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Nearly 1,500 U.S. Virus Deaths Mark Deadliest Day since May; Florida Sheriff Bans Deputies, Visitors from Wearing Masks; Trump's New Coronavirus Adviser Echoes his Non-Science Views. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired August 13, 2020 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:02]

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: But Russians officials say about a billion doses have already been ordered worldwide.

JOHN KING, CNN HOST: Thanks for joining us. I hope to see you tomorrow. Brianna Keilar picks up our coverage right now. Have a good day.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: John, thank you. I'm Brianna Keilar and I want to welcome viewers here in the U.S. and around the world.

More families are without their loved ones today after the deadliest day of the summer so far. 1,499, that is the number of American lives lost Wednesday to the coronavirus. In fact, it is the 17th consecutive day the U.S. has averaged more than 1,000 deaths per day. And it's a stark reminder that the U.S. does not have this pandemic under control.

And then while deaths are rising, testing is decreasing, just take a look at this. Testing in two major coronavirus hotspots decreasing right now and we are going to be exploring that soon.

New today, the CDC chief coming out with a dire warning, take precautions or it will be the worst fall in U.S. public health history. Dr. Redfield is calling on Americans to follow four simple steps, wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands and be smart about crowds.

Following that warning came this admission that we were underprepared. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ROBERT REDFIELD, DIRECTOR, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION: We need to overinvest, get over-prepared. I will say that in four, five decades of investment when this -- when the big one came, and this is not a minor one, this is the greatest public health crisis that hit this nation in a century, that we were underprepared. And we need to owe it to the children and grandchildren that this nation is never under prepared again for a public health crisis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Just a short time ago, a former head of the CDC warning, if we don't control COVID, it will control us. And a new report from out from CDC finds anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts have worsened during the pandemic.

CNN's Jacquelyn Howard is joining us now. Break this down for us. I think, anecdotally, we knew, Jacquelyn, that so many people were struggling, but tell us what the numbers are saying.

JACQUELYN HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Yes. Anecdotally, like you said, we already knew this but the numbers are eye-opening. What CDC researchers did, they conducted an online survey at the end of June, from June 24th to 30th, and they surveyed more than 5,000 adults across the country. And what the survey showed is that 40.9 percent of respondents said that they've experienced at least one mental health or behavioral health condition during the pandemic.

Here are the numbers specifically. 31 percent responded with anxiety or depression. 26 percent mentioned trauma or stressor-related disorders. 13 percent increased substance use and then 11 percent said that they seriously considered suicide in the past 30 days.

So this is really concerning and it kind of shows how there's this mental health crisis within the pandemic and these percentages are higher than numbers we have seen on mental health in previous years. So this is really concerning, Brianna.

KEILAR: This report also says, Jacquelyn, that certain groups reported having disproportionately worse mental health outcomes. Tell us about the findings there.

HOWARD: Yes, that really stood out to me. So those groups included young adults in their 20s and 30s and black adults and Hispanics. And we already know that within those communities, the pandemic is hitting disproportionately significantly.

And then what really stood out to me, Brianna, if you look at the respondents who are caregivers and essential workers, more than half of them reported at least one of these mental health conditions, specifically 67 percent of unpaid caregivers of adults and 54 percent of essential workers.

That's concerning. Think about it. Caregivers are looking after those older adults who are at an increased risk of COVID and essential workers are really helping to keep our communities functioning right now. So this is really concerning.

What lawmakers and policymakers can take away from this is maybe they can look at, okay, here are the areas where we really do need mental health services specifically. So this is important information and eye-opening information.

KEILAR: Yes. I think the trauma of caregivers and frontline folks in the medical field, especially, I think, we're going to being seeing that be a long-term story here. Jacquelyn, thank you so much for walking us through that.

And a reminder to our viewers that help is available through the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.

[13:05:02]

That number is on the screen there, 1800-273-8255.

Joining me is Dr. Ali Raja, Executive Vice Chairman of Emergency Medicine at Massachusetts General. And, you know, first, I just want to get your reaction to Dr. Robert Redfield admitting that the U.S. was underprepared for this public health crisis. Look, we all knew this but what does it mean for him to just tell it like it is?

