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Another 1,000+ Americans Dead amid Confusion over Vaccine. CDC Tells States to Prepare to Distribute Vaccine by November; CNN Poll Shows Biden Maintains Lead after Conventions. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired September 03, 2020 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN NEW DAY: This morning, there is confusion about a potential vaccine. And given the track record on public trust and public health, there are question about whether the Trump administration will rush a vaccine through before it is fully tested.

We learned overnight that the CDC has sent letters to every state in major cities, saying, get ready. Make plans to distribute a vaccine as soon as next month to millions of people.

Now, being prepared is a good thing. That makes sense. But, again, given the track record here and the fact that Election Day is the first week of November, it raises questions about whether the Trump administration is forcing a vaccine early just to get it done before Election Day, before it is fully ready.

Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci is pleading with all of us to be cautious as we head into the holiday weekend. Several states in the Midwest facing a dangerous spike in cases.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN NEW DAY: Today, Joe and Jill Biden will visit Kenosha, Wisconsin. They will meet with Jacob Blake's family. President Trump went to Kenosha, as you know, but did not meet with the family.

In an exclusive interview with CNN, Attorney General Bill Barr says he does not believe systemic racism exists in the United States' justice system. But we just learned new details overnight of a different case of an unarmed black man dying in the custody of police in Rochester, New York, and we have that shocking and very upsetting video.

And this morning, a host of new polls on the state of the presidential race after both conventions, including a brand-new CNN poll, and they all tell a very interesting story about where the race is.

But, first, let's bring in Dr. Sanjay Gupta, he's CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent with our top story.

Okay, Sanjay, we have a lot to get through. Still, you know, more than a thousand people dying a day. And it's just -- you know, let me pull up the map. This helps me visually see where the country is. And you see some states in green that are doing well. You see some states in red, in the Midwest, that are still really struggling. And it just -- we can't get our arms around it. I mean, the idea that, still, day after day, week after week, a thousand Americans a day.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: And if you look at the models now, the projections, I mean, they're basically saying that this is the way it's going to before the rest of the year, which is hard to believe. I can't believe that we are sort of -- this has become our steady state or our plateau, at least, according to some of these models, which suggests that even as the numbers come down, the models are saying, they're going to start going up in other places, which is, I think, exactly what you're seeing, Alisyn, and what, you know, you talk about places like Iowa, you talk about places like South Dakota, but also in Ohio. There's a community in Ohio yesterday where the infection rate went up 100 percent, just over the last week.

So there's still a lot of work to be done. As schools open, as people become more mobile, we've got to keep these infection rates down.

BERMAN: So, Sanjay, this major development overnight, the CDC sent letters to each of the states and also to the five largest cities in the country, saying, make a plan. Make a plan to distribute a vaccine that could be ready by the end of next month, by the end of October.

Now, again, you know, simper paratus, which is Latin for, be ready, the Boy Scouts motto, it makes sense. I understand wanting to have a structure in place for a vaccine being here. But given the track record of this administration on hydroxychloroquine, on, frankly, lying about the efficacy of convalescent plasma, it does raise questions about whether this is being pushed, whether it's a pre- election vaccine, instead of a fully ready, tested vaccine.

GUPTA: I think people are well within their right to ask that question. I think you know, for sure, I am not an anti-vaccination sort of person. I believe very strongly in vaccines and what they can do for public health. But trust is a huge part of this.

On the preparation side, you're absolutely right, and preparation may be even more critical for a couple of these vaccine candidates because of their brand-new sort of vaccines and they have to be stored at very specific temperatures. So unlike with flu vaccines, which you can do at vaccine fairs and things like that, this is going to need to have a special, deliberate process to administer two shots over a month from a cool sort of location.

But I think as we've talked about, the bar for the vaccine has to be higher than with therapeutics. I mean, you're giving it to healthy people, whereas therapeutics might be the last-ditch effort in a hospital.

And also, I think that this idea that, you know, is there an alternative to the vaccine. You issue an emergency authorization because you've got no choices, you're out of options. The alternative, and nobody likes to hear this, but the alternative to the vaccine is that we spend a few more weeks or a few more months, whatever it may be, wearing masks, physically distancing, all the things that we've been talking about and spend that time really making sure we've got the vaccine nailed down.

[07:05:05]

I mean, it's what needs to be done and I think it's what gives trust.

I want to show you something really quick. I found this study back in 2009, okay? 2009 was the last pandemic. H1N1 was the virus that was circulating at that time. This issue came up back then, as well.

Now, I think this is really instructive, if we can put up these numbers. Even back then, okay, the willingness to take an unapproved H1N1 vaccine, so authorized but unapproved, take a look at those numbers. Only 9 percent, roughly, said that they would take it. 30 percent, roughly, were undecided and 63 percent said they would not take it.

