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New CDC Guidance: Fully Vaccinated People Can Go Maskless Outdoors, Attend Small Outdoor Gatherings with Unvaccinated People; Soon, Biden Set to Announce new CDC Guidance on Masks for Vaccinated Americans; Two Suspects in Capitol Attack Seek Release Prior to Trial; DOJ Says Chemical Spray Used During Capitol Attack, Not Bear Spray; DHS Launches Internal Investigation into Domestic Extremism Within Its Own Ranks; Race to Help India as Nation Fights Devastating COVID Surge; Florida Private School Bans Vaccinated Teachers from Student Contact; Biden Speaks on New CDC Guidelines for Vaccinated Americans. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired April 27, 2021 - 13:30   ET

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

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[13:34:50]

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Waiting to hear from President Biden outlining the new CDC guidance on masks.

And we are getting more clarity today about what vaccinated Americans can do safely and when they should still be wearing masks.

[13:35:03]

The CDC saying a short time ago fully vaccinated people can unmask outdoors if they are walking, running, hiking or biking alone or with members of their household.

And people who are fully vaccinated can also go mask free while dining at an outdoor restaurant with friends, even from multiple households and don't need to wear masks for small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated or unvaccinated people.

Let's talk more about all this with our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Sanjay, what do you see as most significant about this new guidance?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think that there are -- the most significant thing is they're trying to provide increased incentives for people to get vaccinated. I think that's what really came out of this more than anything else.

I think a lot of people will look at this, Ana -- and we can show the graphic -- and they'll say, it kind of makes sense. I've sort of thought this all along, that if I've been - certainly, if I've been vaccinated, that, you know, I am going to be pretty well protected and going to be able to do a lot of these things already.

So I think it's, in some way, the CDC, sort of making this more official, what the science has been showing, I think, for some time.

And also using it as a bit of a carrot to encourage people to go out and get vaccinated because I think vaccine hesitancy, in some ways, was a larger driver of some of these recommendations that we see today, more than anything else.

CABRERA: And I'm just going to hold up the copy of the guidance that I have, too, because it's a little bit more comprehensive.

What I think stands out is it's all -- you know, you're green lighted if you're vaccinated to do all of these things.

But if you notice, up here is where there's a little bit of differentiation when it comes to wearing masks or not wearing masks.

In the upper column.

GUPTA: Yes.

CABRERA: It's the bottom column, the color difference.

But the majority of these different categories show fully vaccinated people should still be wearing masks.

So I guess I wonder, are they really moving the ball forward here?

GUPTA: That's a good question. I mean, again, I think for a lot of people who are going to look at these guidelines, they're going to sort of say, this makes sense, this is kind of maybe where we already were.

So you're really getting the CDC as sort of memorializing this or making it more official, something that I think has been happening.

I will say, there are certain parts of the country where viral transmission is still quite high. You know, these sort of red zones.

And so, just from a common-sense standpoint, the question is, how likely are you to come in contact with somebody who may be carrying the virus?

And if you're in a red zone, obviously, if you're outside in public, the chances are higher.

People who are vaccinated are very well protected against getting sick. But could they still potentially be carriers? It's less likely once you've been vaccinated.

But if you're in an area where there's viral transmission, that increases the risk a bit.

These are the sort of goal posts the CDC is going to have to deal with for some time.

I think the bigger question now, really -- everyone focuses on herd immunity, which is understandable.

But the big question is, what are we really looking for in terms of overall new cases in the country, to basically say we can really return to some state of normalcy as the HHS secretary was talking about?

I can give you a number, Ana, because this is a number that you've started to hear. There's some data behind it, which I can explain, but we're on average between 50,000 and 60,000 cases per day.

If that comes below 10,000, for example, and if you do the math on that, you realize that you are now moving from mitigating this virus, you know, sort of trying to slow it, to actually containing it.

Feeling like you can finally get your arms and hands around this thing, once and for all, hopefully once and for all.

And find people who are newly diagnosed, contact trace them, do all the things that we should have been doing from the very beginning.

But the numbers have always been so large. But get it down to a more manageable number we can find all those flickers of the virus still, and, hopefully, start to really extinguish it.

CABRERA: Quickly, Sanjay, as we await the president's remarks, is there anything you'll be listening for, anything you want to hear from the president today, specifically?

