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CDC Director Defends Easing of isolation Guidelines; Covid Rule-Breakers Face Public Shaming in China; Mourners Pay Respects to Late Archbishop Desmond Tutu; The Biggest Royal Moments of 2021; Severe Weather Hits Parts of Southeast U.S. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired December 30, 2021 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster. Our top story this hour is the surge in Omicron variant. More U.S. states are deploying the National Guard to support health care workers amidst the COVID surge. Georgia and Ohio are getting help for hospitals and testing and growing number of police, firefighters and paramedics are calling out sick in New York and Ohio.

Top health officials in the U.S. are trying to clear up their latest guidance for people who are recovering from COVID, but somehow things seem to be more confusing than ever as CNN's Alexandra Field reports.

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DR. ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CDC DIRECTOR: This was the moment that we needed to make that decision.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Facing the biggest COVID surge we've ever seen, the CDC director defending the decision to cut isolation time in half for infected people who are asymptomatic or who symptoms are getting better.

WALENSKY: It really had a lot to do with what we thought people would be able to tolerate. If we can get them to isolate, we do want to make sure that they're isolating in those first five days when they're maximally infectious.

FIELD (voice-over): The CDC arguing 85 percent to 90 percent of transmission occurs in the first five days of symptom onset. Still, the new guidance is drawing fierce debate among health experts.

ERIN BROMAGE, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS DARTMOUTH: There is absolutely no data that I'm aware about with the Omicron variant, it supports people coming out of isolation five days after they were first diagnosed with virus.

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, U.S. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: You either shut down the society which no one wants to do or you try and get a situation where you can safely get people back particularly to critical jobs without having them be out for a full 10 days. FIELD (voice over): Long testing lines are still snaking across the country. New cases are skyrocketing to numbers never seen before. Deaths and hospitalizations, key indicators at this moment are also climbing but not as quickly.

DR. CHRIS T. PERNELL, AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE FELLOW: Are we seeing lower hospitalization rates because Omicron is less virulent or are we always seeing lower hospitalization rates, because we do have a considerable amount of the population that is vaccinated?

FIELD (voice over): Booster shots for younger teens may now be just weeks away, says the CDC, while younger children remain the least vaccinated age group in the country.

DR. LARRY KOCIOLEK, ATTENDING PHYSICIAN, LURIE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO: The vast majority of children that are infected with COVID have mild infection, but you do have to be aware that that does put your child at risk for hospitalization and puts your child at risk for transmitting to other people in their classroom.

FIELD (voice over): Washington, D.C. schools now requiring a negative test for teachers and students to come back to class. With the peak of this surge likely still ahead of us, Dr. Fauci, again, warning people to take precautions ahead of another new year.

FAUCI: If your plans are to go to a 40 to 50-person New Year's Eve party with all the bells and whistles and everybody hugging and kissing and wishing each other a Happy New Year, I would strongly recommend that this year we do not do that.

Reporter: Alexandra Field, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[04:35:00]

FOSTER: U.S. stocks put in a strong performance yesterday, but the Dow and the S&P 500 finished at all-time highs in what's known as a Santa Claus rally. That's when gains are made during the last week of the year after Christmas and trading volumes pretty low, so small volatile. The Dow gained 91 points. It's the first time the index has hit a new record since early November. Here's a look at the futures and the international markets as well. Looking pretty positive. Less concerned about Omicron right now, let's say, than a week ago.

13 million people in the Chinese city of Xi'an are now in their eighth day of lockdown as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. China reported 156 new locally transmitted infections on Wednesday, and despite everyone being ordered to stay home, all but one of those infections were from Xi'an.

Now officials are taking drastic measures to stop further spread. On Tuesday, police publicly shamed four people for allegedly breaking China's strict COVID protocols. Let's bring in Steven Jiang live from Beijing. They literally paraded them down the street. This is extreme. STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: That's right, Max. The

disturbing videos you just mentioned emerged from this border town in southern China where, as you mentioned, four people in full hazmat suits with placards showing their photos hanging around their necks being marched through the streets for allegedly helping others illegally crossing the borders into China from neighboring Vietnam.

Now that's considered a heinous offense apparently by local police because of China's continued border closure and increasingly tightened COVID rules. Now there have been some recent local outbreaks blamed on illegal immigrants. That's why local officials there have defended their public shaming tactics saying it's needed to act as a deterrent.

But still this kind of image, as you could imagine, has stirred very strong public reactions with many say this as reminded them of one of the most repressive periods in recent Chinese history. That is the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and '70s when political fanatics were humiliating their enemies in this manner. That's why even some state media outlets have said this is a serious violation of rule of law. It should never happen again. And of course, critics say this is once again exposed the dark side of China's zero COVID policy with many local officials having little regard for human rights or dignity in the name of COVID prevention -- Max.

FOSTER: Steven in Beijing, thank you.

