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American Morning

White House Ready to Unveil Bird Flu Pandemic Plan

Aired May 03, 2006 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Are you prepared for a flu pandemic?
The White House is ready to unveil its plan.

CNN has got some details. We're live at the White House this morning.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also, another kind of epidemic, of kids sucking down those sugary sodas. The beverage industry is pulling the drinks out of cafeterias and a fast food loving former president gets some credit. We'll explain.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Joe Johns in Buckhannon, West Virginia, where relatives of the 12 men lost in the Sago mine disaster are demanding answers this morning.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Matthew Chance in Moscow.

Bad weather is hampering the recovery efforts after an Armenian operated plane crashes off the coast of Russia.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm Chad Myers in Atlanta.

A rainy, cold day in Boston. Expecting airport delays across the Northeast. We'll get to those in a few minutes -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: And how much is a mother worth? Oh, you can't afford us is what I say.

M. O'BRIEN: No. No price. No price.

S. O'BRIEN: But, actually, someone has crunched the numbers and come up with a figure.

We've got if for you just ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.

Good morning.

Welcome everybody.

I'm Soledad O'Brien.

M. O'BRIEN: And I'm Miles O'Brien.

Thanks for being with us this morning. We begin this morning with a scary report and an opportunity for you to take stock and be ready to protect your family. We're talking about the threat of a global flu pandemic.

The White House, a little later today, will unveil its plan for battling such a medical nightmare. But the more you learn about this plan, the more you're probably not going to rely on the government for your own safety.

CNN's Ed Henry live now at the White House with more on all of this -- Ed, good morning.

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

The White House stressing they have no evidence a pandemic flu is about to break out, but obviously they were pilloried for their response to Hurricane Katrina. They want to try to get ahead of this potential disaster.

Obviously, the worst case scenario they're laying out here in this report, a death toll of two million, at least 50 million people infected, about 40 percent of the workforce off the job. The White House report includes more than 300 -- about 300 specific recommendations for both the public and private sectors, how to prepare for a possible pandemic, including stockpiling vaccines. The federal government will stockpile 75 million doses of anti-viral drugs, 20 million doses of vaccines, voluntary quarantines for infected individuals. And they're also pushing mandatory evacuations only in the most extreme cases. Also, restricting travel, encouraging business practices that minimize contact among employees, such as teleconferences, liberal leave policies.

Questions already being raised over why the White House does not include closing off the borders. White House officials say that would be impractical. It could have a major impact, obviously, on the economy and also would not stop an outbreak. It would only temporarily delay it. So they think there is very little upside to closing off the borders -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Ed, you mentioned Katrina. Post-Katrina, I think a lot of people are skeptical about the government's ability to deliver at times of crisis.

How does -- what does the White House say about that?

HENRY: Well, you know, Clark Kent Ervin, the CNN security analyst, is already saying that this report doesn't really go far enough because it's one thing to put out this report, but it's a whole another thing, as you noted, as we saw in Katrina, to get all the federal agencies to coordinate and also to get the federal government to communicate back and forth because the local and state agencies. That's a heavy task.

The White House saying look, they at least have to start somewhere. They want to be prepared -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Ed Henry at the White House.

Thank you very much.

A little more now on what's being done to fight a flu pandemic. And specifically now, we're talking about the bird flu. There is an experimental bird flu vaccine that may show potential not only to protect against bird flu, but also other strains of influenza. Researchers stress that so far they've only tested it on mice, but creating a universal vaccine like this, of course, would make it easier to stockpile a vaccine ahead of a pandemic. That would be a biggie.

Also, a new survey suggests many U.S. companies say they are unprepared to deal with a potential pandemic.

And there's this. Illinois is taking the lead in preparing for a potential pandemic. Yesterday, emergency crews launched a three day disaster drill that tries to simulate an epidemic of influenza.

We'll hear why this plan may have the wrong priorities in just a few moments.

Dr. Irwin Redlener, who is a director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness, will be with us to analyze what we know about the plan, which will be released a little later today. And we'll keep you posted on that all throughout the day here on CNN -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: A plan afoot to take the sweets out of schools and hopefully the weight off some young people. Leading soft drink makers have reached a deal with anti-obesity groups to stop selling most sodas in schools. In elementary and middle school, soda and diet soda gone. Distributors have agreed to sell only water or non-sweetened juice and low fat milk.

In high school, diet soda could still be sold, along with unsweetened teas and fitness waters, sports drinks and flavored water and seltzer.

The reason behind all the changes, to fight childhood obesity. The government has also agreed to limit junk food advertising that's aimed at kids. Companies already voluntarily limit some of those ads. New recommendations, though, include greater enforcement and investigations into whether the ads are factual.

You mean junk food is not good for you?

The government also wants minimum nutritional standards even in junk food.

New information to share with you about the Duke rape investigation now. One of the lacrosse players breaking his silence. It's the first on camera interview since the alleged rape.

He spoke exclusive to our affiliate, WTVD in Durham under the condition that his identity would not be revealed.

Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DARLA MILES, WTVD CORRESPONDENT: Are you certain that a rape did not occur that night at the party?

UNIDENTIFIED DUKE UNIVERSITY LACROSSE PLAYER: Yes, ma'am.

The team has stayed strong. I mean, from the get go, we've only had each other to fall back on because, you know, we've been convicted in the media. Our university turned its back on us.

MILES: What do you mean the university turned its back on you?

UNIDENTIFIED DUKE UNIVERSITY LACROSSE PLAYER: I think that they didn't stand up for us and we feel neglected and that our loyalty wasn't -- our loyalty to the university wasn't reciprocated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: The player also says he believes that the coach, Mike Pressler, didn't resign, but was rather forced out -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Another tough day in West Virginia mine country. Day two of hearings into the Sago mine disaster should be underway shortly.

Yesterday, a day filled with emotion and anguish and some pointed questions as family members of the 12 men killed in the West Virginia mine talked about their losses and asked some tough questions.

Today, we're expecting to hear about the cause of the deadly January explosion.

CNN's Joe Johns joining us live now from Buckhannon, West Virginia, where the hearings are being held -- Joe, a tough day yesterday.

JOHNS: It certainly was a tough day.

Today, of course, Miles, the focus will be, as you said, on the cause or the possible cause of the Sago mine disaster on January 2nd and the cause promoted, in fact, by International Coal Group, which is the company that owns and operates the mine, that lightning was, in fact, the cause of the accident.

That conclusion is controversial. Both federal officials as well as state officials have said it may be a possibility, but they're not ready to call it a probability.

In day one of the hearing, relatives did express a range of emotions on the disaster, everything from anger to frustration at how it was handled.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MINER'S WIFE: For a long time after the disaster, my 7-year-old son Zachary would take a picture of his papa to bed with him and keep it by his pillow. And he still takes his grandpa's wristwatch to bed and lays it on his pillow beside of him every night.

UNIDENTIFIED MINER'S WIFE: We know that our men were underground taking turns beating on the roof bolts so someone on the surface would hear them and know their location. But guess what? Nobody was listening. Again, the powers that be failed them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: A lot of the talk during the hearing on day one was about whether this might have been preventable, at least the losses of the miners. Some of the discussion has been about the portable breathing devices, the apparatus they used in case of an emergency. The one miner who survived has said that some of those devices did not operate properly. But federal officials say they've tested them and they were operational.

The company has said there's a possibility the stress of the moment might have been a factor -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: There are so many safety concerns that need to be addressed. And today, the cause. But one of the other issues which we can't forget, for those of us who were there especially, was that terrible period of time when they were misled into believing all their loved ones were alive.

Have they -- have they dealt with that issue? Because there was this multi-hour gap there, where the company knew and didn't tell the families.

JOHNS: Certainly that's true. And the company has already said there was a miscommunication from underground as to whether those other miners were alive or dead. The company has sort of added onto that. They've said there were some other factors involved. They looked at the situation. They were just not certain whether some of the miners, for example, might have been comatose, that there might still have been a chance a few of them remained alive.

So, that factors, also, into the delay -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Joe Johns in Buckhannon, West Virginia.

Thank you very much.

Another mine disaster. This one could turn out differently, though. This one is in Beaconsfield, Australia. Rescue workers there are drilling toward two miners still alive after eight days trapped very deep underground. A small hole has been cut to the miners. They've got water, food, blankets and even some iPods.

Still, it could be a day or two before the men are rescued. But once again, they are OK under there -- Soledad. S. O'BRIEN: With soaring gas prices on everybody's minds, we're keeping tabs on what it's costing you to fill up. Here's a little hint -- a lot. Let's check the CNN Gas Gauge.

Today's average price is $2.92 for regular unleaded. According to AAA's daily Fuel Gauge report, a month ago it was $2.58, a year ago, $2.22.

In just about two hours, we expect to hear from Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta. He is expected to talk on Capitol Hill about the president's request to raise fuel economy standards. States are also taking the problem at the pumps right to court.

Let's get right to Sumi Das.

