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Giroir: 15 Million Vaccine Doses Delivered By End Of The Week; Unemployment Benefits Lapse For Jobless Americans After Trump Delays Bill Signing; Today: Biden Addresses Natl. Security, Foreign Policy Challenges. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired December 28, 2020 - 12:30   ET

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

[12:30:00]

DR. CELINE GOUNDER, MEMBER, BIDEN-HARRIS TRANSITION COVID ADVISORY BOARD: To what level of herd immunity we need to get to, for people to be protected. That really is still very much up in the air and will probably depend also on specific subpopulations whether people in that group are still wearing masks to some degree, and what kind of social mixing is occurring in those groups. So this is not a one number estimate, it's really a guesstimate with a range.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Does that range sound right, though, 70 to 85?

GOUNDER: You know, ballpark it sounds about right. But, again, you know, I think to say this is exactly the right number, I think would be inaccurate. I think we have been learning all along. And I think when you show too much confidence in an estimate like that, and then are proven wrong, that creates more issues around trust.

I think big picture what the American people need to understand is we need to have very high levels of immunity, the only way to achieve that is going to be through vaccination. And so it's really important that as vaccination becomes available to you based on the priority ranking that the Centers for Disease Control have put out that you do get yourself vaccinated.

KEILAR: Yes. I mean, the only way to achieve it without a ton of people dying is vaccination. So where are we on that? I want to listen to the Admiral Brett Giroir and what he had to seize the testings are. This is what he said about vaccine distribution so far.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADM. BRETT GIROIR, WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS TESTING CZAR: The 2 million number is probably an underestimate. We've distributed to the states 10.8 million doses. That 2 million number is delayed three to seven days. So we certainly expect that to be a multiple of 2 million. We're going to distribute another 4.7 million this week, so by the end of this week in the hands of the states, over 15.5 million doses.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: I mean, I wonder what you make of the vaccine rollout, and also what you can say to Americans who are hoping, you know, I think a lot of people are hoping that things are normal in the summer. But when you look at the vaccine numbers, it's hard to see how we would get anywhere close to even two-thirds immunity, which may not be enough by late spring.

GOUNDER: Well, I think there are a number of factors that go into this. You have vaccine manufacturing and production, you have distribution, and then you have whether people are feeling OK about getting vaccinated.

I think in terms of the production side of things, we do have two vaccines that have received emergency use authorization. We do have promises of 100 million and 200 million doses for each of those two vaccines, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. And so that is definitely a, you know, very promising start.

We have had a bit of a rocky start in terms of the distribution. We've only administered about 2 million doses in two weeks. So that's a million doses a week. That's not nearly fast enough. If we want to be reaching the President-elect's goals, that would mean a million doses a day. And that would be a massive increase over what we're currently doing. So I do think that there are things to be hopeful about. But I think we also have a long ways to go here.

KEILAR: Yes, we certainly do. You know, it should be a million a day as you put it, in word, a million a week. Dr. Gounder, thank you for being with us.

[12:33:34]

Still ahead, there are mixed feelings for millions of unemployed Americans today relief that the stimulus bill was signed, angst that it happened a day after benefits lapsed.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: President Trump finally signed the latest pandemic relief bill but not before holding it hostage for five days. And those five days were long enough to create a lapse in unemployment benefits for millions of Americans. So that means harder times for folks like Meghan Meyer who is a single mom to two teens.

She stopped working in March after her doctor said that her rare autoimmune disorder made her too vulnerable to continue in her retail job. And she's now joining me from Lincoln, Nebraska. All right, Meghan, thank you. First off for being with us as we head into this New Year, you as I mentioned, took this unpaid medical leave. You've been on unemployment. So tell us what it has been like for you managing on that budget during the pandemic?

MEGHAN MEYER, UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS RUNNING OUT: It's been really tough. I had to make a decision for my family. You know, do I take a health risk that could be detrimental to my family? Or do I listen to my doctor's advice and financially changed my whole scenario?

After the $600 stimulus ran out in August, I've been living on $154 a week in regular unemployment with two kids. Also, I live in the state of Nebraska and we have a governor, Governor Pete Ricketts who at that time also refused to extend the free federal pandemic assistance food stamps, SNAP benefits. So that left people like myself having to go stand in line and food banks were often I was given so rotten food that I couldn't cook with.

