>>> WELCOME BACK. THIS MORNING, WE HAVE A SPECIAL
"CONSUMER CONFIDENTIAL" ON THE
CORONAVIRUS.
CORONAVIRUS. THERE’S MORE THAN 100 CASES IN
MORE THAN A DOZEN STATES
REPORTED.
REPORTED. WE’RE GOING TO TRY TO HELP YOU
PREPARE YOUR HOME AND YOUR
FAMILY AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS
YOU HAVE GOT.
WE ARE GOING TO START WITH VICKI
NGUYEN.
NGUYEN. THANKS SO MUCH FOR HELPING US.
TALKING ABOUT OUR FAMILY.
GETTING OUR FAMILIES READY.
WHAT SUPPLIES SHOULD WE HAVE AT
HOME?
HOME? >> THIS IS IMPORTANT.
WE’RE FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES
SET OUT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY.
HOMELAND SECURITY. AND THE IDEA IS TO HAVE A
TWO-WEEK SUPPLY OF EVERYTHING
YOU NEED.
YOU NEED. THAT INCLUDES FOOD AND WATER.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING US
ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ARE WE
CONCERNED THAT THE WATER SUPPLY
IS GOING TO BE CONTAMINATED?
NO.
NO. THE IDEA IS THAT IF YOU HAVE TO
SELF-QUARANTINE, OR IF YOU RELY
ON WATER TO MAKE FORMULA.
TWO WEEKS IS GOOD FOR ANY
EMERGENCY.
EMERGENCY. IF YOU HAVE BABIES, FORMULA,
DIAPERS, FOR A MONTH.
>> FOR A MONTH?
>> YES.
>> YES. THINK ABOUT SOAP, DETERGENT,
HOUSEHOLD GOODS THAT YOU MAY
NEED.
NEED. IT’S SO IF YOU ARE STUCK IN YOUR
HOME FOR SOME TIME, OR IF THERE
IS A SUPPLY CHAIN BREAKDOWN, YOU
HAVE WHAT YOU NEED AND YOU HAVE
TO GO OUT.
>> AND WE’RE TALKING ABOUT, IF
WE’VE SEEN A COUPLE OF SCHOOLS
AROUND THE COUNTRY, CLOSING
DOWN, HOW ARE SCHOOLS PREPARED?
HOW DO YOU TALK TO THE EDUCATORS
THAT RUN YOUR KIDS’ SCHOOL ABOUT
WHAT THEY’RE GOING TO DO AND
WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE?
>> THIS IS IMPORTANT, AL.
DON’T HESITATE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
CALL THE SCHOOL, THE PRINCIPAL,
THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SAY, DO
WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE?
ARE YOU PREPARING LAPTOPS OR
iPADS WITH LESSONS?
SAY THE SCHOOL HAS TO SHUT DOWN
FOR A COUP OLLE OF DAYS, WHAT AR
WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT?
AND PREPARE FOR THE DOMINO
EFFECT.
EFFECT. IF YOU WORK OUTSIDE OF THE HOME,
CAN YOU TELECOMMUTE?
CAN YOU DO TELECONFERENCING?
HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOUR
DIRECTOR OF YOUR DEPARTMENT.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY. MARIA?
MARIA? >> WE’RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT
MEDICAL.
MEDICAL. HOW SHOULD I HANDLE MY
PRESCRIPTIONS?
PRESCRIPTIONS? >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. PICKING UP ON WHAT VICKI SAID.
THEY NEED TO ANTICIPATE A SUDDEN
14-DAY QUARANTINE.
14-DAY QUARANTINE. AT LEAST A TWO-WEEK SUPPLY OF
YOUR MEDICINE.
YOUR MEDICINE. IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND CALL,
GET A 30-DAY SUPPLY.
WE KNOW INSURANCE COMPANIES
DON’T NECESSARILY COVER 90-DAY
SUPPLIES.
SUPPLIES. BUT AT A MINIMUM, YOU WANT TO
HAVE THE EXPECTATION.
IF I, FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT,
HAVE TO STAY HOME, DO I HAVE MY
MEDICINES FOR 14 DAYS.
>> AND THAT INCLUDES ANIMALS?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> WHAT IF PEOPLE ARE FEELING
UNDER THE WEATHER AND WANT TO
GET A TEST?
IS THAT COVERED BY INSURANCE?
>> WE HAVE AVALUEILABILITY AND
COST.
COST. IT’S NOT A LIMITLESS CAPACITY OF
TESTING RIGHT NOW.
AT OUR INSTITUTION, IN NEW YORK,
WE HAVE THE STATE LAB, PUBLIC
HEALTH LABS, AND THE CDC.
OFFICES AND HOSPITALS DON’T
NECESSARILY HAVE IN-LAB
DIAGNOSTICS UP AND RUNNING AT
THE MOMENT.
THE MOMENT. IF YOU ARE CONCERNED IF YOU ARE
FEELING SICK, AND THAT GETS INTO
NUMBER THREE, YOU HAVE TO THINK
ABOUT THE IDEA OF, ARE YOU GOING
TO STAY HOME?
