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Quest Means Business
Britain Begins Historic Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout; Trump Says He Will Use Defense Production Act On Vaccines If Needed; Britain's First Vaccine Recipient Says Go For It; Call To Earth Goes To The All-Women Team Deep In The Arctic Winter; Brexit Questions As Boris Johnson Goes To Brussels. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired December 08, 2020 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: As Biden said, we can do this. Thank you all so very much for being with me, each and every one of you: Sanjay, Gloria,
Abby, thank you for being with me.
I'm Brooke Baldwin. We will see you tomorrow. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.
[15:00:12]
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Yes, it is -- Richard Quest as we look at what's happening today. U.S. stocks are at record highs. The Dow is
up over 103 points. It's a gain of just over a third of a percent. The record high on the NASDAQ, as well.
Those are the markets and this is the day so far. Tonight, the path back begins right now. The first vaccinations of COVID. The pandemic have begun
in the United Kingdom.
Joe Biden reveals his plan for vaccines as Donald Trump tries to keep them inside the country.
And Britain goes back on its plans to break international law as the Brexit talks reach their endgame.
Live from New York, I'm Richard Quest on a Tuesday. It is December the 8th. I mean business, of course.
Good evening. Tonight, it's V-Day as in vaccines. Nearly nine months since the start of a global pandemic, the world is finally seeing that light at
the end of the tunnel.
The U.K. has become the first western country to administer a COVID vaccine. A landmark moment for the country and for the vaccine makers,
Pfizer and BioNTech.
Across the Atlantic, President Trump has doubled down on a vaccine rollout signing an Executive Order designed to help more Americans get access to
the vaccines, possibly at the cost of other countries. F.D.A. researchers have backed Pfizer's vaccine data ahead of a decision on its emergency use.
Let's begin though tonight in the United Kingdom which is celebrating a whole new kind of V-Day. Victory day, Vaccine day.
The country's vaccination drive against COVID is finally under way. The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted earlier, "We will beat this
together." Look at the picture.
But the inoculation seems just innocuous. However, the profundity of the moment was not lost on Britain's first patient to get the newly authorized
vaccine. Margaret Keenan had these words of encouragement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARGARET KEENAN, FIRST PATIENT TO RECEIVE AUTHORIZED COVID-19 VACCINE: I say, go for it. Go for it because it's free, and it's the best thing that's
ever happened at the moment, so do, please go for it. That's all I say, you know?
If I can do it, well, so can you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Go for it. Go for it. It's the best thing that's ever happened, she said. Perhaps those words inspired William Shakespeare who you see here,
followed right behind her. No, he is not the playwright. His 81-year-old namesake is one of the few, the happy few getting vaccinated under the
regulations on this memorable day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, SECOND PATIENT TO RECEIVE AUTHORIZED COVID-19 VACCINE: Groundbreaking, I think. It could make a difference to our lives from now
on, couldn't it?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Groundbreaking, so far, so good. Best thing that's ever happened. With those words, we underline something important to realize. The global
effort to fight this disease has now begun in all its majesty.
But it is happening one person at a time, starting with those patients today in the U.K.
CNN's Max Foster report from Wales on this historic day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Let the mass immunization program begin. Ninety-year-old Margaret Keenan making history as the first
person in England and indeed, the world to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine outside of trial.
But stealing the show was none other than 81-year-Old William Shakespeare coming in second giving a glimmer of hope in this winter of discontent.
The hospital in-patient, he got the shot just 20 miles from Stratford-upon- Avon, Shakespeare's birth place.
SHAKESPEARE: Groundbreaking, I think. It could make a difference to our lives from now on, couldn't it? It's started changing our lives and our
lifestyle.
FOSTER (voice over): In neighboring Wales, frontline health and social workers were put to front of the line.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Before, you know it, it's all over. Look, not even a mark.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Okay, thank you.
[15:05:01]
FOSTER (on camera): Were you nervous at all beforehand?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not, particularly, no.
FOSTER: Do you feel like you're part of history?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
NUALA MAHON, IMMUNIZATION COORDINATOR, CARDIFF AND VALE UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD: It's just so exciting to be able to begin this and be part of that
history.
FOSTER (on camera): In many ways, it feels like a regular vaccination clinic, but the National Health Service has described this as a turning
point in the global pandemic. We can't tell you where we are, but there are people turning up outside hoping to get vaccine. It's strictly invitation
only.
