Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
World Passes 100 Million COVID-19 Cases As Vaccine Inequality Undermines Response; U.S. Experts Fear Second Vaccine Doses Won't Be Available; Health System In Manaus, Brazil Collapses As Cases Surge; Nunez- Smith: Biden Is Adamant Equity Task Force "Hit The Ground Running"; Andy Slavitt: We Will Keep States Better Informed On Vaccine Supply Situation; One Survivor Sees Disturbing Echoes Of Past Hatred. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired January 27, 2021 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN, Abu Dhabi. This is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Very warm welcome. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD from our Middle East Broadcasting Hub here in Abu Dhabi.
We are waiting for the start of the Biden Administration's Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the White House that is scheduled for an hour from now.
Dr. Anthony Fauci will speak his position of course as Chief COVID-19 Medical Adviser carrying over to this new administration and he has been
much more vocal about COVID prevention strategies since Joe Biden took office.
And the pandemic of course began just over a year ago with reports of a mystery virus spreading through China, well now we have reached this
sobering milestone. 100 million reported cases of COVID-19 across the globe with more than 2 million people now having lost their lives to what is this
unrelenting virus.
The rapid pace of the vaccine development has been the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, the science displaying the best of humanity and the
politics of vaccine distribution not so much.
Getting vaccines into the arms of people around the world is proving a huge challenge, and many poorer nations facing the prospects of very long waits
creating what can be diplomatically called vaccine nationalism. And there needs to be equity, and a new variant spreading across the globe only
increasing the urgency. Have a listen to Head of the World Health Organization.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: The emergence of rapidly spreading variants makes the speedy and equitable
roll out of vaccines are the more important. Me-first approach leaves the world's poorest and most vulnerable people at risk. It is also self-
defeating.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, and we were warned, even the richest countries with the biggest vaccine supplies are facing problems. The United States responsible
for a fifth of the global cases, left distribution plans up to individual states under the former administration, most are struggling to keep up.
White House Correspondent Jeremy Diamond is connecting us to the big challenges facing this new administration. And what are Joe Biden's plans
to fix what is - a disaster it seems right now in the U.S. in terms of COVID in this vaccine rollout?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, in the short term, there is very little that Biden can do to actually change the
trajectory of deaths that we have seen in the United States. He made it very clear yesterday that he expects to see a half a million deaths total
by next month.
But what he is doing is that he is ramping up the vaccine distribution that we're seeing here in the United States and trying to create a more
streamlined and coordinated plan to distribute vaccines to the state and local authorities.
President Biden announcing yesterday that the U.S. is in the process of purchasing 200 million more doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines now
that would essentially take the stockpile to 600 million doses of the vaccine by the end of the summer which would allow for 300 million
Americans to be vaccinated with the two-dose regimen that's more than the entire U.S. adult population, but of course that would be by the end of the
summer.
What he is also announcing is that the U.S. is going to begin increasing the number of vaccines distributed to the states by next week. By next week
there will be a 16 percent increase from 8.6 million to 10 million in terms of the total weekly doses of vaccine that are distributed to these states.
It is proportional based on different states' population of course.
But then ultimately that takes it back to the biggest problem here in the U.S. which is even when those doses are distributed, they are not
necessarily administered right away. There are so many states that have only distributed half or less than half of the total vaccine supply that
they have received so far which is why this administration is promising the Governors that they are going to give them three-week weeks' notice in
terms of how much vaccine they're going to have so that they can better plan going forward.
And of course, the Federal government in President Biden's national vaccine strategy which he announced last week, claims also begin establishing
federally run vaccination centers across the country so that will be an effort that goes on over the coming weeks.
But again, nothing here can happen quickly with the snap of a finger, but it is the beginning of the process to ramp up the vaccine distribution and
create a more strategic and coordinated supply going forward.
ANDERSON: Tight. That gives you a head's up of what we, what the U.S. is facing?
[11:05:00]
ANDERSON: And as I said, we will on CNN be monitoring that COVID-19 response from the White House as and when that briefing starts. Jeremy,
thank you.
Of course, the U.S. leading the world in the number of cases accounting for a quarter of all known cases, and where there are still plenty of questions
about the vaccine in particular, who is willing to take? One, as Jeremy mentioned President Joe Biden announcing Tuesday that starting next week
states would get 16 percent more vaccines. The U.S. will buy 200 million more doses that are enough to vaccinate the American population by the end
of this summer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: And we believe that we will soon be able to confirm the purchase of an additional 100 million doses
from each of the two FDA authorized vaccines Pfizer and Moderna. That's a 100 million more doses of Pfizer and a 100 million more does of Moderna.
