IF THE VACCINE IS A SIMPLE
ANSWER, CAN WE FORCE PEOPLE TO
GET IT?
TODAY A SUNDAY, AUGUST 8TH, 2021
AND THIS IS FLASH POINT.
>> HI, WELCOME TO FLASH POINT.
AFTER A UNUSUALN UNUSUAL SPORTIN
THAT KEPT US OFF THE AIR TOO
LONG, I’M AN OLYMPIC JUNKY AND I
HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT AS MUCH AS I
HAVE.
AND THIS MEANS THAT WE HAVE
CATCHING UP TO DO.
AS WE COME TO YOU THIS MORNING,
THE PANDEMIC IS TRYING TO CATCH
BACK UP TO US.
THIS IS A FRUSTRATING POSITION
TO FIND OURSELVES IN.
WE HAVE A VERY EFFECTIVE WIDELY
AVAILABLE ANSWER AND THOSE WHO
ARE FILLING HOSPITALS AND SAD TO
SAY, FUNERAL HOMES, ARE ALMOST
EXCLUSIVELY PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT
GOTTEN THE VACCINE.
NOW, ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, THIS
INCREASE IN CASES AND
HOSPITALIZATIONS IS DRIVING A
BIT OF A SURGE IN VACCINATIONS,
BUT LEFT MOST VULNERABLE IN ALL
OF THIS ARE CHILDREN.
THEY CAN’T GET A VACCINE, AT
LEAST NOT YET AND IT MAKES THE
START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR A
COMPLICATED AND WORRISOME MATTER
YET AGAIN.
IN A MOMENT, WE’RE GOING TO TALK
WITH THE STATE’S CHIEF MEDICAL
OFFICER AND CHAIR OF THE F.D.A.
VACCINE COMMITTEE TO TALK ABOUT
THE OUTLOOK.
WE’RE GOING TO GET CAUGHT UP ON
MATTERS POLITICAL THIS MORNING
AFTER TUESDAY’S PRIMARY ELECTION
AND LATER ON WE’LL REMEMBER THE
LIFE OF MICHIGAN’S LONGEST
SERVING SENATOR, CARL LEVIN.
WE’LL LOOK BACK ON A
CONVERSATION OF OURS THAT SEEMS
TIMELY IN OUR HYPER-DIVIDED
TIMES THIS MORNING ON FLASH
POINT.
♪
ALL RIGHT, WE’RE GOING TO START
TODAY WITH THE NEW WORRIES WHAT
IS FEELING LIKE AN OLD PROBLEM
AND MORE AND MORE WE’RE COMING
TO SEE THAT THE CORONAVIRUS
ISN’T REALLY GOING AWAY.
IT’S HERE AND WE’RE GOING TO
HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT
RATHER THAN DIE WITH IT.
GOOD TO HAVE WITH ME THE CHIEF
MEDICAL OFFICER FOR THE STATE OF
MICHIGAN, DR. JONEIGH KHALDUN.
AND ALSO WITH US THE VACCINE
ADVISORY COMMISSION, DR. MONTO.
I’D LIKE TO ASK YOU BOTH TO GIVE
ME YOUR THUMBNAIL, WHERE WE ARE
ON THE ODYSSEY WE’VE BEEN ON OR
THE COURSE OF THINGS.
DR. KHALDUN, LET ME START WITH
YOU.
>> I’M CERTAINLY CONCERNED WITH
THE CURRENT TRAJECTORY OF THE
CASES IN THE STATE.
WE GOT TO AN ALL-TIME LOW SINCE
THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC A
COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND NOW,
UNFORTUNATELY, WE’RE SEEING OUR
CASES INCREASE.
BUT I’LL TELL YOU, IT’S NOT
SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY
UNEXPECTED.
WE EXPECT THESE VIRUSES, IF THEY
ARE ALLOWED TO JUMP FROM PERSON
TO PERSON, WE KNOW THAT THEY CAN MUTATE AND WE’VE SEEN THAT WITH
MUTATE AND WE’VE SEEN THAT WITH
THE MORE EASILY TRANSMITTED
VARIANTS, INCLUDING THE DELTA
VARIANT.
I’M CONCERNED AS A STATE, WE’RE
NOT SEEING THE RATES OF
TRANSMISSION AS OTHER STATES
PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTH, BUT
I’M VERY CONCERNED.
I’M CONCERNED WHERE WE ARE,
GIVEN WE KNOW THE WEATHER WILL
SOON BE GETTING COOLER AND
PEOPLE GOING INDOORS AND MORE
RISK OF TRANSMISSION.
>> I’M GOING TO IMAGINE YOU
SHARE THAT CONCERN AS WELL, DR.
MONTO.
TELL ME WHERE YOU THINK WE ARE
ON THIS.
>> WELL, I THINK WE -- WE’RE
CONCERNED WE WOULD SEE THE VIRUS
LEARN TO TRANSMIT EVEN BETTER
THAN IT WAS BECAUSE IT WASN’T
TRANSMITTING IN A UNIFORM WAY,
IT WAS OCCURRING IN CLUSTERS
WITH SUPER-SPREADERS.
