>>> WITH COVID CASES AND
HOSPITALIZATIONS ON THE RISE AND
DAILY VACCINATIONS DOWN, EXPERTS
ARE WARNING ABOUT THE VIRUS AND
THE VACCINE MISINFORMATION STILL
STUNTING OUR PROGRESS AND
READINESS AGAINST WHAT COULD
COME NEXT.
IN SOUTH CAROLINA, A MEDICAL
CENTER IS CONSIDERING REOPENING
ITS COVID ICU THAT CLOSED FOUR
MONTHS AGO TO ACCOMMODATE A NEW
INFLUX OF PATIENTS.
DOCTORS THERE TELL NBC NEWS THAT
THIS TIME AROUND THE PATIENTS
ARE MUCH YOUNGER, WITHOUT ANY
SERIOUS PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS,
AND MOST OF THEM ARE STILL
UNVACCINATED.
LETS BRING IN NBCS ELLISON
BARBER IN WEST COLUMBIA, SOUTH
CAROLINA, WHERE HOSPITALS ARE
SEEING TROUBLING JUMPS IN ICU
PATIENTS.
>> Reporter: THIS HOSPITAL HAD A
DESIGNATED COVID ICU WARD LAST
YEAR.
THEY WERE ABLE TO OFFICIALLY
CLOSE THAT WARD ABOUT FOUR
MONTHS AGO, BUT NOW THEYRE
HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHETHER
OR NOT THEY SHOULD BRING IT
BACK.
THEY HAD ZERO CASES OF COVID-19
IN THEIR ICU LAST WEEK.
WITHIN ONE WEEK THEY SAW EIGHT
PATIENTS ADMITTED TO THE ICU
BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
WHEN WE WERE ON THE FLOOR
YESTERDAY, WE SAW A NINTH
PATIENT BE BROUGHT IN.
ALMOST ALL OF THE PATIENTS ARE
UNVACCINATED.
ALL EXCEPT FOR ONE OF THEM.
THE MOST NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE PATIENTS THAT WE SAW
LAST YEAR IN ICU BECAUSE OF
COVID-19 AND THE ONES WE SAW
THIS WEEK ARE THEIR AGES.
LAST YEAR THE PATIENT THAT WE
SAW NEEDING INTENSIVE CARE WERE
MUCH OLDER.
NOW THEYRE MUCH YOUNGER.
ONE OF THE FIRST PATIENTS WE SAW
WAS A 26-YEAR-OLD INTUBATED,
GETTING A PLASMA EXCHANGE
TREATMENT BECAUSE HE HAD
MULTIPLE ORGANS FAILING.
JUST ACROSS THE HALL FROM HIM,
THERE WAS A PATIENT IN HIS 30s.
NEXT TO HIM, THERE WAS A PATIENT
IN HIS 40s.
ALL THREE OF THEM ON
VENTILATORS.
DOCTORS HERE ARE REALLY WORRIED
ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THEYRE
SEEING THESE NUMBERS RISE SO
QUICKLY.
WE SPOKE TO ONE MAN WHO WAS IN
THE ICU BECAUSE OF COVID-19 FOR
NEARLY TWO MONTHS.
HE WAS ELIGIBLE TO GET
VACCINATED EARLY IN THE YEAR BUT
DIDNT BECAUSE HE SAID HE WAS A
LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT IT BEING SO
NEW AND HE WASNT CONVINCED THAT
HE REALLY NEEDED IT.
HE SAID ITS A DECISION HE
REGRETS ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DAY.
HE SPENT NEARLY TWO MONTHS IN
THIS HOSPITAL, CLOSE TO TWO
WEEKS IN ICU, SOME OF IT ON A
VENTILATOR.
LISTEN TO SOME OF WHAT HE TOLD
US.
>> WERE YOU ABLE TO BREATHE ON
YOUR OWN?
>> NOT AT FIRST.
THEY HAD TO TURN ME ON MY
STOMACH.
I THINK IT WAS LIKE THREE TIMES
BECAUSE LIKE THE COLD AND THE
BLOOD WAS FILLING UP IN MY
LUNGS.
GO AHEAD AND GET THE VACCINATION
BECAUSE THE COVID IS FOR REAL.
LIKE IT HAD ME ON MY DYING BED.
I DIDNT KNOW WHETHER I WAS
GOING TO MAKE IT BACK OR NOT.
>> Reporter: WE MET ANOTHER
PATIENT AT THIS HOSPITAL WHO IS
A BREAKTHROUGH CASE.
SHE WAS FULLY VACCINATED BUT
STILL GOT COVID-19 AND HAS BEEN
HOSPITALIZED.
SHE HAS MS.
SHE SAYS SHE BELIEVES IF SHE
WASNT VACCINATED, SHE WOULD BE
MUCH SICKER THAN SHE IS RIGHT
NOW, POSSIBLY IN INTENSIVE CARE,
BUT SHES NOT.
