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CO Officials Give Update after Devastating Wildfires; Sheriff: No Fatalities; 500 Plus Homes Lost in Fires; CO GOV: Nearly 1,000 Homes in Two Communities "Gone"; South African Officials: Already Past Omicron Peak; HHS: COVID-19 Exacerbates Mental Health Crisis among Kids. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired December 31, 2021 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN HOST, INSIDE POLITICS: Governor on the fast moving wildfire that destroyed hundreds of suburban Boulder County homes. Take a listen now.

SHERIFF JOE PELLE, BOULDER COUNTY, COLORADO: Actually I think given the events we had yesterday pretty miraculous. We were fortunate that the winds dissipated last night. We're expecting snow today that snows already started. We're hoping to see three to six inches of snow and some good moisture that's certainly going to help our efforts.

This morning Governor Polis myself and others flew over the area to assess the damage. We know there are approximately 2000 homes in the Bert area. We certainly did not lose 2000 homes. We did see entire subdivisions as I talked about last night.

The west side of superior Old Town superior that is totally gone. That accounts for easily for 500 homes. West of superior out towards Marshall Eldorado Springs area, we saw dozens of burned out homes.

The south side of Louisville suffered some pretty catastrophic losses as well dozens of homes. Damage assessment is continuing today. We won't have final numbers until late tonight or tomorrow. But we are fully expecting this to be 500 or more homes that were lost.

The fire burnt in an interesting dynamic with mosaics you can see how the wind and the topography drove that fire in certain directions, devastated some neighborhoods and some blocks and left neighbors standing and in fact, I know residents want to get back to their homes as soon as possible to assess damage.

In many of those neighborhoods that are currently blocked off. It's still too dangerous to return. We saw still active fire in many places this morning. And we saw down power lines, we saw a lot of risk that is they're still trying to mitigate.

As soon as residents are able to get back we're going to let them back. That's our goal. We don't want to keep people out of their neighborhoods or their homes. Last night, there was boil water announced for the town of Louisville city, Louisville that now extends to the town of Superior. The issue is water pressure was lost in those communities. And so water is potentially contaminated even domestic water and it'll need to be boiled in those areas in the southern part of the county around Louisville Superior and in Superior.

I want to stress that all of the trailheads east of Highway 93 and McCaslin to the south are closed. Stay out of that area. We still have power line issues and fire. We received an outpouring from the community to volunteers to be volunteers and to make donations. We appreciate this. But please do not self-deploy to those areas.

And for those who want to volunteer, please visit Colorado responds.org. If you want to make donations, go to our website at Boulder oem.com. There are details on how to make donations and how to register and be available through the Red Cross or the Community Foundation of Boulder County.

We have a community call center established. This call center has information concerning the fires impact on Boulder County and can be reached at 303-413-7730, 303-413-7730.

Again, we ask if you have general questions about the fire your neighborhoods, road closures, please call the call center do not call 911. I'm going to turn it over to Governor Polis. Thank you.

GOV. JARED POLIS (D-CO): Thank you Sheriff Pelle. Just moments ago we did an aerial reconnaissance mission, thanks to the Colorado National Guard of the areas impacted. We were able to do it in the brief window before the snow and how grateful we are that the snow has started.

There were still some an area with active flames mostly was looking at the neighborhood level devastation. As the sheriff indicated there's neighborhoods where because of the nature of the fire spread by gusts of up to 105 miles an hour, it would spread to a house here there over other houses past other streets very unusual burn pattern.

And the other unusual factor is just as in the blink of an eye. This was a disaster in fast motion all over the course of half a day, nearly all the damage. Many families having minutes, minutes to get whatever they could, their pets, their kids into the car and leave the last 24 hours have been devastating.

[12:05:00]

GOV. POLIS: Surely unimaginable, it's hard to speak about, like many Boulder County residents, I have texts and voicemails from friends, letting me know whether they're safe or not what they've lost.

I also spoke to the President just before this press conference, the President called; he offered his support for the people of Colorado. They also gave verbal authorization and President approved the expedited major disaster declaration.

And that'll be finalized and papered in the next couple of hours. What that means is that it allows those who suffered loss small businesses and homeowners, they know won't have to wait for the preliminary damage assessment for housing and small business assistance.

So that will be forthcoming very soon, because of this disaster and the actions that the president took. And the president sends his regards to the people of Colorado, and those who are directly impacted.

This hit close to home for so many of us literally, in some cases, for those of us who live nearby, but also, in terms of this being a fire, that wasn't a wildfire. In the forest, it was a suburban and urban fire, the Costco we all shop at the target.

We buy our kids clothes at all surrounded, damaged nearly 1000 homes in two very tight knit, beautiful communities that our state has, are gone. And you know we talk about houses destroyed. But each house is not just a house, it's a home.

It's a sanctuary of comfort for those who live there. It's a reservoir of memories, where families were raised. You know, it feels like we've experienced enough loss and tragedy these last two years and then yesterday happened over the course of several hours.

This is our community and to watch it burn so quickly. So unexpectedly, is something that I think we're all just struggling to believe and understand, so different than fires that over a period of weeks and months develop.

This played out with 105 mile winds over the course of half a day. We are going to work hard with families and small businesses to rebuild our treasured communities, homes and sanctuaries for folks that the short term impact for housing needs.

So far, it looks like the two major hospitals in the areas were spared. Looks like schools were spared. And we might have our very own New Year's Miracle on our hands if it holds up that there was no loss of life.

We know that many people had just minutes to evacuate. And if that was successfully pulled off by all the affected families that are really quite a testimony to preparedness and emergency response.

I also spoke to the FEMA Administrator this morning and let her know that with this expedited major disaster declaration we're going to need all the help we can get she asked other ways that could help. We talked about short term housing needs.

We talked about additional needs for hospital capacity because of the hospital, AVISTA that will be while not destroyed out of commission for a period of days or weeks. It's uncertain when that'll be back at 100 percent capacity.

You know, Mr. Rogers once told his audience when I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news my mother would say to me, look for the helpers. You'll always find people who are helping. And time and time again we see those helpers here in Colorado.

Sheriff Pelle, his deputies Director Sand Hill key National Guard, hundreds of brave firefighters from municipal fire departments across the Denver Metro region, law enforcement, first responders. Many of these brave men and women themselves lost homes are uncertain whether even at homes to return to but they stayed on the job.

And on behalf of a grateful state of Colorado, we want to say a profound thank you to everyone who's helped. I'm now going to say a few words in Spanish.

MATTINGLY: You've been listening to the Governor of Colorado Jared Polis as well as the Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle giving the latest update on the marshal fire and extraordinarily fast moving fire that the governor referred to as a disaster in fast motions.

The last 24 hours have been devastating, however, at this point in time, according to both the sheriff and the governor there has been no recorded loss of life something the governor said if it's proven out to be the case.

After all of the analysis is done it would be their own New Year's miracle if there is no loss of life. I want to go straight to CNN's Natasha Chen who's been covering the story.

And Natasha, I think the thing that stood out more than anything when you listen to the governor talking about the damage to nearly 1000 homes may 1000 homes lost was just the speed by which this occurred over the course of a several hour period yesterday.

[12:10:00]

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Phil, and these were hurricane force winds, pummeling through neighborhoods. Imagine those types of winds just bringing flames, you know, hitting one house after the next.

We were in Louisville this morning, taking a look at some of the burned out neighborhoods. And you could tell how precarious those winds were. Because we'd see one lot, for example, that still had a hot spot still had a flame going, and the house next to it, the next block would be perfectly fine.

And the Christmas lights were still on. So it's a very precarious situation for those people, not knowing how or exactly when the flames would hit, as the governor was saying they had just minutes to evacuate.

And some of the videos that we saw people take on their cell phones were really, really terrifying in the sense that we saw them, you know, ducking from debris and ash raining on them.

And when they got in their cars, it was really difficult to see there was no visibility, it was hazy. It was like an orange sky, really hindering their ability to get out of there safely. So as he said, as you mentioned, if there really is no loss of life, that is going to be a miracle.

The good news is what you're seeing right in front of me right now. It is snowing. And that's what the authorities were talking about bringing some of that much needed moisture in hoping to make this situation a lot better very quickly, Phil.

MATTINGLY: Yes, Natasha Chen, just people had mere minutes to get out that no loss of life that proves to be the case and miracle indeed. The governor also said that President Joe Biden had called him and had given verbal approval to a major disaster declaration. Natasha Chen for us on the ground thanks so much for that reporting. And please keep us posted.

CHEN: Thanks.

MATTINGLY: All right, coming up, the Omicron surge collides with New Year's. The big ball drop is still happening against doctor's advice. For live in Times Square, coming up next.

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[12:15:00]

MATTINGLY: Tonight we entered the New Year and a new phase and the pandemic, hospitalizations among kids continued to climb infections are at record highs.

