YOU’RE HOLDING DOWN THE FORT IN STUDIO 1A AND WE’RE HAPPY TO SEE
THE END OF THE WEEK.
>> WE CERTAINLY ARE.
WE’RE HAPPY TO SEE YOUR FACE,
TOO.
TOO. WE’RE GOING TO LET EVERYONE
KNOW, WORLDWIDE CASES TOP 1
MILLION WITH VIRUS SPREADING TO
121 COUNTRIES.
121 COUNTRIES. IN THE U.S. MORE THAN 245,000
CASES AND NEARLY 6,000 AMERICANS
HAVE DIED.
HAVE DIED. MEANTIME NEW YORK CITY HAS
JOINED LOS ANGELES ADVISING
RESIDENTS TO COVER THEIR FACES
WHENEVER THEY GO OUT IN PUBLIC.
WE EXPECT THE CDC TO SOON TELL
THE SAME TO AMERICANS IN HOT
SPOTS FOR THE VIRUS.
HOWEVER, THE PRESIDENT SAID IT
WOULD NOT BE MANDATORY.
>>> THE FDA HAS AUTHORIZED THE
FIRST BLOOD TEST THAT IDENTIFIES
PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD AND ALREADY
RECOVERED FROM THE CORONAVIRUS.
IT’S SEEN AS A POTENTIAL STEP
FORWARD IN THE EVENTUAL
DEVELOPMENT OF A VACCINE.
SAVANNAH.
SAVANNAH. >> SO THERE ARE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT MOVING STRANDS THIS
MORNING.
MORNING. WE’VE GOT OUR TEAM OF
CORRESPONDENTS COVERING ALL OF
IT.
IT. LET US START WITH NBC’S SAM
BROCK.
BROCK. SAM, GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
>> Reporter: SAM, GOOD MORNING
TO YOU.
TO YOU. FLORIDAED STATEWIDE ORDER TO
STAY AT HOME KICKED IN SEVEN
HOURS AGO.
HOURS AGO. I’M STANDING ON ONE OF THE
BUSIEST ROADS IN SOUTH BEACH,
RIGHT NOW IT’S EMPTY.
MANY RAMPING UP, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT SPECIFICALLY AS IT
PERTAINS TO FACE MASKS, THERE
COULD BE BIG CHANGES FOR
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.
A SENIOR TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIAL TELLING NBC NEWS NEW
GUIDANCE IS COMING SOON ADVISING
AMERICANS WHO LIVE IN AREAS OF
HIGH COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION TO
WEAR CLOTH MASKS TO PREVENT THE
SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS.
>> GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE KNOW
THAT ASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE ARE
CLEARLY TRANSMITTING INFECTION,
IT JUST MAKES COMMON SENSE THAT
IT’S NOT A BAD IDEA TO DO THAT.
>> THAT MEASURE ALREADY TAKEN BY
THE MAYORS OF NEW YORK AND LOS
ANGELES.
ANGELES. >> THIS WILL BE THE LOOK.
>> MEMBERS OF THE LAPD ARE NOW
WEARING MASKS ON PATROL.
PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO USING THE
1950s ERA PRODUCTION ACT TO
PRESSURE MANUFACTURER 3M TO MAKE
MORE MASKS.
MORE MASKS. TWEETING OVERNIGHT, WE HIT 3M
HARD TODAY AFTER SEEING WHAT
THEY WERE DOING WITH THEIR
MASKS.
MASKS. P ACT ALL THE WAY.
THE WHITE HOUSE SUGGESTING --
>> WE’VE HAD SOME ISSUES MAKING
SURE THAT ALL THE PRODUCTION
THAT 3M DOES AROUND THE WORLD,
ENOUGH OF IT IS COMING BACK HERE
TO THE RIGHT PLACES.
>> Reporter: THE
MINNEAPOLIS-BASED COMPANY COULD
NOT BE REAPED FOR COMMENT BUT
NOW WILL HAVE TO PUMP OUT
MILLIONS MORE MASKS.
>> TO ENSURE THAT DOMESTIC
MANUFACTURERS HAVE THE SUPPLIES
THEY NED.
THEY NED. >> IT COMES AMID A DEBATE OVER A
NATIONWIDE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER.
OVERNIGHT ON CNN TOP HEALTH
OFFICIAL ANTHONY FAUCI GETTING
MORE VOCAL ABOUT THE NEED FOR A
BLANKET POLICY.