NOW WE HAVE RELATIVELY HIGH
LEVEL OF TRANSMISSION AND
FORTUNATELY THE VIRUS HASN’T
CHANGED SO THAT IT IS STILL
SUSCEPTIBLE TO VACCINE AND
THERE’S BEEN A CONCENTRATION ON
THE BREAKTHROUGH CASES, BUT
THAT’S NOT REALLY WHAT WE SHOULD
BE WORRYING ABOUT.
WE SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT
GETTING PEOPLE VACCINATED.
>> IN FACT, THAT’S KIND OF, I
GUESS, THE HARD PART ABOUT THIS.
IT DIDN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.
WE GOT TO THAT POINT WHERE
SUPPLY OF THE VACCINE WAS
CLEARLY OUTPACING DEMAND.
NOW, DEMAND IS TICKING BACK UP
AND WE’RE SEEING MORE PEOPLE
GETTING VACCINATED.
DR. KHALDUN, LET’S TALK
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT DETROIT.
FOR THE ALL THE TALK ABOUT
CONSERVATIVES NOT GETTING THE
VACCINE, TUCKER CARLSON IS NOT
THE REASON WHY.
WHY DO WE DO TO GET THE CITY OF
DETROIT UP, IT WAS 36% WAY TOO
LOW.
>> WE’RE WATCHING THE RATES
ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE AND I
COMMEND MAYOR MIKE DUGGAN, AND
CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER FOR
THEIR WORK, FOR MANY, MANY
PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE FOR
WHAT THEY’VE BEEN DOING TO
AACCESS TO THE VACCINES,
DOOR-TO-DOOR KNOCKING, GOING
HOMEBOUND, HAVING VACCINATION
CLINICS IN NEIGHBORHOODS,
PARTNERING WITH CHURCHES, THOSE
ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE REALLY,
REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE KNOW, TO BE HONEST, THERE’S A
HISTORY -- THERE’S A HISTORY
HERE IN THIS COUNTRY OF THE
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND PUBLIC
HEALTH SYSTEM NOT TREATING BLACK
AND BROWN COMMUNITIES WELL AND I
THINK THAT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT’S
SPILLED INTO PEOPLE HAVING
MISTRUST OF THE HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM AND THAT’S PARTLY WHY WE
ARE HAVING THESE LOW VACCINATION
RATES AND THERE’S ALSO,
UNFORTUNATELY, TOO MUCH
MISINFORMATION OUT THERE ABOUT
THESE VACCINES AND WE HAVE TO
REALLY FIGHT THAT.
>> AND I THINK THAT’S EXACTLY
RIGHT.
OF COURSE, WE’VE LEARNED SO MUCH
ABOUT THAT DIVIDE OVER HOW WE
VIEW AMERICAN HEALTH CARE OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
DR. MONTO, IF WE LOOK AND SEE
OAKLAND COUNTY HAS ONE OF THE
HIGHEST RATES OF PEOPLE BEING
VACCINATED, WE HAVE A LOT OF
PEOPLE ALLOWING THAT GAP TO WORSEN BY NOT GETTING THE
WORSEN BY NOT GETTING THE
VACCINE THAT’S AVAILABLE TO
THEM, AREN’T WE?
>> YES, AND IT’S REALLY TRAGIC.
YOU HEAR SOME TERRIBLE STORIES
WHERE PEOPLE WAIT UNTIL ONE OF
THEIR RELATIVES GETS COVID AND
DIES TO GET VACCINATED AND WE’VE
GOT THE VACCINE AND IT’S READY
TO GO, AND IT’S AVAILABLE.
AND WE JUST NEED TO MOVE AHEAD.
PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT
REVACCINATIONS, BOOSTERS OF OLDER PEOPLE.
OLDER PEOPLE.
I THINK WE’LL BE GOING THERE AT
SOME POINT, BUT RIGHT NOW, WHAT
WE’VE GOT TO DO FROM AN OVERALL
STANDPOINT IS GET THE
UNVACCINATED VACCINATED AND WE
NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN.
>> AND IN FACT, ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT I KEEP POINTING OUT
TO PEOPLE IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN PROTECT OUR CHILDREN WHO
WE CAN PROTECT OUR CHILDREN WHO
ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A VACCINE
YET IS TO KEEP THE VIRUS FROM
BEING AROUND THEM AND DR.
KHALDUN, THAT’S WHY IT’S SO
IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY GET
VACCINATED THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE
OUR CHILDREN, BUT THAT MOVES US
NOW INTO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.
THERE’S AT LEAST BUN SCHOOL
DISTRICT THAT IN COMPLIANCE WITH
THE LATEST C.D.C. ADVICE,
THEY’RE NOT GOING TO BE USING
MASKS OR MANDATING MASKS.
WHAT THEY MEANT BY BEING IN
COMPLIANCE THE C.D.C. IS ONLY
RECOMMENDING THE MASKS, THEY’RE
NOT MANDATING IT AND LEAVING IT
UP TO LOCAL DISTRICTS.
