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Georgia To Reopen Some Businesses On Friday; Singing Doctor Uses His Voice To Inspire Others; Alicia Keys Debuts Powerful New Song On CNN. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired April 24, 2020 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:30:00]
ROBYN CURNOW, CNN ANCHOR: But just because they're allowed to open up doesn't mean that all will.
Lyndsey Gough of CNN affiliate WTOC has more now on how some businesses, including restaurants which are set to open on Monday, are reacting in the city of Savannah.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LYNDSEY GOUGH, WTOC, SAVANNAH, GEORGIA (voice-over): 40 Volume Salon and The 5 Spot, two local businesses who could reopen their doors as soon as Friday, but both owners say they weren't prepared for that decision.
MICHELLE ROUZER, GEORGIA SALON OWNER: It was a major shock to all of us. It is definitely not something that we were prepared for.
BRIAN HUSKEY, GEORGIA RESTAURANT OWNER: I don't think I've heard from anyone who says -- who said let's go ahead and get our dining rooms open. We can't wait to come bring masses of people to flood your dining room and your bar.
GOUGH (voice-over): 40 Volume has been completely closed almost a month, while The 5 Spot has been offering to-go orders and utilizing their food truck and delivery services.
The Gaslight Group, which owns The 5 Spot and other restaurants, along with a bar, say they aren't sure when they will reopen dining rooms. Mid-May is their best-case scenario.
40 Volume is hoping for an earlier open because not all of their stylists have been able to receive unemployment benefits yet, but they're still trying to envision what that reopening will actually look like.
ROUZER: I can promise you that we are not going to open back up to full staff with 25 employees and two and three clients at a time. Like, we cannot go back to that. I don't when it's going to look like us being able to go back there.
GOUGH (voice-over): Michelle Rouzer, the owner of the salon, says that Georgia issued sanitary guidelines on Tuesday, which includes stylists wearing masks and taking the temperatures of clients with an infrared thermometer.
Both owners agree the financial situation isn't anywhere close to what they anticipated heading into this year.
HUSKEY: We hope to break even for the month of April. We might be able to do that with the help of our food truck.
ROUZER: We probably will never look at the same numbers that we would have looked at the original beginning of 2020.
GOUGH (voice-over): Both are focused on sanitation and developing a plan to reopen at a slow and safe pace.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: Reporting there, Lyndsey Gough, from our affiliate WTOC.
Well, let's talk more about this. Sabra Dupree owns a family hair salon near Atlanta and she plans to actually reopen today with some extra precautions in place, and she joins me now. Sabra, good to see you.
The president has warned that the governor has opened Georgia too soon. What made you decide that you thought it was OK for you to open up today?
SABRA DUPREE, OWNER, KIDS KUTS SALON: I feel that we have taken plenty of precautions in trying to minimize the staff on the floor, trying to minimize the appointments. Services are not completely available to -- every service is not completely available. And the sanitation that we have taken is very, very strong for this particular virus.
CURNOW: Do you feel like you're taking a risk? How hard was this decision? Are you -- are you worried that someone could get sick coming to your salon or that someone could bring the virus into your work area?
DUPREE: Absolutely. I'm saddened by the entire situation in the -- in the world right now. But we want to move forward in a responsible way and we want to set the protocol for other businesses to open.
CURNOW: But why did you take this decision?
DUPREE: I have -- my staff is actually split on the decision. There will be stylists that won't come back until the middle of May. And then there are other stylists that cannot get any unemployment -- any help through the government at this particular point and I'm hoping that that will connect soon. But at this particular point, they don't have a choice but to work.
CURNOW: A difficult choice no doubt -- perhaps a life and death choice. So then, the other question is on the flip side, who's booked? How many people are actually coming to have their hair done in your salon today or over the next few days?
DUPREE: Yes, ma'am.
CURNOW: Do you -- obviously, you know the clientele, but how many people are actually coming to make an appointment?
DUPREE: So in my particular salon we have six stylists on the floor normally. At this particular moment, we have two stylists per day. We do not have a receptionist for that extra body and each stylist will only service one client at a time. Usually, we can cut or color two people at the same time. We'll be down to one.
So looking at the books for today, there is probably nine to 10 people on the books, maybe, between the two stylists, and they're staggered. The protocol to get into the salon is completely changed.
CURNOW: OK. And just finally, do you think there is a disconnect between the messaging? Our kids in Georgia aren't allowed to go to school but they can come for a haircut or go to a bowling alley or if they want to go to a restaurant or see a movie on Monday.