$154 a week obviously doesn't go a long way. And I've had to reach out for help from different agencies, churches and nonprofit organizations. And I've just been holding out waiting for Congress to be able to make some decisions that would be in the best interest of so many Americans, like myself.

[12:40:14]

KEILAR: OK. So how do you prioritize your expenses? I mean, are you talking about a roof over the head, food? What is the -- when you go to spend, obviously not enough money to survive with the kids, what is it? What's the priority?

MEYER: The priority is gas and the things we just need to get through the week. I go to a discount grocery store. And, you know, spend maybe $50 for the week for three people. There's just not a lot extra to be able to pay rent and utilities. So I've had to depend on other people's help, help with that.

And you know, things arise, like, I had a car. My car broke down, and I needed to get a new car that was very difficult. We have a dog who got really sick, and I couldn't pay the vet bills. It just been a really rough time, a really rough adjustment for my kids. And I've just been, you know, just trying to plug through it and get through it the best that we can and just been holding on for something better to come my way with help from the government.

KEILAR: And so now there's this delay.

MEYER: Yes.

KEILAR: And I'm wondering how the delay and benefits will -- what does that mean for you?

MEYER: Well, for me, it means that I won't get unemployment for a week, because he signed it a day late. So 14 million Americans like myself are going to go without unemployment pay for a week. Also in the state of Nebraska and other states, it's not that simple of a process if you end unemployment, and then just to pick it back up.

From what I understand this could be a more of a lengthy process to renew benefits because of that. So I'm not sure how that's going to work. And I haven't received instruction from my state unemployment website on how that's going to work.

KEILAR: And so, did you supported President Trump in 2016? MEYER: You know, in 2016 I voted for him. I grew up in the 80s, when there was Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, you know, he had the Trump Tower with the gold and he was kind of famous. And I thought, oh, you know, I don't like him. I think he's not well liked. I don't like a lot of things that he has to say. But maybe he's a good businessman. Maybe he can do good for our economy.

Also, at the time, I didn't pay much attention to politics. I certainly do now, and certainly will going forward. So I kind of listened to my mom at the time and went ahead and voted for him. Within shortly after he came into office, I completely changed my mind. And I can't even fathom the things that have happened like you couldn't make this stuff up.

KEILAR: You know --

MEYER: The devices that he's created and the suffering that he has caused so many millions of Americans is just so deplorable.

KEILAR: And, you know, Meghan, you mentioned your kids, you said they're having a hard time.

MEYER: Yes.

KEILAR: Tell us about that.

MEYER: They are.

KEILAR: What is this been like for them?

MEYER: Well, because of my autoimmune disease, my kids have to make some sacrifices too. They have to stay home. And I have like a little bubble of people that we include in our lives to come by. So they do each have a friend that can come over. But they have to remote school and they can't interact socially, like they used to, to keep us safe. Because if something happens to me, I'm the only their support Molly have (ph).

So that's been a big adjustment. That's a big adjustment to ask of a 10-year-old and a 13-year-old. Also, they're not used to being this poor or, you know, poverty status. And it's just we're doing the best we can and trying to make through. But it definitely has had an impact on my children. And it's hard for me as a mother to sit back and know that there's not something that I can do to fix it and make it better for them.

KEILAR: Yes, I know that. I know that must be torture for you. You are so important to them, Meghan.

MEYER: It is.

KEILAR: So, you know --

MEYER: Yes.

KEILAR: -- this is a tough decision that you've made, but it certainly makes sense. You are the most essential thing to your kids. Meghan Meyer, thank you so much for being with us.

MEYER: Yes. Thanks for having me.

[12:44:34]

KEILAR: All right. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: The United States is breaking yet another pandemic record on average over the last seven day more than 118,000 Americans have been hospitalized with coronavirus. This is the highest number yet. Let's check in now with our CNN correspondents for the latest coronavirus headlines around the country.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Elizabeth Cohen in Atlanta. Novavax has now become the fifth pharmaceutical company to start a large scale phase three COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial in the United States.

Now this vaccine, it'll be given in two doses, one dose and then another one, three weeks later. Now what's special about this vaccine what's a little bit different so far is that it doesn't require freezing, just refrigeration will work. They're going to do this trial with 30,000 people. And they've gotten up to $1.6 billion in funding from Operation Warp Speed a part of the U.S. government.