FOSTER (voice over): Everyone who gets the shot is issued with a card, a simple reminder the government says to come back for a second dose in three
weeks' time and behind the scenes, pharmacists had to be brought in to help prepare the injections.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Normally, vaccines would arrive in a ready prepared syringe, ready for administration. This vaccine has to be diluted and then
individual doses, five doses taken out each of the individual vials.
FOSTER (on camera): So a big learning curve for you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely.
FOSTER (voice over): Lessons learned here informing the rest of the Western world as others prepare for mass vaccinations, too.
FOSTER (on camera): The world is watching.
TRACY MEREDITH, LOCALITY MANAGER, CARDIFF AND VALE UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD: So we are the frontline.
FOSTER: They will be learning from your example.
MEREDITH: Yes, well, I hope so.
FOSTER: What's your message though?
MEREDITH: My message is, I think, get everybody in and get everybody vaccinated. Obviously, it's a choice. But we are here to look after
everyone and for everyone to look after each other, so please, get vaccinated.
FOSTER (voice over): This moment in history not lost on the nurses who have had toughest year of their careers.
Max Foster, CNN, Cardiff, Wales.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Salma Abdelaziz has been watching the way the operation was played in London. She is with me now. It is so ordinary and at the same time, so
remarkable.
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: You sort of have to keep pinching yourself, Richard to remember exactly what is happening here today. I'm outside of
one of Guy's Hospital, also one of the 50 vaccination centers across England, and we did see one gentleman coming out, he was 91 years old. He
had his vaccination reminder card in his hand.
He was talking about how much this meant to him and his ability now to spend more time with the family, spend more time with his grandchildren and
it is moments like these where you really take a step back, Richard, and you realize, wow. This is historical. This is the beginning of the end.
This means so much to so many people who have had their families torn apart, their businesses shut down. So much loss here and now, finally to
see a light at the end of the tunnel as you've been saying, and particularly to see people like William Shakespeare and grandmother Maggie
being the face of this campaign, after all, these were the types of people we were worried about, our elderly relatives, our grandparents, and now,
finally, here it is: the vaccination program, the start of it -- Richard.
QUEST: But what I think is also fascinating about this is the organizational structure that's been put into place. I mean, this is -- you
know, for all the criticisms of government, this is what government is for, to be able to undertake these vast programs and do it across the country.
ABDELAZIZ: That's absolutely right, and let's talk about the logistics because it is complicated. Then there will be hiccups. So let's start by
explaining why that is.
Well, this vaccine has to be held at extra cold temperatures, that's negative 70 degrees Celsius, negative 94 Fahrenheit. It is also held in
(audio gap) one N.H.S. person described it with 975 doses in that box.
Once you open that box, you can't put any doses back in. You have to use all 975 doses and that box can only be transported four times. Okay, so
I've already laid out just a few of the complexities for you. There are many, many more.
But what that means in practical terms is that although the advice to the government had been to vaccinate people in nursing homes first, the elderly
first who are residing in those care homes, well, in practical terms, they need the refrigeration capacity to be able to hold this vaccine. That's why
it's in those refrigerators behind me. They need to have enough people to use up those 975 doses.
That's why it is that hospital behind me. They also need to be able to access these people inside this hospital so that they could use all of
those doses and they can't transport it more than four times. So again, another challenge.
So there are a lot of challenges here, Richard, but as you've said, massive logistical feat, largest vaccine rollout in the U.K.'s history. It's a
really significant, heartwarming moment here -- Richard.
QUEST: Right. Thank you, Salma. Salma Abdelaziz in London.
And if you're wondering why we are spending so much time talking about what might just be happening in one country in London, well, of course, it is
the first country and the protocols that they will be using will be happening in your country if it's using the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccines,
which do require these specific numbers.
[15:10:10]
QUEST: The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine demands a number of logistical challenges. As you heard, storing it extremely low temperatures. The two
doses which need to be administered three weeks apart.
And once thawed, the doses have to be used within six hours or thrown out.
Marcel Levi is the CEO of University College London Hospitals and joins me now.
Marcel, you're not one of the first 50, but you will be getting your -- you will be getting your vaccines and I guess, you'd like to have been in the
first 50 but you'll be learning from Guy's and the Royal three and others, you'll be learning the tricks of dealing with this rather tricky vaccine.
MARCEL LEVI, CEO, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON HOSPITAL: Yes. That's absolutely true, Richard and to be totally honest, personally, I already
had my vaccine in July and August because I was participating in one of the clinical trials.
But most of my colleagues in the healthcare system will get their vaccines in the next few weeks and months.
