GUIDANCE FROM THE CDC TO COME
OUT.
>> Neil: THANKS, KRISTIN.
THE READ ON THIS FROM
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, THE CHIEF
MEDICAL ADVISER.
GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.
AS YOU HAVE SEEN HERE, 57
MILLION VACCINE DOSES HAVE BEEN
DELIVERED.
35 MILLION HAVE GOTTEN THEM
THOUGH.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THAT?
>> WELL, A COUPLE THINGS.
CERTAINLY THERE’S A DISCREPANCY
BETWEEN THE AMOUNT DELIVERED AND
THE AMOUNT THAT’S GOTTEN IN
PEOPLE’S OFFICE.
IT’S NOT NECESSARILY AS LARGE A
GAP AS THE NUMBERS SHOW.
VERY OFTEN WHEN YOU GET A
VACCINE INTO A PERSON’S ARMS,
IT’S NOT REPORTED AS HAVING BEEN
DONE FOR A PERIOD OF A FEW DAYS.
IT’S LIKELY LESS OF A GAP.
THERE’S STILL A GAP.
THAT GETS TO SOMETHING THAT YOU
ACTUALLY JUST ANNOUNCED A MOMENT
AGO.
IS THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN MADE IT
VERY CLEAR AS PART OF HIS
STRATEGIC PLAN THAT CAME OUT A
COUPLE WEEKS AGO THAT WE’RE
GOING TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO
ENHANCE AND SUPPORT THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
ADMINISTRATION.
THAT GOES TO EVERYTHING FROM
WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT GETTING
IT FIRST, 1,100 MILITARY TROOPS
TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS OF
GETTING THE VACCINE INTO
PEOPLE’S ARMS IN SEVERAL OF THE
COMMUNITY VACCINE CENTERS OUT
THERE, TO SHIP DIRECTLY TO
PHARMACY, TO USE MOBILE UNITS TO
GET TO NOT EASILY TO ACCESS
AREAS.
SO WHAT YOU’RE SEEING, NEIL,
YOU’RE SEEING THE ROLL-OUT OF
WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY AND NOW IN
REALITY THE PRESIDENT’S
STRATEGIC PLAN TO ENHANCE THE
VACCINATION PROGRAM.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE’RE
SEEING RIGHT NOW.
>> Neil: DOCTOR, WE JUST CAME
OFF OF ONE OF THE WORST MONTHS
FOR DEATH EVEN THOUGH A
CONTINUED IMPROVING TREND ON
HOSPITALIZATIONS.
THERE’S A DISCONNECT THERE.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?
>> YEAH, THAT’S THE LAG THAT YOU
SEE.
WE’VE SEEN IT SO MANY TIMES.
WHEN YOU GET AN ESCALATION OF
CASES, YOU DON’T SEE
HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS TO
ESCALATE FOR A LAG OF TWO WEEKS
AND 2 TO 2 1/2 WEEKS FOR DEATHS. RIGHT NOW WE’RE SEEING A
RIGHT NOW WE’RE SEEING A
PLATEAUING AND DEMINUTATION A
DAY.
SO THEY’RE STARTING TO PLATEAU
AND COME DOWN.
THE DEATHS WILL COME DOWN BUT
THERE’S A LAG BEFORE THEY COME
DOWN COMMENSURATE WITH THE
NUMBER OF CASES COMING DOWN.
SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS
SURPRISING TO SEE THESE COUPLE
OF WEEK LAGS BETWEEN ACTUAL
CASES, HOSPITALIZATIONS AND
DEATHS.
>> Neil: SO LET ME ASK YOU A
COUPLE OF DUMB QUESTIONS HERE.
EVEN IF YOU’VE GOTTEN THE
VACCINE, YOU SHOULD KEEP WEARING
A MASK.
DO YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THAT AS
WELL?
>> YEAH, THE ANSWER IS YES.
THERE’S A REASON FOR THAT.
AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME WE’RE
NOT CERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT
VACCINATION IS GOING TO PROTECT
YOU AGAINST GETTING INFECTED BUT
HAVING NO SYMPTOMS.
