEFING TODAY, YES, WE’LL
GET VENTILATORS AND THE ARMY
CORPS OF ENGINEERS WILL BE
INVOLVED.
INVOLVED. NO CONCRETE PROMISES.
THEY STILL WANT TO SEEM TO DEFER
TO THE STATES ON A LOT OF THIS.
SUGGESTED A LOT OF THE GOVERNORS
AND STATES HAVE EXISTING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE
MANUFACTURERS AND IT WOULD BE
EASIER FOR THEM TO OBTAIN
VENTILATORS, LET’S SAY, THAN THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STEPPING IN.
BUT IT’S GOING TO REQUIRE A LOT.
THE ACTION TODAY, AT LEAST THE
REST OF THE DAY, SEEMS TO BE
SHIFTING TOWARDS CAPITOL HILL.
THE SENATE WILL MEET TO TRY TO
PASS THIS FIRST RELIEF BILL, BUT
ALSO THE EARLY STAGES PERHAPS
THERE COULD BE UP TO $850
BILLION STIMULUS PACKAGE FOR AN
ECONOMY THAT IS GOING TO NEED A
LOT OF HELP, A LOT OF SHORING
UP.
UP. YESTERDAY THE WHITE HOUSE
BASICALLY UNVEILED SOCIAL
GUIDELINES THAT WILL REWRITE HOW
AMERICANS BEHAVE FOR AT LEAST
THE NEXT 15 DAYS.
>> TIM MILLER, YOU’RE OUT IN NEW
YORK, TRANCESPLANTED CALIFORNIAN
OAKLAND, I BELIEVE.
SO YOU’RE COVERED BY THE
SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDER FOR SAN
FRANCISCO, THE BAY AREA, WHERE
IT’S NOW A LIVE CONSIDERATION
HERE.
HERE. THERE’S SOME DISPUTE BETWEEN
APPARENTLY -- DISCREPANCY
BETWEEN WHERE THE STATE IS ON
THIS VERSUS WHERE THE CITY IS
AND MAYOR de BLASIO HAS CLEARLY
PUT IT ON THE TABLE.
A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN NEW YORK
CITY AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
GIVE US A SENSE WHAT IT’S LIKE
TO BE OUT THERE, WHAT IT LOOKS
LIKE ON THE GROUND IN THE BAY
AREA AS YOU GUYS ARE NOW ABOUT
16 HOURS INTO SHELTER-IN-PLACE.
>> MY MAIN TAKEAWAY FROM THIS,
AND I’VE BEEN SHELTERING IN
PLACE BESIDES A DRIVE DOWN HERE,
BUT ANECDOTEALLY HEARING FROM
FRIENDS, WHAT I SAW ON THE
DRIVE, IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THIS
TO GET SOCIALIZED.
IF YOU LISTEN TO WHAT DR. WEN
SAID ABOUT THE URGENCY, THE DAYS
ARE TICKING AND TIME IS TICKING.
WHAT I SAW IS NOT THE NORMAL
BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC IN THE
BAY AREA, BUT I ALSO DID NOT SEE
A GHOST TOWN.
THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE GOING TO
STORES, STILL PEOPLE GOING TO
WORK HERE.
WORK HERE. WE DO NOT -- IT’S GOOD THAT WE
DO NOT, HAVE THE SAME LEVERS
THAT THE CHINESE HAVE TO
FORCIBLY MAKE PEOPLE QUARANTINE.
WHAT WE NEED INSTEAD IS THE
LEADERSHIP AND EXPLANATIONS FROM
THE LEADERS ABOUT WHY THIS
SACRIFICE IS NECESSARY,
SOMETHING THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN
UNABLE TO DO.
WHAT YOU NEED IS THE TIME TO GET
PEOPLE SOCIALIZED AND
UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS THE
NEW NORMAL FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
SO HERE WE ARE 16 HOURS IN, AND
OBVIOUSLY WHILE THERE’S SOME
PROGRESS AND WHILE THAT’S GOOD
AND IT WAS A GOOD STEP, YOU
HAVEN’T SEEN KIND OF THE
DRAMATIC MEASURES THAT YOU MAY
BE IMAGINING.
BE IMAGINING. >> DR. WEN, I WANT TO ASK A
LITTLE MORE ABOUT THIS.
FIRST OF ALL, GIVEN THE URGENCY
OF THE SITUATION AND GIVEN, AS
YOU SAID, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO
FLATTEN THE CURVE, BUT THE
CHANCE IS FLEETING, THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS.
IS IT YOUR VIEW, NUMBER ONE, THE
SHELTER-IN-PLACE SHOULD BE
ADOPTED IN NEW YORK CITY,
ADOPTED IN CHICAGO, PRETTY MUCH
EVERYWHERE, NUMBER ONE?
NUMBER TWO, GIVEN HOW BIG AND
DIVERSE THESE CITIES ARE, WHERE
PEOPLE DON’T DO WHAT THEY’RE
TOLD EVEN ON THE BEST DAY WHEN
THE KIND OF COSTS IMPOSED ARE
CONSIDERABLY SMALLER, HOW LONG
DOES IT TAKE ONCE THOSE ORDERS
ARE ISSUED FOR PEOPLE TO FOLLOW
THEM IN A WAY THAT WOULD BE
MEANINGFUL IN TRYING TO ACHIEVE
THE GOAL THAT IS ULTIMATELY ALL
OF OUR GOALS AND THE GOAL YOU’RE
LAYING OUT IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE
KEEP THIS FROM BEING A SEVERE
OUTBREAK AND KEEPING IT FROM
BEING SOMETHING MORE MODERATE
THAN THAT?
THAN THAT? >> IT’S EXTREMELY HARD BECAUSE
WE HAVEN’T LIVED THROUGH
SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.
THIS SUN PRESS DEPTHED FOR ALL
OF US.
OF US. ALL THESE PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES
ARE A BALANCE BETWEEN DOING
WHAT’S RIGHT FOR THE PUBLIC’S
HEALTH AND INTEREST AND
BALANCING THAT WITH INDIVIDUAL
LIBERTIES.
LIBERTIES. THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE WILL DO
THIS ON THEIR OWN WITH VOLUNTARY
MEASURES AND WE DON’T HAVE TO
SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN, BUT WE’RE
SEEING THAT’S NOT ACTUALLY
HAPPENING.
HAPPENING. WE’RE CANCELING SCHOOLS, BUT
INSTEAD PEOPLE ARE GOING ON PLAY
DATES.
DATES. WE’RE CANCELING WORK, BUT PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO BARS.
PEOPLE NEED TO STEP UP, TOO.
IDEALLY WE DON’T HAVE THE
GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN AND
SHUTDOWN AND IMPOSING THESE
DRACONIAN MEASURES AS THEY DO IN
CHINA.
CHINA. AT SOME POINT WE’RE GOING TO GET