From Cape Town to Johannesburg and beyond, South Africa is saying good-bye to antiapartheid hero Archbishop Desmond Tutu. A live report is next.

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[04:40:00]

FOSTER: Right now, a memorial service for the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu underway in South Africa's largest city Johannesburg. Lots of words being said of the man. It is the latest event of the week filled with remembrances. For the man known as the moral conscience of the country. Also, South Africans from all walks of life are paying their respects to Tutu in Cape Town right now. Mourners are visiting his casket in St. George's Cathedral where he is lying in state.

Let's bring in CNN's Larry Madowo. In a way these serves don't reflect his popularity, because they're much more limited because of COVID than the authorities would have wished. They look quite isolated, many of the guests.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They are because currently South Africa has a restriction on how many people can attend a funeral. It's only 100, and so Archbishop Desmond Tutu's actual funeral on New Year's Day will have only 100 people, close family, friends, and clergy, people he worked in the church with. But that is why they have two days of lying-in state in St. George's Cathedral in Cape Town today and tomorrow, to allow as many South Africans as possible to pay their respects. And, Max, I've been watching that live stream. And you see such a

diverse set of people from all walks of life, from different ages, and racial groups and creed all coming to, you know, have a moment of silence, to make the sign of the cross, some are sobbing. Just to really say good-bye to this man who was considered a national treasure in South Africa and also at this other memorial service taking place in Johannesburg where some more people who will not travel to Cape Town can also finally remember and honor his memory.

FOSTER: In terms of the public response, how would you describe it there across Africa? You are obviously in Nairobi. He wasn't just a South African figure. Was he? He was an African figure, but a global figure as well. So, how are people outside the country remembering him?

MADOWO: He was an African icon. I learned about Desmond Tutu in Kenyan history and civics classes growing up in primary school. He was one of these giants of Africana history, beyond just South Africa. And because his moral clarity was so clear and apartheid was a subject taught in many African schools -- not just here in Kenya but across the continent. And that's why he had this outsized figure. There are buildings there in Nairobi, in Kenya, that are named after Desmond Tutu. That's the kind of figure, the kind of stature he had across this continent.

But also, this is a man who was friends with the Dalai Lama. Who was friends with American Presidents, Bill Clinton and the Obamas and Jill and Joe Biden who had really relationships around the world and was revered for both his sense of humor but also his moral clarity. That's why he won the Nobel prize back in 1984, a full decade before apartheid fell in South Africa. And more recently in 2009, president Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

FOSTER: Some of the people who have been allowed to pay their respects there outside next to the coffin. A very simple coffin as well, which I know he requested. Larry, thank you very much for joining us from Nairobi.

Now a new report says Elton John was nearly barred from performing a reworked rendition of his song "Candle in the Wind" at the funeral of Diana princess of Wales in 1997. The Press Association says there was concerned that the rewritten lyrics were too sentimental and a saxophone player was on standby just in case. A personal appeal from the dean of Westminster Buckingham Palace resolved the dispute. The song was originally written in memory of Marilyn Monroe.

2021 has been a roller coaster year for the British royal family from mourning the loss of Prince Philip to weathering allegations of racism and sexual assault. Here are some of the key moments from the British monarchy this year.

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FOSTER (voice-over): For the royal family, 2021 was punctuated by loss. QUEEN ELIZABETH: In the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I

have drawn great comfort from the warm and affection of the many tributes to his life and work.

FOSTER (voice-over): Husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, the man she described as her strength and stay no longer by her side after 73 years of personal and professional partnership.

[04:45:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fire.

FOSTER (voice-over): One image lingers from his funeral that spoke not just to her loss, but to that of so many others who are left on their own because of COVID. But it didn't slow her down. The Queen back at her desk while she was still officially in mourning. Until doctors advised her to rest in October, following a hospital stay, and preliminary investigations into an undisclosed condition. Later compounded by a back sprain.

KATE WILLIAMS, ROYAL EXPERT AND AUTHOR: It's an extremely punishing schedule for someone who is 95. And I think no one would criticize her at all. And everyone would support her in stepping back and doing a bit less.

FOSTER (voice-over): She gave up international travel some years ago so Prince Charles represented her in Barbados in November for a ceremony to replace her as head of state by a locally appointed president. It marked the end of 396 years of British rule, and a long- awaited reconciliation with the island's colonial past.

PRINCE CHARLES: The appalling atrocity of slavery which forever stains our history, the people of this island forged their path with extraordinary fortitude.

FOSTER (voice-over): It wasn't the first time that race came up as an issue for the family in 2021.

MEGHAN, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX: Concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born.

FOSTER (voice-over): Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex went rogue, not just leaving their royal roles, but telling all to Oprah Winfrey on why they felt the need to get out.

EMILY NASH, ROYAL EDITOR, HELLO! MAGAZINE: It raised very serious allegations of racism, but also of rifts within the family, difficulties between Prince Harry and his father, the differences between him and his brother. It really was a very wrought full opening up of things have traditionally been kept very private by the royal family.