And now the FAA warning the solution is so dire. Situation is so dire flights may be needed to be canceled because of an increased number of employees that have COVID. The timing couldn't be much worse.

New York City is still holding a scaled down New Year's Eve Waldrop ignoring doctor's warnings against having big parties. And Polo Sandoval is standing by there now. And Polo, officials over the course of the last 48 hours have had to defend this decision to let a scaled back version of this continue. What are they saying right now?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We don't Phil, I mean, this record breaking rise in new COVID cases just in New York State alone. We heard from Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration is winding down today basically say that the show will go on.

That the message that they basically want to send the rest of the world is that New York is still open and can actually fight through this latest wave, albeit with certain measures being taken.

And we are expecting to see some of those measures on display here in Times Square later tonight. What are they? Well, they certainly include a great risk, a massive reduction in the number of people who will be allowed to come here to watch live as that ball drops.

You're talking no more than 15,000 people versus the usual 58,000 people the hope there is that that can allow for at least some social distancing. Plus, it also limits the time of potential exposure here with folks not allowed in until at least --this afternoon versus what we've seen in the past.

And then also everybody who comes here will have to be fully vaccinated and will have to wear a mask once to show gets started. So really speaks Phil, to these kinds of steps that we've seen by the city as it defends its decision to proceed with this party amid criticism and a growing call for them to cancel its event back we heard from Dr. Jonathan Reiner on CNN earlier today, who says that holding a massive party even with masks individuals outdoors still seems to use his word unwise.

But when you hear from city officials, Phil, they maintain that with all the steps you're taking it can be not just a happy but potentially healthy New Year. That's at least that's what they hope.

MATTINGLY: Yes, that's what they hope the show is going on, at least scaled back. Polo Sandoval is at Time Square, thanks so much and joining me now Dr. William Schaffner, Professor of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

And Dr. Schaffner, I guess I would just start right there. Should large groups of people be gathering for new years at all at this point?

DR.WILLIAM SCHAFFNER, PROFESSOR, DIVISION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER: Well, Phil, if they're going to do it, do it the way Polo suggest, very low concentration of people, everybody vaccinated, everybody mask, keeping your distance, do it outdoors. I think that risk is going to be very, very low.

I think we're at a point where we're not all ready to stay at home completely. But if we go out and celebrate carefully, we can do it at very, very low risk. And I hope usher in the New Year with joy safely.

MATTINGLY: That sounds good to me. And speaking, I want to parlay that and to try to grab on to some maybe good news we've been seeing over the course of the last 24 hours or so where South Africa says it's already past its peak and Omicron cases, no major spike in deaths.

One official is calling it a flash flood rather than a wave. Look, I get that it's not an apple to apples comparison South Africa to the United States in terms of population, but what does this mean? Or what are you reading into that for what it may mean for the U.S.?

DR. SCHAFFNER: Well, I've got my fingers crossed. What I hope it means is that in the United States, something similar might happen. Omicron rushes in, infects a whole lot of people very quickly. And then as we say in epidemiology exhausts the susceptible and then goes down.

[12:20:00]

DR. SCHAFFNER: And if we keep vaccinating people so that we make sure that if they do get infected, they will require hospitalization. Well, those two things together could bring in a fairly good first quarter in 2022.

MATTINGLY: Here's hoping to that in the near term, though, at least in the next couple of weeks everybody's been talking about kind of masking at this point in time, is it time for the idea of cloth masks to just be tossed out altogether? It's surgical masks, it's N-95. Anything else is kind of a waste of time?

DR. SCHAFFNER: Well, I think cloth masks that are thick, two and three layers really continue to provide good protection. And we have to remind people, first of all, to use those masks, and second, to use them up above the nose, you know, down here, that doesn't count.

So I think masking social distancing, I think we can weather this next storm, we will have some tough times. Because of all the travel and the wonderful celebrations we've had over the holidays, we're going to continue to see an uptick in cases.

But after that, I hope things go down as long as we keep vaccinating those children, everybody who's eligible for boosters, and maybe we can get some of those folks who have been stubbornly resistant vaccination in to the greater group that's accepting vaccine.

MATTINGLY: Yes, on that last point, you know, we heard that there was news that the FDA is set to expand access to booster shots for younger teenagers soon kids aged between 12 and 15. Obviously, that's a kind of a low vaccination percentage as is or lower than federal officials want it to be. What kind of effect will those boosters have do you think on that?

