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Colleges Cope With COVID On Campus; Explanation Of Exactly What It`s Like To Get Tested For Coronavirus; "Mr. Trash Wheel" Cleans Waters With Each Spin. Aired 4-4:10a ET

Aired September 10, 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: Welcome to CNN 10, your daily explanation of current events. I`m your host Carl Azuz. It`s great to have you watching

this Thursday. In Los Angeles County, California people can add Halloween to the list of events affected by coronavirus concerns.

The county of more than 10 million people has banned trick-or-treating. So you won`t see any of this in Los Angeles on October 31st. The local

department of public health says it`s too difficult to maintain social distancing on porches and at front doors. It`s banned everything from

outdoor parties to carnivals to haunted houses but officials say people can still decorate their homes and have events where they stay inside their

cars. Critics say the decision is too restrictive and that it will be difficult to enforce.

As far as coronavirus infections in children go, two U.S. health organizations say more than 500,000 American kids have been infected.

Children and young adults are significantly less likely to die from COVID- 19 but the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics says the numbers are a reminder that the virus needs to be taken seriously.

We`ve been reporting that U.S. government health officials have indicated a coronavirus vaccine could be available as early as October. Nine of the

companies working on vaccines though are promising they won`t cut corners in safety to rush out a drug. Meantime, colleges with students back on

campus are trying to guard against the spread of COVID-19.

Some of them have said their case number are low and that they`ve had no major problems with the disease. But several of the schools that are

struggling with cases say students are responsible.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just a few weeks into the new school year, colleges and universities across all 50 states have reported more than 37,000 cases

of COVID-19. UNC-Chapel Hill among the first and largest schools to reopen for in person classes was also one of the first to reverse course, sending

students home to complete the semester online after just 130 COVID cases were reported.

Several colleges including Towson University, East Carolina University and SUNY Oneonta have now done the same. For schools who had plans, PPE and

ample testing the question quickly turned to what went wrong. The answer may be as simple as campus life getting in the way. Despite warnings,

guidelines and pledges, students continue to gather off campus mostly for parties. That has led some local officials like the Mayor of Tuscaloosa to

close bars for at least two weeks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The ever-increasing number of coronavirus cases on campus will create two major disruptions for Tuscaloosa if left unabated.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The governor of Iowa following suit.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So while we still know that this population is less likely to be severely impacted by COVID-19, it is increasing the virus

activity in the community and it`s spilling over to other segments of the population.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Greek system also facing heavy scrutiny with outbreaks traced back to fraternity and sorority parties. Indiana

University now recommending that all students living in Greek housing reconsider their living situation. NYU, Ohio State, Perdue and West

Virginia University have all suspended students for violating safety precautions. Northeastern University in Massachusetts went a step further

dismissing 11 students for the semester without returning their tuition. Along the way, public health experts have urged schools to keep students on

campus as opposed to sending them back home even if community spread was detected.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please isolate at your colleges. Do not return home if you`re positive and spread the virus to your family, your aunts, your

uncles, your grandparents.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The jury is still out on whether colleges can successfully pull off in person classes. Experts say the more planning

options a school offers, the better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Part of that planning could include extensive coronavirus testing. A study in the Medical Journal JAMA Network Open concluded that if colleges

tested every student, every two days in addition to following strict safety guidelines campuses could safely reopen. But a co-author of the study said

this might not be possible or affordable for many universities. CNN 10 Contributor Chris James joins us now to discuss what it`s like to get

tested. Chris.

CHRIS JAMES, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Hey there Carl. As you all know, testing for the coronavirus has been a major topic of interest since the pandemic

began. There are two different types of COVID tests. One is a viral test which tells you if you have an active infection and there`s the antibody

test which might tell you if you had a previous infection.

Now I want to tell you a little bit more about my experience taking the viral test. And before I get into details, it`s really not that bad I

promise. A swab is placed up your nose, and yes, it`s a bit uncomfortable but it only lasts about 15 second and then you`re all done.

