MONTH AND A HALF.
AND SO IT’S IMPORTANT THAT IT BE
DONE, THAT THERE BE
COORDINATION, NOW.
>> JOINING ME NOW IS DR. RICK
BRIGHT, A MEMBER OF
PRESIDENT-ELECT’S CORONAVIRUS
ADVISORY BOARD.
HE’S THE FORMER HE HAD OF THE
AGENCY IN CHARGE OF VACCINE
DEVELOPMENT AT HHS, TURNED
WHISTLE-BLOWER WHO RESIGNED IN
PROTEST OVER WHAT WAS GOING ON
IN THE ADMINISTRATION.
DR. BRIGHT, VERY GOOD TO SEE
YOU.
AS A MEMBER OF THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT’S ADVISORY
BOARD, HOW MUCH PROBLEM DO YOU
SEE THIS LACK OF COOPERATION
BETWEEN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
AND THE INCOMING BIDEN TEAM ON
VACCINE ROLLOUT AND OTHER
MEASURES ON COVID?
>> ANDREA, THANKS FOR HAVING ME
TODAY.
IT’S A HUGE PROBLEM.
IF YOU LOOK AROUND, YOU CAN SEE
HOW MUCH THIS VIRUS HAS GOTTEN
OUT OF CONTROL RIGHT NOW ACROSS
THE UNITED STATES.
WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE GETTING
INFECTED TODAY THAN WE’VE HAD
ANY TIME THIS ENTIRE OUTBREAK.
WE HAVE GOOD NEWS IN SOME WAYS,
THAT THE VACCINES ARE MOVING
FORWARD.
WE’RE GETTING GOOD DATA.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK
AHEAD OF US, TO MAKE SURE THOSE
VACCINES AND OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH
MEASURES ARE ROLLED OUT
SEAMLESSLY IN TRANSITION FROM
THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION TO
THE NEW ADMINISTRATION UNDER
PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN.
THERE ARE MANY DETAILS, LOTS OF
COORDINATION.
EVERY DAY COUNTS AND EVERY STEP
COUNTS.
WE OWE IT TO AMERICANS TO HAVE A
SMOOTH TRANSITION TO MAKE SURE
WE DON’T MISS A STEP.
THE GSA IS ACTUALLY BLOCKING US
NOW FROM STARTING THAT PLANNING
AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN EFFECTIVELY
AND SAFELY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE
A GOOD VACCINE ROLLOUT.
>> ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I
WOULD ASSUME YOU’RE DRESSING IS,
THE STATES DON’T HAVE MONEY.
THE MILITARY IS GOING TO DO A
LOT OF THE DISTRIBUTION,
SUPPOSEDLY, BUT THE FINAL
DISTRIBUTION, ESPECIALLY IN
RURAL AREAS, IN THE WEST AND
OTHER AREAS, IS LEFT TO THE
STATES.
AND THEY’RE BROKE.
>> WELL, ACTUALLY WE HAVEN’T
REALLY BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE FULL
PLAN, WHATEVER THEY’VE PLANNED,
THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SIT
DOWNSIDE BY SIDE TO SEE WHAT
THEY HAVE PLANNED, TO SEE WHAT
HAPPENS AFTER THE MILITARY
DELIVERS THE VACCINE TO A DEPOT
IN A STATE.
THERE ARE CRITICAL STEPS THAT
HAPPEN AFTER THAT VACCINE
ARRIVES.
THAT VACCINE MUST MOVE FROM THAT
DEPOT OR WAREHOUSE INTO THE
HANDS OF DOCTORS AND NURSES WHO
WILL DELIVER AND ADMINISTER THAT
VACCINE.
VACCINES THEMSELVES DON’T SAVE
LIVES, THE VACCINATION PROCESS
DOES.
YOU WANT TO BE VACCINATED FROM
PEOPLE YOU KNOW AND TRUST.
SO THERE’S A LOT OF DETAILS IN
THAT PROCESS, THAT LAST MILE OF
THAT VACCINATION PROCESS, THAT
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE’RE
ALIGNED WITH NOW SO WE CAN
DELIVER IT EFFECTIVELY WHEN IT
COMES TIME.
>> BOTH THE LATEST TWO
VACCINATION THATVACCINES
THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING
ON, PFIZER AND MODERNA, REQUIRE
TWO DOSES.
AND THE PFIZER, AS YOU KNOW,
REQUIRES SUBZERO REFRIGERATION,
100 DEGREES MINUS FAHRENHEIT.
OFFICIALS SAY A LITTLE MORE THAN
20 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS
COUNTRY COULD GET THEIR FIRST
SHOT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
BUT THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF
MEDICINE IS MAKING THIS
RECOMMENDATION ON WHO GETS THE
VACCINE FIRST.
I WANTED TO RUN THROUGH IT WITH
YOU AND SEE IF IT TRACKS WITH
WHAT YOUR ADVISORY BOARD
BELIEVES IS THE WAY TO GO.
PHASE IA WOULD INCLUDE HIGH RISK
AMERICANS, HEALTH CARE WORKERS
AND FIRST RESPONDERS.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY NOT ENOUGH
DOSES FOR ALL OF THEM, THAT
WOULD BE IN DECEMBER, THOUGH,
THAT FIRST ROLLOUT, SUPPOSEDLY.
PHASE IB COVERS THOSE WITH
UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS
AND SENIORS LIVING IN CONGREGATE
SETTINGS.
PHASE II WOULD BE 30 TO 35% OF
THE POPULATION COVERING CRITICAL
WORKERS LIKE THOSE IN THE FOOD
SUPPLY SYSTEM, TEACHERS, THOSE
OVER 65.