And that was back 11 years ago with H1N1. I think the situation is even worse right now.

CAMEROTA: Well, I'm interested in that, Sanjay, because if the president is very gung-ho, and he has said this, to get out a vaccine before Election Day, because he thinks that that will help him say that, we have licked the problem. If we wait -- just wait until phase three -- phase three is going well, as far as we know. if we wait for phase three to be done, to be approved, how much longer would that be?

GUPTA: Well, that could be a while. I mean, you're probably talking to next spring or next summer. You have to be able to make sure these 30,000 or 40,000, whatever the numbers are going to be in these trials, patients get both shots, and you follow them along for a few months.

You're looking for two things. Right now, what they're sort of banking on, Alisyn, is that they're going to get what they call these correlative measures. They'll look at the blood of people who have has these vaccines saying, this blood has tons of neutralizing antibodies, it looks really, really good, we're not seeing side effects, that's fantastic.

The reason you wait a few months, there's for two reasons. One is you want to see, are there any unusual side effects that sort of have appear. That's happened before with vaccines. There's a condition known as Guillain-Barre syndrome, which is a sort of paralysis that developed, a small number of people, but they ended up abandoning a vaccine program in 1976.

And the other thing you want to see, does it really work. Okay, yes, you've got the neutralizing antibodies in the blood. That's great. Are you less likely to get infected? That's what people really want to know. So a few more months, I don't think there's an exact date on it, but next spring, next summer, you would probably have that data.

BERMAN: So there is good news on therapeutics, Sanjay, new studies, which have looked into the use of steroids, with terrific results. What's infuriating about this, to me, is for all the focus on the crap about hydroxychloroquine and other things where the studies don't back it up, we've got something that works here that's been proven in really good studies. Why not lean in, lean into the stuff that's been proven to make a difference?

GUPTA: Yes, I'm with you on this one, John. I mean, this is -- these are steroids, by the way, which are commonly available. They don't need to create a new drug here, dexamethasone, hydrocortizone, corticosteroids, people have heard of these types of medications. There was early evidence that they provided some significant benefit in patients who were critically ill, and now a new study that sort of confirmed that, large studies, prospective studies that they pooled lots of data and they came to the same conclusion. They reinforced this conclusion.

The thinking is this. When you get very sick from this particular disease, it is your body's inflammatory reaction that is particularly problematic. You're just making so much inflammatory cells, it's that inflammation that causes problems in the lungs. Steroids are some of the most potent anti-inflammatories out there. You give these steroids, it reduces that inflammation, that cytokine storm, so to speak, and it seems to work. It can rescue patients who seem like they are really going south in terms of overall recovery and decrease that inflammation and improve their recovery.

CAMEROTA: Sanjay, one bright spot in the country that you want to describe or explain is New York State. And so, what's the positivity rate here and what has New York done right?

GUPTA: The positivity rate in New York has remained below 1 percent now for, I think, 26 days in a row. So that's great. I mean, that's on par with some of the best places, frankly, in the world.

I think there's two things to sort of take away here, and both are optimistic. One is that they just didn't take their foot off the gas even as things were improving in New York. Where you live, you probably see a very different situation when you're walking around, than where I live, for example, in Georgia, where there's still no mask mandate. I mean, it's mind boggling at this point.

But the other thing about masks, I get that there's still this remarkable strange politicization of masks. But, you know, I read these studies and some of these are out in New York where you find that health care workers, even inside hospitals, who are taking care of COVID patients, these are the highest risk people in the entire country, right? They're inside, they're taking care of COVID patients.

[07:10:01]

And what do these studies find? These studies find that their risk of contracting this disease is actually lower than the general population. Why would that be? Because they wear masks. Masks work. Health care workers who are directly caring for COVID patients on a daily basis have a lower chance of contracting this disease than the general public, you've got to take that into account.

New York has shown that. Their mask mandates work. And they're continuing to work. I mean, who knows how long this is going to continue. But, clearly, I think that is a bright spot.

CAMEROTA: That is such an interesting example that health care workers who are right there dealing with the output from coronavirus patients, because they're masked up, have a lower rate. That's so interesting to hear, Sanjay. Thank you very much for the -- some optimistic news.

All right, CNN has a new national poll, the first after both conventions. So we know you've been waiting for this. We bring you the new numbers and the state of the race, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: So, this morning, brand-new polling from CNN, this is our first post-convention poll, and it shows Joe Biden with the lead, 51- 43 percent.

[07:15:06]

That's actually a bigger lead than our last poll from before the conventions, albeit, within the margin of error.

It was sort of pollmageddon over the last 24 hours. New polls from all over the place, including --

CAMEROTA: Pollpalooza, I would say.

BERMAN: Pollpalooza, pollmageddon, pollcapolypse.

CAMEROTA: No, those are all negative connotations. Pollpalooza is positive.