QUEST: The way in which this is being done, I mean, this vaccine is not terribly user friendly. It can only be moved four times for some reason,
best known to the manufacturers. Would you be happier with the Oxford- AstraZeneca even though in the certain tests they have a 70 percent efficacy?
LEVI: Yes, absolutely, Richard. So, I think, this is just a temporary problem. So, the RNA vaccine of Pfizer and the same is true for the Moderna
will have these limitations, but there are many vaccines in the pipeline and AstraZeneca is one of them.
And actually, in one of their dosing schemes, they reached a similar, more than 95 percent efficacy compared to the Pfizer vaccine. We will hear very
soon from the regulatory authorities whether they are going to approve this. But that's already going to be much easier to handle with.
And there are other vaccines in the pipeline that need to be administered only once. So, this is not the end of the story.
QUEST: There are two other aspects of course, for some like yourself running a large hospital system. The first is your beds are filling up with
COVID patients. And the second is, you know, putting off -- I was going to say elective surgeries or elective treatments, but in many cases, they are
not elective. It could be cancer treatment and things like that.
LEVI: Yes. Absolutely true. So, we do see a lot of COVID patients in the hospital in intensive care. To be totally honest, we are very busy at the
moment with mostly with non-COVID care, big operations that need to be for cancer patients, heart operations and so forth, and we do not stop them as
we did in March and April.
We are completely open for them and that makes the hospital a very busy place at the moment.
QUEST: What's the one thing that we learned? Obviously treatments and regimens and all sorts of things, but if you think back to the beginning of
the crisis when ventilators, if not common, were certainly used more often, now the number of use of ventilations have dropped dramatically and the
mortality still distressing, is much less. What's the one thing that's changed?
LEVI: Oh, well, Richard, there is not one thing that changed. I think that there is at least 10 things that have changed. We know much better how to
anticoagulated our patients, so they don't have thrombotic complications. We are giving them dexamethasone, so that we can actually treat their
inflammatory response.
We have learned that noninvasive ventilation is particularly good in this type of patients. So as many new things and medicine, we have a learning
curve and it's really very rapidly paying off.
So mortality in the most feared cases is so much lower than we saw in the spring of 2020. It is actually medicine at its best. We are learning very
rapidly and the results are getting better and better all the time.
QUEST: By the time we get to the general population in Britain, and it will be the same in other countries, too, the vaccinations, will they still be
done do you think in major vaccination centers or will it eventually devolve to your local GP?
LEVI: Yes. Good question. So, in the U.K. and I think in many other European countries, we are thinking of a mixed system so we will have
hospital-based vaccination. We will also have GP based vaccination for more vulnerable patients who do not want to go to a mass vaccination center.
[15:15:03]
LEVI: And we will also have community organizations that will go into care homes and will vaccinate the patients who are there. And while they are
there, they can also vaccinate the staff who are working in these centers.
QUEST: Right. Marcel, good to talk to you, sir. Let's check in again once you've gotten your vaccines and you're up and running and you can give us a
real-life description of how things are going. I appreciate your time.
But we should just pause for moment and reflect. The crucial part in all of this is you and me, the viewer. Which of you will step forward and take the
vaccine? I'll put my hand up now, I'll take tomorrow if they will give it to me.
There are those of you who can't wait. I'm up with of them and there are those of you less keen, perhaps worried about safety, of if you're going on
an individualistic "I have a right not to be vaccinated." The anti-vaxxers to who deal in misinformation and conspiracy theories.
It's not easy to predict who is keen and who isn't. I would have thought firemen would have most certainly want to take it, but a recent poll in New
York said more than half of New York's firefighters wouldn't get the Pfizer vaccine if they were offered it.
If you're in two minds tonight, take it from someone who did it, who has lived through the Second World War and is proud to say, 91-year-old Martin
Kenyon. He said he was doing it and he wanted to do it now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN KENYON, 91-YEAR-OLD COVID-19 VACCINE RECIPIENT: I said what's this thing you're doing? The vaccination? Yes, it is, and then they spent
various time asking me questions about this and that, not very interesting and I said, yes, no, yes, no. And they said, well, come at half past 12.
Of course, I couldn't damn well find anywhere to park my car, so I was late. It didn't hurt at all. I didn't know the needle had gone in until it
had come out. It's very interesting. No, it was painless.
That from now on, I am not going to have the bloody bug now. I don't intend to have it because I've got granddaughters and I want to live a long time
to enjoy their lives.