DR. ALI RAJA, EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE, MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL: Brianna, I think, as you mentioned, all of us knew what Dr. Redfield was saying to be true but that level of transparency we haven't seen before and I, for one, truly appreciate it. We knew all knew that this hit us like a bus unexpectedly and our systems weren't in place. We still don't have a national strategy for distributing PPE, personal protection equipment, for example. But it's nice to see that transparency from Dr. Redfield.

KEILAR: The CDC chief also warned or he shared a warning which is take precautions or risk the worst fall in U.S. public health history. I wonder if you think if there is still time to turn this around, especially with an eye to say the 1918 pandemic when we know that this was -- if we were back then, this would be a tsunami coming at us and we're trying to avoid that. Can we turn it around?

RAJA: We can still turn this around but we don't have much time. Schools are starting to open up, people are still out congregating in beaches and restaurants without masks. I'm exceptionally concerned but I'm also still cautiously optimistic that if we focus over the next few weeks on the four things that Dr. Redfield implored us as a nation to do that we can turn this around. But if we don't, September, October, these are going to be bad months for us.

KEILAR: And the U.S. yesterday saw just this very deadly day, the deadliest day since mid-May. What is happening there?

RAJA: We are, as a country, just not listening to public health experts. The simple things that Dr. Redfield just mentioned, we aren't doing them. There are states where masks aren't required, many states where masks aren't required. And that, in and of itself, is fundamentally making it harder for us to combat this coronavirus epidemic.

KEILAR: Testing right now is down across the U.S. and that's also the case when you're looking at two hotspots, Florida and Texas, which is pretty astounding to consider that when positivity rates are continuing to rise in 35 states. Why are we seeing this drop in testing?

RAJA: Part of it is availability. But that availability really should allow us to shunt tests to where they're needed the most. We don't need as many tests here in Massachusetts and our hospital, quite honestly, is now having some trouble starting to get them because they're being shunted to hotspots. But even that is not enough.

But we fell behind on testing and we need to ramp up manufacturing and distribution of testing and that needs to be done centrally by the government, it can't be done piecemeal.

KEILAR: All right. Dr. Raja, thank you so much for being with us.

RAJA: Thank you very much, Brianna.

KEILAR: Thousands of students and teachers quarantined after school reopens in several states. What this real life experiment is showing us.

Plus, a sheriff bans his deputies or visitors from wearing masks. Hear why.

And anti-vaxxers are flooding social media with lies about the potential coronavirus vaccine, including that it's a CIA plot and that it contains monkey brains. Those are not true, by the way.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:10:00]

KEILAR: In Ocala, Florida, a new twist in the mask debate, a local sheriff is decreeing if you work for him, you cannot wear a mask. Sheriff Billy Woods says this. So, as for us, my order stands as is, when you are on duty working as my employee and representing my office, masks will not be worn. But it doesn't stop there. Anyone who walks into a sheriff's office in his district will be asked to remove their mask or leave, he says.

CNN's Rosa Flores is joining us now to talk about this. I mean, Rosa, how can he dictate that visitors take off their masks when walk into a sheriff's office?

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, there are so many questions around this. I talked to the Public Information Officer for Marion County and he says that deputies learned about this via email and then supervisors reinforced the no mask mandate in person.

Now, according to this email, there are some exceptions, for example, if a deputy is working at a school or a hospital or a courthouse. However, it also says in this email that the moment that there is any sort of law enforcement activity where this law enforcement officer has to give someone a command, that mask must come off.

And even though it is an internal protocol, like you mentioned, anyone who visits the sheriff's office is going to be asked to remove their mask. And, of course, the question is why.

According to this email, it's because of this. Quote, in light of the current events when it comes to the sentiment and/or hatred towards law enforcement in the country today, this is being done to ensure there is clear communication and for identification purposes of any individual walking into a lobby.

I asked the public information officer about this. He says that it's also so that a person's full face is on surveillance camera at the sheriff's office. But this begs the obvious question, what if someone wants to walk into the sheriff's office to report a crime, and for public safety to happen, the sheriff's office has to allow people to do that?