BERMAN: Well, look, Armageddon, the movie. I'm a big Ben Affleck fan. So that has positive connotations for me. These new polls in key swing states, you can see here, at least a number of them show Biden with a lead in Arizona, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, much, much tighter.

Joining us now to talk about what I am going to call pollmageddon, whatever Alisyn says, CNN Political Director David Chalian.

David, I want to start with how the candidates are doing in key demographics. What are you seeing?

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes. In our national poll, John, it is pretty fascinating when you look at the different slices of the electorate. Look at independents here and how Biden is crushing Trump. You see that middle line there, 51 percent to 37 percent. That's a 14-point advantage for Biden, with a group Donald Trump won in 2016.

Take a look at the gender divide, 20-point advantage among female voters for Joe Biden, 57 percent to 37 percent. Among men, it's a four-point race. They're near even, Trump, 48, Biden, 44. Look at race. It's actually a similar story, among people of color, you have Biden at 59 percent, Trump at 31 percent. That's a 28-point advantage there.

But when you look at white voters, it's basically tied, Biden 49, Trump 47. So if Biden is running up the score with women and running the score with people of color, Donald Trump needs to do the same with whites and men, but what's happening is they're battling it out to a near tie. That's a problem for Donald Trump.

CAMEROTA: David, how does it break down on the issues?

CHALIAN: Joe Biden, Alisyn, has an advantage on nearly every issue we tested here, racial inequality, big Biden advantage, health care, foreign policy, coronavirus, all double-digit advantage there. On criminal justice, he's got a seven-point edge. On helping the middle class, he's got a seven-point edge. And on the economy, it is now basically a tie. This has been a Donald Trump strong suit for much of the campaign and now it is basically tied.

BERMAN: All right. So it's obvious what the Trump campaign and the president have been trying to make this race about the last few days. He calls it law and order. How concerned are Americans about that issue?

CHALIAN: Yes, we asked, how worried are you about the risk of crime in your community? Not overly worried, is the answer, from America in this poll, John. 13 percent say very worried. 24 percent say somewhat worried.

And look at this split, I think this is so interesting, between Biden voters and Trump voters. We asked about a series of issues about risk to their community, coronavirus, economy, racism, and the risk of crime there at the bottom, Biden voters, 39 percent say they're worried about risk of crime in their community, only 30 percent of Trump voters.

Overall, you see the Biden electorate has far more worry than the Trump electorate across all of these issues.

CAMEROTA: But, David, is that the same as the issues you're most concerned about? I mean, is safety in terms of coronavirus and crime at the top of peoples lists now?

CHALIAN: I mean, we still see health care and the economy and coronavirus up near the top, but take a look at this question we asked, Alisyn. Which one of these candidates is going to keep Americans safe from harm? Now, that could be harm of crime, harm of the coronavirus, Biden has got an edge here. 51 percent say Biden, 45 percent say Trump. Biden has actually improved his position on this question since before the conventions.

BERMAN: It's also -- I just want to say, I said it was pollmageddon, there was wide consistency amongst all the polls that were released yesterday about where the race is right now. Who knows where it will be in 60 days, but right now, we have a very clear view of where it is.

David, there was breaking news, as in like four minutes ago, that I want your take on. Apparently, Facebook has announced that they're going to ban political ads the week before the election. This just happened, so I think I have a that right. Tell us about this move and how important you think it is.

CHALIAN: Well, listen, this is clearly Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook trying to sort of fix some of the problems that have existed in the past for them. That's clearly leaving a lot of money on the table for the company, but it seems that this is a way to try at the very end of the election to make sure that they are halting any kind of manipulation.

I think that Facebook also said as a part of this announcement, John, that they are going to work hard to not allow people to claim victory erroneously based on incomplete vote counts in their messaging on Facebook, as well.

So they're trying to police a bit more of the environment on that platform when it comes to politics that close to Election Day.

[07:20:04]

BERMAN: David Chalian, that is not the biggest social media announcement by any means of the morning. So, Alisyn Camerota, what is that news? Do tell.

CAMEROTA: All right. I'm going back on Twitter.

BERMAN: Wow.

CAMEROTA: I know. Okay, everybody, get your follows in right now. I'm going back on Twitter. I think it's a limited engagement through the election.

David, yesterday, President Trump tweeted about my voter panel. I'm very pleased that he was watching. I hope that everybody watches my voter panels. I love speaking to voters and getting a pulse of the people.

BERMAN: You like speaking.

CAMEROTA: I like speaking. And so I'm going to use -- I know that Twitter is the preferred communications method of the White House. So, from now through the election, I will be on Twitter. I'm not saying Twitter and I are back together. We broke up. I'm not saying we're completely back together, but I'm going to let Twitter buy me a drink.

CHALIAN: Have the reasons for the breakup been fixed? I mean --

CAMEROTA: Well, I don't know. This will be a good trial run to see how Twitter behaves.

