THE
THE MID-WEEK EDITION OF OUR 2 ON YOUR SIDE TOWN HALL...
AS WESTERN NEW
YORK GOT SOME
TOUGH NEWS RELATED
TO THE PANDEMIC
TODAY.
TODAY.
TODAY. >>> WE WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO
THE MIDWAY CONDITION OF OUR 2 ON YOUR SIDE TOWN HALL .
WESTERN NEW YORK GOT SOME TOUGH
NEWS RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC
TODAY.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU THROUGH
IT BEST WE CAN.
I'M CABLES OVERPAID
>> I'M MICHAEL WOOTEN.
ALMOST ALL OF THE QUESTIONS YOU
TEXTED US THAT THEY HAVE DEALT
WITH THE NEW CASES, THE
INCREASE IN HOSPITALIZATION AND
NOW THESE NEW RESTRICTIONS
CAUSED BY COVID-19.
WE WILL WALK YOU THROUGH ALL OF
IT WITH MUCH OF YOUR ERIE
COUNTY NOW IN THE ORANGE ZONE.
EXPERT ANALYSIS COMING UP.
>> LATER, WITH TALK LIVE WITH
THE LOAN OWNER OF A LOCAL
RESTAURANT AS BUSINESSES
PREPARE FOR BIG CHANGES THEY
HOPE WILL BE TEMPORARY.
>> AND R VERIFY TEAM A LOOK AT
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION DEALING
WITH THE VACCINE, AND WHO WILL
NEED TO GET IT.
>> WE HAVE A LOT TO GET TO BUT
WE ARE GOING TO START WITH THE
FACTS.
OVER THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS,
CORONAVIRUS HAS BEEN SPREADING
MORE IN OUR REGION THAN ANY
OTHER PART OF THE STATE.
>> THAT HAS LED TO NEW
RESTRICTIONS THAT WERE
ANNOUNCED EARLIER TODAY BY THE
GOVERNOR.
ALL OF ERIE COUNTY IS AT LEAST
IN THE YELLOW ZONE ALONG WITH
NORTH TONAWANDA IN NIAGARA
COUNTY, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, A
GOOD CHUNK OF OUR AREA, BUFFALO
AND THE SUBURBAN TOWNS ARE IN
THE ORANGE ZONE.
>> THAT MEANS AMONG OTHER
CHANGES, THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS
ON SIZES OF GATHERINGS AND
HOUSES OF WORSHIP, NONESSENTIAL
BUSINESS IS CONSIDERED HIGH
RISK LIKE GYMS AND HAIR SALONS
HAVE TO CLOSE, INDOOR DINING IS
PROHIBITED, AND SCHOOLS MUST GO
FULLY REMOTE.
UNLESS THEY CAN MEET A REALLY
TOUGH TESTING THRESHOLD.
THESE CHANGES TAKE EFFECT FIRST
THING FRIDAY, EXCEPT FOR
SCHOOLS, THE CHANGES WILL
HAPPEN MONDAY.
JOINING US LIVE IS DR. THOMAS
RUSSO, CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS
DISEASES AT UV'S MEDICAL
SCHOOL.
WELCOME BACK.
SO MANY QUESTIONS, WE ARE GLAD
YOU ARE HERE TO ANSWER THEM.
>> GOT TO BE HERE AND HELP.
>> DR. RUSSO, LET ME START BY
ASKING YOU ABOUT THIS MOVE TO
THE ORANGE ZONE FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE WATCHING RIGHT NOW, IT
DOESN'T DO MUCH OF ANYTHING AT
ALL TO ADDRESS PEOPLE HAVING
THESE LARGE GATHERINGS INSIDE
THEIR HOMES.
IT DOES STOP INDOOR DINING,
HAIRCUTS, GYM WORKOUTS, HOW
MUCH OF THOSE ACTIVITIES
CONTRIBUTING TO THE SPREAD WE
ARE SEEING, AND WILL THIS MOVE
TO ORANGE HELP US CUT BACK ON
THE SPREAD, AND AVOID GOING TO
THE RED ZONE, WHICH AS WE KNOW
IS MUCH MORE RESTRICTIVE?
OH, ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME?
>> DR. RUSSO?
>> I'M SORRY, MICHAEL FROZE AND
I DID NOT HEAR HIS QUESTION.
>> LET ME GET BACK YOUR, ONE
SECOND.
I WILL RE-ASK IT TO YOU.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, WE WANTED
TO ASK YOU ABOUT MOVING TO THE
ORANGE ZONE.