Well, there is no point of dying now when I have lived this long, is there?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: If 91-year-old, Martin can take it, I can too and so can the rest of us. Back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: President Trump says he will do everything he can to make sure Americans can get vaccinated as soon as possible and that includes
compelling drug makers to act. The President doubts he'll have to do this. He spoke a short time ago at an Operation Warp Speed Summit in Washington.
[15:20:13]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have worked very well with the companies, but if for any reason we have any problems, we will be
instituting the Defense Production Act and we will make sure that we don't have any problems for very long. We have instituted it before.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Stephen Collinson is in Washington and joins me now. Stephen, what's this about? I mean, what's the fear here that Pfizer will be sending all
the stuff elsewhere?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: I think this Executive Order that the President signed today, Richard, that supposedly guarantees
Americans vaccines before everybody else is actually quite a lot of theater. Just reading it, it is not sure what authority the President has.
A lot of these vaccines have all been ordered by these other countries from Pfizer. It is politics. The President is trying to claim credit in the
dying days of his administration for developing this vaccine so quickly.
And what we saw today, we saw the President to a great extent playing politics with this and the President-elect over in Wilmington, Delaware
trying to jump into this political vacuum that's opened up during this disputed transition to try and get his administration, which will be
actually responsible for vaccinating most Americans up and running very quickly and calling on Congress to fully fund his vaccination effort.
QUEST: So 100 million vaccines in 100 days along with 100-day asking Americans to wear masks. But this isn't a mandate, is it?
COLLINSON: No. The President can require transportation authorities for example via Executive Order to require people to wear masks, but he doesn't
really want to go into the whole issue of a new President who by the way, thanks to President Trump's effort to cast his victory as illegitimate is
already going to have trouble getting the support of half the country.
He doesn't want to go and sort of make and try to make masks compulsory even if he could, which he probably can't from a legal and a constitutional
basis.
You know that figure of 100 million inoculations over a hundred days is quite interesting because it is somewhat lower than Moncef Slaoui has been
promising, the man who is in charge of the Trump administration's vaccination effort, he is talking about getting every American vaccinated
by the end of May.
I think it does show that the Biden administration, the incoming administration doesn't have a good fix on exactly how the Trump
administration has planned this out. I think that Slaoui and the Biden team are meeting later this week. They may get some more clarity, but 100
million over a hundred days seems realistic, but you have to think that they probably think they can get more than that done, but they are just
being careful right now.
QUEST: Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. Thank you.
As Stephen was saying, the President is bringing his America First policy to the vaccine race. A few moments ago, the Executive Order was signed. It
prioritizes shipments to the U.S. above other countries. This comes after a report the White House passed up the chance to buy more Pfizer doses when
it had the opportunity in the summer.
It is unclear exactly if the President's order is enforceable because when it comes to actual preorders, Canada has the most doses by person, then
Australia, the U.K. and the E.U. and then, United States according to Airfinity.
Jacqueline Howard is from CNN Health and Jacqueline is with me now. So, as I understand it, these vaccines, are they made in the U.S. or are they made
at the Pfizer factory over in Belgium and being brought into the U.S.?
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Well it's really interesting, Richard. Part of this Executive Order and the White House just released,
you know, a press release and statement on this now. The White House press release and statement said that this order is in regard to vaccines that
were developed with help and with some support from taxpayer dollars, and so they are kind of hinting at the Operation Warp Speed that we have here
in the United States.
But like you said, Richard, there's still a lot that's unclear. There are many questions that are left unanswered. For instance, what does this order
mean for those contracts that Pfizer has with other countries? And even our former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Scott
Gottlieb, he said in an interview earlier today on the network CNBC that he wasn't even that clear on what this means.
He specifically said, quote, "I don't know what the legal authorities are. I suspect that there are authorities that the administration could invoke
that would break some agreements that Pfizer or other companies might have struck with other countries."
But Richard, he went on to say, quote, "Bear in mind, the countries that the vaccine was sold to are our close allies."
So this is -- you know, there are so many questions left unanswered but we also have to keep in mind the timing of the order today that was held --
you know, that was signed -- excuse me -- during a Summit, and this summit today comes a day after there were reports that the country -- excuse me,
the administration did not order some additional vaccines from Pfizer over the summer.
[15:25:36]
HOWARD: So there is a lot happening, and again, it is unclear, but we can't ignore the timing of this and you know what it means.
QUEST: Right, I mean, I am not an expert in purchasing vaccines by any stretch, but the administration's answer on that is well, hang on a second.
We were buying an unproven technology and we were buying many others at the same time. Would it have been prudent to have bought more and put more tax
dollars at risk?