200 million more doses than the federal government had previously secured. Not in hand yet, but ordered. To a nation waiting for action, let me be
clearest on this point, help is on the way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So that is Joe Biden's position, but with fewer than 50 percent of Americans saying they immediately want or have already had the vaccine,
the U.S. still would not reach herd immunity which needs at least, at least 70 percent of the population vaccinated.
Well, CNN spoke to more than a dozen states and local officials in health who say not only are the vaccine supply low, but so is the amount of
information that they are getting. Drew Griffin takes a closer look at what has so far been a slow-moving rollout across America.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This mass vaccination center inside of Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium could be vaccinating up to 2,000
people a day, but on Monday, it had just 150 appointments.
GRIFFIN (on camera): I am a bit surprised by the lack of busyness here?
SARAH APATOV, MEDICAL VOLUNTEER: Yes. Well, we are reserving the appointments for how many doses we have available.
GRIFFIN (voice over): There is just not enough vaccine. Fulton County Health Director Dr. Lynn Paxton says her team alone could handle 50,000
doses a week, and she is lucky if they get 10,000.
DR. LYNN PAXTON, FULTON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH DIRECTOR: We have to be very judicious in how we schedule our appointments. And the important thing I
want everyone to know is that we're in no way hording these vaccine doses.
GRIFFIN (voice over): Louisiana's Governor decided not to have mass vaccine sites for now; there are just not enough vaccines. In Florida, hospitals
had canceled appointments, because vaccines didn't show up. In parts of Texas people lined up for hours.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have been in line since 5 o'clock this morning.
GRIFFIN (voice over): CNN interviewed more than a dozen health officials from across the country and the message is largely unanimous. For many
states local health departments and hospitals, it is not just the lack of vaccine doses causing the chaos, for weeks there was a lack of information
from the federal government.
DR. AMY COMPTON-PHILLIPS, EVP AND CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER, PROVIDENCE: I think having a federal plan would absolutely stop the kind of hunger games'
approach to every individual state and every individual county scrambling for their own set of rules.
GRIFFIN (voice over): Without knowing how much vaccine is going to be shipped to them and when, it is nearly impossible to plan, and that means
crashing web sites, appointments impossible to get, and a vaccine rollout that is looking a heck of a lot like that botched rollout for Coronavirus
testing.
GRIFFIN (on camera): This sounds almost like a repeat of where is the testing when COVID first happened?
DR. COMPTON-PHILLIPS: It does feel a little too familiar. And we are in the exact same position with the vaccines right now. We are turning away people
that we know who over 65 with heart disease are and we're saying we are sorry, but we don't have a vaccine for you today.
GRIFFIN (voice over): Dr. Amy Compton-Philips who helps run 51 hospitals in 7 states is dealing with another big problem, worrying about everyone
getting the required second dose. A clinic in Seattle that was vaccinating more than 2,000 people a day is about to face a massive 90 percent cut.
DR. COMPTON-PHILLIPS: So what about all of those people who got dose one now are allocation is cut back 90 percent. How are we going to get
everybody dose two?
GRIFFIN (voice over): That, too, is playing out across the U.S., each state gets first doses and earmarked second doses which are required for full
immunity. Last week Colorado's Governor ordered those second doses be used as first doses immediately.
JARED POLIS, COLORADO GOVERNOR: I sent a letter to all of our partners that administer the vaccines directly - use all of the Moderna and Pfizer
vaccine they have including the ones who are designated a second doses.
GRIFFIN (voice over): Most other states like New York are only using second doses on those who have an already had a first shot.
[11:10:00]
ANDREW CUOMO, NEW YORK GOVERNOR: The last thing you want on top of this chaos is people get the first dose and then they come back for their second
dose, and you say we ran out.
GRIFFIN (voice over): It could all be solved with more vaccine, a problem that the Biden Administration announced it will tackle with more than 1
million additional doses per week, and it can't happen fast enough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, I want to take you to the White House where the Head of the CDC is now speaking on what is Joe Biden's COVID-19 briefing.
DR. ROCHELLE WALENSKY, DIRECTOR, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION: Good day. And - are trending downward is a good sign. The
number of deaths reported in the day, a single day during the outbreak was reported on January 20th, the peak number of 4,383 deaths.
Though I am encouraged by these trends, our case rates remain extraordinarily high and now are the time to remain vigilant. If we
continue on the current trajectory, the CDC most recent national ensemble forecasts projects that 479,000 to 514,000 COVID-19 deaths will be reported
by February 20th, 2021.
