THE AGREEMENT.
AND AS THE COUNTRY FACES A SURGE
OF NEW COVID-19 INFECTIONS, THE
WHITE HOUSE IS EXPECTED TO
ANNOUNCE TOMORROW THAT COVID
VACCINATIONS WILL BE REQUIRED
FOR ALL FEDERAL WORKERS.
THOSE WHO REFUSE WILL HAVE TO
UNDERGO REGULAR VIRUS TESTING.
TODAY THE CDC DIRECTOR POSTED
THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
QUOTE, COVID-19 CASES HAVE
INCREASED OVER 300% NATIONALLY
SINCE JUNE 19.
THE HIGHEST SPREAD OF CASES AND
SEVERE OUTCOMES IS HAPPENING IN
PLACES WITH LOW VACCINATION
RATES AND AMONG UNVACCINATED
PEOPLE.
THIS AFTERNOON, DURING A VISIT
TO PENNSYLVANIAS LEHIGH VALLEY,
THE PRESIDENT ISSUED A PLEA TO
AMERICANS WHO ARE HOLDING OUT ON
GETTING THEIR SHOTS.
>> WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE
NOT VACCINATED.
THE PANDEMIC WE HAVE NOW IS A
PANDEMIC OF THE UNVACCINATED.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE,
PLEASE, IF YOURE NOT
VACCINATED, PROTECT YOURSELF AND
THE CHILDREN OUT THERE.
>> REUTERS REPORTS THE WHITE
HOUSE HAS MANDATED MASKS IN
FEDERAL BUILDINGS AND COVID
HOTSPOTS.
THE CDC SAYS 67% OF U.S.
COUNTIES HAVE SUBSTANTIAL OR
HIGH TRANSMISSION RATES, UP FROM
63% JUST YESTERDAY.
AND TODAY THE AGENCY ISSUED
ANOTHER CHANGE IN GUIDANCE FOR
THE FULLY VACCINATED.
THE CDC NOW RECOMMENDING THEY
GET TESTED AFTER EXPOSURE TO
SOMEONE WITH COVID EVEN IF THEY
DONT SHOW ANY SYMPTOMS.
PREVIOUSLY THE CDC SAID FULLY
VACCINATED PEOPLE DID NOT NEED
TO BE TESTED AFTER EXPOSURE
UNLESS THEY DID EXPERIENCE
SYMPTOMS.
"THE WASHINGTON POST" IS
HIGHLIGHTING THE POTENTIAL
POLITICAL TOLL OF THIS LATEST
COVID SURGE ON THE WHITE HOUSE,
WRITING, QUOTE, THIS NEW
LANDSCAPE AND, SOME SAY, THE
ADMINISTRATIONS LESS THAN CLEAR
MESSAGING, IS COMPLICATING
BIDENS EFFORTS TO SHOW THAT HE
IS STILL LEADING THE COUNTRY OUT
OF THE PANDEMIC.
SOME REPUBLICANS ARE SLAMMING
WHAT THEY SAY ARE SHIFTING
MESSAGES, ESPECIALLY ABOUT MASKS
FOR FULLY VACCINATED.
>> ITS CONFUSING.
THEYRE SENDING MIXED MESSAGES
CONSTANTLY.
ITS CONTRADICTORY.
I THINK IT SETS US BACK IN WHAT
WERE TRYING TO DO WITH
ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GET
VACCINATED.
THEYRE NOT REALLY FORTHCOMING
ON A LOT OF DATA THAT THEYRE
USING TO MAKE THIS CHANGE IN THE
GUIDANCE.
>> ON CAPITOL HILL, REPUBLICAN
CONGRESSMAN CHIP ROY OF TEXAS
LASHED OUT AFTER A MASK MANDATE
WAS REIMPOSED FOR THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
>> WHICH IS IT?
VACCINES OR MASKS?
DO THE VACCINES WORK OR THEY
DONT WORK?
DO THE MASKS WORK OR THEY DONT
TIMES" AND DR. CAVKAVITA PATEL,
GREAT TO SEE ALL OF YOU.
LISA, THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED
TO REQUIRE VACCINES OR TESTING
FOR THOSE WHO WONT GET
VACCINATED FOR FEDERAL WORKERS.
MORE THAN A FEW FOLKS HAVE MADE
IT CLEAR THEYRE ALREADY ANGRY
ABOUT THE CDCS NEW GUIDANCE ON
MASKS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
VACCINATED.
