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CDC Advisers Set to Vote on Vaccinating Ages 5-11; Election Day. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired November 02, 2021 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Hello. I'm Victor Blackwell. Thank you for joining us.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN HOST: I'm Alisyn Camerota.

It's Election Day, the first one since President Biden took office. Voting is under way in 32 states, but one of the most closely watched is the race for governor in Virginia. For Democrats, it could be a bellwether for the 2022 midterms. And, for Republicans, it's a potential playbook for how to campaign around Donald Trump.

BLACKWELL: Now, Republican Glenn Youngkin has run a much-closer-than- expected race against former Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe.

CNN's Brian Todd is at a polling station in Ashburn, Virginia. That's in Loudoun County. Dan Merica America is in the D.C. suburb of Alexandria.

Dan, let's start with you. And set the scene for us.

DAN MERICA, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Yes, this is the nervy moment for campaigns. All the work has largely been done. Yes, there is some door-knocking. But both campaigns are in the same position right now. They're waiting. They're waiting on the results to come in.

And they're nervous. Both campaigns see this as a very tight race. And they think it could go into -- late into the night for those who plan on watching our election coverage tonight. A lot is on the line here, obviously, the future of Virginia. And it's also a referendum on the last eight years of Democratic control here.

But, as you mentioned, the national implications here are huge. And voters are going to the polls with the Biden administration in mind. And this could turn into a referendum on the first few months of the Biden administration's time in office.

It's also for Republicans -- if Youngkin is able to win and pull this out, it could be a question about how they're able to campaign in the suburbs, an area that obviously fled from Republicans during the Trump years. Both candidates have had small events across the commonwealth today, mostly in Northern Virginia.

Take a listen to what Glenn Youngkin said as he met with voters outside of a polling location nearby here just this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GLENN YOUNGKIN (R), VIRGINIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: We feel pretty darn good, I have to say, so I'm happy to take some questions.

QUESTION: You spoke with a lot of optimism last night. How have you been able to keep that tone optimistic when you have been hit with a couple shots from the other side?

YOUNGKIN: Well, I will be honest. I have just felt this great surge of momentum for the last six to eight weeks. I mean, these kitchen table issues of low taxes and the best schools and the best jobs and safe communities, this is what people are worried about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MERICA: McAuliffe also opened a canvass kickoff, where folks were going to go knock on doors. The press was not informed about that event. So we don't have video of that.

But both candidates are obviously trying to get their voters out to the doors, convince people to come out. It's also important to remember there were a very permissive, lengthy period of early voting here in Virginia this year.

So 1.1 million Virginians have already cast ballots. That is the reason, Alisyn, Victor, that both campaigns think this election could break turnout records for gubernatorial elections here in the commonwealth.

CAMEROTA: OK, that's really interesting.

So, Brian, over to you in Ashburn. What are you seeing? What are voters they're saying?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alisyn, Victor, a very steady and energetic turnout here in Loudoun County. This is a crucial county for both candidates. The Democrats have done very well here over the past 10 years.

But Glenn Youngkin feels that he can take this county and capture it back for Republicans, who suffered under Donald Trump here in Loudoun County. And this is a crucial county for a lot of reasons. It's the fastest growing county in Virginia, the fourth largest county in the entire state.

And, again, with the transitional nature of the county, both candidates really have their eyes on this. We have some strict restrictions here. I cannot go into the polling station from here, but my photojournalist Andrew Smith can.

And Andrew is going to take you in there while I kind of narrate what's going on here in Loudoun County. He can take you into the door where people are checking in at the table there. And then he will go to his left and show you the voting booths. They have 10 voting stations set up where people are casting their ballots.

They say it's been a very smooth process. About 780 people so far have come through this precinct and voted today, according to a Loudoun County official who I talked to just a short time ago. About 92, 800 people total have voted in Loudoun County. And that includes about 40, 400 people who voted early in Loudoun County.

As Andrew comes out the door, I'm going to talk to one of the people who voted here just now, Amy Simone. She's a resident of Loudoun County for more than 20 years.

Amy, you told me a short time ago the issue that's driving you out here maybe more than any other is the education issue. What specifically is concerning to you? Because I know that's a big issue here in Loudoun County. Glenn Youngkin has kind of latched on to that as far as protecting students and parent involvement. What are your thoughts?