IT DOESN'T DO MUCH AS FAR AS
PEOPLE WHO ARE GATHERING INSIDE
THEIR HOMES.
BUT IT DOES STOP THINGS LIKE
INDOOR DINING, HAIRCUTS, GYM
WORKOUTS.
HOW MUCH IS THAT STUFF
CONTRIBUTING TO THE OVERALL
SPREAD?
DO YOU THINK THIS MOVE TO
ORANGE IS GOING TO HELP US CUT
BACK THE SPREAD AND AVOID GOING
UP TO READ, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY
MUCH MORE RESTRICTIVE?
>> I THINK IT IS GOING TO HELP
ON A COUPLE LEVELS.
FIRST, I THINK MOST
IMPORTANTLY, THE MESSAGING.
WE ARE DOING BADLY, GOING IN
THE WRONG DIRECTION, AND WE
HAVE TO REGROUP AND ALTHOUGH
THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL NOT
AFFECT ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE
HOUSEHOLD, HOPEFULLY, IT WILL
MAKE PEOPLE REALIZE THEIR
BEHAVIOR NEEDS TO IMPROVE, BOTH
IN THE HOUSE, AND OUTSIDE THE
HOUSEHOLD AS WELL.
EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS, AND
POTENTIALLY, INCENTIVE TO TURN
THINGS AROUND, WE COULD GET OUT
OF THE ORANGE AND GET INTO THE
YELLOW, SO I'M HOPING THIS IS
GOING TO HELP ON A VARIETY OF
LEVELS.
>> SO WE HEAR, DR. RUSSO EVERY
DAY FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY THIS IS
OVERBLOWN, AND THEY ACCUSE US
OF TRYING TO SCARE PEOPLE OR
HURTING SMALL BUSINESSES.
THEY SAY THE MATH DOESN'T ADD
UP.
CAN YOU PLEASE SPEAK TO THAT,
AND HOW BAD THE SITUATION IS
THAT HAS NOW LED TO THESE
RESTRICTIONS?
>> I MEAN, THE MATH DOESN'T ADD
UP, UNFORTUNATELY.
WE ARE DOING QUITE POORLY OVER
THE LAST MONTH OR SO.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, THE
NUMBER OF DAILY NEW CASES PER
100,000 HAS INCREASED NEARLY
TENFOLD IN THE LAST MONTH.
OUR PRESENT POSITIVE TESTING
RATE HAS GONE FROM 1.2 TO 5.6%
ON ROLLING SEVEN-DAY AVERAGES
OVER THE LAST MONTH.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHICH IS
COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT OF THE
NUMBER OF TESTS, OR
HOSPITALIZATIONS OVER THE LAST
16 DAYS HAS GONE FROM A TOTAL
OF 38 IN ERIE COUNTY TO 150.
THE MOST DISCONCERTING NUMBER
OF ALL IS OVER THE LAST 16
DAYS, WE HAVE HAD 40 DEATHS IN
ERIE COUNTY.
EXTRAORDINARILY, 13 IN THE LAST
TWO DAYS.
AGAIN, TOTALLY INDEPENDENT OF
TESTS.
UNEQUIVOCAL PROOF THAT WE HAVE
WAY TOO MANY CASES, WAY TOO
MANY BAD OUTCOMES, AND WE ARE
GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
>> MY COMPUTER LOST INTERNET
CONNECTION, DR. RUSSO.
I'VE RECONNECTED AND CAN SEE
YOU, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> I CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
>> I WANT TO ASK YOU
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
HOSPITALIZATIONS, WHAT YOU JUST
MENTIONED.
AS OF MONDAY, WE HAD 150 PEOPLE
IN HOSPITALS WITH COVID-19
WHICH IS JUST IN ERIE COUNTY.
AS YOU SAID, MORE THAN DOUBLED
IN JUST A WEEK'S TIME.
ALMOST HALF OF THE PEOPLE ARE
YOUNGER THAN 65.
I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF
CAPACITY IN OUR LOCAL
HOSPITALS, THEY RAMPED THAT
UP.
THEY'VE BEEN MAKING MOVES TO
PREPARE FOR AN INCREASE IN
PATIENTS.
I WONDER, IF YOU THINK WE ARE
ANYWHERE CLOSE RIGHT NOW TO
BEING AT A POINT WHERE OUR
HOSPITALS ARE GOING TO STRUGGLE
WITH THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS,
THAT MAYBE AREN'T THERE NOW,
BUT IF WE CONTINUE ON THE
CURRENT TREND WOULD BE EXPECTED
TO COME INTO THE DOORS OF THESE
HOSPITALS.
