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CDC Predicts Up to 424,000 U.S. Deaths By January 23; Spain, UK Form Draft Agreement on Gibraltar; U.S. Defense Officials Split Over Potential For Iranian Attack. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired January 01, 2021 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:16]

ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and a very warm welcome to our viewers right around the world. I'm Isa Soares in London. Happy New Year to you.

And if there ever was a time when humanity wants to shout good riddance to the old year, well, this was it.

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SOARES: Fireworks rung in 2021, across the globe, as they always do. But the pandemic dictated much more muted celebrations than any time in the recent past, as you can imagine. Even the legendary ball drop in New York Times Square was empty of spectators, save for households of invited guests.

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SOARES: One notable exception, New Zealand, the island nation has been far more successful than most in dealing with the coronavirus. Tough action taken early in the pandemic made it possible for crowds to gather as usual to mark the New Year.

But for the United States, Europe, Asia, and almost everywhere else, as you can see, the worsening pandemic will remain a public health challenge well into 2021. And that is a new variant of the virus has recently been detected including in South Africa, that threatens to sicken many more people, much more quickly.

And have a look at this. The U.S. closes out the year 2020 on the cost of 20 million total infections and almost 350,000 deaths. Medical experts say holiday parties, and careless gatherings will result in even more COVID misery in the New Year. Hospitalizations are already at an all time high with more than 125,000 COVID patients.

One California health official says overcrowded facilities there are on the brink of catastrophe.

So if there was really a silver lining to 2020, it was the rapid development of several promising vaccines but the rollout in the United States has been shaky at best. Only a fraction of the 12 million or so available doses have actually been given to people. We'll get more now from CNN's Sara Murray.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, U.S. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES: A very, very tough year. This is the worst that we've had literally in 102 years.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As 2020 comes to a close, the coronavirus is still wreaking devastation across the country and lifesaving vaccines are lagging behind.

FAUCI: We would have liked to have seen it run smoothly and have 20 million doses into people by the end of the 2020, which was the projection.

MURRAY: Hailed as the light at the end of the tunnel, vaccines have been slow to make their way into American's arms, less than 2.2 million shots have been administered and lets that 12.5 million doses distributed according to the CDC, far short of the Trump administration's 20 million goal.

FAUCI: Obviously, it didn't happen. And that's disappointing.

MURRAY: As states struggle with distribution challenges.

MIKE DEWINE, OHIO GOVERNOR: Know that it is more imperative to get this out just as quickly as we can.

MURRAY: Arizona's governor ordered the state health department to accelerate vaccinations rather than leaving it to each county, saying vaccines don't do any good sitting in a freezer. In West Virginia, officials say 42 people were accidentally given antibody treatment instead of coronavirus vaccines.

In Wisconsin, the FBI is investigating after someone intentionally removed 57 vaccine vials from a pharmacy freezer and about 500 doses were discarded.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want normalcy in my life again.

MURRAY: And in states like Florida and Tennessee, which opened vaccines up to the elderly, lines are sneaking around the block. The urgent need for vaccines evident as 2020 ends with more grim milestones.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MURRAY (on camera): As of right now, the numbers do not look good heading into 2021. The latest CDC ensemble forecast predicts the U.S. could track 424,000 deaths by January 23rd.

Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.

SOARES: Well, here in the U.K., there's a chorus of disapproval over a government decision to delay some vaccinations, two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are supposed to be given about three weeks apart but the government now says that second injection can wait up to three months.

[04:05:04]

Now, British doctors call it grossly unfair, especially to the elderly, and other vulnerable people.

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is covering this for us here in London.

Good morning to you, Salma. Happy New Year.

Let's start with the government vaccination plan, which now seems to be getting a bit of a pushback from the British Medical Association. Explain to the viewers around the world why that is.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Well, you know, this is going to be a damper, a couple of days ago, would he were talking about how the government had announced this new plan, that they're very excited about it, that it means more people can get vaccinated more quickly and less people will go to hospitals and that kind of feels like it is under question. I mean, doctors are feeling so strongly about this, that one doctor's association wrote directly to the health secretary, Matt Hancock, and said that this delayed methodology, stretching out the vaccination between these two jabs, three months apart, this doctor's association says that this fails to follow the science, and neglects the consent process. So, very strong words there.