BLANKET POLICY. >> I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT’S
NOT HAPPENING.
NOT HAPPENING. IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT’S GOING ON
IN THE COUNTRY, I DON’T
UNDERSTAND WHY WE’RE NOT DOING
THAT.
THAT. WE REALLY SHOULD BE.
>> IN TENNESSEE, THE GOVERNOR
RELENTING TO CALLS FOR STAY AT
HOME IN THAT STATE CITING NEW
EVIDENCE OF ACTIVITY.
>> IT’S DANGEROUS, IT’S
UNACCEPTABLE, AND IT’S A THREAT
TO LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
>> BUT IN OKLAHOMA, ONLY PEOPLE
65 OR OLDER OR THOSE WITH
COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS ARE
HAVING ADVISED TO STAY INSIDE.
IN STATES LIKE SOUTH CAROLINA,
ALABAMA, AND ARKANSAS, THERE’S
STILL NO STAY-AT-HOME MANDATE AT
ALL.
ALL. IN FLORIDA, A STAY-AT-HOME ORDER
GOING INTO EFFECT TODAY, BUT
ONLY AFTER GOVERNOR RON DeSANTIS
OFFERED AN EXCEPTION FOR
RELIGIOUS SERVICES.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES. >> I DON’T THINK THE GOVERNMENT
HAS THE AUTHORITY TO CLOSE A
CHURCH.
CHURCH. I’M CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO DO
THAT.
THAT. >> Reporter: GOING BACK TO NEW
GUIDANCE ON COVERING YOUR FACE
IN PUBLIC, NOBODY IS TALKING
ABOUT USING THE KIND OF MASKS,
N95 MASKS, THE FIRST RESPONDERS
NEED.
NEED. INSTEAD, THEY ARE DISCUSSING
HOMEMADE VERSIONS, SCARVES OR
BANDANAS, NOT THE CRITICAL
SUPPLIES, HODA, NEEDED ON THE
FRONT LINES NOW.
HODA, BACK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>> NOW, TO THE DEEPENING CRISIS
IN NEW YORK, AFTER ANOTHER SURGE
OF COVID-19 CASES AND DEATHS,
ONCE AGAIN OFFICIALS ARE MAKING
DESPERATE PLEAS FOR MORE
EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT.
EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT. NBC’S GABE GUTIERREZ IS AT
ELMHURST HOSPITAL IN QUEENS.
IT’S ONE OF THE BUSIEST IN THE
NATION RIGHT NOW.
HEY, GABE, GOOD MORNING.
>> HODA, GOOD MORNING.
JUST HEARD AN ALL-OUT EFFORT TO
THE FLORIDAEN THE CURVE IN THE
HARD HIT CITY, THE MAYOR IS
URGING ALL NEW YORKERS TO WEAR
SOME SORT OF FACE COVERING.
EVEN PEOPLE WHO DON’T SHOW
SYSTEMS CAN SPREAD THE VIRUS.
THE GOVERNOR IS SAYING THE STATE
COULD RUN OUT OF VENTILATORS
WITHIN DAYS.
WITHIN DAYS. >> THIS MORNING NEW GUIDANCE FOR
NEW YORKERS.
NEW YORKERS. COVER YOUR FACE WHEN GOING
OUTSIDE.
OUTSIDE. >> IT COULD BE A SCARF.
IT CAN BE SOMETHING YOU CREATE
AT HOME.
AT HOME. IT COULD BE A BANDANA.
IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE A
PROFESSIONAL SURGICAL MASK.
>> THAT NEW RECOMMENDATION COMES
AS THE CITY IS IN DANGER OF
RUNNING OUT OF LIFESAVING
VENTILATORS.
VENTILATORS. >> AT THE CURRENT BURN RATE, WE
HAVE ABOUT SIX DAYS OF
VENTILATORS IN OUR STOCKPILE.
>> IN THE TRI-STATE REGION MORE
THAN 3,000 PEOPLE HAVE DIED.
NEW YORK CITY ALONE NOW ACCOUNTS
FOR ABOUT A QUARTER OF ALL
CONFIRMED CORONAVIRUS CASES IN
THE U.S. THIS MAP SHOWS POORER
NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN HIT
HARDEST.
HARDEST. DAILY CALLS TO 911 HAVE SHOT UP
50%.