>> I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
WE PEAKED BACK IN MARCH AND
APRIL, AROUND 250 ODD TOTAL
HOSPITALIZATIONS, WE STILL HAD
SOME CAPACITY.
WE DID NOT OVERWHELM OUR
HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, BUT WE ARE
GETTING CLOSE.
WE ARE ALREADY AT 105th, AND
IT'S CRITICAL TO REMEMBER THERE
IS A LAG IN THE NEW CASES TO
HOSPITALIZATIONS AND TO DEATH.
THAT LIGHT IS USUALLY 1 TO 2
WEEKS FOR HOSPITALIZATIONS, AND
3 TO 4 WEEKS FOR DEATHS.
WITH THE TYPES OF CASES WE ARE
GETTING NOW, WITH YOUNGER
PEOPLE THAT MAY TAKE A COUPLE
OF ROUNDS OF YOUNGER PEOPLE
SPREADING THAT TO ALL THE
PEOPLE, SO WE MAY EVEN SEE A
FURTHER LIKE IN
HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS.
IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL, WE ARE
GOING TO OVERWHELM OUR
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, AND AS WE
KNOW, IF WE DO THAT, OUTCOMES
WILL BE EVEN WORSE AND DEATHS
WILL INCREASE.
>> THIS CONVERSATION IS ABOUT
HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND WE KEEP
ASKING YOU ABOUT THANKSGIVING.
A BIG REASON AS WE KEEP HEARING
FROM PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE NOT
PLANNING TO CANCEL THEIR
TRADITIONAL CELEBRATIONS.
HOW SHOULD THIS MOVE NOW TO THE
ORANGE ZONE MAYBE FACTOR IN TO
THEIR DECISIONS?
>> WELL, I'M NOT SURE IF THE
MOVE TO THE ORANGE ZONE, PER SE
SHOULD FACTOR IN.
JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT IS
ONGOING RIGHT NOW, I THINK IT'S
CRITICAL FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE
THIS PANDEMIC WILL AND. WE HAVE
VACCINES COMING.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE STILL 4
TO 5+ MONTHS AWAY FROM THAT
ENDING, AND BETWEEN NOW AND
THEN, WE JUST REALLY HAVE TO
DELAY GRATIFICATION, EXCEPT THE
FACT WE CAN'T DO EVERYTHING WE
WOULD LIKE TO DO, AND HUNKER
DOWN AND SAY THIS IS THE YEAR
OF COVEN.
I'M GOING TO HAVE THANKSGIVING
IN MAY.
I'M GOING TO CELEBRATE THE
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS IN JULY,
BECAUSE IF I CROSS HOUSEHOLDS
AND CROSS SOCIAL BUBBLES AND
GATHER INDOORS WITH
INDIVIDUALS, I'M GOING TO DRIVE
THE NUMBER OF CASES UP, AND
HAVE UNNECESSARY BAD OUTCOMES.
I THINK IT'S ALSO CRITICAL FOR
PEOPLE TO REALIZE THAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT DEATHS HERE.
THAT IS NOT THE ONLY IMPORTANT
METRIC.
PEOPLE THAT SURVIVED THIS REMAIN
CRITICALLY ILL AND DISABLED FOR
WEEKS AND MONTHS AFTERWARD, AND
NEVER FULLY RECOVERED, AND THIS
POTENTIAL LONG-TERM
CONSEQUENCES AS WELL.
I THINK EVERYONE'S STRATEGY
SHOULD BE THAT THIS CHANGE TO
ORANGE IS A WAKE-UP CALL TO BEST
NOT GET INFECTED, THE VACCINES
ARE COMING, BUT WE REALLY HAVE
A RIGOROUS 4 TO 5 MONTHS TO
PROTECT OURSELVES AND OTHERS
BEFORE NOW AND WHEN WE GET
THERE.
>> DR. THOMAS RIZZO, INFECTIOUS
DISEASE EXPERT WITH UV AT THE
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, SO MUCH FOR
COMING OUT AND HELPING PROVIDE
CONTEXT TO ALL THIS.
>> TAKE CARE NOW.
>> REAL FAST, I WANT TO SHOW
EVERYBODY.
THIS IS OUR UNSCIENTIFIC,
ONLINE POLL.