PHASE III WOULD BE 40 TO 45% OF
THE POPULATION INCLUDING MOST
YOUNG ADULTS AND CHILDREN.
AND PHASE IV WOULD PROTECT
EVERYONE ELSE ALTHOUGH THERE HAS
BEEN NO TESTING, I BELIEVE, BY
MODERNA ON PREGNANT WOMEN AND
CHILDREN, THOSE TWO CATEGORIES.
THAT SEEMS TO COVER THE
LANDSCAPE FROM DECEMBER THROUGH
APRIL, MAY, JUNE.
BUT IS THAT REALISTIC, ASSUMING
THAT THEY GET THE EMERGENCY
AUTHORIZATION AND THE FDA THEN
APPROVES?
>> YOU CAN ALREADY BEGIN TO SEE
HOW COMPLICATED AND COMPLEX IT
IS, JUST TO TRY TO IDENTIFY THE
RIGHT GROUPS AT THE RIGHT TIME
AND MAKE SURE THEY GET THE RIGHT
VACCINE AND GET TWO DOSES OF THE
SAME VACCINE.
THAT’S WHY WE’RE PUSHING REALLY
HARD TO MAKE SURE WE CAN SIT
DOWN WITH THE CURRENT
ADMINISTRATION AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE AND COORDINATE OUR
EFFORTS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT WE’RE LOOKING AT
NOW IS WHAT PRESIDENT-ELECT
BIDEN HAS ASSURED US IS A PLAN
FOR EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF
THE VACCINE AND THE FACT THAT HE
WILL LISTEN TO THE SCIENTISTS
AND THE BEST SCIENCE TO MAKE
SURE WE’RE ADMINISTERING THAT
VACCINE, AND ROLLING IT OUT IN
AN EQUITABLE WAY.
SOME OF THAT PLANNING IS
HAPPENING NOW ON OUR SIDE BUT WE
WOULD LOVE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE
CURRENT TEAM TO MAKE SURE WE’RE
NOT WASTING TIME AND, YOU KNOW,
DOUBLING OUR WORK AND DOUBLING
OUR EFFORT WHEN WE COULD BE
FOCUSING ON MANY OTHER THINGS
THAT WE NEED TO DO IN ADDITION
TO VACCINE ADMINISTRATION TO END
THIS PANDEMIC QUICKLY.
>> I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT DR.
SCOTT ATLAS.
WE’RE EXPERIENCING THE SURGE OF
COVID CASES ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
IT’S A BIG CONCERN, ESPECIALLY
FOR FAMILIES AS THANKSGIVING
APPROACHES.
LET’S LISTEN TO WHAT THIS TRUMP
ADVISER WHO IS A RADIOLOGIST,
NOT AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE
EXPERT, HE’S BEEN DISAVOWED BY
STANFORD, HE’S ON LEAVE, THEY
TWEETED TODAY HE DOES NOT
REPRESENT THEIR VIEWS.
THIS IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ON
FOX NEWS LAST NIGHT.
>> THIS KIND OF ISOLATION IS ONE
OF THE UNSPOKEN TRAGEDIES OF THE
ELDERLY WHO ARE NOW BEING TOLD
DON’T SEE YOUR FAMILY AT
THANKSGIVING.
FOR MANY PEOPLE, THIS IS THEIR
FINAL THANKSGIVING, BELIEVE IT
OR NOT.
WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?
I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A POLICY
WHICH I HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING
WHICH IS A WHOLE PERSON, WHOLE
HEALTH POLICY.
IT’S NOT ABOUT JUST STOPPING
CASES OF COVID.
WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE DAMAGE
OF THE POLICY ITSELF.
>> AND HE ALSO TWEETED YESTERDAY
THAT PEOPLE SHOULD "RISE UP"
AGAINST GOVERNOR WHITMER’S
RESTRICTIONS IN MICHIGAN.
HE LATER SAID THAT HE WASN’T
ADVOCATING VIOLENCE, BUT THAT IS
SUCH A VOLATILE THING IN
MICHIGAN.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIS
ADVICE?
BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT SEEMS TO
BE LISTENING TO HIM.
>> ANDREA, I THINK YOU STARTED
OUT WITH THE RIGHT DESCRIPTION.
HE DOESN’T HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE
IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES OR
PANDEMIC RESPONSE OR CONTROL.
HE IS NOT REPRESENTING STANFORD,
APPARENTLY, AND ALSO IS NOT
REPRESENTING THE VIEW OF THE
MAJORITY OF SCIENTISTS WHO HAVE
EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA.
WE DO NOT AGREE WITH MANY OF THE
INTERESTING OR KIND OF CRAZY
IDEAS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF DR.
ATLAS AND HIS OPINIONS.
WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A TEAM,
AS YOU HAVE SEEN ALREADY ON THE
BIDEN/HARRIS COVID-19 ADVISORY
BOARD, A TEAM OF EXPERTS,
SCIENTISTS, AND WE ARE PUTTING
TOGETHER THE BEST SCIENTIFIC
PLAN THAT WE CAN TRANSLATE INTO
A BLUEPRINT FOR ACTION ON DAY
ONE OF THE BIDEN/HARRIS
ADMINISTRATION.
WE’RE WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET
EVERYTHING IN PLACE TODAY.
AGAIN, IT WOULD BE A LOT EASIER
IF WE COULD SIT DOWN WITH THE
CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AND
MAKING SURE WE’RE ALIGNED AND
COORDINATED SO WE CAN HAVE A
SMOOTH TRANSITION.
>> WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE,