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CNN 10
The Impact of COVID-19 on Holy Week; Beneficial Blood of Corona Virus Survivors; The Perseverance of CNN Heroes
Aired April 07, 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: How is COVID-19 affecting Holy Week? That`s our first subject today on CNN 10. I`m Carl Azuz and we`re grateful to have
you watching. Easter is this coming weekend on April 12th. It`s the most significant holiday for the world`s largest religion. More than 31 percent
of the global population is Christian. There are several events leading up to Easter like Palm Sunday and Good Friday that make up Holy Week. This
Wednesday evening is when the Jewish holiday of Passover begins and the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan starts on April 23rd. But we`re living in a
historic time when people are being told or ordered not to gather in groups, not to celebrate holy events in the company of others.
Many churches have been empty for weeks. Voluntarily holding their worship services online instead of in the buildings. Some states have allowed
churches to remain open even with stay-at-home orders in place and some have banned religious gatherings along with other events. But this has
created tension in places like Tampa Bay, Florida and Baton Rouge, Louisiana where pastors have been arrested for holding services despite
stay-at-home orders. When Baton Rouge`s Life Tabernacle Church held services on Sunday for 1,200 people, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards
said it was quote "grossly irresponsible" adding that people sitting in close proximity for an hour or more makes the spread of corona virus more
likely.
Reverend Tony Spell (ph) who leads the church says the right to worship freely doesn`t come from the government. It comes from God and his
attorney told the Rueters news agency that churchgoers stayed at least six feet from each other. While debate continues between those who want to
worship together and the advice that people stay apart, the fight continues against corona virus and the blood of survivors is being used to help those
who are dangerously sick.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN REPORTER: The anti-body rich plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients is valuable to hospitals because they can use it to treat
current patients who are in dire straights. Here at St. Joseph`s Hospital in Orange, one of the only in the west, they found their man Jason Garcia,
36 years old, recovered from COVID-19. Garcia was going through some tough times of his own. He had been isolated from his family inside his house.
He couldn`t even pick up his 11 month old daughter. He was getting served food underneath the door but once Garcia (ph) recovered they found that
they could use him here. He donated his A+ blood to one person at this hospital who is undergoing some very tough times. They say that patient
turned around. Then blood went to a second patient, it will go to a third and Garcia is ecstatic.
JASON GARCIA: It felt amazing. It felt good. I`m glad that, you know, that - - that the nightmare of testing positive and the fear, the dread to,
you know, know that I recovered and now that this bad thing can now potentially. You know, my antibodies are there to give to other people and
potentially, you know, help them fight - - the fight that they are having problems with, you know, and - - and pretty much help them fight the fight
of their lives and survive. And so, I`m glad that this turned out to be a positive thing.
VERCAMMEN: So using the blood from somebody who has survived the disease is a long time strategy and now the FDA has approved two trials of
treatments from COVID-19 survivors like Jason. And this is going to be developed in other areas around the country, no doubt. Reporting from
Orange, California I`m Paul Vercammen. Now back to you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: 10 Second Trivia. The pena, the malleus and the stapes are all parts of what? An ear, a ship, a drum or a knee. If you`re a mammal and
you are, you have all of these as parts of your ear.
The Half Helen Foundation is the work of a CNN Hero to give free hearing and vision screenings to kids at school. School is shutdown so the group
found a work around and that`s something all CNN Heroes have in common. These are ordinary people making extraordinary differences in their
communities and the corona virus pandemic is just another speed bump that they`re getting over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: COVID-19 has been a whirlwind.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hope everyone is navigating these uncertain times with caution and care.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This pandemic is incredibly challenging for each and every one of us but it`s especially so for those in high poverty
communities like the one we serve.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Many of us are working with vulnerable populations some of which are going to be the hardest hit by this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are thinking about the families that we support who have critically ill babies in the neonatal intensive care unit at this
time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have individuals with neurological (inaudible) stay out of the hospital.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today 700 kids were in our foster care and they need our comfort cases.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Normally my students access free breakfast and lunch everyday at school but with school closed we are now responsible for
providing these meals.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had to shutdown programming immediately.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Unfortunately our educational programs are on hold.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today I had to shut our doors.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The COVID-19 pandemic has closed our program for several weeks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That means we`re caring for 25 homeless hospice dogs without the help of any volunteers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s more than just the physical training that people are missing. It`s the social interaction, the craziness, the fun, the
laughs we all have together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And that`s why we`ve implemented a new program that offers free counseling to our clients in need.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Team Rubicon has launched a nationwide "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" campaign.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our volunteers are stuck at home and they are creating art and kits and seeing how much excess they have and how much we
can share that with others.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We also (inaudible) talented and generous volunteer who has offered to sew facemasks for the children and adults living at the
largest shelter here in Baltimore County.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re sharing all these goods and we`re doing no face to face contact but porch to porch delivery mailing over 100 pairs of
prescription glasses to students so that they can continue learning at home.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: More than half a million pounds of food donated via our platform the last five days alone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re providing our students what they need most which starts with mentoring, over the phone and one and one calls.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But children with hearing loss, not having a lot of friends sometimes it`s difficult for them to communicate. So we`ve been
putting together these play dates remotely.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And now more than ever please, I`m pleading to the internet companies. Please provide your service for free for families so
these kids can connect to their classrooms and so sick kids cannot feel isolated in the hospitals.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One day the strong will be called on to protect the weak. That`s just one of our mottos that we (inaudible) and always
(inaudible) kids are going to be ready to step up when it`s time to step up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re not going to stop giving hope and dignity to our youth who are in foster care.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our kids are doing OK. We`re still connecting. We`re still communicating.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re still making it happen. Right now we are busy in the kitchen. Our business has not decreased for us. It`s actually
increased. We are prepping and planning for what we anticipate will be a vast increase of children in need.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When this outbreak`s over, we can open our doors and say to the young people on the Westside of Chicago is you have a place
where you can be accepted. (inaudible) your best selves.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is promising what we have too much of and what we will have too much of is good will.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And channeling that into those in need and thereby serving one another.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are ways for you to serve your community while staying healthy at home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a moment for all Americans to rise to the occasion by thinking about the greater good rather than themselves.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Level out the curve but we`re not giving up on loving the world and loving each other.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Community is powerful and kindness is also contagious.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Give a call to a neighbor or friend. Reach out and try to make someone`s day a little bit better.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Taking care of each other will last far beyond this COVID epidemic.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Helen Keller said alone you can do so little. Together we can do so much.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And together we`ll get through this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Together let us make this world a better and happy place for all of us.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re going to rebound from this stronger, more connected as one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Better days are coming.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But hang in there, hunker down but keep fighting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay positive. Much love.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Retired soccer goal keeper Sepp Maier is known as the "cat" because he has incredible reflexes but he`s got nothing on this cat. Save. Save.
Who says being quarantined with a cat is a bad time. Even if you bend it like Beckham, this flying feline`s finesse finishes every shot leaving you
speechless like "cats got your tongue". "Renauldoneven" try it. You "suarez" what can happen. There`s just no "Roonie" for victory when the
cat "Bales" across the hallway, "Peleing" out to claw down every shot until is "Zadone".
His efforts "Pierce" modern and "Ernst" while strikers leaving them all in a "Messy". OK. Forget cats. We`ve got the Coyotes or Coyotes of
Williston, North Dakota watching today. Hello to everyone at Williston High School. I`m Carl Azuz for CNN.
END