HOWARD: Right, yes that was their response there and again, that decision was made over the summer according to reports, so it was at a time when,
you know, like you said, there were still a lot of questions around what the country would need.
So, again, it is all interesting Richard, the timing as well as what this means moving forward, but overall, we also have to keep in mind, yes, this
order was just signed today.
However, the Trump administration is going to transition to the Biden administration in January, in the next couple of months, and so what then
will happen once we do have new leadership here in the United States, what does that mean for the order and how might things change?
So we have to keep in mind that we might see some changes early next year as well.
QUEST: Well, thank you. Good to see you. Thank you very much indeed.
And to the markets, we have got records: all the major indices are eyeing new highs after being down in the morning. The NASDAQ looks set for its
second closing record in a row. The S&P 500 is on track for a record as well.
Lots of bells, why not? The Dow isn't far off, not quite there at the moment, but we are over 30,000.
As QUEST MEANS BUSINESS continues tonight, the restaurant industry has been devastated by COVID-19. It says it can't wait any longer for help. One
association is pleading for a lifeline and predicting things are about to get a great deal worse.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:30:10]
QUEST: Hello, I'm Richard Quest. There's more QUEST MEANS BUSINESS in just a moment.
When -- the shot that's heard around the world. A look at how Britain's vaccine program could offer lessons to other nations as they get ready to
do the same.
The vaccine may not arrive soon enough, though, to save businesses in California. The mayor of Long Beach will be with us tonight about going
back into lockdown.
Before we get to any of that, this is CNN and on this network, the facts always come first.
President Elect Joe Biden says he aims to have 100 million Americans take their first COVID vaccine shots during his first 100 days in office.
In the last hour Mr. Biden introduced the health team that he's has chosen the fight the pandemic and said his plan will focus on masks, vaccinations
and getting kids back to school.
Sources tell CNN that U.S. President Elect Joe Biden will nominate the retired army general Lloyd Austin for secretary of defense. If confirmed,
he would be the first Black men to lead the Pentagon.
He'll need a congressional waiver because he only retired four years ago. The usual rule is seven years and some Democrats are expressing concerns of
a military man with such recent service.
A source tells CNN Donald Trump's campaign attorney Jenna Ellis has tested positive for the virus.
It comes days after the president's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, was put into hospital with COVID-19. Both traveled the country last week
challenging election results and frequently did not wear masks.
Joe Biden says things will get a great deal worse before they get better. The U.S. president elect said urgent action is needed to distribute the
vaccine properly.
He was speaking a few moments ago when he made clear he's putting science at the center of the battle.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: Masking, vaccinations, opening schools; these are the three key goals for my first 100 days.
But we'll still have much to do in the year ahead and sadly, much difficulty as well. We'll be far, far from done.
Yet it's possible after 100 days we'll be much further along in the fight against this pandemic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Biden's new health team won't be able to turn things around fast enough for thousands of U.S. restaurants.
The National Restaurant expects 10,000 will close in the next three weeks, only three weeks.
The group's warning comes as New York prepares to tighten restrictions on indoor dining.
Most of California's already in lockdown after a sharp rise in cases. The mayor of Long Beach says he knows these closures have been devastating so
he's proposing a $5 million resiliency fund that will help businesses hit hardest.
The mayo is with me now. Mayor Robert Garcia joins me. Mr. Mayor, thank you.
And look, I know that neither governor nor mayor nor county manager, nobody wants the lockdowns. But you are in the business of putting a price on
lives versus livelihoods, aren't you?
MAYOR ROBERT GARCIA (D), LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA: Absolutely. I think, first of all, we all know that the loss of business and small businesses is
devastating to workers, to the people that are investing, to small business owners and their families. So it's awful and horrific all across the United
States.
At the same time we're having a massive public health crisis where hospitalizations are spiking and cases are going through the roof.
Just here in Long Beach we broke every single record today on hospitalizations and positive case rates and that's happening across the
United States.
So we have to put the priority on ensuring that there's open beds in our hospitals and in our intensive care units. That has to be the priority.
So we're trying to bring on board other types of remedies and support for other small businesses.
QUEST: But do we --
GARCIA: But we also know that it's hard. It's not a perfect system.
QUEST: Do we or do you and your experts understand the true mechanism of transmission? I don't mean whether it's air or on the ground, what
circumstances?
[15:35:00]
If you look at many countries you can have families, two families mixing only outdoors with a third family if they go to -- really complicated rules
and regulations. Even in your places.
You've closed museums, aquariums, playgrounds, personal care services in limiting indoor occupancy -- but isn't the main chain of transmission in
the home?