AMY SIMONE, VOTER: Well, my kids, I had -- all three of them were in Loudoun County schools, and they all had some learning issues. And so the communication between the teachers and I were really, really important.

And so that was one of the issues that really drove me. And, yes, the other thing with the safety, that's huge. I mean that's -- kids should not feel unsafe in a school.

[14:05:08]

TODD: There was a sexual assault here in Loudoun County. We should put it in the context here.

And Loudoun County school board officials were accused of mishandling that. There was a lot of misinformation, though, put out in various outlets about that. But you feel school safety and parental involvement are just key things. And this is -- you said you voted for Youngkin. You think that he's the right candidate regarding that?

SIMONE: Yes, that is correct.

TODD: Well, good luck, Amy. Thanks for talking to us.

Again, a very energetic turnout here in Loudoun County. What I was told by a Loudoun County election official a short time ago, guys, 40, 400 people voted early. And this official told me that's an astronomical number, especially for an off-year election. Just on Saturday, 6, 329 people voted in Loudoun County for early voting.

Again, that 40,000 number, that's the number of early voters that cast their ballots. A total of 92, 800 people have cast their ballots so far today, and that includes early and in person voting, and that's a turnout of about 32.8 percent. The officials that we talk to here, say, hey, for an off-year election, they will take those numbers. They like those numbers.

Let's see if those numbers are good enough for Terry McAuliffe or Glenn Youngkin tonight.

CAMEROTA: Really interesting to hear from that voter their, exhibit A what a lot of people there say is their number one issue, which is education.

BLACKWELL: Education, yes.

CAMEROTA: Brian Todd, thank you very much. Dan Merica, thank you both.

OK, another closely watched race today is the battle for governor of New Jersey.

BLACKWELL: If he wins tonight, Phil Murphy would be the first Democratic governor to be reelected in that state since the late 1970s.

But he's facing what some would describe as a surprisingly strong challenge from Republican Jack Ciattarelli.

CNN's Jason Carroll is live at a polling location in Bridgewater, New Jersey.

So, what are you seeing there, Jason?

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we have seen a steady flow of people sort of coming in and out of this polling location.

But you guys really hit it on the nail when you when you talk about turnout here, because turnout in this race is going to be key. I mean, look, when you look at the numbers here in the state of New Jersey, the numbers are basically on Murphy's side. I mean, the number of registered Democrats in the state outnumber the number of registered Republicans here in their state by more than one million people.

I mean, you listen to what Governor Murphy said over the weekend, he basically said, look, our team is bigger if the team shows up. And that's the big question. He said, if the team doesn't show up, it's basically a coin toss here in the state of New Jersey.

And Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican challenger here, former assemblyman, is betting that this race is in fact a tossup. He's basically doing all he can to tie Murphy to Biden, since Biden has such disappointing approval numbers. He's hoping that's going to translate into less Democrats showing up, perhaps more independents showing up for his corner.

I mean, when you look at what we have seen here in the state of New Jersey, it's really interesting, because a lot of national issues are basically taking center stage here. I mean, yes, you have got the whole debate about property taxes here, some of the highest in the country.

Ciattarelli basically saying, you vote for Murphy, he's not going to do anything about property taxes. But what we have also seen here, guys, is issues such as abortion rights, Critical Race Theory, like you're seeing in Virginia, taking center stage here as well. And, of course, the Trump factor, also a factor here, Murphy doing all he can to tie Ciattarelli to Trump.

And so, again, the big issue here in this state, who's going to show up in what kind of numbers? And if Ciattarelli is able to pull off an upset here in the state, a lot of folks are looking at this state as a bellwether for what we could see in the next midterm elections -- guys, back to you.

BLACKWELL: Jason Carroll there with the perfect base code for what we're going to hit up now. Thank you so much from Bridgewater.

Ashley Koning is the director for the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University.

Ashley, thanks for being with us.

Let's start with the numbers that Jason laid out there with that one million registered voter advantage for the Democrats. For a Republican to win, they have got to energize the Republicans, sway the independents and there's got to be a depressed Democratic turnout.