WE KNOW THAT THE PRIMARY END
POINT OF THE VACCINE TRIALS THAT
LED TO THE EMERGENCY USE
AUTHORIZATION THAT SHOWED 94 TO
95% EFFICACY WAS EFFECTIVE IN
PREVENTING SYMPTOMATIC DISEASE.
WHAT WE NEED TO SHOW IS THAT IT
ACTUALLY PREVENTS YOU FROM
GETTING INFECTED EVEN THOUGH YOU
TONIGHT HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS.
SO IT’S CONCEIVEABLE THAT I COUL
GET VACCINATED, GET INFECTED AND
HAVE NO SYMPTOMS BECAUSE THE
VACCINE IS PREVENTING ME FROM
GETTING SYMPTOMS.
BUT I STILL COULD HAVE VIRUS IN
MY NASAL PHARYNX.
UNTIL WE KNOW, THERE’S STILL
SOME RISK, LIKELY A SMALL RISK,
THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW YOU’RE
INFECTED INADVERTENTLY BECAUSE
YOU’VE BEEN VACCINATED BUT YET
YOU MIGHT PASS THE INFECTION TO
SOMEONE ELSE.
FOR THAT REASON, WE RECOMMEND
WEARING A MASK EVEN THOUGH
YOU’VE BEEN VACCINATED.
>> Neil: YOU RAISED THE
POSSIBILITY OF RECOMMENDATION OF
WEARING TWO MASKS.
IS THAT RIGHT?
>> NO, I WASN’T RECOMMENDING IT.
THERE’S A LOT OF DISCUSSION
ABOUT THAT.
THAT PEOPLE HAVE ASKED.
A REASONABLE QUESTION, COMMON
SENSE, IF ONE MASK PREVENTS YOU
FROM GETTING INFECTED OR
PREVENTS YOU FROM INFECTING
OTHERS, IT’S A PHYSICAL BARRIER.
SO PEOPLE HAVE ASKED, IF I WEAR
TWO MASKS, WOULD THAT BE BETTER?
THE ANSWER IS WE DON’T HAVE THE
DATA TO MAKE A FORMAL
RECOMMENDATION OF THAT.
BUT IT MAKES COMMON SENSE THAT
IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL MORE
COMFORTABLE AND MORE PROTECTED,
THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH
WEARING TWO MASKS.
SO RATHER THAN HAVE A FORMAL
RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE WE DON’T
HAVE THE DATA YET, WE SAY IF
YOU’D LIKE TO WEAR ONE, DO
AHEAD.
I HAVE MYSELF IN THE PAST WORE
TWO MASKS.
>> Neil: HOMELAND SECURITY IS
FORCING THEISH YOU AT TSA,
FINDING PEOPLE THAT TO NOT.
UP TO $1,500.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?
>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT IS
CORRECT.
WHEN HE FIRST -- ACTUALLY BEFORE
HE WAS INAUGURATED, HE WAS
SAYING ONE OF HIS POLICIES WOULD
BE THAT HE WOULD HAVE 100 DAYS
OF EVERYBODY WEARING A MASK.
THAT’S AT LEAST 100 DAYS.
MAYBE MORE.
NOW, IN ORDER TO GET THE FULL
EFFECT, YOU HAVE TO GET EVERYONE
TO BE WEARING A MASK.
YOU KNOW THERE’S A LOT OF
DISPARITY ABOUT PEOPLE’S
FEELINGS ABOUT WEARING A MASK.
THERE’S SOME THINGS THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN HAVE
CONTROL OVER, THAT YOU CAN HAVE
A MANDATE TO WEAR MASKS IN
CERTAIN PLACES LIKE
TRANSPORTATION, PLANES, TRAINS,
PLACES CONTROLLED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
SO WE HAVE TO ALL GET ON THE
SAME BANDWAGON HERE ABOUT
WEARING MASKS.
IF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL
HELP US GET THERE IS BUY A
MANDATE THAT IN CERTAIN
LOCATIONS THAT YOU CAN CONTROL,
THAT YOU TELL PEOPLE THAT THEY
HAVE TO BE WEARING A MASK.
SO I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THAT.
.
>> Neil: YOU KNOW, THE CDC
DIRECTOR TALKED ABOUT NOT ALL
TEACHERS HAD TO BE VACCINATED TO
RETURN TO CLASS.
