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Toronto Mayor Says He May Extend the Four-Week Lockdown; Germany's Angela Merkel Extends COVID Restrictions Through December 20th; French Ski Resorts to Remain Closed Over Christmas. Aired 2:30-3p ET
Aired November 26, 2020 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:30:00]
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: People in Canada's largest city might be living under lockdown until next year. Toronto Mayor John Tory telling CNN he's not ruling out an extension of the city's four-week lockdown through new year's eve, that is if coronavirus cases keep skyrocketing across Canada.
Toronto's fresh lockdown just started on Monday and is currently set to expire four days before Christmas. People there are required to stay home and only interact with others within their own households. Toronto schools will remain open. So for more, let's check in with our CNN correspondents all around the world.
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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Fred Pleitgen in Berlin. As Germany is both extending and tightening its lockdown measures, instead of coming to an end as planned in a couple of days, the measures will remain in place until at least December 20th, possibly even longer.
Germany is also expanding mask mandates and further restricting the amount of contacts people are allowed to have in a private setting. Angela Merkel says the goal of all of this is to bring down the still very high daily new coronavirus infections and possibly ease restrictions come Christmas.
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London, England, where people are finding out what restrictions they'll be living under in just a week's time when a nationwide lockdown expires, and that system is replaced with a three-tier regional restriction system. But even if you live under this country's toughest rules, all non-essential shops will be allowed to reopen. That means let the Christmas shopping begin. And that's exactly what has many in the medical community worried, with some saying the strategy is full of risks.
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Melissa Bell in Paris. Ski resorts here in France will be closed over the Christmas period as a result of coronavirus restrictions. That's the very latest from the French Prime Minister last night.
[14:35:00]
On Wednesday, we heard from the French president who announced that the partial lockdown we've been under here in France since October 30th will be lifted on December 15th if the figures come down as the government experts them to, as a result of those restrictions, they want to see no more than 5,000 cases every day.
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BALDWIN: Millions of Americans are facing economic hardships during the pandemic as lawmakers up on Capitol Hill have failed to come to any agreement on further coronavirus relief, and an additional 778,000 individuals filed unemployment claims just last week.
And if Congress doesn't take action, key programs are set to expire at the end of December, including expanded unemployment benefits, a pause on student loan payments, eviction protection and more. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered this message today, quote, "tragically, this Thanksgiving comes at a time amid heartbreak as our nation mourns the deaths of over 250,000 Americans to the coronavirus.
[14:40:00]
This vicious virus has torn through all our communities, and on this day in particular, we feel its devastating impacts." CNN's Lauren Fox joins me from Washington. And Lauren, happy Thanksgiving to you. And you tell me, I mean, everyone around the country is wondering like how likely is it that the house and Senate will reach a deal on COVID relief during the lame-duck session?
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: Well, Brooke, it's really been tragic watching these negotiations unfold in part, because if you remember in the Spring, lawmakers came together at an unprecedented race passing the largest stimulus in American history, and yet, it has been eight months since we negotiated that last bill, and lawmakers no closer to a deal than they have been since July when they started this process.
In fact, if you look at whether or not the principals, the people who can make the difference, Pelosi, McConnell, McCarthy, Schumer, they haven't even sat down in a room to negotiate since the election.
So that just tells you how far away we are. Now, Republican and Democratic aides who are working on a spending negotiation -- that's a separate bill that has to be done by December 11th, they've had some preliminary conversations about whether or not you could attach any of those items that you mentioned earlier to the spending bill.
But it's still is very tough to see how they come to an agreement when there are so many outstanding issues about really the scope of what this bill should look like. Republicans aiming for something in the neighborhood of $500 billion, Democrats meanwhile, still sticking to about that $2 trillion marker, Brooke.
So, there's really a difference in priorities here, and it's so tragic and so hard to see whether or not they're going to be able to get any agreement by the end of the year.
BALDWIN: Speaking of Republicans, the Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, he posted a video earlier this morning, what did he say?