SHOULD WE LEAVE IT UP TO LOCAL
DISTRICTS?
WE BELIEVE THAT LOCAL CALL IS
IMPORTANT OR DO YOU THINK IT
MIGHT BE THE WRONG APPROACH AS
WE HEAD INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR?
>> NO, I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH
THE C.D.C. RECOMMENDATIONS,
WHICH ARE THAT ALL SCHOOLS HAVE
UNIVERSAL MASKING STUDENTS,
TEACHERS, STAFF.
I THINK THAT’S THE RIGHT THING
TO DO.
THAT’S HOW WE’RE NOT JUST GOING
TO PREVENT SPREAD OF THE VIRUS, THIS IS ABOUT KEEPING OUR KIDS
THIS IS ABOUT KEEPING OUR KIDS
IN SCHOOL NOT HAVING OUTBREAKS.
WE’RE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE
STARTED ALREADY AND THEY’RE
SEEING OUTBREAKS AND SCHOOLS HAVE TO SHUT BACK DOWN AND DO
HAVE TO SHUT BACK DOWN AND DO
VIRTUAL AGAIN, NOT WHAT ANY OF
US WANTS, NOT WHAT I WANT AS A
MOTHER AS WELL.
I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THE C.D.C.
RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THERE TO BE UNIVERSAL MASKING IN SCHOOLS.
BE UNIVERSAL MASKING IN SCHOOLS.
IF THAT’S NOT HAPPENING, THAT’S
NOT ACTUALLY THE C.D.C.’S
RECOMMENDATION.
>> WE KNOW A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS ARE NOT GOING TO BE DOING THAT.
ARE NOT GOING TO BE DOING THAT.
DR. MONTO FROM YOUR PERCH ON THE
VACCINE COMMITTEE FROM THE
F.D.A.
WHAT’S THE EARLIEST YOU COULD
POSSIBLY SEEING US VACCINATING
CHILDREN UNDERAGE 12 WHICH RIGHT
NOW WE DON’T HAVE?
>> I THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE A
LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED THAN THE
MOVE TO VACCINATE DOWN TO AGE
12. THAT WAS DONE AS AN AMENDMENT.
THAT WAS DONE AS AN AMENDMENT.
IT DIDN’T REQUIRE ANYTHING, BUT
STUDIES WITH THE SAME DOSE OF
VACCINE.
THEY’RE LOOKING AT LOWER DOSES. THEY’RE LOOKING AT OTHER THINGS
THEY’RE LOOKING AT OTHER THINGS
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VACCINE IS
-- PASSES THE RISK BENEFIT
GUIDELINES BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT
TO SEE SIDE EFFECTS AS WE GO
DOWN IN AGE AND THERE MIGHT BE
SIDE EFFECTS, THAT’S WHY OUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED LARGER
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED LARGER
STUDIES IN YOUNG INDIVIDUALS TO
GET THE VACCINATION APPROVAL
DOWN TO AGE FIVE.
IT’S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE
WHILE BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE DONE CAREFULLY.
REMEMBER, PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING
THAT WE MOVED TOO FAST AND
THAT’S THE REASON THEY DIDN’T
WANT--
DON’T WANT TO GET VACCINATED. WE’RE MOVING AT THE RIGHT PACE
WE’RE MOVING AT THE RIGHT PACE
TO DELIVER A SAFE VACCINE TO OUR
POPULATION.
>> WE’VE BEEN TOLD, DR. MONTO,
THAT THE OUTLOOK FOR FULL APPROVAL WHICH MANY BELIEVE
APPROVAL WHICH MANY BELIEVE
MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR SOME
AMERICANS MAY COME IN SEPTEMBER.
IS THAT A REASONABLE OUTLOOK?
>> FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE INFORMATION, YES.
INFORMATION, YES.
>> Devin: AND DR. KHALDUN, WHAT
KIND OF DIFFERENCE WOULD THAT
MAKE?
RIGHT NOW WE REMAIN ON EMERGENCY
USAGE FOR THIS VACCINE. WHAT DIFFERENCE WOULD IT BE IF
WHAT DIFFERENCE WOULD IT BE IF
IT WAS FULLY APPROD BY THE
F.D.A.?
>> I THINK A FULL APPROVAL WOULD
BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK MORE BUSINESSES OR
ENTITIES WOULD BE LIKELY TO MANDATE THE VACCINE.
MANDATE THE VACCINE.
OR QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK MORE
PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO GET THE
VACCINE ON THEIR OWN SO I THINK
IT WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE AN IMPACT
ON OUR VACCINATION RATES. >> LET’S HOPE SO.
>> LET’S HOPE SO.
I SO APPRECIATE HAVING YOU BOTH
HERE TWO LEADERS IN THE ONLY IN
THE STATE, BUT WHAT’S GOING ON
NATIONALLY.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
STAY SAFE.
I KNOW WE’LL TALK AGAIN VERY
SOON.
>> BYE. >> SO LONG.