Is there any indication thus far that we have seen even anecdotally that is happening?

ASHLEY KONING, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY: Well, I mean, in their early voting so far, we see high numbers for Democrats already outnumbering -- and about a third have already voted among all voters, as those who voted in 2017.

Really, Ciattarelli cannot win on the party base alone. And that would be the case for any Republican in New Jersey. That's how Republicans like former Governors Chris Christie and Christie Todd Whitman have won in the past, playing that middle-of-the-road moderate Republicanism card.

CAMEROTA: Ashley, it sounds like the voters in New Jersey are motivated quite differently than the voters that we just heard from in Virginia.

So what do you think are the top issues that are driving people today?

[14:10:00]

KONIG: Yes, we actually just polled this. And it's actually opposition and party loyalty and party allegiance. It's not so much the candidates themselves.

It's actually a visceral reaction against the opponent, against the other candidate. And it's being a Democrat, being a Republican. This is probably one of the most nationalized election cycles I have seen in New Jersey recent history, especially when it comes to the gubernatorial, with each candidate trying to provoke Biden and Trump and trying to provoke national issues, and, like I said, voters really looking towards not like any other candidate as the reason for their vote.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

We know that Governor Murphy is employing a similar strategy to that we're seeing of former Governor McAuliffe in Virginia, and that is trying to tie the Republican candidate to former President Trump. Is that working? Is it resonating, that we're seeing, in New Jersey?

KONIG: You know, it's working with some voters. A few voters that we talked to you did mention President Trump as a reason for -- all but one set of reason for their opposition.

I think it's just a shortcut, it's a political heuristic to tell voters this is who Ciattarelli is or associates with. Same thing with -- Ciattarelli has done that, trying Murphy to progressivism and political figures on the left as well.

CAMEROTA: One of the things that New Jersey voters normally do, as we just heard from our reporter, is vote for whoever's not in the White House, so the other party that's in the White House. They have, I guess, a four-decade tradition of doing that.

But, currently, the Democrat, Phil Murphy, who normally that would spell doom for, he's still, I think, fairly popular. Is that right?

KONIG: So he has pretty solid approval and favorability ratings, of course, propelled by the pandemic. Funnily enough, the last time when we had an election cycle like this was Chris Christie coming off of Hurricane Sandy.

Now we have Murphy in the midst of a pandemic, and his leadership has really gotten great and widespread approval and boosted his numbers, when, throughout much of his first term, he kind of had middling ratings. So he goes into this Election Day with very strong ratings for any sitting politician.

BLACKWELL: And we know that tax is a really important topic, a top issue for voters there.

Mr. Ciattarelli is promising to cut taxes, but we're not hearing from Governor Murphy running away from what we know are -- you know especially -- high taxes there in New Jersey.

KONIG: Yes, I mean, this is the number one issue for New Jerseyans since we started polling in 1971 at Rutgers. So this is the issue in New Jersey, the bread-and-butter issue.

And Ciattarelli especially in recent weeks has really been trying to hit home on this after flirting with some Trumpism throughout his campaign. Murphy did make a promise during the second debate he would have no new taxes in his second term. So that's a pretty big promise leading up to Election Day.

But, of course, number one issue, although not the top issue that's fueling voters going to the polls, it's really the opposing candidate.

CAMEROTA: Really interesting. Ashley Konig, thank you for all that analysis.

KONIG: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: And stay with CNN. It's election night in America. Our special live coverage starts tonight at 6:00 p.m. on CNN.

BLACKWELL: Happening right now, the CDC vaccine advisers are meeting on whether to recommend the Pfizer vaccine for children as young as 5.

Today is also when a slew of vaccine mandates go into effect.

CAMEROTA: And as President Biden wraps up his foreign trip and leaves the global stage, the domestic agenda hangs in the balance at home. That's what awaits him.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:17:49]

CAMEROTA: The CDC advisory committee set to vote today on whether to approve the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5 to 11.

It will then be up to the CDC director to give the final green light.

BLACKWELL: Now, if that happens, the White House says that it has a plan ready to go to immediately start vaccinating millions of children.

CNN's Alexandra Field has more on today's vote.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure.