Well, according to the public information officer, there is a phone outside of the building, Brianna, where you can pick up the phone, call a law enforcement officer.

[13:15:08]

While that law enforcement officer from inside the building will then walk outside the building and talk to you face to face. And at that point, you can keep your mask on.

And I checked the positivity rate in Marion County, the latest, Brianna, (INAUDIBLE) with this. It's between 8.5 percent and 23.6 percent in the past two weeks. Brianna?

KEILAR: God help those police officers. Rosa, thank you so much.

As the race intensifies for a vaccine, anti-vaxxers are spreading lies and conspiracy theories on social media. Hear what the government is not doing.

Plus, we'll take a look at the president's new coronavirus adviser who echoes many of the president's unscientific claims.

And the crowd of people not wearing masks takes over a New York City bus and throws a pop-up party.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:20:00]

KEILAR: Yesterday on the show, I spoke with a woman whose words I just can't shake. She found her 31-year-old brother dead from the coronavirus just hours after he told her that he was going to be okay and that didn't need to go to the hospital. It was just a day after he was walking around and seemed to be getting better.

Robert Ruiz was beloved by the patients he worked with in a brain injury center. He was beloved by his family. And he was working to lose weight because he wanted to be around as long as he could for his three-year-old daughter.

Robert's sister, Chenique, came on the show because she wanted people to take COVID-19 seriously. Why? Because she didn't.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHENIQUE MILLS, BROTHER DIED FROM COVID-19: I really thought it was just something the media was throwing around. I'm going to be very honest. I didn't really realize to take that it could somebody who was 31 who never smoked, who never drank.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Six months into this pandemic, here in the United States, a lot more people have died than had to die. The misinformation from the White House, the lack of clarity on what is happening and what Americans should be doing to protect their health and that of their families and neighbors has hurt the trust that Americans have in the information they receive from the government and from health experts. It has fertilized rumors and suspicions and conspiracy theories about the virus and, yes, it has hurt the economy.

But we now have the hindsight of the government's failures that should serve as an opportunity to right the ship and instead the president continues to dismiss the seriousness of this killer and has just added a new official to his coronavirus task force who promises to be a faithful skipper on the S.S. Nothing to See Here, Folks, that the president promised would only be taking us on a three-hour tour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: The gentleman you know everybody, you know Russell. But this is Scott Atlas. Do you know that? He is working with us and will be working with us on the coronavirus. And he has many great ideas and he thinks what we've done is really good and that we'll take it to a new level.

DR. SCOTT ATLAS, HOOVER INSTITUTION SENIOR FELLOW: I'm an adviser. I was asked by the president to advise him and it's obvious that the answer is, yes, sir, and in any way I can help, I will do so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Dr. Scott Atlas, a trained medical doctor who attended the University of Chicago School of Medicine, a fellow at Stanford, a long-time adviser to Republicans and a frequent on Fox News praised by the likes of Rush Limbaugh as countering Fauci.

Well, now, Dr. Scott Atlas' credentials, they may sing, but his anti- science blathering blows. Here he is on Fox talking about why football needs to return.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ATLAS: I think we have to get a grip here. Look at the science. Understand who we're talking about here. There's not a lot of obese diabetic 78-year-olds playing football.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: So let's actually look at the science because experts who are beholden to science and not obsequious satellites of the president will tell you that data on young people is lacking. Almost 100,000 children ages up to 18 tested positive for COVID the last 2 weeks of July, a 40 percent uptick. And doctors have noted an alarming rise in a heart condition known myocarditis among previously healthy college athletes with even just mild infections or no symptoms from the novel coronavirus.

This is what the team physician for the University of Washington Huskies told us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. JONATHAN DREZNER, SPORTS MEDICINE SPECIALIST: Myocarditis can lead to scar tissue within the heart muscle. That scar tissue can be a focus for an arrhythmia or even sudden cardiac arrest.