[05:35:00]
DUPREE: I feel mass people in the school system together may cause a complete virus outbreak again.
But at this particular point, the salons in Georgia -- if they open correctly and the owners are responsible in teaching the clients and the staff how to approach this virus -- I think we're going to be OK. Setting a protocol and a precedence for every single salon that's going to open soon is very important and a huge responsibility on an owner of a salon.
I feel like we have done so much to prepare for this. We've taken out stations. We've ran with minimal amount of stylists.
We've made sure that we do a temperature check. We've made sure that we've sanitized our self. We sanitize (audio gap). They wear a mask, we wear a mask. It's crazy what we have to do to prepare for this but I feel like it's the most responsible thing we can do.
CURNOW: OK. Well, I can -- all I can say to you is good luck, stay safe, and I -- and I hope it's the right decision for you. Thanks very much.
DUPREE: Yes, ma'am.
CURNOW: Sabra Dupree, appreciate you telling us your story.
So you're watching CNN. Still to come, a doctor not only using his medical skills to help patients during his -- during this pandemic, but he's also using his voice. We'll talk to him, next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ELVIS FRANCOIS, 5TH YEAR ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON RESIDENT, MAYO CLINIC: Singing "Imagine."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:40:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRANCOIS: Singing "Imagine."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: Well, that was the very lovely voice (coughs) -- excuse me -- of Dr. Elvis Francois, a fifth-year orthopedic resident at the Mayo Clinic in U.S. -- the U.S. state of Minnesota. Videos of him singing have attracted millions of views on his Instagram page as he uses his voice to spread positivity.
And we're very pleased that the singing doctor, Dr. Elvis Francois, joins us now. Wonderful to see you. Thank you. I've been following you on Instagram and I've really enjoyed all of your posts and your beautiful voice.
I know you and Dr. William Robinson, who is on piano, have gone totally viral and if I may be completely cheesy, you have certainly struck a chord.
FRANCOIS: Well, thank you so much. It's quite an honor to be here and to join you all this morning. It's just very humbling and incredible to just see a little bit of good go a long way and I'm just very happy for it.
CURNOW: Yes.
So you've been singing. What made you sing in your scrubs and why the choice of these fabulous songs that really mean quite a lot right now?
FRANCOIS: Yes -- no, thank you for that. I mean, you know, for us, we usually sort of play music and sort of share music around the hospital -- so if we're at the hospital -- at the Mayo Clinic or pianos around campus, and so we'll sit down and play music.
And these songs, in particular, because they seem to sort of strike a chord. You know, we're living in very difficult times and we hope to share music that has meaning and music that has hope. And we're -- you know, we've just been in a privileged position to be able to share music and both medicine.
CURNOW: So you're a resident surgeon I understand and you're in your fifth year. But now you've also gone and dropped a -- dropped an album of four songs and I understand it's called "Music Is Medicine." What was that like, singing in your scrubs and actually also, at the same time, then go and try and raise some money for COVID-19?
FRANCOIS: Absolutely. You know, we're trained to be orthopedic surgeons and we help people with surgery and medicine, but it's amazing to know that music goes places that medicine simply can't go.
And for us, the reason we wanted to record this album was because we wanted to do our part and the goal is to raise -- 100 percent of proceeds are all going to be going to COVID-19 relief. So we are -- you know, we went in, we recorded these four songs that have meaning to us and are helping spread our message of hope and positivity, and all the money that we raise, we're going to donate that to COVID-19. So it's just a very special and unique position to be in and we're honored to be able to share that.
CURNOW: Yes. I mean, doctors, nurses, hospital staff -- I mean, in many ways, have become the soldiers of this war. Why do you think music does heal, and why does music help to thank in ways that perhaps words don't?
FRANCOIS: Yes. You know, oftentimes when we're at the hospital and we're taking care of patients, you realize that medications, pills, surgery, they can only go so far. I think music has a special quality. I always joke that music is just like food. There's no person in the world who doesn't love it.
And you can always find a song that has meaning behind it. In particular, the song "Imagine" -- you know, there's so many things that separate and divide us and that song reminds us that we should -- if we remove those things we can be a better world and we can be a better people.
And I think music has that strange quality of touching people and moving people, but then also bring people together in an amazing and incredible way. And that's what we hope to share with music and that's why we wanted to work on releasing this album so that we can help and we can do our part to help raise funds to fight COVID-19.