IS THIS WHERE THE WHITE HOUSE
THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE AT THIS
POINT IN THE SUMMER?
HOW WORRIED ARE THEY ABOUT THIS
SURGE?
>> CERTAINLY NOT WHERE THEY WANT
TO BE, AT LEAST NOT POLITICALLY
OR, YOU KNOW, FROM A PUBLIC
HEALTH STANDPOINT.
LETS NOT FORGET THAT EARLIER
THIS MONTH, THE WHITE HOUSE
BASICALLY ALL BUT DECLARED
VICTORY ON THE VIRUS, THEY HAD
THAT BIG JULY 4th EVENT AT THE
WHITE HOUSE, AND THEY REALLY
GAVE THE AMERICAN PUBLIC A SENSE
THAT THINGS WERE MOVING FORWARD.
AND NOW, I THINK THERES A SENSE
THAT THE COUNTRY IS BACKSLIDING.
MASKS ARE BACK, THERES A LOT OF
TALK OF MANDATES ALTHOUGH THATS
A WORD WE WILL NOT HEAR THE
WHITE HOUSE USE.
ITS SOMETHING THATS HAPPENING
AT A LOT OF PRIVATE COMPANIES
AND LOCAL JURISDICTIONS LIKE NEW
YORK.
AND I THINK THERE IS SOME
FRUSTRATION AMONG, YOU KNOW, THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC, CERTAINLY
THATS A FRUSTRATION THAT THE
REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO STOKE,
AND A SENSE THAT THE COUNTRY,
YOU KNOW, IS NOT CONTINUING THIS
UPWARD TRAJECTORY OF MOVING OUT
OF THE VIRUS.
LOOK, IS THIS THE WHITE HOUSES
FAULT?
NOT EXACTLY, RIGHT?
THIS IS HOW PANDEMICS CAN GO,
PARTICULARLY WHEN VACCINATION
RATES HAVENT GOTTEN AS HIGH AS
THE WHITE HOUSE WOULD LIKE THEM
TO BE.
WE KNOW THAT A LARGE PERCENTAGE
OF UNVACCINATED PEOPLE DO LEAN
REPUBLICAN, SO THE WHITE HOUSE
DOESNT CARRY THE SAME SORT OF
WEIGHT, POTENTIALLY CONVINCING
THOSE VOTERS, THEYAS THEY DO WIT
OTHER VOTERS.
THERE IS SOME CONCERN AMONG
ALLIES OF THE WHITE HOUSE THAT
THERE COULD BE BACKLASH OR
FRUSTRATION IF BIDEN CANT
DELIVER ON THE CENTRAL PROMISE
OF HIS CAMPAIGN WHICH IS TO MOVE
THE COUNTRY OUT OF THIS
PANDEMIC. >> CONVEY,YEAH, AND ITS REOPENI
>> CONVEY,YEAH, AND ITS REOPENI
WOUNDS, PHIL RUCKER, THE HOUSE
MINORITY LEADER KEVIN McCARTHY
TWEETING THIS LAST NIGHT.
MAKE NO MISTAKE, THE THREAT OF
BRINGING MASKS BACK IS NOT A
DECISION BASED ON SCIENCE BUT
CONJURED UP BY LIBERAL
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO WANT TO
LIVE IN A PERPETUAL PANDEMIC
STATE.
THEN TODAY SPEAKER PELOSI AND
McCARTHY HAD THIS BACK AND
FORGET.
>> THE MASK MANDATE, ANY
RESPONSE TO THE BACKLASH?
>> THATS THE PURVIEW OF THE
CAPITOL PHYSICIAN, THE OFFICIAL
CAPACITY, A MANDATE FROM HIM, I
HAVE NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT
EXCEPT WE HONOR IT.
>> Reporter: LEADER McCARTHY
SAYS ITS AGAINST THE SCIENCE.
>> HES SUCH A MORE ON.ONMORON.
>> WERE VACCINATED, NOT A
HOTSPOT, BUT THEYRE FORCING US
TO WEAR A MASK?
THIS IS ALL ABOUT CONTROL.
>> OH, PHIL RUCKER.
DOES IT SEEM WERE EVEN MORE AT
RISK NOW THAN A YEAR AGO,
ALLOWING THE POLITICS OF ALL
THIS TO KEEP US FROM ACTUALLY
DOING WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE TO
STOP THE SPREAD?
HOW UGLY IS THIS GOING TO GET?