FOSTER (voice-over): The Queen issued a statement acknowledging the allegations and committing to address them, whilst also pointedly noting that recollections may vary. The rest of the family characteristically kept calm and carried on until William was fired an unsolicited question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you a racist family, sir?

PRINCE WILLIAM: No, we're very much not a racist family.

FOSTER (voice-over): The Queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, spoke to CNN, but wouldn't be drawn on the Sussex saga.

PRINCE EDWARD: We've all been there before. We've all had excessive intrusion and sensationalized and we've all dealt with it in different ways. They listen, we wish them the very best.

FOSTER (voice-over): The palace has continued to distance itself from Prince Andrew publicly, pursued by the FBI in recent years for sexual abuse allegations. Excuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre file a civil suit this year claiming the royal assaulted her when she was 17. Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing. Regardless of how the impending trial unfolds, royal commentators expect the institution to survive intact.

NASH: I think the royal brand has taken quite a battering in 2021 from all sides. You know, we've had the fallout from the Oprah interview. We've had Prince Andrew's ongoing legal issues. These are all things that, you know, really should have dented the monarchy, but I think that the key players have just quite simply kept calm and carried on and done some really good things.

FOSTER (voice-over): In February 2022, the Queen will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, the only British monarch to do so, having first ascended the throne 70 years ago in 1952. The firm is keen to focus attention on that and the success of Queen's entire reign rather than a tumultuous 12 months.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER (on camera): The British Royal Mint has unveiled two new coins to commemorate Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, the five-pound coin in the 50 pence coin feature engraved images which will mark 70 years of the monarch's reign in the new year.

Other special coins honoring events -- Alexander Graham Bell, singer Vera Lynn and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will also be available. The Platinum Jubilee coins go on sale next Thursday.

Still to come, severe weather returns in the southern U.S. The latest forecast is next.

[04:50:00]

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FOSTER: We've been tracking severe weather across parts of the Southeastern U.S. including in Alabama. The town of Winfield suffering what officials call significant damage to the downtown area. These storms are being fueled by unusually warm temperatures. CNN meteorologist Pedram Javaheri has the details. PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Max. Yes, upwards of

at least 25 or so severe weather reports, but the vast majority of them related to straight line winds. That was across the Southern United States in the past few hours. And we do expect conditions to quiet down for at least one day, that being Thursday, and then moving ahead to Friday. Severe threat does return to the same areas here. So, we'll watch it carefully Friday night into Saturday. There's about 8 million people underneath this slight risk for severe weather. It's a level two on a scale of 1 to 5.

Some of the larger cities in place there Little Rock, Memphis and Nashville where straight line winds once again and maybe some large hail could be a major threat there. But look at Jackson -- 78 degrees, when 57 is normal for this time of year. Atlanta climbs yet again back up to 70 degrees, where 54 is normal for this time of year. And even Houston, almost a 20-degree departure from the norm. And Laredo, Texas, climbing up to 90, when 67 is more seasonal. But that is the big story across the Eastern United States.

The West, we've talked about the significant amounts of snow. Even the Pacific Northwest yet again, Seattle tapping into some snow showers here in the final few days of 2021.

But really the bigger story I think for our friends in Southern California has got to be the amount of rainfall in place there from Los Angeles towards San Diego County. Some of these areas, 200 percent of normal for the month of December. And December wraps up on a soggy note yet again on Thursday. Temperatures only about 50 or so degrees in Los Angeles and areas across this region, which is, of course, very much unseasonably cold.

[04:55:00]

I It does moderate out just a little bit and dry weather into 2022. But still looks to remain below average.

Now across the U.S. looking to New Year's Eve, trouble spots around the Four Corners region, across areas of the Midsouth and the Tennessee Valley, that's where a few showers are possible. Beyond that, not a bad set up. New York City 51 degrees around midnight. Cloudy conditions and winds going to be general on the light side. It's various in temperatures, though pretty impressive. Minot, three degrees while down in Houston, up about 80 degrees warmer, climbing up into the lower 80s. Now send it back to you.

FOSTER: Thanks, Pedram.

Now, NASA has some ambitious plans for the New Year including a closer look at the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The U.S. space agency plans to launch the Psyche spacecraft in August. It'll check out the Psyche asteroid which is thought to be rich in iron and nickel and has a theoretical value of, get this, 10,000 quadrillion dollars. I don't know how they work that out. The space rock could be left over from the early days of our solar system and could help explain how our corner of the Milky Way was created. It will take Psyche four years to reach the asteroid. Now, we're out of luck. Our viewers in the U.S., a huge lottery

jackpot is still up for grabs after Wednesday's Powerball drawing failed to produce a winner. The top prize now grows to a whopping $483 million -- would you believe. The next chance to win with a $2 bet is on Saturday.

Thanks for joining us here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London. "EARLY START" with Laura Jarrett up next. Have a very happy New Year.

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