GO AND GET THE VACCINATION.
THEY ARE AVAILABLE.
YOU ARE ELIGIBLE NOW.
>> JOINING ME IS HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW
POST.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> GREAT TO SEE YOU.
AS OF TODAY 54% OF AMERICAN
ADULTS HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST
ONE DOSE.
DAILY VACCINATIONS ARE SLOWING
DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY, DOWN 11%.
MAYOR DE BLASIO ON MORNING JOE
ANNOUNCED HE IS PLANNING TO
FULLY REOPEN THE CITY BY JULY 1.
>> WE ARE READY FOR STORES TO
OPEN, BUSINESSES, OFFICES,
THEATERS, FULL STRENGTH.
WE HAVE THE CONFIDENCE WE CAN
PULL THESE PIECES TOGETHER AND
GET LIFE BACK TO WHERE IT WAS
MUCH.
>> IS THAT WAY TOO OPTIMISTIC,
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS?
>> OUR JOB IS TO GIVE GOIDANCE.
I THINK OUR PROFESSIONALS AT
CDC, FDA HAVE BEGIN GRADE
GUIDANCE.
BUT EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT
DEPENDING WHERE YOU LIVE.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO JUDGE OR
MANDATE.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO
STAY SAFE.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO
WEAR MASKS.
WE WANT YOU TO STAY SAFE AND DON’T WANT TO REGRESS COMING
DON’T WANT TO REGRESS COMING
BACK FROM NORMAL.
>> IS NEW YORK STATE READY TO
BE FULLY OPEN?
>> I AM VACCINATED AND STILL
WEAR A MASK.
I CAN’T JUDGE FOR A MAYOR OR
GOVERNOR, BUT WE CAN GIVE
GUIDANCE ON WHAT HAS GOTTEN US
TO THIS POINT AND WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO GET A GRIP ON THIS
CO-RID 19.
WE HOPE WE GET BACK TO NORMAL
QUICKLY.
>> THERE IS A PUSH TO BAN
MENTHOL CIGARETTES.
ANY BAN WOULD TAKE YEARS TO
IMPLEMENT, COULD FACE LEGAL
CHALLENGES.
HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO GET THIS
DONE?
>> THE CASE IS CLOSED ON THIS
ONE.
THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SMOKING
CIGARETTES KILLS AMERICANS AND
COSTS TAXPAYERS A TON OF MONEY.
MENTHOL IS AN ATTRACTIVE
ADDITIVE THAT MAKES SMOKING MORE
TOLERABLE.
IT IS NOT GOOD AND SEEMS TO
TARGET SMOKERS IN BLACK
COMMUNITY WHO ARE PREDOMINANTLY
SMOKERS OF MENTHOL CIGARETTES.
IT’S TIME TO ACT.
THE SCIENCE IS DRIVING THIS, BUT
THE VERDICT IS ALREADY IN ON
WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
>> THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS ON
YOUR PLATE.
I WANT TO GO THROUGH A NUMBER OF
TOPICS MUCH THE UNACCOMPANIED
CHILDREN.
HOUSING AND SHELTERS ARE AT
CAPACITY.
WHY WASN’T HHS PREPARED AND WHY
CAN’T YOU OPEN MORE FACILITIES
FASTER?
>> WE HAVE NEVER SEEN THESE
NUMBERS AND ARE DOING THINGS
LIKE THEY HAVEN’T BEEN DONE IN
THE PAST.
WE ARE DOING THEM LAWFULLY AND
TREATING THEM WITH BASIC HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING.
IT TAKES TIME.
YOU ADD ON TOP THE FACT THAT
WITH COVID-19 THERE ARE FEWER
FACILITIES WE CAN TURN TO FOR
CARE.
THE CHALLENGE WAS ALREADY BIG
WITH THE NUMBERS THAT CAME
THROUGH.
IT BECAME MORE DIFFICULT WHEN
YOU SAW COVID-19 REMOVING A LOT
OF THE BEDS AVAILABLE.
THE TRANSITION COULD HAVE BEEN
SMOOTHER BETWEEN
ADMINISTRATIONS.
WE FOUND WE DIDN’T HAVE THE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT USED TO BE
THERE TO ADDRESS THIS.
>> JULIA AINSLIE HAS SAID PEOPLE
ARE TRYING TO FIND THEIR
CHILDREN AND ARE NOT GETTING THE
HELP THEY NEED.
>> WE WOULD ASK THEM TO CONTACT
US.
WE ARE TRYING TO FIND SPONSORS
FOR THESE CHILDREN.
WE WILL MAKE DECISIONS WHETHER
THE CHILD WILL BE SENT BACK TO
THE HOME COUNTRY OR WHETHER THEY
CAN STAY UNDER THE ASYLUM
PROCESS.
IF THERE IS A RESPONSIBLE