MANY TEACHER’S UNIONS ARE SAYING
NOT SO FAST.
THE PRESIDENT EVEN PARTED
COMPANY THERE TO SAY, YOU KNOW,
LET’S WAIT, EXAMINE THIS.
WHERE ARE YOU ON THIS?
DO TEACHERS NEED TO BE
VACCINATED?
IS IT SAFE FOR THEM TO BE
VACCINATED BEFORE RETURNING TO
THE CLASSROOM.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> CERTAINLY IF YOU WANT TO LOOK
AT 40,000 FEET THAT TEACHERS ARE
ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL IN SOCIETY.
WHEN YOU GET TO THAT AREA, WHICH
IS 1 B AFTER 1 A OF THE
RECOMMENDED PRIORITIES, THAT WE
SHOULD GET TEACHERS VACCINATED
AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
THE ACTUAL GUIDANCE AS YOU WERE
TALKING ABOUT RUNNING UP TO THIS
DISCUSSION IS THAT THE CDC WILL
BE COMING OUT WITH THAT SOON.
BUT THE DEFAULT SHOULD BE AND
HAS BEEN THAT TO THE BEST OF OUR
ABILITY WE SHOULD TRY TO GET THE
CHILDREN BACK TO SCHOOL AS
QUICKLY AS WE CAN AND KEEP THEM
IN SCHOOL.
>> Neil: IS IT RISKY -- IF IT
MEANS GETTING THE KIDS BACK,
EVERYONE BACK FOR IN-PERSON
CLASSES EVEN THOUGH NOT ALL
TEACHERS HAVE BEEN VACCINATED,
IS THERE A RISK TO THAT OR MORE
RISK TO THAT NOT HAPPEN
SOMETHING.
>> YOU’RE ASKING THE QUESTION,
NEIL.
THERE’S A RISK TO ALMOST
EVERYTHING WE’RE DOING IN THIS
ENVIRONMENT.
SO THE QUESTION IS RELATIVE
RISK.
HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO DIMINISH
THE RISK?
YOU CAN’T HAVE CHILDREN GOING
BACK TO SCHOOL WITHOUT
NECESSARILY HAVING EVERYONE
VACCINATED, ALL THE TEACHERS,
ALL THE STUDENTS VACCINATED.
BUT CLEARLY WHAT YOU’LL BE
SEEING AS YOU SAID CORRECTLY,
THE CDC WILL COME OUT WITH
GUIDANCE TO CLARIFY THAT.
>> Neil: YOU KNOW, YOU’VE HAD A
CHANCE A COUPLE OF WEEKS IN THE
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO WORK
WITH TWO DIFFERENT PRESIDENTS OF
THE TASK FORCE AND DEALING WITH
THIS.
THOUGHTS?
COMPARING, CONTRASTING?
>> YOU KNOW, I DON’T THINK IT’S
PRODUCTIVE TO LOOK BACK AND
COMPARE AND CRITICIZE AND GET
INTO THAT KIND OF A DISCUSSION.
REALLY RIGHT NOW WE’VE GOT TO
USE ALL OF OUR ENERGY TO LOOK
FORWARD.
RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, I’M BUSY,
FULLY INVOLVED WITH BEING THE
CHIEF MEDICAL ADVISER TO MEDICAL
BIDEN.
WE’RE OUT THERE DOING THE KIND
OF THINGS THAT I FEEL ARE
IMPORTANT SUCH AS SPEAKING TO
YOU AND GETTING THE MESSAGE TO
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC ABOUT THE
THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
WE HAVE A GREAT CHALLENGE AHEAD
OF US.
THAT REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT I
THINK WE NEED TO PUT OUR
ENERGIES TOWARDS.
>> Neil: PRESIDENT BIDEN, YOU
KNOW, ASKED PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO
RUN THESE BRIEFINGS, TASK
FORCES.
SOME CRITICIZED HIS PREDECESSOR
FOR DOING THAT AND THEN STOPPING
THEM.
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY
THE TASK FORCE IS RUNNING RIGHT
NEW AND RESPONDING TO ALL OF
THIS, INCLUDING THIS LATEST
EFFORT TO HAVE TROOPS HELP GET
VACCINES TO US?