I know this is not news we all want to hear, but this is something we must say so that we are all aware. But if we are united in action, we can turn
things around. Continuing to expand safe effective vaccination is key to ending the COVID pandemic and bringing our country back to health.
Daily vaccine doses administered continue to rise to more than 1.6 million doses per day over the past week; over 23.5 million doses of COVID-19
vaccine have been already administered. This is including 3.4 people who have already received their second dose.
I want to take a moment here to emphasize that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe, and they work. And this is backed up with data that I would like to
share with you. Last week the CDC released an AMWR on severe adverse events mostly notably anaphylaxis - those received Moderna vaccine as well as the
Pfizer vaccine.
Based on our most recent data we found that there were 2.1 cases of anaphylaxis per 1 million administered doses of Moderna, and 6.2 cases of
anaphylaxis per million doses administered of Pfizer. Let me be clear, these are rare, treatable outcomes and the COVID-19 vaccines are safe.
It is also important to put this into context. The risk of getting sick with COVID-19 is much higher than the risk of allergy or anaphylaxis from
the vaccine. In the U.S., sadly, approximately 16,500 people for every 1 million who are diagnosed with COVID will die.
And while anaphylaxis can be scary, there are effective treatments, and patients generally do quite well. It is also important to note the mild
side effects like the pain where you got your shot or feeling feverish or tired and muscle aches after you get the shot. These are normal and
expected on part of getting the vaccine especially the second dose.
And these symptoms mean that your immune system is revving up and the vaccine is actually working. CDC is actively monitoring for safety signals
on associated with these vaccines and we're committed to sharing those safety data with you as they emerge.
Also last week, the CDC updated guidance to reduce barriers associated with returning for a second vaccination dose on a specific date or when
circumstances change between the first and the second dose. There are two important updates that I want to clarify.
First in our updated guidance, the CDC still recommends that people get their second dose as close to the recommended interval as possible, that
would be three weeks for the Pfizer vaccine and four weeks for the Moderna vaccine.
However, we also know that life can get in the way, and that some of those doses may be missed in the best time window and in those rarest
circumstances, the second dose may be given up to six weeks or 42 days after the first.
Second, the CDC has reiterated that the COVID-19 vaccines are not interchangeable; however it is also true that in extremely rare
circumstances people may not simply remember or have documentation of which first dose they received.
In these extremely rare situations we have said that any available MRNA COVID-19 vaccine may be administered as the second dose if people are
unaware of which first dose they received and that would be at least 28 days after their first.
I also know that there are concerns about variants. Viruses mutate, and we have always expected that the variants would emerge, and we have been
looking for them.
[11:15:00]
DR. WALENSKY: The variants have been identified recently seem to spread more easily and they're more transmissible which can lead to increased
number of cases and increased stress on our already taxed health care system.
In the United States, 308 cases of B-117 variant that originated from the U.K. have been confirmed in 26 states as of January 26th. We also
identified this week our first case of the P-1 variant in the United States in Minnesota. To date, no case of the B-1351 variant that was first
detected in South Africa has been identified in the U.S.
The CDC is committed to working with international and state and local partners and increasing surveillance to monitor this situation and share as
soon as we learn more. The emergence of variants underscores the need for public health action. First get vaccinated when it is your turn.
Also, some people may need help getting vaccinated and please consider helping your neighbors and loved ones schedule or travel to their
appointments. Second, wear a mask and practice social distancing and wash your hands.
And finally, now is not the time to travel, but if you must, be safe and follow the CDC guidance, this is including wearing a mask as well as
testing and quarantine protocol. Please, do you part to get cases down by simply taking these actions? Thank you. I will now turn over to Dr. Fauci
who will also share some scientific updates.
ANDERSON: All right. We are listening to White House COVID briefing, and you can see Dr. Anthony Fauci there, but we can't hear him at the moment,
so we see if we can fix that. But we have just heard from the Head of the CDC recommending that people get their second dose of the Pfizer and
Moderna vaccines as close to recommended guidelines as possible.
Still not hearing - still not hearing from Dr. Anthony Fauci, and we will monitor what is being said and get that to you of course in a timely
fashion.
Let me move on, because we have got a lineup of correspondents on what is the global COVID-19 situation. In Brazil's Amazonas state growing even
direr is the health system in its largest city collapses due to oxygen shortage. Cases in Manaus have surged this month as a fast spreading new
variant of the virus rips through the region.
And right now Brazil's Health Minister is under investigation for his delayed response after learning of the city's dwindling oxygen supplies.
This story that we have reported on before, let's get the very latest from CNN's Matt Rivers who is live from Manaus in Brazil. What are you seeing on
the ground, Matt?