FOX: Well, McConnell basically is arguing that he is thinking of all of the Americans who have lost their livelihoods, but we should mention that he has still not negotiated with Pelosi on a stimulus agreement. Here's what he said earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): I'm grateful for all those who helped us beat this virus, and aside racing towards a vaccine, to the families who wear their masks. So, as we enjoy restful moments this holiday season, let's keep in our hearts all the families who have lost loved ones or livelihoods this year, and let's give thanks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOX: And Brooke, it's going to be so critical next week to watch Capitol Hill because that is when these negotiations could really pick up. So, we'll keep you posted, but right now, it's not looking promising that any stimulus deal could be reached by the end of the year. Brooke?
BALDWIN: That is so disappointing for so many Americans. We'll be talking to you next week, Lauren Fox, thank you very much. What Lauren said, with no relief in sight from Washington and millions of Americans out of a job, tomorrow, Black Friday, a major shopping day for retailers around the country may bring with it even more pain for businesses already hurting by the pandemic. With me now, Sarah Nassauer; she's a retail reporter for "The Wall Street Journal". So, Sarah, thank you so much for being with me, happy Thanksgiving to you.
SARAH NASSAUER, RETAIL REPORTER, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Happy Thanksgiving.
BALDWIN: Black Friday, and really, if I may, the whole shopping -- you know, holiday shopping season. How will it be different this year?
NASSAUER: It's drastically different. Normally today, I'd be out in stores interviewing folks because it's Thanksgiving and stores open this evening usually for deals. This year, all the stores are closed. Retailers are really trying to push deals online and reduce crowds in stores, but they still want the sales, of course.
BALDWIN: Because of the demand, Sarah, for online shopping, because it will be so high this year, I mean, shipping will be extremely busy, and just let me take a wild guess, that last-minute shopping -- guilty on occasion, is not going to be a good idea this year. NASSAUER: Yes, we already see some retailers the last few days saying
our shipping cut-off is December 5th or December 15th, unless you want to pay a hefty price, and it might not even be an option after that.
BALDWIN: Wow --
NASSAUER: So a lot of analysts sort of predict things could be pushed to stores regardless because everyone is trying to buy online at once right now.
BALDWIN: Right, so maybe that means brick-and-mortar are just quickly -- I mean, this may not be the proverbial nail in the coffin for brick-and-mortar stores then?
NASSAUER: No, not for many, especially the big buck retailers, all the retailers that were able to stay open during the early part of the pandemic that were deemed essential, those folks are actually seeing some of the best sales of their history in some cases.
BALDWIN: Amazing. Sarah Nassauer, thank you for coming on with me on your -- on your Thanksgiving holiday. Nice to have you on.
NASSAUER: Thank you.
BALDWIN: Coming up next, I will talk to an ICU nurse about the grueling job she and her fellow healthcare workers are facing in treating COVID patients.
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[14:45:00]
BALDWIN: Almost 90,000 Americans are spending their holiday in a hospital bed sick with COVID. It is a new record for the 16th straight day. And although much of the focus is on the loss and illness ravaging this country right now, we also need to focus on the people who are spending their holiday away from their families to save those lives.
These ICU nurses across the country have recaptured the how-it-started versus how it's going meme, posting before-and-after photos from their shifts. Their skin indented from 12 hours, wearing a mask and hopes of illustrating just how hard nurses are working during this pandemic -- and that nurse right there is Kathryn, she joins me now. And so, Kathryn, happy Thanksgiving, and thank you for all that you do.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy Thanksgiving, thank you, Brooke.
[14:50:00]
BALDWIN: And I just want to be super-transparent with everyone watching, we're actually not disclosing your last name, honoring your wishes because you've said you've already started being harassed online for posting that photo with people accusing you of lying about what you've experienced with COVID which is entirely tragic, and we're just going to push past this because this is our reality to you. You have been retweeted nearly 90,000 times, other nurses have
responded as we showed with their before and after photos. Kathryn, what do you make of the reaction to your post?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm astounded. I'm absolutely amazed. I'm touched. I tweeted that right after I had woken up from night shift, so I was essentially jetlagged when I posted it. And I've just been so touched to see other people responding to it in such a way. I'm -- healthcare professionals a chance -- experience. Who may not have been able to have been seen as widely otherwise. I just -- I'm glad that people are looking and are having to see the impact that this has on us. Because this is -- this is also the reality that impacts our patients.