CURNOW: So the images here of you of -- you and Dr. William as well. I mean, are you two kind of the team or do you kind of riff with any doctor that's walking around the Mayo Clinic? Tell us about the way you guys have set up your thing here.
FRANCOIS: Yes, absolutely. I mean, for us, it's -- a lot of it is mostly -- well, it's just Dr. William Robinson and I. And we have a very big passion for helping people with surgery, but also a passion for helping people with music that has meaning.
So we'll usually just go to the hospital and usually after a long shift we'll sit down by the piano and then William will learn a few songs and we'll kind of sit down. We'll go to the ICU, we'll go to pediatric floors, and we'll sing and share music around the hospital. And it's amazing because it can cross the world and it's amazing to know a little bit of good can go so far.
CURNOW: Yes, it certainly does. And just tell us a little bit about your story. I know that your family is originally from Haiti. You're in Minnesota now. Why did you -- where did you get your inspiration and to heal?
[05:45:00]
FRANCOIS: Yes. No one in my family sings and I don't come from a musical background. My father, he raised me and my brother in Miami, Florida alone.
And one of the things that -- you know, if we had a bad day or things weren't going well, we -- he would always sing a song. And again, he wasn't a good singer at all but music for him had meaning and it had a message behind it and when I would hear him sing, things would kind of calm and quiet things down.
And for me, when I went to medical school and I started training to work towards being a physician, music had that property of always calming me and reminding me of the good in humanity. And two years ago I started singing around the hospital with that reminder that sharing that music is really what drove me to hopefully be able to share music on a broader scale with the world.
CURNOW: Your dad must be so proud of you.
FRANCOIS: Yes. I actually spoke to him here a few hours ago. He's -- it's humbling and it's just an honor and he's very, very happy. He calls me every day to remind me of that, so --
CURNOW: Yes, I'm sure.
Dr. Francois, as you know, you're in Minnesota, I'm here in Georgia. We're broadcasting to the world, from Sydney to Johannesburg to London to Hong Kong. I think your words and your song certainly create a sense of togetherness.
So if you can -- if you don't mind, I'd love you to sing us to break. No better song I think, hopefully, than "Lean On Me" if you wouldn't mind doing that for us. And have a wonderful day. And stick around because after the break, we're also going to have Alicia Keys, so it's a bit of a bonanza this morning.
FRANCOIS: Awesome, I'd be honored to. I'd be honored to share with you and it's a very, very honor to join you all, and thank you all so much for having me.
Singing "Lean On Me."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:50:54]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALICIA KEYS, SINGER: Music is obviously so powerful. But this song was actually written a few months ago already and it was just as important for different people in my life, different people -- my mother, my grandmother, friends of mine who I've noticed just getting up every day. Maybe they've lost their job, trying to raise their kids. Do they ever hear the words "good job?" You know, you're doing a good job when you don't feel like it and everything's so heavy and hard.
And, you know, fast-forward to now. If anybody told me that this would be happening I would never imagined. And crazily enough, this song is like as if it was written for this moment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: It certainly does. A message of gratitude and appreciation. Alicia Keys debuted this new song called "Good Job" on a CNN town hall on Thursday, as you saw, with Sanjay and Anderson there.
She pays tribute to all the essential workers who are tirelessly working around the clock helping people during this global pandemic. We really want you to have a listen -- enjoy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEYS: Singing "Good Job."
[05:55:00]
Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURNOW: Utter perfection. Thank you. Good job to you all.
Thanks very much for joining me. I'm Robyn Curnow. Have a beautiful day wherever you are in the world. John and Alisyn are next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, ANDERSON COOPER 360: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is allowing some non-essential businesses to reopen even though public health officials warn it may be too soon.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I wasn't happy with it and I wasn't happy with Brian Kemp.
MAYOR KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS (D), ATLANTA: Exercise common sense. Listen to the science and stay home.
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH: But we are not in a situation where we say we're exactly where we want to be with regard to testing.
TRUMP: I think we're doing a great job on testing. I don't agree. If he said that, I don't agree with him. DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: The idea that we would inject some people with disinfectant and see what happens, that would be dangerous.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need to be telling the unequivocal truth. Do not try these things at home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY. It is Friday, April 24th, 6:00 here in New York.
And we just want to take a moment this morning to acknowledge that in the next three hours, while we are on the air, the death toll in the United States.
END