50%. TO EASE THE STRAIN ON
OVERCROWDED ERs, THEY ARE NO
LONGER TAKING CARDIAC CASES TO
HOSPITALS IF THEY DON’T HAVE A
PULSE.
PULSE. >> OUR RESOURCES ARE STRETCHED
THIN.
THIN. DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE TO
ENSURE EVERYBODY GETS THE MOST
CARE POSSIBLE.
CARE POSSIBLE. >> AMONG THE LIVES LOST, A
VETERAN AND MECHANIC FOR FDNY.
>> HE USED TO TELL ME, DON’T
WORRY.
WORRY. YOU’RE ALWAYS WORRYING.
HE WAS MY STRENGTH.
HE WAS A CALM AND QUIET SPIRIT.
>> THE GOVERNMENT SAID HE
DOESN’T UNDERSTAND WHY THE
MILITARY IS ONLY TREATING
NON-COVID PATIENTS ABOARD "USNS
COMFORT."
COMFORT." IT ONLY HAS 19 BEDS SO FAR.
HELP IS ON THE WAY FROM ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
THE COUNTRY. >> I WILL BE THE FIRST ONE IN MY
CAR TO GO WHEREVER THIS NATION
NEEDS HELP AS SOON AS WE GET
PAST THIS.
PAST THIS. I WILL NEVER FORGET HOW PEOPLE
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY CAME TO THE
AID OF NEW YORKERS WHEN THEY
NEEDED IT, AND I DEEPLY
APPRECIATE IT.
APPRECIATE IT. >> REINFORCEMENTS LIKE
32-YEAR-OLD NURSE JESSICA FINK
FROM NEW MEXICO, WHO JUST
STARTED WORK AT A NEW YORK ICU.
>> I HAVE SPECIFICALLY PULMONARY
CRITICAL CARE EXPERIENCE, SO,
YOU KNOW, IF ANYBODY SHOULD BE
HELPING, IT SHOULD DEFINITELY BE
ME.
ME. >> THE CHANGE COMES AMID A
POWERFUL SHOW OF SOLIDARITY.
FIREFIGHTERS APPLAUDING DOCTORS
AND NURSES AT THE U.S. EPICENTER
OF THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS.
AND AUTHORITIES ARE ALSO FACING
A LACK OF CRITICAL HOSPITAL BED
SPACE.
SPACE. THE JAVITS CENTER, THE MASSIVE
CONVENTION CENTER IN MANHATTAN
WILL NOW START TAKING PATIENTS.
PREVIOUSLY IT ONLY TOOK
NON-COVID PATIENTS.
NON-COVID PATIENTS. AND AUTHORITIES ARE ALSO LOOKING
INTO WHETHER TO TAKE PATIENTS TO
MANHATTAN HOTELS, WHICH WOULD
HELP TREAT THE SICK.
SAVANNAH.
SAVANNAH. >> ALL RIGHT.
GABE GUTIERREZ IN NEW YORK FOR
US.
US. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. WE’RE JOINED BY NBC NEWS
CONTRIBUTOR DR. JOSEPH FAIR.
HE STUDIES VIRUSES FOR A LIVING.
WORKED IN AFRICA DURING EBOLA
OUTBREAK.
OUTBREAK. DR. FAIR, GOOD MORNING.
I WANT TO ZERO IN ON THE ISSUE
ABOUT THE MASKS.
WHAT’S THE DATA, WHAT’S THE
SCIENCE BEHIND THIS NEW
REQUIREMENT THAT WE EXPECT TODAY
FROM THE CDC.
EXCUSE ME, NOT REQUIREMENT,
SUGGESTION THAT AMERICANS IN HOT
SPOTS WEAR FACIAL COVERING.
>> COMING OUT OF TWO STUDIES,
CHINA, ICELAND AND HERE IN THE
U.S. THAT ANYWHERE FROM 25 TO
50% OF INFECTIONS WOULD BE WHAT
WE CALL SILENT INFECTIONS OR
ASYMPTOMATIC.
ASYMPTOMATIC. THE MASK IS NOT TO PROTECT
YOURSELF, BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT
PEOPLE THINKING IT’S GOING TO
KEEP YOU FROM GETTING INFECTED
BUT TO KEEP YOU IF YOU’RE
ASYMPTOMATIC AND YOU FALL IN
THAT CATEGORY OF SILENT
INFECTION FROM OTHERS.