BALDWIN: Let's talk about the impact more, right? Let me just back up. So, your tweet with your photo as a new nurse. You just graduated in May to become a nurse versus now. You had tweeted, didn't exactly expect to be a new nurse in the middle of a highly-politicized pandemic. What has this year been like for you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it has been surreal. I would say every single time I drive to work, I have at least a moment where I think I can't believe that this is actually happening. You know, I can't believe that I'm a nurse in the middle of a pandemic. I can't believe that I'm a nurse in the middle of a pandemic that many people don't acknowledge. I can't believe that so much is being asked of healthcare workers with so little --
BALDWIN: Our signal is not awesome. You know, I was hanging on your every word. You're saying you can't believe you're having to work in a pandemic, finish your last thought, Kathryn, apologies for the -- for the issue.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't believe that we're -- so much has being asked of healthcare workers with so little resources. We're being asked to take care of this massive increase in patients where as resources haven't really increased, and we are not some super human invincible force. You know, we can only do so much.
BALDWIN: And I want to try to get you one more question and hopefully the Wi-Fi works, and Ribera(ph), don't kill me, but I just want to stay with her. So, you know, health officials are warning that after Thanksgiving, we're going to see a surge on top of a surge. You're already exhausted. How are you and your fellow nurses --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes --
BALDWIN: Preparing just for the potential influx of patients this Winter?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think at this point we've gone numb. We have been through a couple of surges here in my hometown, and we are fully expecting the next few weeks to be brutal. And at this point honestly, we just want to get it over with. We know it's going to be awful. We know that people are going to die, and there's nothing else we can do at this point other than get through it. BALDWIN: Kathryn, if I may, how old are you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am 28. I turned 28 on Tuesday.
BALDWIN: Happy birthday. What does a bad day --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
BALDWIN: Look like for you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A bad day is when people are dying and you can't do anything to stop it. And with COVID, that is most days. We know at this point, the clinical course that many COVID patients will take. But because there's still no definitive treatment, it comes to a point where we have exhausted all our options, and we know that this patient is going to die and we can't do anything about it. And on the really bad days, that happens to multiple patients in a row.
BALDWIN: And how are you doing? Are you OK?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm doing OK. I think it's -- I have no idea what it's like to be a nurse in normal times. I have no baseline. I also think that I'm coming into this, you know, after the first surge. By the time I came into it, we already had some protocols in place. We had been through the first wave of it. And so, the nurses who have been in this since March, I mean, they have seen things that I can't imagine.
BALDWIN: I was talking with a nurse out of Iowa last week, you know, and her plea for people to just wear masks and be safe. And she was just saying, Brooke, I can never un-see what I've seen. And that's going to stay with me for a long time. It is Thanksgiving, Kathryn, the Bidens wrote an op-ed on cnn.com, and they talked about people like you.
So, if I may, I want to read this to you. "We are grateful for the healthcare workers who put in long shifts and isolate themselves from their loved ones. The nurses who comfort and help people say one last good-bye and the doctors who fight for every breath. I know it is a trying year. It is a trying Thanksgiving." Kathryn, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
[14:55:00]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am thankful for my fellow healthcare workers. I am thankful for the people who suit up every shift and who know that they are walking into hell and they choose to walk in any way. They choose to clock in any way.
They know that they're going to be holding someone's hand through plastic as they die. They know that they're going to be holding an iPad up to somebody's face so that their family can say good-bye to a patient who is on a ventilator, who is unable to speak. I am thankful for the people who choose to do this day in and day out.
BALDWIN: I am thankful for you, 28, new nurse. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
BALDWIN: Thank you, Kathryn. Coming up, why the experts warn the pandemic could get a lot worse.
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