Now, for the part of the U.K. chief medical officer, they say that the first jab gives a reasonable amount of protection, and that the second jab is limited, it provides durability, but that first jab means that people will not get seriously ill. And that they will not end up in death in hospital.

And they also say it allows, having this delayed process, that will allow twice as many people potentially to get vaccinated in two to three months. And I think it's important in the context of this, to just take a look at where the U.K. is at. I mean, this week, breaking records, breaking numbers of patients in hospital, with coronavirus, breaking numbers of, number of cases per day. So you can see how dire the situation is.

But, of course, this is going to inject a lot of doubt at a time where there's a great deal of vaccine hesitancy as well, Isa.

SOARES: Yeah, absolutely. So much hesitancy at the moment as well. You hear it throughout the U.K.

But, Salma, you know, so much of it is I'm getting, a lot about practicality that we've heard, in trying to, like you said, trying to vaccinate as many people as possible, but this isn't a question, excuse me, Salma, this isn't a question of supply, right?

ABDELAZIZ: It's not necessarily a question of supply. It's a question of resources. So again, thin resources. There's only so many vaccines you can make. Yes, 100 million doses have been ordered by the British government but it is only so quickly they can be manufactured and put into the refrigerators, and jabbed into people's arms.

So, it's a way to take a thin resource and spread it out over a greater number of people and I want to point to the fact that those chief medical officers kept pointing to the fact that it means less people will be going to hospital, and that's another thing, two layers of resources here, the resource of the vaccine, and the resource of the hospitals and the medical workers themselves who are overstretched, Isa.

SOARES: Absolutely. Let's get more on that. Salma Abdelaziz, thank you very much, Salma. We'll speak to you in the next hour.

Let's get more on this. One of those British physicians who's critical of the government's decision is Dr. Richard Vautrey. He is a general practitioner as well as the chair of the British Medical Association General Practitioner's Committee.

Doctor, a very good morning to you. Happy New Year.

Let me start on the vaccination plan that Salma and I, we're just discussing. Talk to us where you stand on the plans to delay the second dose of the vaccine.

DR. RICHARD VAUTREY, CHAIR, GENERAL PRACTITIONERS COMMITTEE, BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION: Our chief concern is the practicality of doing this so quickly. We were only told in the last day that we were expecting, next Monday, to re-change all of the appointments that we've made next week, so that all of the elderly patients in the 80s, 90s, some over 100 would be canceled and we have to rebook, many more patients into those slots. It was simply not practical for our practice staff to do that, in short space of time.

And so we wanted to keep the commitments that we made to the elderly patients, to give the vaccine, to be honored in the next few days, so we could focus on protecting them properly and also then look at the information that the chief medical officers have provided around the reasons for the 12-week gap between vaccines, so that we can then provide that information to our patients in the future.

SOARES: And we'll talk about the delay, we'll talk about what that means really for GPs, right, across the country and if they have to make these cancellations and timely resources and let me ask you about the Pfizer vaccine in particular, because, you know, for a while we've been talking about the fact that it is more effective in the 12-week period. But now, that's all changed.

Does that change the effectiveness of the vaccine, do you think, doctor? Do we know?

VAUTREY: Well, we need -- we need the scientific information to be able to analyze that very carefully. And we also need Pfizer themselves to be confident, and that this new dosage regime is going to deliver effective coverage and protection to our patients, particularly our most vulnerable patients. People who have been shielding and self isolating for eight, nine months, desperate to get full protection from this deadly virus as quickly as possible. [04:10:03]

And now, we have disappointed so many, hundreds and thousands of those patients by telling them that they can't get their second jab for another two or three months.

So, we have got real concerns. But we need the assurances and both of the chief medical officers and the governments, are also, Pfizer themselves, to be confident, that when we inform our patients that this is the right thing to do, we're doing it, you know, with the best of intent.

SOARES: Yeah, I want to share this tweet to our viewers around the world, a tweet from Dr. Helen Salisbury, the GP, as well as medical adviser to the Health Experience Research Group at the University of Oxford and she says this, last bit of her tweet, at five minutes per phone call, that 193 hours of work, not to mention the grief and the anger and can I ask Matt Hancock to come and do a shift on our phones.

And this is what you were talking about at the beginning of the interview, the practices, the challenge of calling everyone, and explain to the majority of people that it is changing.