She's in Washington this morning -- hey, Sumi, good morning.

SUMI DAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Well, drivers aren't the only ones frustrated with skyrocketing fuel prices. From Oregon to Massachusetts, state representatives want more mileage for their money and they're willing to go to court to get it.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

DAS (voice-over): California and nine other states, plus the District of Columbia and New York City are suing the federal government. The allegation? The Bush administration's fuel economy standards for light trucks and SUVs fails to address effects on the environment.

Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta praised the very rule the lawsuit criticizes.

NORMAN MINETA, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: In March, I announced the president's tough new mileage requirements for light trucks, minivans and SUVs. And that was the second in just three years.

DAS: The administration's new rule would require SUVs to average 24 miles to the gallon by 2011. President Bush says the standards will save American drivers about 340,000 barrels of gasoline a day.

California's attorney general says the rules are soft on the auto industry. Environmental activists agree.

BRENDAN BELL, SIERRA CLUB: The technology exists to make all vehicles, from cars to SUVs to light trucks, average 40 miles per gallon within 10 years. And taking that step would save the average driver about $500 per year at the gas pump and it would save four million barrels of oil per day.

DAS: Svgs Americans are keen to see. Drivers may be in for continued pain at the pump but some SUV owners say they're not ready to park their vehicles.

RENITA BEBLA, ENDWELL, NEW YORK: I do need it for the size of the family and I have large pets.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

DAS (on camera): The Bush administration is now focusing on fuel standards for passenger vehicles, which the president is seeking the authority to raise. He says it's critical to the nation's energy security and independence. We're most likely going to hear that message again from Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta later this morning on Capitol Hill -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: All right, Sumi.

Sumi Das for us this morning.

Thanks -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: In Russia this morning, divers are in the stormy waters of the Black Sea trying to recover more bodies after an Armenian airliner crashed on approach to landing.

Airline officials say it was bad weather that brought down an Armenian Airline Airbus A320, killing all 113 aboard. It dove into the sea just about four miles from the coastal city of Sochi.

CNN's senior international correspondent, Matthew Chance, now live from Moscow with more -- Matthew.

CHANCE: Thanks, Miles.

And bad weather, as you say there, driving rain and heavy winds hampering the effort to recover as much of the wreckage as possible. And, of course, the effort to recover the remains.

Russian officials say all 113 people on board that Airbus A320 aircraft perished in the crash four miles off the coast of Sochi in southern Russia, although at this stage, only 38 bodies have been recovered. And so it really is a battle against time now to try and get to the remains as soon as possible.

Also, investigators are keen to get their hands on the black box flight recorder to try and determine what was the cause of this crash. Very bad weather conditions, as we've been saying, when the plane was attempting to land on Sochi in southern Russia. But we still can't state for sure whether that was the reason until the flight recorder is found and analyzed. It could have been technical failure. It could have been pilot error.

At this stage, investigators aren't saying, except to say that they believe terrorism on this occasion was not involved -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Matthew Chance in Moscow.

Thank you very much.

Let's get a check of the forecast for you.

Chad Myers is at the CNN Center, back at his post...

S. O'BRIEN: Hey, Chad, good morning.

M. O'BRIEN: ... having golfed 106 holes.

S. O'BRIEN: You're bitter. He is so bitter about your vacation.

M. O'BRIEN: Bitter and angry.

How was the weather Chad?

MYERS: Actually, the first day we really got rained on pretty hard.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, we saw that.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

MYERS: But the next two were pretty amazing.

M. O'BRIEN: We were feeling your pain.

MYERS: But, you know, there's the big violin right there for us.

S. O'BRIEN: Exactly.

MYERS: Exactly.

(WEATHER REPORT)

M. O'BRIEN: Coming up, the White House is set to release its response plan for a possible flu pandemic. Already, at least one disaster expert is saying it falls short. We will ask him why.

S. O'BRIEN: And gas prices already around $3.a gallon. So why is one guy saying, actually, we need to make the prices higher?

We're going to check in with Hump Friedman (ph) just ahead this morning.

M. O'BRIEN: Plus, we'll go to the Gulf and check on the changing face of Biloxi, Mississippi post-Katrina. The town wants to become the Atlantic City of the South and, of course -- of course there's controversy.

We'll tell you about that.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: So, what will the government do for you if the U.S. is hit with a big flu pandemic, bird or otherwise?

we'll hear more from the White House about that today.

But you might want to take this as an opportunity to put your own pandemic plan in place.

We're going to tell you about that, as well.

Here with me now is Dr. Irwin Redlener.