>> WELL, CHRIS, ITS ALREADY
PRETTY UGLY, AS THE VIDEO YOU
JUST SHOWED MAKES CLEAR.
AND THIS IS A VERY POLITICAL
ISSUE RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, THE COVID RESPONSE AND
ESPECIALLY THE ISSUE OF WHETHER
TO REQUIRE PEOPLE TO WEAR MASKS
HAS BEEN POLITICAL FROM DAY ONE
BECAUSE PRESIDENT TRUMP LAST
YEAR WHEN HE WAS IN OFFICE MADE
IT POLITICAL.
AND OF COURSE TRIED TO CONVINCE
HIS SUPPORTERS THAT THEY DIDNT
HAVE TO WEAR A MASK.
AND NOW YOU FAST FORWARD TO THE
MOMENT WERE IN RIGHT NOW.
AND THE DATA ARE VERY CLEAR, THE
DATA SHOW THAT ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY WERE SEEING THIS
SURGE IN COVID INFECTIONS IS
BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE IN
REPUBLICAN-LEANING STATES HAVE
BEEN RELUCTANT AND RESISTANT TO
GETTING THE VACCINE.
THATS ACCORDING TO THE CDC
OFFICIALS, AND TO THE DATA
THEYRE ANALYZING.
SO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AS
WELL AS STATE AND LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS ALL AROUND THE
COUNTRY ARE GRAPPLING WITH HOW
TO DEAL WITH THIS OUTBREAK OF
COVID INFECTIONS AND HOW TO KEEP
PEOPLE SAFE IF ALL OF THE
AMERICAN CITIZENS ARE NOT GOING
OUT AND GETTING VACCINATED,
WHICH IS THE REALITY THAT WERE
IN RIGHT NOW.
AND ITS GOING TO BE A POLITICAL
FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL, I THINK, FOR THESE
POLITICIANS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD ALSO
KEEP IN MIND THAT ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY PELOSI IS SO ADAMANT
ABOUT THESE RESTRICTIONS INSIDE
THE HOUSE IS BECAUSE SO MANY OF
THOSE HOUSE MEMBERS ARE COMING
TO WASHINGTON FROM THEIR
DISTRICTS.
THOSE DISTRICTS ARE HOTSPOTS,
MANY OF THEM ARE.
AND SOME OF THOSE HOUSE MEMBERS
HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT AND
RESISTANT TO FOLLOW THE
GUIDELINES IN THEIR OWN
COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEN THEYRE CONVENING IN
THE CONGRESS WITH SO MANY PEOPLE
REPUBLICANS ON BOARD AS WELL.
I THINK TONIGHT AT LEAST THE
WHITE HOUSE IS FEELING PRETTY
GOOD.
>> AND SO DR. PATEL, WHILE
THEYRE MOVING FROM THE WHITE
HOUSE PERSPECTIVE IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION ON INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT
SO MUCH ON THIS SURGE.
HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT
WHERE WE ARE?
WHILE THE VACCINATED WAIT FOR
THE UNVACCINATED TO GET THEIR
SHOTS, WHENEVER THAT MIGHT BE,
IS ONE PART OF THE ANSWER WHAT
PFIZER IS SAYING, THAT A THIRD
DOSE OF ITS COVID-19 VACCINE CAN
STRONGLY BOOST PROTECTION
AGAINST THE DELTA VARIANT?
>> CHRIS, TO THAT POINT, PFIZER
HAD SOME DATA THAT THEY RELEASED
DURING THEIR EARNINGS REPORT,
NOT THE FULL DATA, SUGGESTING
THAT THAT THIRD DOSE COULD
REALLY JUST AMPLIFY THE IMMUNITY
THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD DOSES
ONE AND TWO HAVE.
THATS VERY NICE FOR A TALKING
POINT, BUT TO BE CANDID, THE
ENTIRE COUNTRY HASNT HAD
PFIZER.
THERE ARE 13 MILLION PEOPLE WHO
GOT JOHNSON & JOHNSON WHO FEEL
LIKE THEYRE LEFT IN A CORNER.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED, A WHITE
HOUSE THATS TRYING TO LITERALLY
KIND OF PUT ONE FOOT ON THE DOCK
AND THE OTHER ON THE BOAT AND
PROBABLY ANOTHER FOOT SOMEWHERE
ELSE.
SO ITS INCREDIBLY COMPLEX.
ONE THING IVE SEEN IS THAT THE
CDCS MESSAGING, THEYRE TRYING
TO COMMUNICATE NUANCE.