SHE BELIEVES THATS BECAUSE SHE
WAS FULLY VACCINATED.
IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THEY HAVE
SEEN CASES OF PATIENTS NEEDING
TO BE HOSPITALIZED BECAUSE OF
COVID-19 INCREASE BY 103% IN
LESS THAN A MONTH.
ALICIA.
>> NBCS ELLISON BARBER, THANK
YOU FOR THAT REPORT.
>>> JOINING US NOW, DR. ROB
DAVIDSON, EMERGENCY ROOM
PHYSICIAN IN WEST MICHIGAN AND
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
COMMITTEE TO PROTECT MEDICARE.
DR. DAVIDSON, WHAT DO YOU MAKE
OF THE INCREASING CASES AND
HOSPITALIZATIONS?
WHO IS IT THAT NEEDS TO BE
WORRIED?
>> I THINK PEOPLE WHO ARE
UNVACCINATED ARE THE ONES THAT
ARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW AND WILL
CONTINUE TO SUFFER.
THAT GENTLEMAN FROM SOUTH
CAROLINAS STORY NEEDS TO BE
HEARD BY SO MANY PEOPLE IN MY
COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY BECAUSE THAT IS A
PERSON WHO UNDERSTANDS.
TWO MONTHS IN THE ICU, EVEN WHEN
YOU SURVIVE, IS A MASSIVE THING
TO ENDURE.
THAT LASTS FOR YOUR LIFE.
>> DR. DAVIDSON, YOU WRITE AND
SAY I DONT BLAME MY PATIENTS
FOR THEIR REFUSAL.
WHAT BREAKS MY HEART AS SOMEONE
WHO TOOK AN OATH TO PREVENT HARM
IS THAT MY PATIENTS CHOOSE TO
ABANDON THE SCIENCE AND EVIDENCE
THAT CAN SAVE THEIR LIVES.
I DO BLAME FOX NEWS AND OTHER
RIGHT-WING MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
POISONING THE MINDS OF MILLIONS
OF AMERICANS WITH THE DECEPTIVE
PROPAGANDA THEY SPRAY INTO
LIVING ROOMS 24/7.
TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT
YOURE HEARING FROM THEIR
PATIENTS AND THE DAMAGE BEING
DONE TO THEM BY WHAT YOU CALL
RIGHT-WING COVID DENIALISM.
>> OUR E.R. LIKE MANY IS
OFFERING THE VACCINE TO PATIENTS
IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT SO I
HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ALL THE
TIME.
MANY TIMES THEY JUST SHUT ME
DOWN SAYING I DONT WANT TO TALK
ABOUT IT, I DONT WANT TO HEAR
ABOUT IT.
I HEARD ONE WOMAN SAY IM A
LITTLE AFRAID OF THE
INGREDIENTS.
I SAID TELL ME WHAT CONCERNS
YOU.
WELL, I DONT REALLY KNOW WHATS
IN IT.
OF COURSE I DONT ASK HOW DO YOU
VOTE OR WHAT DO YOU WATCH, BUT
IM IN A COUNTY THAT 69% OF THE
PEOPLE VOTED FOR THE FORMER
PRESIDENT.
YOU KNOW, FOX NEWS IS ON MANY
ROOMS WHEN I GO INTO THEM TO SEE
PATIENTS.
AND SO THAT KIND OF THINKING,
THAT KIND OF RHETORIC, THAT
DOESNT APPEAR NATURALLY.
THATS BEING PUSHED INTO PEOPLE
AND FOX IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
PURVEYORS OF THIS.
>> THIS ALSO TOOK MY BREATH
AWAY.
SOMEONE SAYING IM ADMITTING
YOUNG, HEALTHY PEOPLE TO THE
HOSPITAL WITH VERY SERIOUS COVID
INFECTIONS, WROTE A HOSPITALIST
IN BIRMINGHAM IN AN EMOTIONAL
FACEBOOK POST.
THIS IS THE PART THAT GOT ME.
ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THEY DO
BEFORE THEYRE INTUBATED IS BEG
ME FOR THE VACCINE.
I HOLD THEIR HAND AND TELL THEM
THAT IM SORRY, BUT ITS TOO
LATE.
I MEAN, DR. DAVIDSON, YOU HAVE
THAT SOBERING REALITY.
YOU HAVE WHAT ELLISON WAS JUST
REPORTING AND THEN YOU HAVE
REPRESENTATIVE STEVE SCALISE
GETTING THE VACCINE THIS WEEK
CALLING IT SAFE AND EFFECTIVE,
SEAN HANNITY TELLING HIS
AUDIENCE TO TAKE COVID
SERIOUSLY, BELIEVE IN VACCINES.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS RECENT
ABOUT-FACE FROM REPUBLICANS WHO
HAVE BEEN DRIVERS OF
MISINFORMATION?