Do you think, Doctor, that many of the GP surgeons, many practices will follow the government guideline or do you think they will go on their own?

VAUTREY: I'm sure that many will try to do that. The NHS has just set up a call center, and just last night, to try to help support practices doing this. But this is a significant undertaking, because these are elderly patient, patients in their 80s and 90s, and it will take time to discuss with them why it is that the government has made this decision, why it's appropriate to wait for a further 12 weeks before they get the next vaccination.

And so this is a real concern that they will have, and we'll have to take time to explain it to them. But then, we have to contact another thousand patients to book them into the clinic, and within the next few days. So this is a mammoth undertaking for individual practices at this time of the year with huge pressures as well.

SOARES: Exactly, and so many of them, are exhausted already from what has been a very challenging year.

Doctor, before you go, let me ask you about the figures that we've seen out of U.K., record figures again, 78 percent of the population, already, in the highest tiers, give us a sense of what you are seeing in hospitals, I mean how stretched are they, at this point?

VAUTREY: Well, our hospital sector, and community services, are significantly stretched. We're almost back to where we were in March. This is really concerning.

The new variant of the coronavirus is spreading quickly and we need to get on top of it and the restrictions imposed in recent days to work, we need people to follow the advice, to stay away from individuals, who are not in their household, whenever possible, to wear their face masks and wash their hand, everything we've been talking about over the last few months, we cannot keep our guard down, particularly when vaccination is so close.

SOARES: And a very quick yes/no answer from you. The health secretary, Matt Hancock, said plans to have COVID done and dusted by spring, and what's your take?

VAUTREY: It very much depends on the supply of the vaccine. If we get the vaccine, we'll give it to our patients.

SOARES: Dr. Richard Vautrey, from the British Medical Association, thank you very much, sir, for taking the time to speak to us this morning.

VAUTREY: Thank you.

SOARES: Now, out with the old and in with the new. Britain rang in the New Year with the divorce from the E.U., but some details need to be ironed out. That and more New Years pictures from around the world, as we say hello to 2021.

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[04:18:23]

SOARES: Big Ben chimed in the New Year, in the U.K. ushering in a new post-Brexit relationship with Europe. Britain and the E.U. agreed on their future economic relation, just a day ago, completing the U.K.'s withdrawal from the E.U.

Now, the U.K. no longer has to follow E.U. rules, and has new arrangements on trade, travel, fisheries and a whole host of other issues. During the New Year's Eve address, Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the country's destiny is now in its own hands.

But despite the 11th hour deal and informal agreement with Spain, with the movement from Gibraltar and E.U., not everyone is happy about Brexit, especially British expatriates.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEATHER THOMAS, BRITISH EXPATRIATE: Quite a big and ultra sad moment in British history, because then I will officially, finally, out of E.U., which is a shame, and it's I think a bad thing for the U.K. And so, I thought it was good to come and mark the moment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Well, journalist Al Goodman is in the British capital of Madrid, with the details on the Gibraltar agreement.

Let's start first with Cyril Vanier in Paris and Britain's new relationship with the E.U.

Cyril, happy New Year to you. So, Brexit now done and dusted, but actually the negotiations perhaps

are not over, and it's not an official you a re au revoir so to speak because I'm guessing so many issues still remain.

CYRIL VANIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning and happy New Year to you, Isa.

Yeah, absolutely. Look, the deal that was made between the E.U. and the U.K. only covers a fairly narrow range of exchanges between the E.U. and the U.K., and that is trade, right?

[04:20:08]

So the goods that are traded between the E.U. and the U.K. are now subject to customs and more customs checks, they have to be declared at customs. We saw in fact, let me show you the pictures of the first truck coming from the E.U., from the U.K., I beg your pardon, into E.U. that rolled in early this morning, this is the scenario that both sides wanted to see. It rolled in effortlessly, sailed through custom, the big difference being though whatever was in that truck had been declared through customs ahead of time, and that's how things are going to work, both ways, now.

So trade is covered. But to your question, a lot of things aren't covered. Financial services and services in general, for instance, aren't covered which is a big deal for the U.K., because that is the majority of the British economy.

So we've known and banks and financial services companies, that are so important to London, have known for a while, that they wouldn't be able to sell their financial products in the E.U., so they've made provisions for that, and thousands of their employees are now based in the E.U., but beyond that, qualification, degrees, are not going to be recognized. So accountants, for instance, British architects may not be able to practice in the E.U., until there is a further deal, further recognition of the qualification, things like that.