BERMAN: You're like friends with benefits right now with Twitter?

CAMEROTA: It's a Twitter booty call.

CHALIAN: Good luck to you, Alisyn. BERMAN: All right. David Chalian is like, get me out of here as fast as I possibly can. David, you're the best. Thank you.

BERMAN: Thanks, John.

CAMEROTA: Okay, thanks, David.

All right, now to this developing story, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi claims she's the victim of a set-up. She says she made a questionable decision this week by going inside a beauty parlor in San Francisco. That's against the rules there. She's also not wearing a mask in this portion of the video that was released by the salon. The salon's owner's staff insists she did wear one, just not at the moment that her hair was being washed. Pelosi blames the salon owner for releasing this video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): I take responsibility for trusting the word of a neighborhood salon that I've been to over the years many times and that when they said, we're able to accommodate people, one person at a time, and that we can set up that time, I trusted that. As it turns out, it was a set-up, so I take responsibility for falling for a set-up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Well, the salon's owner was quick to respond on Fox last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERICA KIOUS, SAN FRANCISCO HAIR SALON OWNER: She had called the stylist or her assistant did and made the appointment. So --

TUCKER CARLSON, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Yes.

KIOUS: So the appointment was already booked.

If she is in there comfortably without a mask and feeling safe, then why are we shut down?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAMEROTA: Okay. Well, John, I just want to say one thing, I also go to salons. I go inside, my state allows it. I wear the mask the whole time while my hair is being washed. You can actually wear the mask while your hair is being washed. I think that would solve the problem.

BERMAN: Look, she should know better. Bottom line is she should know better. People are making this a partisan issue. To me, the issue is that too many people are trying to find an exception or a cheat or to get around the rules here. We all need to be responsible.

CAMEROTA: Yes, wear the mask. The CDC is telling states to get ready to distribute a coronavirus vaccine by late October. Of course, that's just weeks from now. So we're going to ask a doctor if that will be safe, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:25:00]

CAMEROTA: The CDC is telling states to get ready to distribute coronavirus vaccines as soon as next month, but the vaccine has not gone through the necessary scientific trials. Is the Trump administration rushing this through for Election Day?

Dr. Carlos del Rio is the Executive Associate Dean at the Emory University School of Medicine at Grady Health System. He is contributing to the NIH, Moderna vaccine trial, so he is the perfect person to talk to. We also have Andy Slavitt, another perfect person, former acting administrator --

BERMAN: You dug yourself out there because you were selling Andy short.

CAMEROTA: I saw Andy waiting for this intro. He was the administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services under President Obama. He's also the Host of the podcast, In the Bubble. It's great to have both of you.

Dr. del Rio, is it good to have this vaccine that hasn't gone through phase three clinical trials out by Election Day, or does that cause you some concern?

DR. CARLOS DEL RIO, EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE DEAN, EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, GRADY HEALTH SYSTEM: Alisyn, it causes me some concerns, because we have to let clinical research happen. If by that time the DSMB has reviewed the data and there's enough evidence to say this vaccine worked, then I think we would be fine. But we need to let that happen.

We don't know if this vaccine is effective. That is what phase three does. If it's not effective, what are we doing? What are we putting out there, something that we even know if it works or it doesn't work?

BERMAN: Can I just ask bluntly, Dr. del Rio, since you're part of the Moderna study, do you think you will have enough data to know whether it works before Election Day?

DEL RIO: I don't know. As a researcher, I need to do the trial. And it's up to the DSMB to look at the data. As a researcher, I don't look at the data. One day, the DSMB will get together and say, hey, we have enough endpoints and, therefore, we can unblind it and see whether the results favor the vaccine or not.

But as a researcher, I need to really to think the null hypothesis. I have to think that we need to show that this works. And we have to do the research appropriately. Doing research well is key to developing any therapeutic or diagnostic procedure. CAMEROTA: Okay. Andy Slavitt, your thoughts on this timeline.

ANDY SLAVITT, FORMER ACTING ADMINISTRATOR, CENTER FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES FOR OBAMA: Well, Dr. del Rio is correct. We won't know until enough people have not only been injected with the vaccine but also been exposed to the virus. We won't know when that is. As soon as that happened, and as soon as that's reviewed and as soon as the data is made public, then we should be happy to have a vaccine put into humans.

But to put vaccine into tens of millions of people that are already -- that are otherwise healthy, when we don't have that -- when that's not been done yet, that's something that we just shouldn't do. And the FDA left to its own devices, I'm quite sure, would never do that. They have indicated that they have (INAUDIBLE) that there's at least 50 percent effectiveness for a vaccine before they would in a completed phase three trial.

[07:30:02]

Now, they have come off of that likely at the pressure of the president, and that's not a good move, because if people don't take.