WE ASKED EVERYONE ABOUT THE
CRITICISM THAT GOVERNOR CUOMO
LEVELED AT WESTERN NEW YORK
EARLIER TODAY DURING HIS
BRIEFING.
BASICALLY SAYING WESTERN NEW
YORK DID NOT GET THE WORST OF
THIS BACK IN THE SPRING LIKE
NEW YORK CITY DID AND MAYBE WE
WEREN'T TAKING IT AS SERIOUSLY
AS WE SHOULD BE.
THERE'S BEEN A REALLY
OVERWHELMING RESPONSE.
WE KEEP TRACK OF HOW MANY
PEOPLE VOTE IN THESE, AND A TON
OF PEOPLE ARE WEIGHING IN.
YOU CAN SEE 72% THINK THE
GOVERNOR WAS WRONG THERE AND
DR. RUSSO, EARLIER ON OUR AIR
SAYS HE THINKS THE GOVERNOR WAS
WRONG, THE PART OF THE ISSUE IS
THAT NEW YORK CITY HAD SO MANY
INFECTIONS THAT THAT IS PART OF
THE REASON WHY THEIR INFECTION
RATE IS SO LOW RIGHT NOW.
CERTAINLY, WE ARE SEEING THESE
CASES GO UP THROUGHOUT NEW YORK
STATE, AND THROUGHOUT THE
ENTIRE COUNTRY.
IT IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE KIND OF
UPSET WITH THE GOVERNOR FROM
EARLIER TODAY.
>> YOU CAN WEIGH IN BY GOING TO
WGRZ.COM/VOTE IF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON THAT AS
WELL.
WE ALWAYS GET A LOT OF
QUESTIONS ABOUT MASKS.
EXPERTS KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT
THEM NOW COMPARED TO THE
SPRING.
>> EXPERTS AT JOHNS HOPKINS
MEDICINE HAD THIS REMINDER FOR
PEOPLE WEARING THOSE MASKS MADE
OF FABRIC, LIKE COTTON.
THEY SHOULD BE WASHED IN A
WASHING MACHINE OR BY HAND WITH
SOAP AND HOT WATER PAY
>> THEY SHOULD BE WASHED AND
DRIED AFTER EVERY USE, AS WELL.
I CAN CREATE A LOT OF WEAR AND
TEAR, SO AFTER YOUR MASK
DRIVES, HOLD IT UP TO A LIGHT
SO YOU CAN CHECK FOR ANY FADING
OR SEE-THROUGH SPOTS.
THAT'S A SIGN THAT DROPLETS
COULD PASS THROUGH YOUR MOUTH
AND AT THAT POINT, THE MASK
SHOULD BE REPLACED.
>> MEANWHILE, THERE IS A NEW
STUDY OF DENMARK THE QUESTIONS
HOW MUCH PROTECTION A MASK
ACTUALLY PROVIDES TO THE PERSON
WHO IS WEARING IT.
>> RESEARCH OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF COPENHAGEN RAN THE STUDY,
ALMOST 5000 PEOPLE COMPLETED
IT.
HALF WERE GIVEN SURGICAL MASKS,
AND TOLD TO WEAR THEM ANYTIME
THEY LEFT THEIR HOMES.
THE OTHER HALF WERE TOLD NOT TO
WEAR BEST.
>> HERE ARE THE RESULTS.
42 PEOPLE IN THE MASK GROUP GOT
INFECTED COMPARED TO 53 IN THE
UNMASK GROUP.
SOME DOCTORS SAID WHILE MASKS
DEFINITELY HELP KEEP UNINFECTED
PERSON FROM SPREADING THE VIRUS,
THAT MAY NOT PROVIDE AS MUCH
PROTECTION TO THE PERSON
WEARING THE MASK PAY
>> STILL, OTHER EXPERTS
QUESTION THE STUDY, BECAUSE
THIS WAS ALL SELF-REPORTED.
IT'S UNCLEAR PEOPLE IN THE MASK
GROUP ACTUALLY WORE THEM, AND
WORE THEM PROPERLY ON TOP OF
THAT.
ALSO, THE INFECTION RATE WAS
EXTREMELY LOW DURING THIS TIME
PERIOD, MAKING IT HARDER TO
EXAMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS.
>> WHEN YOU FACTOR THOSE THINGS
IN, THE DOZEN SCIENTIFIC
STUDIES WHERE THEY'VE LOOKED AT
THE FABRIC AND DID ALL THIS IN
A LAB, AND IT SEEMS THESE MASKS
TO PROTECT THE