ARE YOU GOING TO GO TO THE
DOCTOR’S OFFICE TO GET TESTED?
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS IF
YOU’RE MILDLY SYMPTOMATIC.
THERE’S NO RECOMMENDATION TO
PHYSICALLY GO TO YOUR DOCTOR’S
OFFICE OR THE E.D.
WE DON’T WANT TO FLOOD THOSE
PLACES.
PLACES. WE WANT TO CALL AHEAD TO YOUR
DOCTOR, USE VIRTUAL CARE, AND
THEY CAN TRIAGE YOU REMOTELY AND
LET YOU KNOW -- GIVE GUIDANCE.
>> PEOPLE SAY, MAYBE I HAVE THE
FLU.
FLU. MAYBE I HAVE THE CORONAVIRUS.
HOW DO YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE?
>> IF YOU HAVE MILD RESPIRATORY
SYSTEM SYMPTOMS, YOU CAN CALL
YOUR DOCTOR AND GET BETTER.
THE FEVER, IF YOU GO OUT TO A
MEDICAL FACILITY, YOU WILL GET
MASKED RIGHT AWAY.
CALL AHEAD TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM
KNOWS YOU’RE COMING.
>> VERGEIRTUAL CARE.
OVER TO YOU, CRAIG?
>> LET’S GO TO TOM COSTELLO.
HE COVERS AVIATION AND HAS
BECOME A CORONAVIRUS EXPERT IN
THE LAST FEW DAYS.
LET’S TALK ABOUT TRAVEL, TOM.
YOU HAVE TO CANCEL A TRIP.
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT?
>> Reporter: THE GOOD NEWS IS,
ALL OF THE AIRLINES ARE WAIVING
CHANGE FEES.
CHANGE FEES. JETBLUE, AMERICAN, AND ALASKA,
ONE MORE HERE.
AMERICAN.
AMERICAN. I THINK I SAID AMERICAN.
AMERICAN, JETBLUE AND ALASKA.
THEY’RE WAIVING CHANGE FEES.
I THINK UNITED IS, TOO.
IF YOU’RE TRAVELING, TRAVELING
THROUGH THE END OF MARCH, YOU
SHOULD HAVE YOUR CHANGE FEES
REALLY FOR FREE.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO
CHANGE THE TICKET FOR FREE.
BEYOND MARCH, WE HAVE TO SEE
WHAT HAPPENS DOWN THE ROAD.
IF YOU’RE NOT COMFORTABLE
TRAVELING BECAUSE OF
CORONAVIRUS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE
TO GET YOUR MONEY BACK.
>> IF YOU CAN’T, HOW DO YOU
FIGHT FOR THE REFUND OR CREDIT?
>> Reporter: THE AIRLINES WILL
APPLY THAT CREDIT TO YOUR
ACCOUNT.
ACCOUNT. YOU CAN USE THAT, THE FULL
AMOUNT OF THAT CREDIT, OVER THE
NEXT 12 MONTHS OR SO.
WE SHOULD MAKE THE MENTION, THAT
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS’ UNIONS
ARE CALLING FOR PROACTIVE STEPS
TO PROTECT THEM AND THE
PASSENGERS IN THE AIR.
THEY WANT TO SEE MORE FACE
MASKS.
MASKS. MORE HAND SANITIZER.
ALLOW FOR MORE DISPOSABLE CUPS,
INSTEAD OF GLASSES.
THEY’RE DOING EVERYTHING THEY
CAN TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.
>> IF YOU HAVE TO BOOK NEW
TRAVEL IN THE COMING MONTHS,
SHOULD YOU GET TRAVEL INSURANCE?
>> Reporter: I HEAR FROM A LOT
OF PEOPLE THAT THINK IT’S A GOOD
IDEA.
IDEA. IF YOU BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE, YOU
WILL GET 50% TO 75% OF YOUR
TICKET BACK IN MOST CASES.
MAYBE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO
CONSIDER DOING.
CONSIDER DOING. YOU MIGHT WANT TO ALSO CONSIDER,
JUST AS A NORMAL PRECAUTION,
BUYING MEDICAL INSURANCE OR
MEDEVAC INSURANCE.
MEDEVAC INSURANCE. I HAD FRIENDS WHO BOUGHT IT.
SURE ENOUGH, THEY HAD A MEDICAL
EMERGENCY.
EMERGENCY. THEY HAD TO BE AIR-LIFTED BACK
HOME.
HOME. THEY WERE GRATEFUL THEY BOUGHT
THAT PROTECTION.
THAT PROTECTION. IT’S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
YOU CAN GO TO A NUMBER OF
WEBSITES TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER
THIS MAKES SENSE FOR YOU.
>> TOM COSTELLO FOR US IN
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON. TOM, THANK YOU.
DR. NATALIE AZAR, THANK YOU.
VICKI NGUYEN, THANK YOU.
AND WE HAVE INFORMATION ONLINE
AND UPDATES AS THEY COME IN.
THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS IS A