GUPTA: Well, you know, I think there's two big challenges. Obviously, vaccine hesitancy is a significant challenge. I know everyone's been talking about it.

But what I'm hearing from, you know, people running trials is that, OK, this percentage of the country is adults, and if only 80 percent of adults get the vaccine, we're not going to reach herd immunity.

So now we have to look at 12 to 15-year-olds. But then we hear half of parents don't necessarily want to get their kids vaccinated.

So now we're going to look younger to basically, you know, try and get this vaccine authorized for a large enough population that, even with hesitancy, we may be able to get to this herd or community immunity.

That's one thing. What's the strategy there?

The second thing is a larger question, Ana. I think one thing this pandemic has unmasked, if you will, for this country is that we did not respond well. We were not prepared for this.

[13:40:09]

So another pandemic is just as likely tomorrow as it was yesterday. What are we doing about that? I don't know if you'll address that today. But that's going to be an

important, I think, consideration going forward. How do we become more pandemic proof for the future?

CABRERA: OK, Sanjay, as always, it's good to see you. Thank you for being with us.

GUPTA: You, too.

CABRERA: The Department of Justice says a chemical attack on police officers on the day of the insurrection led to the fall of the capitol. The two men behind that attack appearing before a federal judge today, the latest just ahead.

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[13:45:32]

CABRERA: Two men accused of assaulting Officer Brian Sicknick, the officer who died, and other officers, on January 6th, are trying to get out of jail before the trial.

But the DOJ is fighting their release, saying the chemical spray they used helped break the police line and contributed to the fall of the capitol.

CNN legal affairs correspondent, Paula Reid, is joining us.

Paula, the DOJ is making a clarification I understand on what type of spray was used. Talk to us about that.

PAULA REID, CNN LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Ana. Today, the Justice Department walking back its claim that bear spray was used to assault three police officers, including the late Officer Brian Sicknick, during the attack on the capitol.

Today, a Justice Department prosecutor said, in fact, it was a smaller can of a different chemical agent used against officers trying to defend a barrier at the capitol.

Prosecutors have repeatedly said it was bear spray used against Officer Sicknick and others.

And that really is significant because bear spray is a serious chemical. It's meant to deter aggressive behavior in bears. It's not meant to be used on humans. It's meant for humans to carry around yellow stone or glacier national park.

Prosecutors are still arguing that two of the defendants actually tried to get their hands on bear spray to bring to the capitol.

Prosecutors say that's significant because they argue it speaks to the kind of planning that went into this attack. These two defendants are trying to get out of jail, and a federal judge is considering all of these arguments. CABRERA: And also we're learning today that the Department of Homeland

Security is now doing an internal review to address the threat of domestic extremism, like we saw on that day of the insurrection.

Do we know what prompted this investigation within the department?

REID: A source tells CNN there was no one specific incident and that this was just a prudent move. But it comes to the wake of the January 6th attack.

As the department continually says, one of the greatest threats facing the U.S. is that of violent domestic extremism.

Now senior officials inside the department, they're expected to undertake this review, and try to identify and respond to any internal threats.

They're also going to issue guidance for people who work in the department in case they see anything they think might be a threat.

CABRERA: Paula Reid, thank you for breaking it all down.

Countries rushing medical supplies to India now as that nation fights a devastating second COVID wave. But can they stop it?

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[13:52:26]

CABRERA: Now to India's devastating COVID crisis. Oxygen drips are being given to COVID patients waiting in their cars to be admitted into hospitals.

A doctor telling CNN 4,000 patients in one city are running out of oxygen as we speak.

Mass crematoriums are over overwhelmed like nothing workers have seen before.

Vedika Sud is joining us now from Delhi, India.

And you are there on the ground, Vedika. What are you seeing?

VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Ana, I'm seeing deaths. I'm seeing desperation. And I'm seeing dejection at this point.

We were at a crematorium yesterday, where there were so many bodies lined up. There were young children who were crying. Some were totally numb because they lost their close ones. They were exhausted.

Most of the people we spoke to said they have been running from one hospital to the other, trying to get their relatives just one bed in any hospital.

But the beds are running out, not only in Delhi, but in other states and cities as well at this point. Some people at the hospital we went to were gasping for breath in

their cars. They had oxygen cylinders, but the cylinders were running out of the supply. And they were just asking authorities to lend them one oxygen bottle so they could make their relatives survive.