And there may be deals in the future, Isa, it may be that situations are eased but for the moment, you're right, there is a lot that isn't covered.

SOARES: Yeah.

Al, let me go to you. Spain reaching a last-minute deal with the U.K., regarding the British overseas territory of Gibraltar which is for our viewers to get a sense, who might know where it is located, in the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula.

Al, talk us through what has been agreed.

AL GOODMAN, JOURNALIST: Well, Gibraltar, Isa, was left out of the main deal, between the United Kingdom and the European Union because Gibraltar has been such a sticking point between Britain and Spain for such a long time. So in this last-minute deal, coming even after the main deal, the Spanish foreign minister says this would look for, to ease the movement, between Gibraltar and Spain and the rest of the European Union.

Now I think we have pictures of live camera pictures from the Gibraltar government of the exit area, if there had been a hard Brexit in this little area, around Gibraltar, the southern Spanish border with Gibraltar, you might be seeing already vehicles lining up, the vehicles in that picture are heading out of Gibraltar into Spain, the airport is behind them, and the fence on the left, it is the Spanish border.

So when there have been problems in the past, this area has been filled with cars and instead of just a few minutes to get through, because there are Spanish agents on the other side just out of the camera, to greet the incoming vehicles, you could have hours of delays. That's what both sides, Britain, and Spain, and also certainly Gibraltarians who voted 96 percent to remain in the European Union, not to be in Brexit, so this will apparently ease things.

There will be a six-month negotiating period. There will be some European Union border agents at Gibraltar's airport and its port, but the land border will be very fluid, according to officials -- Isa.

SOARES: Al Goodman in Madrid, and Cyril Vanier in Paris, thank you very much both and happy New Year.

Now, the post-Brexit deal, that the correspondents are talking about, is not the end, as you heard Cyril say for the U.K., it is not an au revoir for the E.U. Later this hour, we'll speak with professor Annan Mennon who teaches European politics at Kings College, London. He argues there are many loose ends. That is in roughly about 15 minutes from now.

Now, the military adviser to Iran's supreme leader is warning President Trump not turn the New Year into, quote, mourning for Americans. He spoke after the U.S. sent B-52 bombers to the Middle East, saying all bases in the region are within the range of Iranian missile. This comes as the U.S. threat level from Iran is the highest it has been since the U.S. killed a top Iranian general, if you remember last year.

CNN's Oren Liebermann is following the story for us from the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As we approach the one-year anniversary of the U.S. assassination of Qassem Soleimani, much of the focus in terms of what might be a response from Iranian proxies or Iran itself has focused on Iraq and that's because senior defense officials say they see evidence and intel that Iran is moving short range ballistic missiles into Iraq and they see coordination between militias in Iraq as well as the Quds Force. That's the elite force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.

They say there is also evidence of planning in such advanced stages and with such complexity that it would require Iranian support. That has led one senior defense official says the current threat level is the highest since the killing of Soleimani one year ago. But that's not a universally held belief. Another senior defense official tells CNN there is no corroborating intel of an imminent strike or an imminent attack from Iran.

As such, the current position of the American military is one of deterrence, sending B-52 bombers to the region, that will be the second time this month that happened.

[04:25:08]

As well as about ten days ago, the U.S. Navy announcing a fairly rare statement that a nuclear submarine and two guided missile cruisers have gone through the Persian Gulf. All of that is an effort at deterrent to send a message to Iran, that the U.S., if it wants, if it had reason to, could unleash a fairly powerful force in the region and could do so fairly quickly.

Iran responded and basically said these accusations are baseless, that Iran will defend its interests. Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, saying these accusations of preparing for a strike are what he calls a U.S. pretext to start a war.

Is something going to happen? It's an open debate at the highest levels of defense officials here. Chairman and joints chiefs of staff, Mark Milley, is keeping a close eye on the situation to see how it develops into the weekend here.

Oren Liebermann, CNN at the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Now, President Trump welcomed the New Year in Washington as Congress prepares to certify Joe Biden as his successor. But not so fast, he is planning a last stand to overturn the vote and now, dozens of Republicans may be ready to go along. We'll explain after the break.

But first, more from around the world, as we say hello to 2021.

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