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, it is just utter devastation. There is really no other way to put it. We have spent the last couple of days on
the ground been here in Manaus we've seen outside of different hospitals both here in the City of Manaus but also in the rural areas that surround
this area.
We're right in the middle of the Amazon rain forest here. Manaus is a city of about 2 million, but there are lots of other smaller communities in this
area and riverside communities that are also being devastated. They have got local hospitals that simply do not have the resources to deal with
these kinds of spikes in cases and deaths.
We are in quite possibly the worst days of this pandemic here in Manaus so far. And we were over in the cemetery just yesterday and we saw a plot of
graves that were freshly dug. Some 330 graves all for COVID patients all dug since January 9th.
In the month of January Becky, there have been more people that have died of COVID here than any other month previously in this pandemic by far. And
what may be the saddest part of all of this, is that we have seen this health care system here collapse before.
It was back in April and May that was the first time that this health care system collapsed. The first time we were talking about no oxygen and no ICU
beds. People dying in their homes because they could not get into the hospitals, and yet, here we are again eight, nine months later.
Now, why is that happening? I know you could start with a lack of governmental response. People just not being prepared, the federal
government led by COVID skeptic Jair Bolsonaro not taking appropriate steps to be ready to support the health care system.
In case this happened again, but we would be remiss if we did not talk about a new COVID variant that has emerged in Brazil it's called variant P-
1. And scientists are still very much studying this new variant, but what they are saying is that it could be very well be more contagious.
[11:20:00]
RIVERS: They don't know if it's more lethal. But we spoke to an epidemiologist here the other day who said that this variant has been found
in more than 2/3 of recent infections that he has studied here.
So you've kind of got this perfect storm situation Becky where a lack of a fundamental governmental response combined with a new potentially more
contagious variant. And right now, that just adds up to a horrific situation with dozens being buried everyday here in this city.
ANDERSON: Yes. It is so wrong, isn't it? Listen, what is the government's vaccination plan at this point?
RIVERS: Yes, you know, Becky, I know we were just listening into the CDC and I know there is a lot of frustration in the United States about the
vaccination plan here. I can tell you what is going in the U.S. look amazing compared to what is going on here in Brazil.
The government still has no national vaccination plan, and no national rollout plan. They still don't know where they are going to get their
vaccines from. And in fact, Jair Bolsonaro not long ago said they were going to buy vaccines as they became available on the market.
You're talking about one of the most sought after commodities in the entire world right now. And so there really isn't a vaccination plan, it's a
trickle of vaccines going on in this country right now. And that is a shame when you consider Brazil's long history of vaccinating people effectively.
This country exports more yellow fever vaccines than any other country around the world, and yet in the time when they need the vaccines the most
they can't get them because of the inaptitude of the federal government and its lack of a response in creation of a plan here.
ANDERSON: We are reporting from Manaus in Brazil, that is Matt Rivers. Matt, thank you. We are taking a very short break, but staying on the story
back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: I want to get you back to the White House Coronavirus Task Force giving an update on not just the fight against COVID-19 in the states, but
some really important stuff about these new variants that we are seeing. Let's listen in to Dr. Anthony Fauci who is speaking now.
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: --strain that is the reason why there will be attempts to develop
even other antibodies that might be able to avert this particular problem.
So looking forward what we plan to do in collaboration with the companies is to develop what we would call alternative or boosts that would use the
same platform, but that would incorporate a particular Immunogen that would address these particular variants. And for that reason we will always want
to be a step or two ahead of what might be a problem in the future. So I will stop there now and hand it over the Dr. Andy Slavitt.
[11:25:00]
ANDY SLAVITT, SENIOR ADVISER, WHITE HOUSE COVID-19 RESPONSE TEAM: Thank you, Dr. Fauci and also Dr. Walensky. The country is truly lucky to have
the two of you leading the charge on both our nation's best scientists and our nations' best public health officials.
I want to pick up where Dr. Walensky and Fauci left off, public health and science. I'm going to talk about another topic which is execution of the
plan to combat the COVID crisis namely, the strategy, the progress and the challenges openly and transparently.
Now, to begin, I'd like to start with one of the core pillars of our plan and that is the equitable health care access and outcomes for all
Americans. So let me introduce Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith who is the Head of the Health Equity Task Force to make some comments on where we stand as a
country in the battle to make sure we get every American equitable access to the medical care and vaccinations that they need.
DR. MARCELLA NUNEZ-SMITH, CHAIR, COVID-19 EQUITY TASK FORCE: Great. Thank you so much, Andy, and that is correct. Equity is absolutely a foundational
component of our national plan. There is a moral imperative it's simply the right thing to do to ensure that those who are hardest hit or at highest
risk has the opportunity to stay safe and healthy through this pandemic, and there is also the science of it.