WHAT DOES THAT INDICATE TO YOU
ABOUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE
SITUATION IN THIS MOMENT?
>> LISTEN, THAT STORY GAVE ME
CHILLS, BY THE WAY.
I SAY ITS VERY LITTLE, ITS
VERY LATE, BUT ITS WELCOME.
I SAY ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO GET
ON BOARD WITH REALITY, BECAUSE
THATS ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT
HERE.
THIS ISNT CONTROVERSIAL, ITS
NOT PARTISAN, THERES NO AGENDA.
THIS IS JUST REALITY.
YOU GET THE VACCINE, YOU WONT
DIE.
YOU DONT GET THE VACCINE,
YOURE ROLLING THE DICE WITH YOUR OWN LIFE.
YOUR OWN LIFE.
IF SEAN HANNITY, STEVE SCALISE,
ANYBODY WANTS TO ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE TO DO THAT, THATS GREAT
NEWS.
>> I WANT YOU TO TAKE A LISTEN
TO WHAT DR. FAUCI SAID YESTERDAY
ON CAPITOL HILL.
>> WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT A
BREAKTHROUGH INFECTION, THAT
DOESNT NECESSARILY MEAN THE
VACCINE IS FAILING BECAUSE ITS
STILL HOLDING TRUE, PARTICULARLY
WITH REGARD TO PROTECTION
AGAINST SEVERE DISEASE LEADING
TO HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATHS.
>> SO YOU HAVE THAT.
AS ELLISON REPORTS, DOCTORS
STILL SAY COVID CASES LARGELY
AMONG THE UNVACCINATED.
WHAT SHOULD WE MAKE OF THE
BREAKTHROUGH CASES AND WHAT DO
WE SEE TO THOSE WHO SEE THOSE
BREAKTHROUGH CASES AND MAKES
THEM LESS LIKELY TO WANT TO GET
THE VACCINE?
>> YOU KNOW, WE JUST EXPLAINED
IT WITH NUMBERS AND WITH
STORIES.
PEOPLE THAT GET VACCINATED AND
THEN CONTRACT COVID HAVE ALMOST
NO CHANCE OF GETTING EXTREMELY
ILL.
ALMOST NONE OF THEM WILL DIE OR
ENDING UP IN THE ICU.
IF YOURE UNVACCINATED, AGAIN,
YOURE ROLLING THE DICE.
WERE TALKING ABOUT RISKS AND
BENEFITS.
THE BENEFITS OF VACCINATIONS FAR
OUTWEIGH ANY POSSIBLE RISKS.
I WOULD JUST KEEP PLUGGING
ALONG.
IM DOING IT, MY FAMILY DOCTOR
IS DOING IT EVERY DAY IN HER
PRACTICE.
THIS IS OUR JOB AND WERE GLAD
THEY DO IT.
>> YOU ARE APPROACHING THIS AT
THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL WHICH IS SO
CRITICAL.
THERES ALSO THE QUESTION OF THE
ROLE POLICY CAN PLAY.
WHEN IT COMES TO CONVINCING
PEOPLE WHO ARE RESISTANT TO THE
VACCINE, WHO ARE HESITANT TAKING
THE VACCINE, WHAT IS YOUR
CURRENT THINKING ABOUT THE ROLE
THAT THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE
PLAYING IN CONVINCING THEM THAT
IT IS IN THEIR BEST INTERESTS?
>> YEAH, I THINK THE GENTLEMAN
IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT YOU HAD
ON AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS
PIECE, THOSE KINDS OF STORIES
NEED TO BE IN COMMUNITIES THAT
ARE RESISTANT.
THERES STILL A SIGNIFICANT
RESISTANCE OR HESITANCY IN
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
THIS IS NOT BECAUSE OF FOX NEWS,
THIS IS BECAUSE OF DECADES AND
LIFETIMES OF THE MEDICAL
ESTABLISHMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT
LETTING PEOPLE DOWN.
IT IS UNDERSTOOD.
BUT WE WANT TO PROTECT FOLKS.
AND SO WE NEED TO GET THE
STORIES INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES.
THATS WHAT THE GOVERNMENT CAN
HELP US DO AND OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS CAN HELP US DO.
>> AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON A
VACCINE MANDATE?
>> I THINK THAT INDIVIDUAL
BUSINESSES SHOULD ABSOLUTELY DO
THAT.
I APPLAUD HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS
THAT ARE DOING IT.
THE ONE I WORK FOR ISNT YET,
BUT HOPEFULLY THAT WILL COME
SOON.
ONCE THERE IS FULL APPROVAL,
EVEN THOUGH I BELIEVE THE
EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION
LEGALLY QUALIFIES, BUT ONCE THEY
GET TO FULL APPROVAL IN THE NEXT
FEW MONTHS, I DONT SEE ANY