He is the director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness.

Dr. Redlener, Good to have you back on the program.

DR. IRWIN REDLENER, NATIONAL CENTER FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: Thanks, Miles.

Glad to be here.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, we don't have the full plan here with us.

REDLENER: Right.

M. O'BRIEN: But why don't we go through some of the key things that we know about right now? I think we have a graphic prepared to go through some of the key points.

And what -- what did -- the plan is attempting to address something that would be really on a catastrophic level, perhaps as many as 50 million people infected, two million people dead.

Right there, that's an overwhelming thing. Forty percent of the workforce incapacitated. That would dwarf any government's capability to respond.

REDLENER: There's no question about it. And I think it's good that the government is taking this seriously, as the country should, because this would be an unprecedented public health catastrophe for the United States.

There are some concerns, though, about what exactly the government is recommending and how they're supporting it and I think there needs to be a good strong look at what actually is being put on the table right now.

M. O'BRIEN: What are your concerns?

REDLENER: Well, my biggest concern is that there's a fair amount of money being now on the table for vaccine development and for anti- virals, like Tamiflu stockpiling. What is very much shortchanged, though, Miles, is the ability to prepare hospitals and local communities to take care of the millions and millions of people that would get sick.

In fact, the 50 million number is probably low because we're talking about around a third of the people in the United States actually getting sick, which would put it closer to 100 million, and maybe -- maybe 10 or 15 million people hospitalized, very sick, and the hospitals in America are simply not ready to cope with that kind of input. M. O'BRIEN: That is very scary. And when you talk about 100 million people sick, there's no amount of money that would really be able to address that. It certainly needs to be something on a local level, at the very minimum, right?

REDLENER: It's true. But I should say that many -- most of the people that are sick will be mildly sick, just like a regular flu. The people that get very sick or don't survive this are going to be relatively small proportionally, but very large numbers.

So two to three million may die, but six or 10 or eight million people may be actually hospitalized with symptoms.

M. O'BRIEN: So the hunt for the silver bullet solution...

REDLENER: Right.

M. O'BRIEN: ... the kind of the vaccine which will solve all our problems, you think, in some respects, is a waste of resources?

REDLENER: No, I think it's absolutely necessary to do that. But in addition to that, we have to make sure that the local hospitals...

M. O'BRIEN: But do both.

REDLENER: ... we have to buy ventilators and face masks and all the other equipment and supplies and train people in order to be able to take care of a large number of people who will need really significant medical care.

M. O'BRIEN: I mean, there's not enough respirators out there in a situation like this, right?

REDLENER: No. We're probably, you know, only at about one seventh of what we would actually need in terms of mechanical respirators, and that's one of the things we'd like to see government really help the local communities purchase.

M. O'BRIEN: Let's look at some of the other specific proposals that are in the plan, as we know it right now.

If we can get that on the screen, we can talk about those things.

And what we're talking about is diverting flights that would have possibly infected passengers.

Actually, we've got something else here.

We're talking here about what are some of the things you can do.

One of -- let's just go through it since we don't have the graphic.

Outfitting flights with surgical masks, holding teleconferences, liberal leave policies, that kind of thing.

Are those appropriate kinds of measures?

REDLENER: Sure. Some of them are perfectly appropriate. So we want to have people avoid being in congregate or crowd type situations if they possibly can. Those that can be -- during a pandemic, those that can work at home should be able to do so.

Some of the other things that have been put on the table we're not so sure about in terms of what we could do about flights coming into the United States. Can we actually quarantine or isolate people? Who would be isolated? For how long?

There are all sorts of questions which are really not resolved yet.

And I think one of the big concerns is there's a list of 200 or 300 recommendations now coming out of the federal government. Who's actually going to support, with resources and funding, all those recommendations that are being made right now? That's a big question.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, a final thing here.

What folks can do at home now.

Let's give them a list of things, some action they can take.

REDLENER: Sure.

M. O'BRIEN: Because a lot of this ultimately, when -- if something of that magnitude happens, personal responsibility is a good thing.

Among the things you should do is think about five to seven days as being a critical period of time and you should have food and water for that period of time, shouldn't you?

REDLENER: Yes, you should. And some of the government officials are recommending up to three weeks. I just don't think that's practical or necessary. And I would say it would be prudent to have five to seven days of food and water, your essential medications, things for the children to do at home and that sort of thing, to be able to allow you to stay at home without suffering lack of some of the essential goods that you might need in the house.

M. O'BRIEN: Flashlights, fresh batteries, that kind of thing, a battery powered radio. It's a lot of the kinds of things you'd prepare for if you were in a storm region.