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Kristen Holmes in Washington. While more vaccine doses will be given this week, it is becoming increasingly clear that that government target of 20 million doses administered before the end of the year will fall short.

[12:50:07]

Now, the question is just how short will it fall? Over the weekend, the CDC putting out new numbers saying that only nearly 2 million vaccine doses had been administered. And now, there are growing concerns that the system which has already been slowed down, will slow down even further next week when they start administering those second doses. So something we're watching closely.

Now the other thing we have an eye on is a developing story out of New York, which may be the first COVID-19 vaccine related crime. According to the New York State Health Commissioner, a New York based health provider may have fraudulently obtained vaccines and given them to members of the public contrary to state guidelines. The Health Commissioner says they will assist the state police in launching a criminal investigation.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: All right, thank you to my colleagues for those reports.

At the height of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, an independent journalist documented the unfolding crisis from overflowing hospitals to empty stores amid a strict lockdown. And she has just been sentenced to four years in jail by a court in Shanghai. CNN's Ivan Watson has the details for us. Ivan?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, if you need proof of how dangerous it is to challenge the Chinese government's narrative, look at the case of Zhang Zhan, this Chinese citizen journalist who was sentenced to four years in prison for quote picking quarrels and provoking trouble.

There was a lot of Chinese police presence outside the courtroom in Shanghai, where she was sentenced today. Now what she did wrong in the eyes of the Chinese authorities was this former lawyer traveled to the city of Wuhan last February when that was the biggest hotspot in the world for the coronavirus, the first place where this deadly disease was discovered.

And she was reporting on social media about what she was seeing there. We have this video where she shows patients being treated in the hallways of a crowded Wuhan hospital. Well she's been detained several times since then, most recently in May. Her defense attorney visited her in detention earlier this month and said she was on hunger strike and was being force fed through a tube through her throat and nose and that her arms were bound at her side to stop her from removing the tube.

She went to court in a wheelchair. And the organization, Reporters Without Borders, says China is the world's biggest jailer of journalists with at least three other citizen journalists we know of who've been also detained for their work in Wuhan. The Chinese government insists it respects the freedom of expression of all Chinese citizens. Brianna?

KEILAR: Ivan, Ivan Watson, thank you so much.

And still ahead, just how challenging will the presidency be for Joe Biden on day on, what his team is preparing for and the remarks that they plan to make about it are next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:57:39]

KEILAR: Soon we will be hearing from President-elect Joe Biden, he and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are being briefed today on national security and foreign policy issues. And CNN's MJ Lee is following all of this in Wilmington, Delaware for us. MJ what is Biden going to say today?

MJ LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, we first expect the President-elect to be briefed by members of his U.S. national security and foreign policy agency review teams. Remember this was on slight delay earlier this year, as the Biden team waited for the GSA to formally give the ascertainment and the green light essentially for different federal agencies to start meeting with members of Biden's agency review team. So we expect him to be briefed on some of their key findings. And then when he speaks later today here in Wilmington, he will talk about some of the key findings that his team lets him knows -- lets him know about. And also we expect, you know, we don't know if he's necessarily going to be talking about domestic issues, because this will be primarily focused on national security and foreign policy.

But we will have to see if he has anything to say on the COVID relief bill, for example, that the President signed last night or even just the state of the pandemic as cases are still spiking across the country. Brianna?

KEILAR: We certainly will. And are we expecting to learn anything more about the Cabinet positions that have not been filled at this point MJ?

LEE: Yes. Remember, initially, the Biden transition team had hoped to fill out all of his Cabinet positions before the Christmas holiday. Obviously that deadline has come and gone. There are some outstanding positions as you know. The biggest one is probably Attorney General. We still don't know who Biden will name to that very important position.

CIA director is another outstanding position as well. Interesting because he is already named other members of his national security team, a couple of other positions that are still outstanding as well, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Labor, and SBA administrator. So we're going to know in the next couple days, whether we get those rules filled before the New Year or whether we will have to wait till January to find out how the rest of his Cabinet shakes out, Brianna.

KEILAR: Yes. Those are some big ones left. All right, MJ, thank you so much live for us from Wilmington.

And say so long to 2020 I mean, who isn't ready to do that? Hello to 2021 with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. They will be as always live from Time Square New Year's Eve starting at 8:00 on CNN. I will be watching.

[13:00:07]