GARCIA: Well, I think if you follow what the CDC is saying and what the experts are saying then absolutely, the main form of transmissions are
happening in these gatherings that are happening with multifamily and multipeople in homes or in private settings.
But we also know that the riskiest behavior happens when folks are not masked. And so when there are folks that are not masked and they are close
together and they're from multi-households, that's also where great transmission is happening.
That's what's, of course, been very clear from all the science that's out there currently.
What we also know in California is that the first lockdown worked so we're trying that again. And I support the governor's position on that.
QUEST: Yes. But the first lockdown, as indeed in all of the other lockdowns, worked because they were draconian. And, arguably, the way we
opened up afterwards was the problem.
But here, Mr. Mayor, you've got a $5 million resiliency fund. You know as well as I do that's a nice chunk, sum of money, but it's not going be
enough. We're looking at the wholesale destruction of the High Street in many cases.
GARCIA: Well, I think first that's an amount of money for one industry that gets matched with the county and there's different politics of money for
different industries.
So it's millions, tens of millions of dollars, that are going to back into small businesses. But still, that will not be enough.
We can't defend that this isn't going to the impact local economy or not hurt businesses or workers. That is going to happen.
At the same time we have the put public life and ensuring -- I talk to the heads of the hospitals all the time. We have to ensure that there's enough
ICU beds and the capacity for doctors and nurses to take care of people who are sick.
If someone gets sick and needs a hospital bed, we have to make sure there's one available. And right now, we're at 90 percent full of our ICU hospital
beds in the entire Southern California region in California.
QUEST: Which bit --
GARCIA: That is (inaudible).
QUEST: Which bit of wear a mask, it's the simplest thing you can do, keep your distance and wash your hands. Which bit of this are people finding
difficult?
How on earth can your ICUs be back up to 90 percent -- and you're not alone, of course -- many places in Europe -- or even higher. But how on
earth are we back where we were when we know the answer?
GARCIA: Well, I know the answer in the United States. I think when our president has White House Christmas parties and huge rallies and no one's
wearing mask and that level of example to a country is problematic.
And so it's an exact opposite of what mayors and governors on the ground are saying. And that kind of behavior has led, in my opinion, to the
massive disruption and the pandemic situation that we're currently in.
QUEST: Mr. Mayor, we have a QUEST MEANS BUSINESS promise coming up. I promise as soon as we can we're going to come to Long Beach in California
and present QUEST MEANS BUSINESS from Long Beach. And we hope you'll join us on the program.
It's a beautiful part of the world and it'll give me a good chance to come and visit.
GARCIA: Hundred percent. Thank you.
QUEST: Excellent. Coming up on QUEST MEANS BUSINESS. Polar bears at your doorstep. No electricity or running water. All to draw the world's
attention to climate change.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:40:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: "Call to Earth." A call to action for the environment where we're going to share solutions to critical issues like global warming, plastic
waste, deforestation.
Now this week, we're all about Arctic. Championing some of the people who are working to protect the region's wildlife and environment.
In today's report, the first all-women team to overwinter in the Arctic to highlight climate change.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NARRATOR: These two women have spent over 8,000 hours together in a small cabin in the Arctic with no electricity or running water.
HILDE FALUN STROM, CO-FOUNDER, HEARTS IN THE ICE: The only neighbors that we have around us in miles and miles of is polar bears and reindeers and
polar foxes.
NARRATOR: Their mission, to draw attention to climate change with their online platform Hearts in the Ice.
Both experienced polar explorers Sunniva Sorby and Hilde Falum Strom left for the Arctic in September of 2019.
FALUN STROM: We have been up here in Svalbard at a remote trapper's cabin called Bamsebu.
NARRATOR: Enduring months of total darkness, the sun finally rose in spring and they became the first all-women team to overwinter in the Arctic.
FALUN STROM: Today is March 9th. It's a full moon and the first time that I see the sun since October.
NARRATOR: The pair have been working as citizen scientists collecting data for organizations like the Norwegian Polar Institute and NASA.
Their days are spent sampling ice cores and monitoring wildlife, sometimes at very close range.
FALUN STROM: We've had many polar bear meetings and encounters at the doorstep.
We both had seen huge changes in the climate both in the Antartic area where Sunniva is working and for me up here in the Artic.
mats.
SUNNIVA SORBY, CO-FOUNDER, HEARTS IN THE ICE: We're at this tipping point now where not only are we able the see the changes around us but we can
create stories around them. To better understand even who we are as people.
NARRATOR: They have reached over 5,000 children through online educational forums. Creating stories to inspire the next generation.