We cannot beat this virus without making sure we're executing our plan that works for all communities. So we have committed to taking an equity lens to
every aspect of this pandemic response that includes minimizing the risk of getting infect and for those who get COVID minimizing the risk of
hospitalization or death.
So that includes ensuring access to PPE, testing, treatments and vaccines. It also includes making impossible for people to safely quarantine and
isolate and to monitor the impacts of long COVID. So from what the data show us, we still have a long way the go.
Latina, indigenous and black people in America are dying at high rates from COVID-19, and folks in rural communities have case and death rates that
continue to climb and they're dying at higher rates than people in metropolitan areas.
So by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, geography and based on where you live, COVID-19 is leaving a terrible
imprint on far too many communities. Next slide please.
So, the president took immediate action to combat COVID-19 health equities. Last Thursday, President Biden signed an executive order on ensuring
requital pandemic response and recovery. And a key part of his approach to ensuring equity is through the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force.
So this task force is responsible for providing specific recommendations to the president through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator for mitigating the
health and equities caused or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and also for preventing these kinds of inequities in the future.
You know the task force will include individuals with insights into these groups that have been hardest hit. So their role will be advisory in
nature, but the president has asked them to make some recommendation on a range of issues optimally allocating COVID resources by agencies and by
state, local and tribal and territorial officials disbursing COVID-19 relief funds in a way that advances equity.
You know ensuring effective cultural aligned communication, messaging and outreach to our hardest hit communities and addressing ongoing health and
equities faced by COVID-19 survivors that may merit a public health response.
So it is essential that we collect data for the hardest hit communities and identify data sources that would enable development of short term targets
for pandemic related actions. And address longer term data short falls and challenges to better prepare and respond to future pandemics.
So we will be announcing the members of this task force soon, as President Biden is adamant they hit the ground running especially now as so many
people and communities are disproportionately hurting from this pandemic.
And for the last slide you know finally, it is critical everyone has equitable access to all of these resources necessary to make it through
this pandemic. And that includes equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to all communities.
So all Americans, everyone in our country should have the benefit of a safe and effective vaccine that can prevent them from getting sick or dying from
COVID-19. It takes intention and deliberate action to advance equity in this vaccine distribution process.
So we're going to do that through a series of important actions. We're leveraging data sources both from government and other sectors to find and
remedy inequities. We're limiting all out of pocket costs for vaccines.
[11:30:00]
DR. NUNEZ-SMITH: Your ability to - should not play a role in your decision of whether or not to receive this vaccine. We're removing structural
barriers to access in underserved communities. We will do this by making sure that it is convenient and accessible to get to vaccination sites.
By increasing the clinical and community based work force for outreach, education vaccination and rapid round services. We're working to make sure
that transportation and paid time off are available so people can make it out to get their vaccine.
We're going to increase in support core venues of vaccination including federally qualified health centers and Andy is going to talk about some of
our other venues for vaccination that we are ramping up, but it will be important to make sure vaccine is available for everyone and often times
that will mean bringing the vaccine right to people.
So next, we're already talking to states about their pandemic plans and strategies for equity. We're here to provide technical assistance when
needed but when local health officials are making great progress in equity we're sharing some of those great ideas with our peers around the country.
And finally, we are launching a robust national public education campaign to make sure people know about this vaccine the fact facts and not the
misinformation. We want people to know that the vaccines are safe and effective. We want have everyone to be able to make decisions with the best
information possible.
And we're going to make sure that the information comes to them in places and in ways that are most likely to reach them. It is critical this public
education work be very local in nature, critical that we in the federal government support the relationships that already exist between faith and
community leaders and their communities.
So while there is no single way to do this work, there are best practices that must define our approach and supporting those best practices will be
our focus in the days and weeks to come. So there is so much to do to get through the pandemic, and we want to make sure all communities are cared
for and supported along the way. So with that, I am going to turn it back over to you, Andy.
DR. SLAVITT: Thank you, Dr. Nunez-smith. Look, it is appropriate that I follow in my report Doctors Walensky and Fauci and Nunez-Smith very simply
because it is important to send the message to the public that the White House respects and will follow the science and the scientists will speak
independently and that our core values of science, public health and equity are going to drive our actions here at the White House.
The president launched a national strategy just as he assumed office on the second day. At the heart of the plan are the most aggressive actions
possible to stem the pandemic and follow the science. So Dr. Walensky spoke about the high levels of spread still in this country even as they decline.