THAT IS THE MAJOR CAUSE OF
EXPLOSION IN CASES WE’RE SEEING
IN THE U.S. HAVING A MASK ON
PHYSICALLY KEEPS THOSE DROPLETS
FROM COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH
AND ONTO SOMEONE ELSE.
I SHOULD EMPHASIZE, A MASK DOES
NOT MEAN YOU SHOULDN’T SOCIAL
DISTANCE.
DISTANCE. BECAUSE IF YOU’RE DOING THE
PROPER SOCIAL DISTANCING, IT’S
STILL NOT A PROBLEM.
WE KNOW NOT EVERYBODY IS DOING
THAT.
THAT. IF YOU WEAR THE MASK, THAT WILL
PHYSICALLY KEEP OTHERS FROM
GETTING THE MASK FROM LITERALLY
COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.
>> MIGHT STOP YOU FROM TOUCHING
YOUR FACE AS WELL.
LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF
MASK.
MASK. WE CAN ALL AGREE AND IT IS WORTH
SAYING AGAIN, NOT THOSE N95
PROFESSIONAL GRADE MASKS OUR
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS SO
BADLY NEED RIGHT NOW.
WOULD ANY KIND OF FACE COVERING
DO?
DO? COULD YOU TAKE A HANDKERCHIEF
AND HOLD IT OVER YOUR FACE, A
BANDANA, IF YOU’RE NOT HANDY
WITH A SEWING MACHINE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. CAN YOU USE ANYTHING YOU CAN GET
FROM YOUR HOME.
ONE OF THE MORE INNOVATIVE ONES
I SAW WAS SOMEONE USING
UNDERWEAR AND TIES IT AROUND
THEIR HEAD.
THEIR HEAD. CAN YOU USE HANDKERCHIEFS,
ANYTHING YOU TIE AROUND YOUR
FACE.
FACE. IT’S NOT IDEAL TO HAVE ANYTHING
THAT WOULDN’T BE ON YOUR FACE
ALL THE TIME BECAUSE YOU’RE
GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP IT UP
THERE A LOT.
WE’RE PARTICULARLY EMPHASIZING
THIS IN GROCERY STORES,
PHARMACIES, WE HAVE NO CHOICE
BUT TO GO BUT YOU ARE GOING TO
BE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO OTHERS.
>> IT’S OUR UNDERSTANDING THE
WHITE HOUSE AND CDC ARE GOING TO
ISSUE A GUIDELINE THAT IT WILL
APPLY TO HOT SPOTS ONLY, PLACES
WHERE THERE IS COMMUNITY SPREAD
AND IT WON’T BE MANDATORY.
DO YOU GROW WITH THAT?
DO YOU THINK IT SHOULD NOT BE
MANDATORY?
MANDATORY? >> NO.
>> NO. I DON’T AGREE WIT.
TO BE HONEST, IF WE KNOW THAT 25
TO 50% OF INFECTIONS ARE SILENT
OR ASYMPTOMATIC, I THINK JUST
LIKE A LOCKDOWN, THERE SHOULD BE
A NATIONWIDE MANDATE THAT WE ALL
START DOING IT.
AGAIN, WE’RE GETTING THIS DATA
AFTER TALKING WITH CHINA AND
OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HAD A LOT
MORE CASES EARLY ON.
THEY SHOWED -- THEY
DEMONSTRATED, RATHER, THAT A LOT
OF THEIR CASES, THEY WERE ABLE
TO LOWER THEIR NUMBERS BY PEOPLE
ACTUALLY WEARING MASKS AND NOT
TRANSMITTING THE VIRUS TO
OTHERS.
OTHERS. >> ALL RIGHT.
DR. FAIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I KNOW YOU’RE GOING TO BE BACK
IN A FEW MINUTES TO TELL US
ABOUT SOME OTHER ALARMING NEW
RESEARCH ON HOW THIS VIRUS CAN
BE SPREAD.
BE SPREAD. WE’RE LEARNING SO MUCH, HODA, AS
IT ALL UNFOLDS BEFORE OUR VERY
EYES.
EYES. BACK TO YOU FOR THE MOMENT.
>> THANK YOU, SAVANNAH.
LET’S TALK NOW ABOUT THE
MOUNTING ECONOMIC TOLL OF THIS
CRISIS AND THOSE RECORD
SHATTERING UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS.