REDLENER: No question about it.

M. O'BRIEN: You know, a similar kind of thing.

REDLENER: Yes. More importantly, though, we might want to remind people about the hygiene that is necessary to help avoid getting sick in the first place. So, staying out of crowds, learning how to cough and sneeze properly, the use of face masks, maybe being able to take care of people who are sick at home, because the hospitals will be too overcrowded.

Those are some of the things that will probably put -- be put into effect if we get a pandemic.

M. O'BRIEN: Always, always wash your hands, too.

REDLENER: Always wash your hands.

M. O'BRIEN: That's a good one.

Dr. Irwin Redlener, who is the director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness.

good advice.

Thank you very much.

REDLENER: Temporary.

M. O'BRIEN: Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, the evolution of a city just ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Biloxi's old style charm giving way to glitzy casinos and new condos, too. We'll take a look this morning at why some folks say this is anything but progress.

And then this -- another feud between FEMA and New Orleans officials. The big losers are the folks who are trying to rebuild their homes and their lives.

We've got details ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Hurricane season is less than one month away. Federal officials are trying to assure people that there will be no a repeat of last year's Katrina disaster.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and FEMA's Acting Director David Paulison are touring the Gulf States. They have already been in Georgia and in Florida.

In Florida, Governor Jeb Bush is asking the federal government to help shore up a dike on Lake Okeechobee. It's the nation's second largest lake and a panel of engineering experts say it needs to be fixed now and it needs to be fixed right.

Very ominous there.

Flooding from breaches on the dike could cause thousands of billions of dollars in damage.

And FEMA closing up shop in New Orleans. The federal agency says local officials have failed to hold up their end of planning for the storm recovery.

City officials say the federal government's deserted them in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Wherever you stand in that argument, in any case, they have packed up their bags and closed up the shop -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Several miles east of New Orleans, in Biloxi, Mississippi, another city devastated by Katrina, like many communities along the Gulf Coast, it, too, is rebuilding.

But the new Biloxi will be different than the one before Katrina.

Here's Sean Callebs.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Biloxi's landscape was changed by Katrina. Instead of a quaint, quiet waterfront, the city wants to become the Atlantic City of the South.

BILL KILDUFF, ISLE OF CAPRIS CASINOS, GENERAL MANAGER: They really created a catastrophic opportunity because a lot of the areas that were originally residential areas are now being sought after and purchased by condominium developers and casino developers.

CALLEBS (on camera): Many long revered landmarks like waterfront antebellum homes were simply devastated by Katrina. The city is rebuilding and the new Biloxi is scheduled to be ringed with casinos and multi-level condos. The challenge will be keeping the old style charm amid a world of new glitz.

(voice-over): To avoid this again, the city is considering new building codes. Many homes must be elevated, some as much as 25 feet.

Sherry O'Murray owns Java Joes and she says trading small homes for high rise condos will be the end of the small town feel.

SHERRY O'MURRAY, JAVA JOES: It's basically like a little city. You have everything inside the condo. You don't have to get out. You don't have to come out and walk downtown to your local coffee shop and get out and say hello to everybody on the way.

LT. GEN. CLARK GRIFFITH (RET.), REVIVING THE RENAISSANCE COMMITTEE: This is my 100 percent job right now.

CALLEBS: Retired General Clark Griffith is heading a committee overseeing the city's overhaul and he defends the decision to double the number of casinos.

GRIFFITH: We've got to make sure that we rebuild this city and never forget that it's Biloxi with gaming, not gaming with Biloxi.

CALLEBS: He also disputes the argument that the city will be awash in concrete and neon. GRIFFITH: That's a myth. If you have casinos, condominiums, and then what I call blue space. And here's a prime example. You see down here...

CALLEBS (on camera): Casinos.

GRIFFITH: Casinos.

You see all the blue space here.

CALLEBS (voice-over): Since the storm, only two thirds of the city's 50,000 residents have returned. Others who come back may find that home is a city they no longer recognize.

Sean Callebs, CNN, Biloxi, Mississippi.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: Later this morning, the Salvation Army will hold a news conference to announce a $155 million Katrina recovery plan -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Oh, Mother's Day is right around the corner.

Have you ever tried to put a dollar figure on just how much mom is worth? We're going to tell you exactly what one would cost you if you had to pay her, just ahead this morning.

Later, day three of illusionist David Blaine's latest death defying stunt. He's spending a week in a human fish bowl. We're going to talk to him live underwater and see how he's doing.

That's just ahead.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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