Dr. Fauci talked about the threat from the new variants and Dr. Nunez-Smith spoke about our difficulty and challenges in getting access to vaccines all
across the country. So given those realities, accelerating the availability and administration of vaccines are all the more important.
So it has been a busy seven days, you have seen us execute our strategy. We set up a team began working with states and vaccine manufacturers, launched
community vaccination centers, and taken action to improve supply revise travel restrictions and more.
I know that many Americans are anxious, and eager to get vaccinated. I want you to know that we are taking this issue on with incredible urgency and
purpose despite not inheriting a fully developed strategy or the infrastructure to make vaccines readily available to Americans as quickly
as they need to be.
So far this week, we have been hitting our target of an average of 1 million vaccinations per day necessary to meet the president's early
commitment to administer 100 million shots in 100 days. Now as you heard from the president this week, he is pushing us to view 1 million per day as
the floor, not the ceiling.
To that end, we are releasing more supply, activating FEMA and deploying many more personnel. In fact, just this week, FEMA announced that they had
obligated $1 billion to support the state vaccination sites. I want to step back - to put our vaccination plan in some context.
To vaccinate every American over the age of 16, we are looking at a total need of well over 500 million doses of vaccines. Now, that assumes two
shots for every American 16 and older. Now I want to pause and say that everything we are talking about today in terms of vaccines reflects the
vaccines currently on the market, and that is a two-dose regimen.
We are not counting on things that are not in existence today. Our plan will be to make sure that we prepare for as many contingencies as exist.
[11:35:00]
DR. SLAVITT: Right now, I want to level with the public that we are facing two constraining factors. The first is getting enough supply quickly enough
and the second is the ability to administer the vaccines quickly once they are produced and sent out to sites. We are taking action to increase supply
and increase capacity, but even so, it will be months before everyone who wants a vaccine will be able to get one.
Now, let me start with what has happened so far. We have delivered 47 million doses to states and to long-term care facilities. We have
administered about 24 million doses. Now, we have gotten several questions on this, so I want to be clear.
As you heard us announce yesterday, any stockpile that may have existed previously no longer exists. Our practice is to maintain a rolling
inventory of two to three days' of supply that we can use to supplement any shortfalls in production and to ensure that we are making deliveries as
committed.
But we are passing doses directly along to states very much in real time as they order them. And we are confident that we will receive the supply on a
rolling basis from the manufacturers to allow us to continue to do so.
Now, we know that there are places in the country with not enough vaccines, and at the same time there are places with vaccines that they are not using
yet. This is a natural challenge states are facing, and we will give them more visibility into their forth coming supply and providing technical
assistance that will help them make sure to make quicker use of these doses.
But I want to emphasize that an essential ingredient to increasing the administration of vaccines is passage of the American rescue plan which
dedicates needed money for vaccinators and for the administration of vaccines.
Now I want to take you through of what we're doing to increase the supply. So the president invoked the Defense Production Act last week as a big
first step to increase the supply of vaccines. We are going to make sure that we get six doses out of Pfizer vial everywhere in America because
that's the potential and we're going to do that by acquiring something called low dead space syringes.
I am sure that everybody knows what low dead space syringes are, I now did. And yesterday, we announced a 16 percent increase in supply flowing to
states every week for the next three weeks to a minimum of 10 million doses per week. That is good news.
But what is also important about it is that it gives states the visibility that they have lacked to know how many vaccines are coming in so they can
make commitments to their partners in states, and to the citizens and residents of their state so they know when to expect the vaccines to
arrive.
Pfizer and Moderna are committed to delivering a total of 200 million doses by the end of March with much of it coming at the end of the quarter. So it
is going to accelerate. Pfizer yesterday announced that they think they can deliver 120 million doses this quarter.
As you heard from the president yesterday, the United States plans to purchase an additional 200 million doses from Moderna and Pfizer this year
which will be sufficient to vaccinate every American over the age of 16, and we expect those doses this summer.
This entire thing is unprecedented undertaking, and we will run into unanticipated issues, but our plan and the actions we are taking in the
days and weeks ahead is to deliver on these commitments to the public.
Finally, we have also announced that we are creating additional paths to get Americans vaccinated. These will include standing up what we call
community vaccination centers. We are going to launch 100 community vaccination centers this month.
We will be also supplying more, and we will be supplying vaccines directly to pharmacies, and we will be standing at mobile clinics to get to hard to
reach areas, particularly in for pursuit of the health equity goals of Dr. Nunez-Smith has outlined. We're going to partner with the community health
centers to reach hard-hit communities and have infrastructure to deliver vaccines.