As you know Carl, I was down in Texas and Louisiana reporting on Hurricane Laura. So once I arrived home, I wanted to make sure I was indeed negative

for the coronavirus before seeing my family. So over the course of two days, I got two separate tests just to be extra safe.

The first test I got was a PCR test which stands for Polymerase Chain Reaction. This is the most common and reliable test which detects disease

by looking for the viruses genetic material. The swabs were then sent to a lab and two days later I received my negative results.

Now I also got a rapid test which promises results in 15 minutes. Yep, you heard that right, 15 minutes. This is the antigen test which is a much

simpler test and can get processed right in the doctor`s office. Twenty minutes later I was given my negative results.

Now one thing to keep in mind is according the CDC, these rapid tests are more likely to miss an active infection as opposed to the PCR test and both

tests have had some reports of false positives. Medical experts continue to say that the best way to prevent infection is to wash your hands regularly,

cover the coughs and sneezes and or course to practice those social distancing guidelines. Back to you Carl.

AZUZ: 10 Second Trivia. The first commercial telegraph line was installed between Washington D.C. and what other city? Baltimore, Maryland,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Chicago, Illinois, or Boston, Massachusetts. In 1844, the message, "what hath God wrought" was sent in Morse code from the

capital to Baltimore.

We first reported on "Mr. Trash Wheel" a few years ago saying that though its name is dirty. Its gain is clean. The first one cost about $750,000 to

build and about $100,000 a year to run and since it was installed in 2014 it`s gotten some brothers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KELLETT, INVENTOR, MR. TRASH WHEEL: When I first came up with the idea for the trash wheel, I thought the most rewarding thing I could come from

this project would be to be able to look out in the harbor and see a lot less trash. But just as rewarding as that has been the fact that kids and

even adults look at the trash wheel and are inspired to come apart of the solution.

Baltimore has a beautiful harbor but the first thing that people noticed was the trash in the harbor. It sort of just dawned on me one day, why

don`t we use the flow of the water and get rid of it?

My names John Kellett. I am the founder of Clearwater Mills and the inventor of "Mr. Trash Wheel". "Mr. Trash Wheel" is a water wheel powered

trash interceptor that sits at the mouth of the main tributary to Baltimore Harbor. When the river`s flowing hard, that flow of the river will turn the

water wheel and power the conveyor and the rake system to pick up the trash. It`s all self-contained renewable energy.

ADAM LINDQUIST, DIRECTOR, HEALTHY HARBOR INITIATIVE: John invented the device. We added the googley eyes. My name is Adam Lindquist and I am the

Director of the Healthy Harbor Initiative at the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore. "Mr. Trash Wheel" pulls out about 250 tons of trash from the

harbor every year. It`s foam containers, plastic bottles, chip bags and plastic bags. But it`s (inaudible) to just (inaudible) solid trash wheel.

We need to get the people of Baltimore engaged. When you create a character you`ve got to decide, you know, who is this googley eyed monster living in

the harbor. You describe him as a nerdy, excitable jokester and he`s been a viral success on the internet. We transformed this trash interceptor into a

larger, social media campaign to really promote behavior change and pass legislation.

KELLETT: We now have three trash wheels and we`re working on the fourth trash wheel which is going to be the biggest one yet. It`s incredibly

rewarding to be able to be a part of a city that takes its problem seriously and is willing to think creatively and try new things and to deal

with the problems.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Critics might call it "wheely" trashy. No one would call it "wheely" flashy. But with googlely eyes looming large, it consumes tons of the

harbors garbage. A fantastic vacuum of plastic. Nothing getting it passed it. (inaudible) drastic. A mean, stream cleaning machine city can use to

rid refuse in a way they don`t refuse.

I`m Carl Azuz and Fairport High School is in Fairport, New York. Thank you for watching and commenting on our YouTube page.

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