FALUN STROM: We can tell you a bit about polar bears and why the ice is important for them. The biggest polar bear that we had a visitor was 600
kilo, he was almost as big as the hut.
NARRATOR: When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they were unable to return home in May as planned and extended their stay through the summer making it to
the town of Longyearbyen in Norway 140 kilometers away to restock.
Then after taking some time to see family in the fall, Sorby and Falun Strom decided to return to Bamsebu in October for yet another winter.
FALUN STROM: I think we both feel it's more important than ever so this gives us an opportunity to broaden our platform.
SORBY: With Hearts in the Ice, we're just trying to provide a vehicle through which to share some ideas and inspiration and resources.
We're not trying to save the world but we are trying to tell people that the world needs saving.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Brilliant. Absolutely magnificent. And we'll continue showcasing inspirational stories like that.
[15:45:00]
It's part of a fundamental initiative that we have here at CNN. And you're part of it, of course, you're doing your bit.
Tell us what you're doing. Use the hashtag #calltoearth.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: Britain and Brussels appear to have got past major sticking point in the Brexit negotiations.
The U.K. now says it will scrap a clause that would break international law in legislation relating to the Northern Irish border.
The pound which had fallen sharply in the past few days recouped some of its losses against the dollar following that news.
Nic Robertson is with me from London, our international editor, diplomatic editor. And Nic, hang on a second. Hang on.
The prime minister went to the ramparts for this clause. He took international approbation over it, an opprobrium. Why's he dropped it?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, one of the people throwing opprobrium at him was President Elect Joe Biden who was saying
look, don't expect to get a quick or easy trade deal with the United States if you continue with these clauses that could damage peace in Northern
Ireland.
But I think look, let's just break this down and see what happened today. And I think it's very instructive to go back to this morning when we as we
heard from Germany's minister of Europe.
And I'm going to read you what he said because these words play precisely to what you're talking about here.
He said -- "Let me be clear the future relationship is based on trust and confidence. It is precisely this confidence" -- it is precisely this
confidence that's at stake in the negotiations right now.
And that confidence was provided with the British backed down on those contentious clauses today.
So you have this narrative that now there's an obstacle that's been removed, this has created momentum. But the hard reality is --
QUEST: Right.
ROBERTSON: -- that they're still far apart on these three other main issues, Richard.
QUEST: Fisheries, there's the fisheries issues that they're far apart on. Level --
ROBERTSON: The level playing field --
QUEST: Level playing field.
ROBERTSON: -- and governance.
QUEST: And governance. Right, now makes them think -- the usual thing here at this point is as Alex Stubb is always fond of saying is they'll come --
there'll be a lot of noise and fury and they'll come up with a sub-optimal deal.
But they can't do that here because the French, the Belgians and others will be up in arms if too much is given away on these three issues.
[15:50:00]
ROBERTSON: Richard, we're talking about the European Union and Britain that has been part of it. But we can't really say that they can't come up with a
deal.
Yes, it would be hugely tough for Boris Johnson to come back to London after going to Brussels tomorrow to meet Ursula von der Leyen, the European
Commission president, and to come back and to have to say I didn't get everything I wanted. He's got try to get that.
But the reality is look at the last two British prime ministers who went to Brussels cap in hand wanting something.
David Cameron got three and-a-half or was it four and-a-half out of five. Theresa May didn't get it. No British prime minister's ever gone to
Brussels and got everything they wanted. Johnson has to know that.
But he also has to know and the E.U. has to know he has to be able get something that he can sell when he comes back home.
So these -- we shouldn't underestimate the scale of the gap that's left on these issues. Not to say that bridges can't be built across those gaps.
QUEST: All right. But Nic, humor me and assume for the purpose of this question the deal is done in the way we believe it's on the table. A skinny
deal.
What does that mean on January first? Does that mean a de facto customs clearance or will we see customs zones?
ROBERTSON: Richard, we just don't know because we don't know what its going to look like yet.
If it's the zero quotas -- if it's the no quotas and zero tariffs then that's going to be a good bit easier than not getting a deal.
The reality is that the actual physical people that have to cross the border with the physical goods, the truckers, et cetera are not best placed
to manage the change because they don't know where the -- they don't know the precise nature, the mechanics of the change. So it's very hard to
prepare for it.
So what's going to happen at those different borders? Remember, it'll be different on the border between G.B. Mainland and Northern Ireland as well.
there's going to be differences there that are entirely new, that haven't been seen before.
And there's been discussion about -- deep discussion about that and where E.U. monitors would be perhaps in Northern Ireland to oversee some of these
details.