[11:40:00]
DR. SLAVITT: But again, I want to close with this. It is critically important that congress act. The American rescue plan is an important and
vital part of getting America vaccinated. It has got bold and ambitious legislation that will help fund the effort that we are outlining today in
providing the resources mainly to defeat this pandemic. So we need immediate action. With that, I am going to pass it back so that we could
take some of your questions.
ANDERSON: Well, you have been listening to a virtual White House briefing on COVID-19, the Biden team's response plan for the United States, and
perhaps importantly for those of us watching that from around the world, some important information from Dr. Anthony Fauci on these variants that we
have been reporting on.
The vaccines we are using, he says are still effective with these emerging strains, but he cautioned and I quote him here, we have to be concerned
looking forward. We also heard from the Head of the CDC who said this is not the time to travel for Americans. We will be reporting at this hour on
some more travel restrictions that have just come into place in the U.K.
Republicans will be listening to this new tone and ambition from the Biden Administration. Those who have created the cult of personality around
Donald Trump may feel they perhaps cannot control him. We have heard that refrain since he became president, now that he is gone, it still rings
true.
If they don't follow him, they risk a separate Trump-led party that splits the Republican vote and that would just help the Democrats, but there is
still a Republican rift. Ten House Republicans of course voted to impeach Donald Trump and five Republican Senators voted to move ahead with the
trial. The rest of the party, well, it just seems ready to move on.
However, Democrats believe that would essentially be letting Donald Trump off of the hook for allegedly inciting this riot at the Capitol three weeks
ago today. Well, Senator Flake joins us now live from his home State of Arizona.
You all have been, I am sure aware of the briefing that has just been going on from the Biden team, and I just want to allude to some of what was being
discussed there. If not only the tone, an ambition from this Biden team.
They pointed out on vaccines that getting supply quickly enough and getting these vaccines to those that need it most is the biggest priority, and they
say it will be months before everyone who wants a vaccine will get one.
I just do just want to get your response on what is this change in tone and ambitious plan from this team as a Former Senator. What do you make of what
you heard and will Joe Biden do you believe get the support from congress that he needs for this COVID response plan?
JEFF FLAKE, FORMER U.S. SENATE REPUBLICAN: Well thanks, Becky, nice to be with you. Yes, I do think that he will get support with regard to the
distribution of vaccines. He is not going to get the package that he wants the $1.9 trillion.
Republicans aren't going to go along with that. The Democrats could, I guess go through budget reconciliation which is a way to get around the
Senate filibuster, but if they do that, then they can't use reconciliation for other things that they want to use it for.
So my guess is you'll have them settle for something somewhere near the middle, but it will importantly in terms of vaccines, include virtually
everything the administration wants on that front. So, that is good news for the distribution issues.
ANDERSON: Right. Thank you for that. I did not actually bring you on to talk COVID-19 response plans and whether or not Biden will get congress to
support him, but it is really valuable, really valuable to get your response on this.
What I did want to do is to talk about impeachment and indeed talk about the fact that Arizona Republicans voted on Saturday to censure three
prominent party members who have crossed Donald Trump, and one of them is you, Former Senator Jeff Flake.
[11:45:00]
ANDERSON: You tweeted and I quote you, if condoning President Trump's behavior is required to stay in the Arizona GOP's good graces, I am just
fine being on the outs the Arizona Republican Party describing - yes, well good. I mean, just explain if you will.
FLAKE: Well, I have never been able to condone the president's behavior, and to the extent that we Republicans do. I think it is to our detriment,
since President Trump was elected, Republicans have lost the House of Representatives, we've lost the Senate and now we've lost the White House,
and in the midterms two years ago we lost more than 400 legislative seats nationally.
So Trumpism is not doing us very well on the Republican side. Here in Arizona, just for example, since the incursion of the Capitol just three
weeks ago, nearly 10,000 and it is 9,944 Republicans have changed their voter registration.
They don't want to be a part of the party that condones this part of the behavior of the president. So it is causing a rift, and so if we
Republicans want to be treated seriously going forward, we have got to move beyond Trumpism, and that what it is plain and simple.
ANDERSON: Well, in your recent Washington Post op-ed, you said and again I quote you here, conservatives six months from now will have embarked on a
period of soul searching. America needs and America deserves a principled and reliable conservative party. So to put it mildly, we Republicans have
work to do. It doesn't look like many Republicans are doing that soul searching right now with respect, sir.
FLAKE: Well, I do think that given time, we will. The president has considerable influence still as a former president but that will wane
quickly particularly without the social media platforms that he relies on. Once you lose the trappings of office and the levers of power and
particularly with the president and with Trumpism, it requires a certain swagger that comes with winning, and he didn't win. And so, it is going to
be very difficult to maintain this kind of presence moving ahead.
