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CNN 10
Limiting the Movements of Americans; The Issue of Panic Buying; A Really Tiny Dinosaur; Virtual Games of Professional Athletes
Aired March 18, 2020 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Shutdowns, supply chains and a little tiny dinosaur are three of today`s topics on CNN 10. I`m Carl Azuz out of the
studio but still online and we thank you for taking the time to watch our show. We`ve reported on restaurants and nightclubs closing in other
countries as governments try to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 or corona virus pandemic. Now, this is happening in the United States. As of
11:59 p.m. on St. Patrick`s Day, movie theaters, gyms and bars in Miami, Florida were told to close their doors. Restaurants there are still
allowed to sell food but they`ve got to do that through take-out, delivery and drive-thru.
What`s happening in Miami is just one example of how American governments are reacting. These are some of the scenes from Colorado where restaurants
and gyms are among the businesses that are closed for 30 days. In Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Wisconsin and some other states, groups
of more than 50 people getting together in one place are banned. Concerts and parties, school events, business meetings, they`ve all been impacted.
Ohio called off its presidential primary on Tuesday though three other states still went ahead with theirs.
And the Federal government says Americans should avoid getting together in groups numbering more than 10 people. The thinking behind all of this is
that if people could keep their distance from one another, they`ll be less chance that they`ll spread corona virus around. COVID-19 is a new disease.
Health officials say people don`t have immunities to it. It appears to spread easily and it`s still mysterious to doctors. They don`t want a
situation in which local hospitals get overwhelmed with patients without enough health workers to take care of them.
So they`re increasingly encouraging Americans to stay home and some are warning that if we don`t a scenario like the lockdown in Italy is possible
when Americans are required to stay home. That`s happening in San Francisco, California. People there are only allowed to leave to go
grocery shopping, to the bank, to police, to the pharmacy or to get gasoline. Governments have the right to enforce this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Impressions right now about government mandated quarantines and how do you enforce those? So let me ask you this. What
legal authority does the government have to declare quarantines and how can a quarantine be enforced if someone violates it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, Anna (ph) so our government has very broad authority. I think broader than people may realize to order and enforce a
quarantine, meaning a restriction on people move into or out of either specific places or broader geographical regions. Now, under Federal law,
the government through the Department of Health and Human Services, has the authority to order a quarantine as necessary to prevent the spread of
communicable diseases. That can either be an isolation order on a specific individual known to have a certain condition or in rare cases we can see a
broader mass quarantine.
The last time we saw that was over 100 years ago in 1918-1919. There was a mass Federal quarantine when we had that different influenza outbreak.
Also, all 50 states have laws enabling governors to order quarantines. So how are these enforced? Well, first of all, you hope its - - its sort of
self-enforcing. You hope people do the right thing and obey but if not they can be enforced by fines and in some cases, some states and under
Federal law even by arrest and prosecution. We hope it doesn`t come to that. We hope everyone does the right thing but the government does have
the power if necessary to enforce a quarantine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Panic buying, which is what exactly what it sounds like, is being blamed for the empty store shelves that are becoming a more common sight
across America. Industry leaders say items like toilet paper are being produced and shipped just like they are in any other point of the year so
there`s not an actual shortage of this right now in terms of supply. But because there`s such an increase in demand, with people buying it as soon
as it hit`s the shelves, it`s creating a challenge for suppliers to keep up. One question is, could panic buying or just stocking up lead to real
shortages down the road.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Panic shoppers picking shelves clean. Stores closing early just so they can restock shelves. Restaurants limited
to just carry-out. Corona virus fears have Americans worrying about the once unthinkable. Could it soon be hard to find food in the U.S.?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No need to rush into the stores as if all of the food will be gone and there won`t be any left to restock. No. No problem with
the food supply chain and they will be able to restock the shelves.
SAVIDGE: Officials with Morton Williams Supermarkets in New York say traffic in their stores is up 300 to 400 percent. Online grocery delivery
service, Instacart says its saw its highest customer demand in the company`s history this past weekend. With customers downloading the app as
much as four times the normal rate. Twice Monday President Trump tweeted to try to quell shortage fears. Support your neighbors by not hoarding,
said one and we are confident that supply will continue to meet demand nationwide, said the other. On Sunday, the president spoke by phone with
more than two dozen grocery store and supply chain executives.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We had a long conversation with them and they`ve - - they`re going to work 24 hours around the clock keeping their stores
stocked.
SAVIDGE: The problem isn`t a shortage. Warehouses are full of nonperishable foods enough to last for months. But healthcare and consumer
industry groups are sounding the alarm, the supply chain could break down as more and more Americans stay home or fall ill leaving fewer and fewer
workers able to make, process, pack and deliver. And that`s not all. Groups representing such household names as Clorox, Proctor and Gamble and
Pepsi fear other countries cutting off exports to the U.S. in order to keep supplies for their own sick populations.
India, a major supplier of many drug ingredients to the U.S., has already limited exports of the painkiller acetaminophen. Germany has banned the
export of protective equipment like masks, gloves and suits. Then there are the millions of students who depend on meals from school lunch and
breakfast programs. The states shutdown schools indefinitely, fears grow kids could go hungry. In Texas, hundreds lined up for food handouts
organized by public schools in Houston. Similar programs are starting up all over the country. In Atlanta, Pet Yurda (ph) was grateful for the food
for children like her seven year old grandson.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Parents can`t afford to get the food. Yes, there`s food stamps but they do run out. So I think it`s a good program that
they`re offering to the kids.
SAVIDGE: Meanwhile food banks and food pantries are drafting emergency corona virus response plans. As officials worried the hunger safety net
for a whole population of Americans could soon be overwhelmed. Martin Savidge, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: 10 Second Trivia. Hummingbirds are the smallest birds. But what type of hummingbird is the smallest? Bee, Violet Ear, Hermit or Calliope.
The smallest of the hummingbirds is the Bee which is native to Cuba.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I first saw this specimen it just blew my mind. I have literally never seen anything like this. It`s even smaller than a
Bee hummingbird which is the smallest bird alive today. The fact the skull is very fused. The fact it has lots of teeth. The fact it has these
really big eyes all suggest that in spite of its teeny, tiny size it was a predator and it was probably feeding on small insects. When you have an
animal preserved in amber, it looks like it just died yesterday. All the soft tissue in place, trapped in this little, you know, window into an
ancient time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: So what are professional athletes doing with so many of their games cancelled? Some are still playing, video games. In fact, a number of
European soccer players are getting involved in a FIFA tournament in which each team picks one player to represent it online. We don`t know what the
prize is besides maybe bragging rights. But whether it`s FIFA or Fortnite, there`s a chance the person you`re playing and maybe baiting is a pro
athlete.
Unfortunately virtual winnings also come with virtual prize money. But it`s cool to think that a league of legends might be playing "League of
Legends". Practicing their "Minecraft" of the "Battlegrounds" of a "Battle Royale". Whether this turns into a months long global offensive or
hopefully just lasts for a "Fortnite" or two. I`m Carl Azuz. Joseph Case Junior High School. Shout out to all you Cardinals watching in Swansea,
Massachusetts. We found you on our You Tube channel at YouTube.com/cnn10.
END