And this vote should be coming up in just a few hours. We are already hearing from vaccine advisers their prediction that the panel will vote overwhelmingly in favor of recommending the shots for kids as young as 5. We should see the effort get going later this week if all that happens.

But even though we're talking about shots for kids, there is still a whole lot of focus on vaccinating unvaccinated adults. Across the country, we are seeing more proof that mandates are working, despite some dire predictions and vocal opponents.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FIELD (voice-over): The few, the loud.

JAMES MCCARTHY, PRESIDENT, UNIFORMED FIRE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION: We're pro-vaccine. We're just anti-mandate.

FIELD: Ninety-two percent of New York City's municipal work force has gotten a shot, some of the rest still railing over the vaccine mandate.

MCCARTHY: We need to negotiate the implementation of this mandate, rather than it being imposed upon us. FIELD: The vaccinated president of a union representing New York

City's firefighters now making the health measure a collective bargaining issue; 77 percent of the city's firefighters have gotten the shot, but the FDNY commissioner says the number of firefighters calling out sick has spiked since the city announced the mandate.

BILL DE BLASIO (D), MAYOR OF NEW YORK: If you're not sick, get to work. Protect your fellow New Yorkers. Be there for your fellow firefighters. Stop playing this game. But the ones who are playing a game, they're going to have to suffer some consequences because this is unacceptable.

FIELD: The firefighters unions are pushing back.

ED KELLY, PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS: We have a very dangerous job. Firefighters get hurt in the line of duty. The assertion that thousands of firefighters are faking a medical leave, we reject.

FIELD: It's deadline day for much of the U.S. Air Force. More than 96 percent of active Air Force members had had at least one shot as of last week. The Air Force says those who don't comply could face disciplinary action.

[14:20:00]

In Florida, a legal battle kicking off, as Leon County contests a $3.5 million fine imposed by the state, the events violating Florida's ban on vaccine passports, according to the state Health Department. Governor Ron DeSantis has repeatedly opposed all vaccine-related mandates.

GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): We said from day one, we will make it available for all, but we will mandate it on none.

FIELD: Substitute teachers were brought in this week as the vaccine mandate took effect for employees at Santa Barbara Unified School District in California.

JOHN BECCHIO, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT SANTA BARBARA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT: We did have about 10 staff members that had to go on unpaid leave of absence today. But, as of today, and we had vaccine cards flood in.

FIELD: The city of Pittsburgh is seeing proof that mandates elsewhere are working. It's implementing its own mandate for municipal workers set to take effect December 22, while Pennsylvania ups its incentives. Governor Tom Wolf will offer all fully vaccinated state workers five additional paid days off.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FIELD: We're also learning this afternoon a lot more about the prevalence of COVID-19 among children

From the CDC, we are hearing that, back in September, for every child was diagnosed with a case of COVID-19, some six cases were going undiagnosed. Now, for comparison, when you look at adults, about half of COVID-19 cases are going undiagnosed right now. So that means we are missing a whole lot more than that among these younger children.

Important info for parents who are considering getting a vaccine perhaps as soon as this week. We will see.

BLACKWELL: Let's talk about that.

Alexandra Field, thank you very much.

CAMEROTA: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Again, that vote from the CDC's vaccine advisory committee is expected in just a few hours.

CAMEROTA: So parents already had a lot of questions. So we asked you to send in yours, and we're here to try to get some answers.

So, Dr. Ofer Levy is a member of the FDA advisory committee and the director of the Precision Vaccines Program at Boston Children's Hospital.

OK, so, Dr. Levy, thank you for agreeing to answer our viewer questions.

Our first one comes from Erin. She says: "Can children get their COVID vaccine and flu shot at the very same time?"

DR. OFER LEVY, BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: And thank you for that, Alisyn.

And Erin asks a very good question. And, thankfully, the answer is yes. It is safe and effective to get both the COVID and flu vaccine at the same time, and that obviously makes life easier for families.

BLACKWELL: OK.

CAMEROTA: I have a question about that.

BLACKWELL: Go ahead.

CAMEROTA: Does it make, though, their side effects worse? Sometimes, after you get a flu vaccine, you're a little sluggish? Sometimes, after the COVID vaccine, you are.

