Judy: We knew the day was coming
and now it has arrived.
The United States has recorded
more than one million covid
deaths.
It is the highest reported death
toll of any country and this
terrible largely preventable
milestone comes as cases are
once again on the rise.
William brangham has more.
>> The country is morning these
stats right as new even more
highly transmissible omicron
variants emerge.
Cases in the U.S. Have climbed
60% in two weeks and
hospitalizations are up 24%.
For a deeper look at all of this
and where this is heading, I am
joined by the founder and
director of the Scripps research
translational institute.
Great to have you back on the
newshour.
The country is trying to find a
way to reckon with this one
million deaths and yet these new
variants are showing up.
It is clear this virus is not
done with us yet.
When you look out at the
pandemic today, what is it that
most concerns you?
>> Good to be with you.
The problem we have is this
illusion or deception the
pandemic is over when in fact
these variants we are seeing are
coming at a much faster clip.
There is an accelerated -- of
the virus and these are more
troubling variants.
They have --
they are transmitting at levels
inconceivable and starting to
approach the level of measles,
one of the most spreadable
pathogens we have ever
encountered.
We have trouble right now as you
mentioned.
We are seeing at least six,
700,000 real cases a day.
It is going to continue to
increase in this country as we
confront this so-called ba.2 121
variant.
One of the several of the
omicron family.
>> You mention immune escape and
for people who are not familiar,
you're talking about the ability
of these newly mutated, newly
evolving strains to punch past
our protections, to evade our
vaccination.
Is that right?
>> Exactly.
Aramaeans system does not see
them.
Does not see the virus as its
all previous versions of the
virus because there is so much
distance or the protein
basically looks different to our
body.
So it fix us out to that is why
people who had omicron which is
about 40 to 50% of Americans in
January and February, that ba.1
variant, the new one that is
rising to levels of dominance in
this country already in the new
England region but also
throughout the country, we can
have reinfection's because they
are so different.
We do not see -- those who have
been affected with the ba.1 do
not see this new problematic
version in the omicron family.
>> One of the things we have
always been consoled with, which
is if you have been vaccinated
and boosted and if you got maybe
a one, an original omicron
infection, you were very
protected.
You might have a breakthrough
infection but you are not going
to end up in the hospital and.
You were certainly not.
Going to end up dying do those
new strains, these new strains
change that calculus?
>> We have counted on our
vaccines to give us 90, 95
protection from severe disease
come hospitalizations and
deaths.
But that is slipping now.
We are in denial it is now down
to 85, 80%.
That is a big drop because the
gap is because instead of 5%,
were talking about four,
fivefold people whom I get
severe disease.
Even being vaccinated with one
or two boosters.
This is what is a real problem
we are not confronting right
now.
>> Help me understand something
because there seems to be a real
disconnect.
All the things you are reporting
would be alarming to most people
who have been paying attention
to this epidemic.
But now you look at the CDC's
map that shows the country where
there are a few hotspots in new
York and yellow in Minnesota and
Michigan.
The rest of the country looks
green as if there is not a
problem with this virus.
What is the disconnect?
>> I would call it a
capitulation.
The CDC frankly -- it is a
deception at the level of the
virus is low when the
transmission is incredibly high.
It is starting to approach that
of what we saw with the omicron
wave.
It is rising quickly.
This is really irresponsible of
the CDC to give us this
impression things are copacetic
when they could not be further
from the truth.
>> Let's just say this continues
to worsen and public officials
start to say we need to
reintroduce precautions as we
saw in New York City today
recommending masks indoors
again.
Do you think broadly speaking
the country will listen?
Everywhere I travel in the
country it seems like people are
done with this.
I don't want to think about
anymore.
They are ready for this to be
any the rearview mirror.
If public health officials say
it is time to tighten down
precautions again, will people
listen?
>> That is a problem.
It is hard to go backwards.
Our thinking is going backwards
but our actions -- we are not
doing the things we could do,
the innovations we need to get
ahead of the virus.
Not just the mask and the
physical distancing sort of
thing that you are alluding to.
The things like having nasal
vaccines.
A pan-beta coronavirus vaccine
and much better medications
beyond what we have today.
Those things are imperative.
Part of this capitulation is we
have a hand waving we are done
and don't want to put any
further investments or funds or
support.
This is a crucial time right now
because it is not going to get
better.
It is at a serious state right
now and we have too many paths
for trouble in the times ahead
as well.
>> As we have seen, congress is
deadlocked on this issue of
covid funding.
Always good to see you.
>> Thank you.
I wish I had a brighter message
to convey.
Thank you.
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