SO WHAT IS BEING DONE TO HELP
STRUGGLING FAMILIES WHO HAVE
LOST THEIR INCOME AND WILL THAT
MONEY ARRIVE ON TIME?
NBC’S BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT JO
LING KENT HAS THAT PART OF THE
STORY.
STORY. GOOD MORNING, JO.
>> HEY, HODA, GOOD MORNING TO
YOU.
YOU. A RECORD 6.6 MILLION PEOPLE
APPLIED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS LAST WEEK ALONE.
AS BILLS ARE COMING DUE AND
WORKERS ARE HURTING, WASHINGTON
SAYS HELP IS ON THE WAY.
>> THIS MONEY DOES PEOPLE NO
GOOD IF IT SHOWS UP IN FOUR
MINTS.
MINTS. >> THIS MORNING AS U.S.
UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS EXPLODE,
TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR
STRUGGLING AMERICANS DESPERATE
FOR FEDERAL AID.
NOW THE WHITE HOUSE IS PUSHING
BACK ON REPORTS THAT RELIEF
COULD TAKE MONTHS SAYING WHILE
PAPER CHECKS MAY TAKE LONGER,
DIRECT DEPOSITS WILL COME
EARLIER THAN EXPECTED.
>> I TOLD YOU THIS WOULD BE
THREE WEEKS.
THREE WEEKS. I’M NOW COMMITTING TO TWO WEEKS.
WE’RE DELIVERING ON OUR
COMMITMENTS.
COMMITMENTS. >> THE RUSH TO HELP COMES AS
APPLICATIONS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS SKYROCKETED TO A RECORD
BREAKING 6.6 MILLION LAST WEEK,
THE MOST EVER ON RECORD AND
DOUBLE THE 3.3 MILLION CLAIMS
FILED JUST THE WEEK BEFORE.
AMONG THOSE APPLYING, JUANITA
FLORES AND HER FIANCEE GARY WHO
SAY THEIR ALREADY TIGHT
CIRCUMSTANCES ARE JUST GETTING
WORSE.
WORSE. >> WE WERE ALREADY LIVING
PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, SO IT KEPT
SNOWBALLING.
SNOWBALLING. >> Reporter: WHILE FINANCIAL AID
IS ON THE WAY, MAINLY COMPANIES
ARE FURLOUGHING THEIR WORKERS.
AT DISNEY, ALL EMPLOYEES WHOSE
JOBS AREN’T NECESSARY AT THIS
TIME.
TIME. AT CAESARS IN LAS VEGAS, 90% OF
ITS WORKFORCE.
ITS WORKFORCE. FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, GRANT
APPLICATIONS ARE SUPPOSED TO
START TODAY, BUT BANGS SAY THEYK
MAY NOT BE READY, ANY FURTHER
GUIDANCE ON THE PROGRAM.
THIS MAN WHO OWNS THE CHARLESTON
BREWERY NEEDS THE CASH TO
CONTINUE TO PAY HIS WORKERS.
>> ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO
STOP TIME ON THIS AND DEFER
ALLOWS US MORE OPTIONS RELATIVE
TO KEEPING PEOPLE EMPLOYED.
>> ALL THIS PAIN IS SWAMPING
STATE UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICES
COAST-TO-COAST.
COAST-TO-COAST. CLAIMS IN CALIFORNIA SHOT UP
370%.
370%. IN NEW YORK WHERE CENTERS
TYPICALLY GET 50,000 CALLS A
WEEK, THEY GOT 8.3 MILLION LAST
WEEK ALONE.
WEEK ALONE. CENTERS IN TEXAS RECEIVED 1.7
MILLION CALLS IN A SINGLE DAY.
IN COLORADO, THE LABOR
DEPARTMENT IS DOUBLING ITS STAFF
TO KEEP UP.
>> WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.
>> Reporter: FOR COLLEGE SENIORS
PREPARING TO GRADUATE, LOOKING
FOR THAT FIRST JOB IS LOOKING
BLEAK.
BLEAK. >> AM I GOING TO BE HIRED
ANYWHERE?
ANYWHERE? I DON’T KNOW WHAT MY FUTURE
LOOKS LIKE.
LOOKS LIKE. >> Reporter: AS FOR THAT SMALL
BUSINESS RELIEF PACKAGE, WE’RE
GETTING REPORTS IT’S BEEN VERY
CHAOTIC.