>> OH, YES, I’M EXTREMELY
COMFORTABLE WITH HOW THINGS ARE
RUNNING.
AS PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID PUBLICLY
BUT HE’S ALSO SAID IT VERY
EMPHATICALLY TO US IN PRIVATE,
THAT SCIENCE WILL DETERMINE OUR
DECISIONS, OUR POLICIES AND OUR
GUIDELINES.
WE’RE GOING TO BASE IT ON
SCIENTIFIC DATA AND EVIDENCE.
WHEN WE MAKE A MISTAKE -- WE
WON’T STUMBLE WHEN YOU HAVE A
CERTAIN CHALLENGING SITUATION
LIKE THAT.
BUT IF AND WHEN WE DO, RATHER
THAN COMPLAINING OR BLAMING
ANYBODY, WE’LL FIX IT.
TRY TO FIX IT.
I’M VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE
FACT THAT THIS A
SCIENCE-BASEDSITUATION.
I HAVEN’T SEEN ONE BIT OF
POLITICS COME IN TO ANY
DISCUSSIONS WHEN WE HAVE OUR
TEAM, THE MEDICAL TEAM THAT GETS
TOGETHER EVERY DAY.
AS YOU WELL KNOW, WE’RE OUT
THERE RIGHT NOW WITH PRESS
CONFERENCES THREE TIMES A WEEK.
WHEN YOU LOOK AND SEE WHO IS
THERE IT’S ESSENTIALLY THE
MEDICAL PEOPLE.
>> Neil: SO YOU SAID WITHOUT
POLITICS INVOLVED.
WAS IT INVOLVED PRIOR, DOCTOR?
>> AGAIN, I’M NOT GOING TO GO
THERE.
I’M NOT GOING TO MAKE
COMPARISONS.
THAT ONLY IS -- THAT ONLY MAKES
THE SOUND BITES.
DOESN’T HELP US.
>> Neil: FINALLY, A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THIS AND
HEARING ABOUT NO CRUISES TO
CANADA, MAYBE THE REST OF THE
YEAR, LIMIT YOUR FOREIGN TRAVEL,
IT’S A REAL HASSLE.
ECONOMICALLY THIS GOES ON, WE’LL
BE WEARING MASKS UNTIL THE END
OF THE YEAR.
WHAT IS YOUR BEST BET AND I KNOW
IT’S A PIE IN THE SKY KIND OF
QUESTION, BUT WHEN WE’RE BACK TO
WHATEVER NORMAL WAS, WHAT DO YOU
THINK?
>> I THINK WE’LL APPROACH
NORMAL -- IT’S NOT A LIGHT
SWITCH THAT YOU TURN ON.
YOU’RE NOT NORMAL AND THEN
CLICK, BACK TO NORMAL.
IT WILL BE A GRADUAL EVOLUTION
TOWARDS THAT.
AS WE GET MORE AND MORE PEOPLE
VACCINATED -- I HAD SAID IN THE
PAST AND I’LL REPEAT IT NOW.
IT’S AN ESTIMATE OF WHEN YOU OF
THE GET TO THE POINT OF
SO-CALLED HERD IMMUNITY.
YOU GET A UMBRELLA OR BLANKET OF
PROTECTION OVER THE COMMUNITY.
I IMAGINE THAT WOULD BE
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 70 AND 85% OF
THE POPULATION.
WHEN WE GET THERE, WE CAN THINK
OF APPROACHING RATHER
CONSIDERABLE DEGREE OF
NORMALITY.
WHEN WE GET TO MARCH, APRIL AND
MAY, A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WILL BE VACCINATED.
WHEN WE GET TO THE SUMMER, WE’LL
BE LIKELY DOING THINGS THAT WE
WERE NOT ABLE TO DO AT A TIME
WHEN THERE WAS THE 300,000 AND
400,000 NEW INFECTIONS A DAY.
AS THE INFECTIONS GET TO A LOW
LEVEL AND THE RELATIVE RISK OF
HAVING A PROBLEM BECOMES MUCH,
MUCH LESS, THEN YOU’LL FIND
YOURSELF GETTING CLOSER AND
CLOSER TO NORMALITY.
WE’LL GET THERE AS WE GET CLOSER
TO THE FALL OF 2021.