It has been grim scenes here. People are dying. And also a lot of -- have come up to say there seems to be underreporting of deaths as well as the case load.

It is very worrying situation here. And the government is trying to do all that they can.

But they're facing heavy criticism because a lot of people are saying too little has been done too late. They have woken up to the situation too late and they could have handled it earlier and made amends.

So right now, we're seeing a lot of dejection on the ground. People are crying, wailing outside hospitals. And they're praying that their loved ones survive the night.

And a situation, you mentioned, one hospital as well in western India, where there are two bottles of oxygen left. And they asked people to go out, get the oxygen cylinders themselves to help their loved ones.

So people here are really fending for themselves -- Ana?

CABRERA: Oh, what a horrific situation.

Vedika Sud, thank you for your reporting.

A private grade school in Miami is telling its teachers, if they get the coronavirus vaccine, they must stay away from the students. The school's co-founder is using false claims to back up this ban.

CNN's Leyla Santiago has more.

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LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ana, as students and faculty made their way to Center Academy this morning, they were escorted by security. And none really stopped it talk to us to get reaction from them.

But here's what we know about where this comes from.

[13:55:00]

This all stems from a letter written by the CEO and the co-founder saying that they cannot allow vaccinated people to be near their students until more information is available.

The letter goes on to cite a series of false claims, claims that have been contradicted by the FDA, CDC, World Health Organizations.

Just to give you one example, they say that just being around vaccinated people could be a risk. I cannot say that enough. That is a false claim. That is not true.

In a statement to CNN, however, the school is standing by its decision.

And look at the big picture here. A lot of Florida officials --

(CROSSTALK)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABRERA: Sorry, Leyla.

We have to go live to the president. He's speaking. Let's listen.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- the path ahead to continue our fight against COVID-19 to get us to July Fourth.

This is our target date to get life in America closer to normal and to begin to celebrate our independence from the virus together with our friends and our loved ones as we celebrate Independence Day.

But before that, I wanted to speak briefly to all of you today about the recent change announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC.

Let me say, first, while we still have a long way to go in this fight, and a lot of work to do in May and June to get us to July Fourth, we made stunning progress because of all of you, the American people.

Cases and deaths are down, down dramatically from where they were when I took office on January 20th, and continuing to fall.

This is particularly true for a group of Americans that we were most worried about when it came to the virus -- senior citizens.

When I took office in January, we were losing literally tens of thousands of our seniors each week. Grandparents who are loved so dearly, moms and dads, pillars of every community, gone by the thousands every day.

At that time, less than 1 percent of seniors were fully vaccinated when I took office.

Today, in less than 100 days, more than 67 percent, two-thirds of our seniors, are now fully vaccinated. And more than 80 percent of our seniors have had at least one shot.

That effort resulted in a drop of 80 percent in deaths among American seniors. A 70 percent drop in hospitalizations.

So instead of losing thousands of seniors each day, we're saving thousands of lives and more and more as each day goes by.

And, by the way, based on reported data, the proportion -- the proportion of seniors who have been vaccinated is essentially equal between white and seniors of color.

I said, from the beginning, that we were -- we're going to fight this virus with equity, equity for all.

As a matter of fact, if I'm not mistaken, there are more Latinos and African-American seniors that have been vaccinated as a percentage than white seniors. These numbers are a sign of progress on that front as well.

Now, last week, I announced that we had crossed the threshold of 200 million shots. We have now, since Inauguration Day, we have given 215 million shots.

And that, anyone 16 years of age or older is now eligible to get the vaccine now, today, immediately.

And because of the extraordinary progress we made in fighting this virus, and the progress our scientists have made in learning about how it gets transmitted, earlier today, the CDC made an important announcement.

Starting today, if you're fully vaccinated, and you're outdoors, you need -- and not in a big crowd, you no longer need to wear a mask.

I want to be absolutely clear, if you're in a crowd, like a stadium, at a conference, or a concert, you still need to wear a mask, even if you're outside.

But beginning today, gathering with a group of friends in a park, going for a picnic, as long as you are vaccinated and outdoors, you can do it without a mask.

[13:59:52]

The CDC is able to make this announcement because our scientists are convinced by the data that the odds of getting or giving the virus to others is very, very low if you've both been fully vaccinated and out in the open air.