CHAOTIC. MAJOR BANKS SAY THEY JUST GOT
FEDERAL GUIDANCE LAST NIGHT, 30
PAGES.
PAGES. THE BIGGEST BANK IN THE COUNTRY
SAYS THEY MAY NOT BE READY TO
START PROCESSING THOSE LOANS
STARTING TODAY.
STARTING TODAY. ALSO LATER THIS MORNING, WE ARE
GETTING THAT MARCH JOBS REPORT,
AND IT’S EXPECTED TO SHOW YET
ANOTHER BLEAK OUTLOOK FOR THE
ECONOMY AND LIKELY JUST THE
BEGINNING OF THE ECONOMIC DAMAGE
WREAKED BY CORONAVIRUS.
HODA.
HODA. >> ALL RIGHT, JO.
PEOPLE NEED THAT MONEY AND THEY
NEED IT NOW.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. SAVANNAH, OVER TO YOU.
>> Reporter: YEAH.
AN UPDATE NOW, HODA, ON A STORY
WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL WEEK
LONG.
LONG. THE NAVY HAS DISMISSED THE
CAPTAIN OF THE "USS ROOSEVELT"
FROM HIS COMMAND AFTER HE
SOUNDED THE ALARM ABOUT A
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK ON BOARD
HIS SHIP.
HIS SHIP. NAVY OFFICIALS EXPLAIN THE
DISMISSALS SAY THE CAPTAIN
CREATED UNNECESSARY PANIC BY
SENDING THE LETTER TO A BROAD
ARRAY OF PEOPLE, THAT’S A QUOTE,
RATHER THAN THE CHAIN OF
COMMAND.
COMMAND. THEY SAY HE DEMONSTRATED
EXTREMELY POOR JUDGMENT.
BUT CROZIER WILL KEEP HIS RANK
AND REMAINS IN THE NAVY.
93 CREW MEMBERS ON THE CARRIER
TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS.
>> MEANTIME, THOSE TWO CRUISE
SHIPS CARRYING PASSENGERS, THEY
HAVE FINALLY BEEN ALLOWED TO
DOCK IN FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA.
THE WEEK LONG SAGA FOR MANY ON
BOARD THIS MORNING IS FAR FROM
OVER.
OVER. NBC’S KERRY SANDERS IS FOLLOWING
THAT STORY FOR US.
HEY, KERRY, WHAT’S THE LATEST
OUT THERE?
OUT THERE? >> Reporter: WELL, GOOD MORNING,
"ZAANDAM" AND ROTTERDAM, TWO
SHIPS FINAL LIP IN PORTALLY IN P
PASSENGERS, 76 EXHIBITING
SYMPTOMS CONSISTENT WITH
CORONAVIRUS AND FIVE OTHERS
FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES IN AN
INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AT A LOCAL
HOSPITAL.
HOSPITAL. DOCK SIDE PORT EVERGLADES, A
HIGH-RISK TRANSFER YESTERDAY OF
THE MOST CRITICALLY ILL CRUISE
SHIP PASSENGERS, SOME WITH
WORSENING CONDITIONS, INCLUDING
PNEUMONIA.
PNEUMONIA. AMBULANCE AFTER AMBULANCE
QUIETLY RUSHING AT LEAST 10
COVID-19 PATIENTS TO INTENSIVE
CARE AND BROWARD’S BIGGEST
HOSPITAL.
HOSPITAL. AS WE’VE SEEN EVERY DAY,
CORONAVIRUS IS A DELICATE
CHALLENGE.
CHALLENGE. EVEN MOVING PASSENGERS LUGGAGE,
A POTENTIAL HAZARD, BECAUSE THE
VIRUSES CAN LIVE ON SURFACES FOR
DAYS.
DAYS. THE "ZAANDAM" AND "ROTTERDAM"
HAD BEEN SCHEDULED TO PULL INTO
PORT EARLY THURSDAY BUT THE
ARRIVALS WERE DELAYED FOR HOURS
AS LAWYERS FROM HOLLAND AMERICA
AND BROWARD COUNTY HAGGLED OVER
FINE DETAILS OF POTENTIAL
LIABILITIES AND REQUIRED A
14-DAY SELF-QUARANTINE FOR ALL
PASSENGERS.
PASSENGERS. AMONG THOSE WHO WATCHED THE
SHIPS COME IN, LEE ANN, HER AUNT
ON BOARD, BUT COMING HOME ALONE.