SUBSTANTIAL HIGH TRANSMISSION,
WEARING A MASK IN CERTAIN
SITUATIONS, K-12.
WEVE SEEN NOW TIME AND TIME
AGAIN, CHRIS, WE CANT DO
NUANCE, BECAUSE WERE ALL
REACTING FROM THIS VERY
EMOTIONAL BASE.
THATS WHERE WERE ALL AT NOW.
THOSE WHO ARE VACCINATED ARE
WAITING FOR THE UNVACCINATED.
YOURE SEEING IT, ITS GETTING
KIND OF UGLY.
VACCINATED PEOPLE, INCLUDING
MYSELF AT TIMES, WERE ANGRY AT
WHATS HAPPENING.
AND THATS EVERYTHING THATS
PLAYING OUT, YOU KNOW, IN OUR
COMMUNITIES AND NATIONALLY, AND
INTERNATIONALLY.
SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET THIS
COMMUNICATION SIMPLER.
CHRIS, I HOPE WE CAN REMIND
PEOPLE THAT WEARING MASKS IS NOT
A SIGN OF LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN
THE VACCINES BUT ITS WHAT WE
HAVE TO DO TO DRIVE DOWN THESE
CASES UNTIL WE CAN GET THE REST
OF THE COUNTRY VACCINATED AND
THEN WORK ON THE REST OF THE
WORLD.
DONT LOSE SIGHT, CHRIS, THIS
ISNT OVER UNTIL WE CAN GET THE
MAJORITY OF THE GLOBE
VACCINATED.
>> YEAH, AND WE CAN POINT OUT,
AS WE ALWAYS HAVE, THIS IS NO
LONGER AN ACCESS ISSUE.
THIS IS NO LONGER US GETTING ON
THE PHONE FOR FOUR HOURS HOPING
TO GET AN APPOINTMENT.
THERE ARE THESE QUESTIONS THAT
HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT WHATS
HAPPENING IN GREAT BRITAIN,
BECAUSE THAT COUNTRY WAS A MESS,
AND NOW "THE WASHINGTON POST"
REPORTS THAT MAYBE BRITAIN HAS
REACHED AN IMMUNITY THRESHOLD
BECAUSE MORE THAN 70% OF ADULTS
HERE ARE FULLY VACCINATED, BUT
88% HAVE HAD A FIRST DOSE, ONE
OF THE BEST VACCINE UPTAKES IN
THE WORLD.
SO IM WONDERING, AS YOU LOOK AT
THE NUMBERS FROM THE UK, IF
THERES SOMETHING WE CAN BE
LEARNING FROM THEM.
>> YEAH, CHRIS, WE CAN ALWAYS
LEARN.
LOOK, ONE NOTE OF -- WHEN THE UK
DECIDED TO DO THAT FIRST DOSE
AND DELAY THE SECOND DOSE, A
NUMBER OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING
MYSELF, WERE CONCERNED AND
CRITICAL OF THAT APPROACH
BECAUSE WE KNEW WE HAD ENOUGH
VACCINE TO GIVE TWO DOSES AT THE
SCHEDULED TIMES ACCORDING TO THE
TRIALS.
WITH A YOURE POINTING OUT,
CHRIS, IS THERES SOMETHING
ABOUT THAT ONE DOSE THAT GAVE
THEM THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A
HUGE AMOUNT OF UPTAKE.
BUT CHRIS, HONESTLY, THEY ALSO
WENT THROUGH THEIR STRUGGLES
WITH DELTA, WITH ALPHA, AND HAD
IT WEEKS BEFORE US.
AND WHAT THEY DID DO WAS PRETTY
RESTRICTIVE.
THEY ACTUALLY RESTRICTED
MOVEMENT AND DID A LOT OF THINGS
THAT I THINK WERE RIGHT NOW NOT
EVEN CLOSE TO DOING.
LIMITING INDOOR CAPACITY.
SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION THAT, YES, WHAT WE
CAN LEARN FROM THEM IS THAT IF
YOU CAN GET A FIRST DOSE IN AS
MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, THAT
CREATES SOME WALL OF IMMUNITY,
BUT ITS NOT THE ONLY ONE AND TO
YOUR POINT, YOU REALLY DO NEED
TO HAVE TWO DOSES AND YOU HAVE
TO ASK, THERES A DINNERS
BETWEEN --
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING A
COUNTRY THAT HAS A NATIONAL
HEALTH SYSTEM, A CENTRALIZED WAY