ANDERSON: Very briefly, you and many Republicans saying it is just time to move on. They are fatigued with another impeachment. Do they have a point?
FLAKE: You know, I think that if I were in the Senate, I would vote certainly to convict. I think that the president has committed impeachable
acts, but it is a pretty easy out for Senators and Republicans Senators to simply say that he is already gone, there is a constitutional question.
So, I don't think it is a right move, but whether the president is convicted on the impeachment count or not, he will be fading away faster
than he wants to. And if we Republicans want to win in the future and if we want to be a serious conservative party in the future, then we have got to
get back to the principles that have animated the party for generations and not this populous Trumpism which I don't think anybody can really define
day to day what it is.
ANDERSON: You have pointed out yourself; there is a long road ahead, Jeff Flake.
FLAKE: There is.
ANDERSON: It's good to have you. Thank you. We're taking a very short break, back after this.
FLAKE: Thanks for having me on.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
ANDERSON: Well, a lone violin plays in Germany's Parliament to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. It's now been 76th year since Auschwitz the largest
Nazi concentration camp was liberated by allied forces during World War II.
Britain's Prince Charles issued a somber message on this day of remembrance saying the last generation of living witnesses to these horrific events
will not be with us much longer, and it fools to us remaining generations to bear witness. And as the world acknowledges the horrors of the past, one
survivor says she sees disturbing evidence of hatred here and now. CNN's Clarissa Ward has her story.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Born in Berlin in 1930, Irene Butter grew up as a Jewish girl in Nazi-occupied Europe, forced to
endure the horrors of the holocaust.
IRENE BUTTER, HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR: Hitler came to power when I was 3-years- old and gradually, the persecution of the Jews developed.
WARD (voice over): In 1937, Butter's family fled to the Netherlands, but a German invasion in 1940 left them under Nazi oppression once again. First,
they were sent to a transit camp, and then to the Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp where Butter knew and frank before she died there.
Butter nearly suffered the same tragic fate.
BUTTER: After one year of horrible conditions, my family barely survived, not giving up hope was a very critical thing. To hope that the war would
end and I would survive.
WARD (voice over): Soon after, Butter's beloved father died on their train to freedom and her mother and brother were hospitalized and 14-year-old
Butter was sent to France then Algiers and finally the United States.
BUTTER: I was separated from my mother and my brother for 18 months before we were reunited in New York to start a new life.
WARD (voice over): In the U.S., Butter earned her doctorate and became a professor and started a family and now with grandchildren bearing witness
to her legacy.
SHIREEN NASSAR, GRANDDAUGHTER OF IRENE BUTTER: I actually heard about her story at a very, very young age. I remember being terrified. I feel very,
very fortunate to have a grandmother that is so, so strong, that has survived something like this. I have learned so much from her.
WARD (voice over): Telling others about her ordeal was not easy for Butter. It took four decades before she could relive what she had endured in the
holocaust.
WARD (on camera): What allowed you or what prompted you to take on in more public role in discussing what you went through?
BUTTER: Well, I would say one of the main influences was Eli Weasel, and I once heard him speak on the radio and he said if you were in the camps if
you smelled the air and heard the silence of the dead, then it is your duty to be a witness and to tell the story.
WARD (voice over): Since finding her voice, Butter has told her story around the world with the focus on speaking in schools.
BUTTTER: The responses that I receive from students to my story who put themselves in my shoes and try to relate their own lives to which that is
what gives me hope.
WARD (on camera): What do you want the younger generation, Shireen and Shireen's friends to take away from the horrors that you went through?
[11:55:00]
BUTTER: Well, I think that we learned something there again echoes of the holocaust and on January 6th, we saw it in our own country when there was
an attempted coup and rioting in Washington, D.C., and some of the rioters wore Nazi symbols and used Nazi slogans.
So it is right back here, and I think we learned from it. I think that we learned that democracy is vulnerable, and we cannot take anything for
granted. But it is up to us, to the people to preserve and protect our democratic institutions and our constitution.
WARD (voice over): Still, Butter has faith in humanity despite all of the atrocities she has faced.
BUTTER: There's good in every person. We are all made of the same fabric, regardless of nationality, ethnicity and religion I think that our humanity
overrides all of these differences.
WARD (voice over): Clarissa Ward, CNN.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
ANDERSON: An uplifting note to finish on, because those were of course unspeakable crimes, unconscionable horrors, it is so important, isn't it to
hear those stories from someone who was sadly witness to them. We will take a very short break. I'm Becky Anderson. After that, we will be back with
news from London on the updated Coronavirus regulations there. Important stuff, stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