HER AUNT’S 75-YEAR-OLD HUSBAND
AMONG THE FOUR DEAD.
>> RELIEVED THIS FINALLY HAS
SOME KIND OF CONCLUSION AND
THESE POOR PEOPLE CAN GO HOME.
>> LATE THURSDAY SOME PASSENGERS
PASSED HEALTH CHECKS AND WITH
CLEARED TO DEBARK CARDS, MASKS
AND GLOVES, THEY TOOK PRIVATE,
SANITIZED CARS HOME.
>> WHAT DOES IT SAY?
>> WELCOME HOME.
>> DORIS AND CLIFF.
>> WE’RE HOME.
WE’RE IN OUR LIVING ROOM.
WE FEEL FANTASTIC.
>> BUT PASSENGERS WORRIED ABOUT
THOSE WHO SHARED THIS 27-DAY
ODYSSEY OF BEING DENIED ENTRY IN
PORT AFTER PORT.
>> WHAT’S GOING THROUGH YOUR
MIND BEYOND YOURSELF.
>> OBVIOUSLY WE HOPE THAT THE
SICK ARE TENDED TO AND GET
BETTER QUICKLY.
BETTER QUICKLY. >> STILL ON BOARD --
>> BACK TO THE STATES.
>> ALMOST TO NEW JERSEY.
>> 300 AMERICANS LIKE WENDY AND
RICK WHO WILL HEAD HOME TODAY TO
ANOTHER CORONAVIRUS HOT SPOT.
>> I’VE ALREADY BEEN WARNED BY
MANY FRIENDS IN NEW JERSEY THAT
THINGS HAVE REALLY, REALLY
CHANGED, AND IN SOME WAYS ARE
UNRECOGNIZABLE.
UNRECOGNIZABLE. >> HOLLAND AMERICA SAYS
DISEMBARKATION IS EXPECTED TO BE
COMPLETED BY FRIDAY EVENING.
>> MY GOAL IS TO WAKE UP IN YOUR
OWN BED SUNDAY MORNING.
>> ABOUT 900 OF THE PASSENGERS
ON BOARD ARE FOREIGN NATIONALS.
TODAY THEY WILL GET ON SANITIZED
BUSES, GO TO THE AIRPORT WHERE
THEY ARE AWAITING CHARTER
FLIGHTS TO FLY THEM TO THEIR
HOME COUNTRIES.
HOME COUNTRIES. MEANTIME WE’VE TOLD YOU ABOUT
JENNIFER ALLEN’S FATHER, WHO WAS
AMONG THOSE WHO WAS DESPERATELY
ILL ON BOARD, HAD DEVELOPED
PNEUMONIA, THIS MORNING WE
UNDERSTAND HE’S ONE OF THOSE IN
THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT GETTING
THE IMPORTANT CARE THAT YOU CAN
ONLY GET IN A HOSPITAL.
GUYS.
GUYS. >> THAT IS GOOD TO HEAR, KERRY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>> WHAT DO YOU SAY WE SWITCH
GEARS NOW.
GEARS NOW. LET’S CHECK IN WITH MR. ROKER
SITTING AT HIS HOUSE.
>> HI, AL.
MORNING, AL.
MORNING, AL. >> HI, GUYS, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
WE MADE IT TO FRIDAY THANKFULLY.
HERE IN THE NORTHEAST WE HAVE
THIS PESKY STORM OFFSHORE.
IT WILL NOT GO AWAY.
WE’RE LOOKING AT MORE RAIN,
INTERIOR SECTIONS OF NEW YORK,
NEW ENGLAND.
NEW ENGLAND. THE GOOD NEWS IS IT WILL BE OUT
OF HERE LATER TODAY.
ALL EYES ON TEXAS WHERE WE’RE
LOOKING AT DAMAGING WINDS, HAIL,
A TORNADO RISK THAT’S FAIRLY LOW
BUT STILL CAN’T RULE IT OUT.
TODAY THAT STRONG COLD FRONT
WILL MOVE EAST, SEVERE STORMS IN
CENTRAL TEXAS AND CONTINUES TO
PUSH ON THROUGH SATURDAY AND
SUNDAY.
SUNDAY. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE FINALLY GET
RID OF THAT.
BUT WE ARE LOOKING FOR ANYWHERE
FROM 2 TO 3" OF RAIN THROUGH