9 percent of the sudden cardiac deaths in college athletes is from myocarditis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Here is another comment from the president's new coronavirus task force doctor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ATLAS: This is a temporary issue. Pandemics don't last for years and years. I'm sorry but that's just never happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: I'm sorry, but what the hell is he talking about? The 1918 flu pandemic, the closest thing that we've seen in modern history, incomparable scope to COVID, lasted from February of 1918 to April of 2020.

[13:25:00]

That is more than two years. And in that time, it killed -- 1920, I should say. In that time, it killed 675,000 Americans.

Reputable experts say, we are in this for the long haul. Reputable experts certainly don't say this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ATLAS: By the way, you don't eradicate a virus by locking down. I mean, that's just a complete misconception.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: No one likes locking down. It's horrible. And while it might not completely eradicate the virus, it can lessen deaths. One study done by researchers from U.C. Berkeley shows the early shutdowns through April prevented 60 million infections. And if you don't want to lockdown, there are other ways, masks, social distancing, avoiding crowds. It's been proven in other countries. It's been proven here. A study out of Harvard and the University College London shows that four out of five Americans would have been infected without statewide social distancing measures.

So protective measures have helped even as the White House squandered the early shutdown, failing then and still now to come up with a testing and tracing plan to contain the virus. Atlas' opinions on schools are some of the president's favorites. Here is what he said about whether CDC guidelines should be followed when it comes to your children.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ATLAS: It doesn't matter if children get the disease. They don't get sick from this. And the data shows that they do not significantly transmit to adults.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: They can get sick. They are getting sick in increasing numbers, a 40 percent uptick in late July, as we said a moment ago. And studies have found that little kids carry significantly more virus in their nose. Are you familiar with children's noses, because they're the gift that keeps on giving?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ATLAS: This is a level of hysteria like -- this is something -- I feel like I'm living in a Kafka novel here. I mean, I get thousands of emails a week from all over the world, from professors, teachers, mothers in the United States and elsewhere, they are stunned that we are willing to just simply destroy our children out of some bizarre notion that's completely contrary to the science.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Okay. First off, Dr. Atlas clearly wouldn't know science if it kicked him in the atlas. And people wanting their kids to be healthy, their families to be healthy, that is not hysteria. It is rational human behavior.

We are seeing real life experiments of schools opening up across America, and already just a week or two in here, depending on the district, thousands of students and teachers are back home quarantined because of clusters breaking out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ATLAS: K-12 teachers in the United States, half of them are under 41 years of age. They're not at risk. 82 percent are under 55. If there is a handful, which there are some teachers and the high-risk category, don't they know how to protect themselves with their so- called six-foot spacing and mask rules? And if they're still afraid, even if they don't want to do that, then they can teach from home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Said by someone protected in a huge beautiful bubble of constant testing, which was recently expanded at the White House, by the way. Maybe Dr. Atlas might see things differently from the inside of a classroom where actual, real-life teachers are telling us social distancing is impossible with 37 kids in a room who are not required to wear masks, where there are windows that open or good ventilation because investments in school infrastructure, like heating and cooling systems, are historically lacking.

Here is what's really happening in schools according to teachers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON LADNER, TEACHER: Right now, teachers are scared. Teachers are going out there writing their wills.

Firstly, I know teachers who were older than I am who are choosing to retire early, teachers who are younger than I am who are changing careers.

LIZZIE HANSEN, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER: I'm just terrified. If the researchers are wrong, maybe we look silly wearing masks over our faces, but if they're right, we're potentially saving lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: These teachers are telling us they don't like distance learning either. They don't think it's as effective as in-person. Going back to school to a lot of them is worth some risk but it's not worth unmitigated risk.

These are the nation's children, they are our nation's educators, they're my son who's in pre-K, they're my sister who teaches fifth grade and they're probably someone who means a whole lot to you too.

Moments ago, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris sat down for a briefing on COVID-19 from public health experts and they briefly spoke to reporters. Let's listen.

REPORTER: How's the first day within with Senator Harris?

JOE BIDEN, PRESUMPTIVE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: It's been great. It's been great. She and her husband and Jill and her husband, they're friends before this.

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA): Yes.

BIDEN: And have become closer friends. We had a great, great day. What we're going to talk today -- I've been doing these briefings with two of the four docs up there.