DR. SCHAFFNER: Well, I think the boosters will help solidify the protection among children. And I know that all the pediatricians and family doctors out there are saying, if you have any questions about the safety and effectiveness of vaccinating your child, come see me because those pediatricians and family Doc's are ready to give good comforting advice. You don't have to listen to Bill, listen to the person who takes care of your child.

MATTINGLY: Yes, seems to be a good place to go for everything. William Schaffner, as always we appreciate it, sir.

DR. SCHAFFNER: Thank you.

MATTINGLY: And what about the impact of all this on kids and particularly their mental health? Now the Biden Administration is warning parents about a pandemic mental health crisis among our children. It's something I want to discuss right now with former American Medical Association President Dr. Patrice Harris.

Dr. Harris is also a pediatric psychiatrist and the Co-Founder of E Med. Dr. Harris, look, I've got three kids. I've been blown away by how well they've acclimated, at least in terms of publicly to the last two years.

But I think we all live in persistent fear of what this is doing to them long term. Do you agree with what some administration officials said that there's kind of an epidemic of mental health challenges among children right now.

DR. PATRICE HARRIS, FORMER PRESIDENT, AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION: We have certainly seen an increase in reported symptoms of depression and anxiety and increase in thinking about no longer wanting to live in our young children and adolescents. And I want to make sure that folks know that is on that foundation of a decade's long increase in those symptoms. So I'm really worried this has been a really tough time, fail for all of us, but more importantly, for our children.

Now, as you note, your children have been able to weather this, I'm sure with wonderful support from you. And so children are resilient, we are resilient. But we can't just sit back and wonder if and when that might happen, or who may be resilient, we have to be prepared.

Now, just as we weren't prepared for this pandemic. I'm worried though; that we are not prepared for the increase mental health needs, again, over baseline after this. And so my charge to everyone is that we have to make sure that our services and our systems to support our children, really all mental health needs is in place before we actually need them.

MATTINGLY: I think that's probably my biggest question. Obviously, day to day we're all concerned about our kids. But I think a lot kind of in quiet moments about what the long term impact will be of these last two years. What's your sense right now in the direction of what the long term impact will be?

DR. HARRIS: Well, it's a worry because this has been traumatic and we talk a lot about acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. And so what we should be doing right now is putting services in place.

[12:25:00]

DR. HARRIS: I encourage parents to talk with their children be open to listen, to do things, such as minimize the amount of time listening to sometimes the news, or doom scrolling as we all do, and try to maintain those connections. And don't wait until symptoms start.

Again, we need a very proactive system coming out of this pandemic so that we don't have this tsunami that some people think we might have.

MATTINGLY: I want you to take a listen to something Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said recently.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. VIVEK MURTHY, U.S. SURGEON GENERAL: There is a terrible stigma around mental health that surrounds our children and older adults as well. Many kids feel ashamed of their struggles. And they're not sure if it's OK to ask for help.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: Now, on this issue, I feel like there's been a societal shift over the course of the last couple of years in terms of the willingness to discuss this, but it hasn't been all the way, I think. What's your advice to parents who see their kids struggling, but are very clearly trying to put on a tough face, maybe for their parents or other adults? DR. HARRIS: You know there has been a societal shift. And I think we have to thank our younger generations for that, because they have been much more willing to talk about that. But as you note, it's not universal. In some communities, particularly communities of color, there's still a lot of stigma.

And people think if you have issues with anxiety, or depression, it's a moral failing. And so we also have to make sure that we normalize talking about these feelings. And I encourage parents to do that on a routine basis.

Again, not wait until there are issues, but make sure that they know that they can talk about feelings of sadness and feelings of isolation and even feelings of no longer wanting to live.

I know for some folks, that are scary, but talking about it won't cause it, in fact, talking about it might prevent worse outcomes. So I think we should also note that we are weathering a tougher phase of the storm right now. But we are not where we were last year.

So we're making progress. I think it's always appropriate to give our younger folks hope. But also let them know that it is OK not to be OK. And they can share these feelings. And then it's on us as a society to make sure there's funding and services available.

MATTINGLY: Yes, don't let this disappear when things get better. All of a sudden, this is clearly going to stick around. Doctor, thanks so much for your time, I really appreciate it.

DR. HARRIS: My pleasure, happy New Year.

MATTINGLY: You as well. All right, coming up next, a 15 minute phone call ends with probably some more uncertainty, the threats and warnings issued during the last conversation between President Biden and Putin.

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[12:30:00]