Does -- would it be -- would that complicate it for kids?

LEVY: So there was a study that looked at that, and it looked like there wasn't too much of an effect there. So I think it should be fine, but it's a good question. Thanks.

BLACKWELL: OK.

Next one. We have got: "Would you vaccinate your young children and grandchildren?" That one is from Amy. LEVY: Perfect question. Do I practice what I preach?

And the answer is yes. My wife, Sharon (ph), and I have three children. And our youngest son, Emanuel (ph), was 13 years old when he received his Pfizer doses. And if I had a child younger than that, and CDC makes a decision, then I would certainly be happy to have them immunized this.

CAMEROTA: OK, this next one comes from Eric: Is the child version of the shot also going to be two separate shots, like the adult Pfizer?

LEVY: Yes, it will.

It will be one-third the dose, as we talked about, Alisyn, right, one- third the dose? It's a lower dose, but it's still a two-shot series three weeks apart.

CAMEROTA: Should they expect similar side effects, like the adults have when they get the Pfizer shot?

LEVY: Yes, you can have a day or two of feeling a little sluggish.

However, those side effects may be a bit lower, given how low the dose is at that age group.

BLACKWELL: OK, so should -- this one's from Kim: "Should I have concerns about getting my 5-year-old, who is quite petite, this vaccine that is for 5-to-11-year-olds?"

This is the question I ask almost every time.

CAMEROTA: This is your favorite question.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

CAMEROTA: Are you going by the name Kim right now?

BLACKWELL: No. Speaking for husky kids everywhere, which shot are you supposed to get?

(LAUGHTER)

LEVY: Yes. No, thank you for that. It should be fine.

The studies, the data presented by the sponsor in this case, Pfizer, was for 5-to-11-year-olds. They looked at boys and girls. They looked at kids at different ages. And the data were very reassuring for safety and efficacy.

And I'm not aware of any concern. If your child is thinner than usual or a little shorter than usual, that shouldn't matter. It should be OK.

CAMEROTA: You know, Dr. Levy, we just had Alexandra Field on here. And we were talking to her about how she had those numbers about how many more kids probably had it then wherever diagnosed. I was surprised to see the hospitalizations for minors as of right now. It's much higher than I thought. I mean, I think that we all tend to think, well, if your kid is unlucky enough to get it, they will still be fine. But the hospitalization numbers are striking.

I mean, as of today, I think there's something like 1, 200 minors in the hospital. That's more than I thought.

LEVY: No, exactly.

So, even though, thankfully, thankfully, children are at much lower risk of severe COVID and, God forbid, COVID-induced hospitalization or death, it does happen. And it is not negligible.

[14:25:04]

And that's the reason FDA and CDC have been looking at this, because if we have safe and effective vaccines, why wouldn't we make those available to families to make that decision and protect their children?

BLACKWELL: Doctor, we have talked about the mask mandates and lack of mandates and even bans on mandates at schools across the country.

Once children -- if this is approved soon or authorized soon, once they get the vaccine, should they reconsider wearing those masks or still continue to wear them in class?

LEVY: Yes, you have to follow your local guidance. And that's driven at the local level, at the city, state level, and school district level.

And you have to continue to follow those guidelines. This pandemic is not over yet. And we're entering the winter months, where people gather indoors. So we will have to see what happens with transmission. We hope and expect that the vaccine will have some effect in reducing transmission.

Its greatest effect is in reducing disease, getting ill from COVID and getting severe COVID. That's its strongest effect. We're hopeful it also helps reduce transmission, but you still need to keep wearing those masks if your locality is recommending that.

CAMEROTA: Dr. Ofer Levy, thank you for answering all these burning questions from parents. We really appreciate it.

BLACKWELL: Thank you, Doctor.

LEVY: Always a pleasure, Alisyn and Victor. Have a good day.

CAMEROTA: You too.

BLACKWELL: You too.

CAMEROTA: OK, so President Biden is marking the end of his second foreign trip as commander in chief with a press conference. We're live in Scotland next.

BLACKWELL: Also ahead, Christiane Amanpour's exclusive sit-down with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

And there's a lot going on today. Here's what else to watch.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)