But at the channel crossings where you get most of the traffic, obviously - -
QUEST: Right.
ROBERTSON: -- Dover, the Channel Tunnel, et cetera, it's just not clear the nature of obstacles that people physically crossing with physical goods are
going to face.
QUEST: Right.
ROBERTSON: Boris Johnson today said come what may, it's going to change and it is. But the nature of that change --
QUEST: 24 days.
ROBERTSON: -- is still an unknown --
QUEST: Twenty-four --
ROBERTSON: -- and that's troubling.
QUEST: Twenty-four days, Nic, before it changes. And we Don't know. And Nic Robertson, you'll be watching closely, you have a busy 24 days ahead of
you, sir. I'm grateful. Thank you.
Now whatever Britain's future in the E.U., the events of today, V-Day, are worth another look.
We're not talking about victory as with Winston Churchill in the Second World War. And there won't be an iconic image of people celebrating like
the Times Square couple who inspired this statute (ph).
This V stands for Vaccine. In 2020, the world's hopes fits into a tiny vial.
And as we've been reporting, the very first people in the Western World outside of clinical trials are now getting vaccinated.
This was the first person, 90-year-old Margaret Keenan -- God bless her -- in Coventry, England.
Phil Black has more on an incredibly busy day for both people like Margaret and Britain's National Health Service.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Vaccinations are usually routine, boring. Not today.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: It's very, very exciting.
CROWD: (Applause)
MICHAEL TIBBS, COVID-19 VACCINE RECIPIENT: Are you clapping her or me?
BLACK: World War II veteran, Michael Tibbs, says he didn't even feel the needle.
TIBBS: Yes, I'm very lucky, really. I hope that everybody will afford it and had it. Because it's really no problem at all.
BLACK: Someone had to go first.
CROWD: (Applause)
BLACK: The honor went to Maggie Keenan. The almost 91-year old grandmother says the vaccine is a wonderful early birthday present.
MAGGIE KEENAN, FIRST COVID-19 VACCINE RECIPIENT: I say go for it, go for it because it's free. And it's the best thing that's ever happened at the
moment. So do, please, go for it. That's all I say. If I can do it, well, so can you.
BLACK: Our winter of discontent made gloriously hopeful by science.
But no poetry from this William Shakespeare or plain Bill to his friends. Just awe for an historic medical achievement.
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, SECOND COVID-19 VACCINE RECIPIENT: Ground-breaking, I think. It could make a difference to our lives from now on, couldn't it?
[15:55:00]
BLACK: Across the U.K., the first jabs inspired one overwhelming feeling among those receiving them. Gratitude.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Congratulations.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Ah, thank you. Thank you.
BLACK: And another emotion for the staff of Britain's already venerated National Health Service.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I'm so very proud to be part of the NHS right now.
In Edinburgh, Dr. Linda Watson was among the first medical staff to receive the vaccine. Her message --
DR. LINDA WATSON, NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE: To be hopeful for next year but don't change behaviors yet.
This is why I'm still wearing mask. It's important to keep social distancing, doing all the safety behaviors for a few good months yet. But
we're turning a corner now.
BLACK: There is still so much work to do. But day one of Britain's mass vaccination program was emotional and inspiring. An extraordinary
scientific and logistical effort mobilized to protect the country's most vulnerable.
And it means Martin Kenyon will get to hug the people he loves once again.
MARTIN KENYON: I hope I'm not going to have the bloody bug now. I don't intend to have it because I've got granddaughters and I want to live a long
time to enjoy their lives.
BLACK (On Camera): Phil Black. CNN, Edinburgh.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Tonight's "Profitable Moment" to bring you.
Just think about it. On the one hand we have the enormous nature of calamity, catastrophe and disaster that has been COVID -- lockdowns,
deaths, job losses, families disrupted or destroyed.
On this side of the equation, it is vast -- it has affected every single one of us in some shape or form.
And yet in just nine months, on this side of the equation, they have created a vaccine. Yes, they actually created it quite quickly --
apparently it was tricky but it wasn't that difficult. But that's not the point.
The point is on a balance of disaster versus efforts needed to what had to be done, well, you can see exactly how it all comes together.
And to be -- it is simply remarkable the way tonight we're able to sort of look at what's happened and say well done.
And that's QUEST MEANS BUSINESS for tonight. I'm Richard Quest in New York. Whatever you're up to in the hours ahead, I hope it is profitable.
I'll see you tomorrow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: This is CNN. Now "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper in progress.
END
