Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

WH Launches Plan to Increase Doses, Do On-Site Vaccinations at Events; NFL's Deshaun Watson Suspended 11 Games, Fined $5 Million; Severe Drought Impacts Felt Around the Globe; Heavy Rains in TX Forecast Pose New Threat of Flash Flooding. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired August 18, 2022 - 13:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:31:09]

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN HOST: Almost two million doses of the monkeypox vaccine are about to be available and more accessible. The Biden administration announcing it's stepping up its response to the monkeypox outbreak.

According to the CDC, there have been over 13,000 confirmed monkeypox cases here in the U.S. since May. Thankfully, there's been no deaths.

CNN health reporter, Jacqueline Howard, joins us now.

Jacqueline, explain how this plan is going to be implemented.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Well, Alex, the Biden administration just announced this new plan this morning to really ramp up its response to the monkeypox outbreak.

And while explaining, you know, the new strategy, there was a lot of concern in their voices. Because right now, the U.S. has about a third of the global number of monkeypox cases.

When we look at the numbers in the United States, there are more than 13,000 cases, as you mentioned. That's about 34 percent of the total worldwide.

The U.S. has 4 percent of the world's population, but 34 percent of the world's monkeypox cases.

So let's take a look at the strategy that federal health officials, who announced a new strategy this morning, what they plan to do.

There are plans to make 1.8 million doses of vaccines available. That's an additional 1.8 to what we have now. The point is to target vaccines to large event locations.

There's also plans to preposition 50,000 courses of TPOXX treatment. That's the treatment used to treat monkeypox. And those 1.8 million doses of vaccine, that number is based on if the doses are administered intradermally. And here's what I mean by that. Vaccines can be administered

intramuscular, through the intramuscular injections. That's to the left on the screen here. And that is when vaccine is administered through the muscle.

And there's also subcutaneous injections. That's when vaccines are given to the fatty layer below the skin. And typically, that's how the monkeypox vaccine is administered.

But in this outbreak, health officials say, if you administer vaccines through intradermal injections, as you see here - that's injections into the layers of the skin, that can help spare doses.

So what I mean by that is, that technique, when you do intradermal injections, that will require a fifth of the dose used for subcutaneous injections.

And that's really the strategy here that the administration is leaning into to help stretch the vaccine supply -- Alex?

MARQUARDT: Jacqueline, another part of the rollout we understand is that the Department of Health and Human Services is launching programs specifically targeting at-risk communities, right?

HOWARD: That's right. So when I mentioned how vaccines will be offered and education will be offered at these large events, the administration does plan to target large event where there's a big LBGTQ community presence.

As well as data have shown we're seeing some racial disparities in this outbreak, where black and Hispanic, Latino communities are being disproportionately impacted. So there are plans to do outreach there.

So, again, Alex, we have vaccines. We have treatment. And now there are plans to really outreach those who are being hit the hardest in this outbreak -- Alex?

MARQUARDT: That's the plan. Hopefully, it works.

Jacqueline Howard, thank you so much for breaking that down for us.

The National Football League has reached a settlement with Deshaun Watson over claims of sexual harassment and assault. The quarterback for the Cleveland Browns faced a six-game suspension over the claims made by 24 women. But the NFL demanded more, and now it has received it.

CNN sports anchor, Coy Wire, joins us now.

Coy, this is a much more severe punishment, but it didn't go as far as the NFL wanted.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: That's right, Alex. The NFL was originally seeking a full-season suspension following the judge's decision to suspend Watson just six games. That will not happen. The league and Players Association reaching an agreement that looks as follows. The six-game suspension has now turned into 11 games. And Watson went from facing zero fines in the matter to a $5 million fine.

[13:35:10]

He has also agreed to enroll in some programs that will help him accept accountability for what has occurred.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell saying in a statement:

Quote, "Deshaun has committed to doing the hard work on himself that is necessary for his return to the NFL. This settlement requires compliance with the professional evaluation and treatment plan, a significant fine, and a more substantial suspension," unquote.

Now, Watson was there outside of the Browns training camp just moments ago. Here's what he had to say follow thing decision.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DESHAUN WATSON, CLEVELAND BROWNS QUARTERBACK: I feel like a person has an opportunity to stand on his innocence and prove that. And we proved that on the legal side. And we're just going to continue to push forward as an individual and as a person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: As is always the case with fines, the league will use the money to give back. In this case, the full amount will be invested in organizations that prevent sexual misconduct and sexual assault.

And, Alex, Watson will first be eligible to play in a game on December 4th. That would be against his former team, the Houston, Texans.

MARQUARDT: Big news from the NFL today.

Coy Wire, thank you so much, sir.

Europe's second-largest river is drying up. Water restrictions are kicking in for millions of people in London. And China is firing rods into the sky to bring on some rain. The extreme drought wreaking havoc around the globe.

And a new report shows how bad things are in the United States. We'll have all of the latest coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:41:29]

MARQUARDT: One of Europe's most important rivers, the Rhine, is running dry. Look at these pictures. The satellite photo on the left that you can see there was take an year ago. On the right, that's what we're seeing today.

No rain and soaring temperatures taking a major toll on the Rhine. Ships and boats are having a hard time navigating the river.

And experts are saying, in Germany, it's only a matter of time before industrial plants are forced to shut down.

I want to bring in CNN's Melissa Bell.

Melissa, the Rhine is relied on for shipping and for tourism. This is a really dire situation.

MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And it is, Alex, a dire situation across the European Union. This is central Paris that I'm speaking to you from, just along the banks of the Seine River. You can see the leaves on the ground. You would image that we were in the middle of the month of August.

The result is that those dry conditions, several heatwaves that have come on already dry conditions on the ground. In the forests, the wildfires that we've seen.

And 60 percent of the European Union's land now under drought warnings or extreme alerts. That gives you an idea how things are.

The wildfires, and, of course, as you say, those rivers now running drive. The Rhine River, Europe's second-largest, it is millions of tons of commodities, Alex, that are now at a standstill.

And the river has gone so low, there are stones, hundreds of stones that have been revealed where people have recorded in previous years and centuries when the river got low, the famines that have followed.

Those severe conditions going as far north as the United Kingdom. Southern England reporting its driest July since 1836. The Thames River that runs through London dry in parts earlier this week, and water restrictions expected there.

Here in France, also, Alex, the worst drought on record. And Rhine valley running dry.

And some extreme weather conditions that have resulted. There are thunderstorms that might have brought a respite. Instead of that, it is flooding on the dry ground that tends to be brought with casualties.

And another heatwave expected next week -- Alex?

MARQUARDT: And, Melissa, these severe drought conditions are happening all around the world. In China, they're facing them as well. We understand they're taking pretty dramatic measures to try to trigger more rain.

What are they doing?

BELL: Have a look, Alex, first of all at the Yangtze River. It's really quite impressive. Totally dried up in some parts. And it is all of the regions that run along it that are facing extremely difficult conditions. Authorities pointing to difficulties for livestock, for humans, for people, for the businesses, for the crops. That's how dry it's gotten. It's the worst drought in China in six decades.

So, yes, extreme conditions and extreme solutions being sought.

What the Chinese authorities are doing is firing silver rods, silver iodide rods up into the clouds in hopes of condensing some of that moisture and of bringing the rain to those very dry riverbeds and regions around the Yangtze River.

In some parts, there is so little cloud cover, that's been put on hold. But that is the plan.

But this is a reminder, Alex, first of all, of how important these waterways are to life and livelihoods.

But also, as you said, how extreme weather conditions across the northern hemisphere are having severe consequences for people all around that part of the world -- Alex?

MARQUARDT: Yes, some very dramatic steps for a very critical situation.

Melissa Bell, in the French capital, thank you very much.

Back here in the United States, Texas is facing some of the worst drought conditions in the country. But with heavy rain now in the forecast, there's a new threat.

[13:45:02]

CNN meteorologist, Jennifer Gray, joins me now.

Jennifer, we know that this region needs rain. But is it going to be too much too fast?

JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I do believe so, Alex. In some areas, especially across north Texas where the rainfall is forecast to come down.

You're talking about areas that have gone from flash drought who could end up in flash flood in just a matter of days.

Texas, for example, the beginning part of the year, zero percent, in exceptional drought. That is the highest category. Now we have a quarter of the state in exceptional drought. That is just since the beginning part of the year.

So that flash drought has come on very, very quickly. And now we're forecasting very heavy rains in the coming days.

A focus right here around Dallas, Texas. That's where we're forecasting the heaviest amount of rain, especially across north Texas, northeast Texas. And when the ground is so dry like it is, we're going to see the

potential for flash flooding. Because the ground is very, very dry. It's not going to be able to absorb the water like other areas would.

Also going to see excessive rainfall across the southwest. We have had very heavy rain over the last couple of weeks.

Friday into Saturday, those monsoonal rains are really going to impact places like Arizona and New Mexico -- Alex?

MARQUARDT: And Jennifer, it really is happening around the country, not just in the south where you're talking about, in the southwest that we have been discussing this week, but also in New England, which is much more unusual.

GRAY: It is really unusual. We have gone from zero percent drought to about 40 percent of extreme drought across portions of Massachusetts.

You can see, just two weeks ago, we hardly have any extreme drought. And now about 40 percent of eastern Massachusetts is in extreme drought.

This is something that is a huge concern across the northeast. We have had several heatwaves that contributed to the extreme drought. Also, lack of rainfall. So the combination of those two things has just made this area incredibly dry.

So you can see that extreme drought across eastern Massachusetts, portions of Rhode Island, Connecticut, all seeing just very, very dry conditions -- Alex?

MARQUARDT: All right. Major concern for so many across this country.

Jennifer Gray, thank you very much.

Switching gears, is Mariah Carey the Queen of Christmas? That's a valid question. And she certainly thinks so. Now she wants to trademark that title to make money off of it. But two other singers are saying not so fast. We'll have that story coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:51:56]

MARQUARDT: Mortgage rates, jobless claims, and Mariah Carey. All part of the economic and business headlines that we are following today, along with CNN's Rahel Solomon. She joins us now.

Rahel, we will get to Mariah Carey in just a second.

First, on the economy, we've got some new numbers that are showing some positive signs.

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, quite a range for you today, Alex. Good afternoon.

Yes, so, let's start with that positive news on the labor front, on the job front.

Initial claims, which is our weekly look at how many Americans are filing for unemployment benefits, actually ticked lower, which is a reversal of what we've seen the last few months.

So that number coming in at 250,000. So, again, that was a surprise because we haven't been seeing that number tick up.

One thing that also ticked lower was mortgage rates. The average 30- year now standing at about 5.1 percent, according to Freddie Mac, lower than 5.2 percent the prior week. So that's good news if you're in the market for home right now.

We know mortgage rates had ticked up closer to 6 percent earlier this year. They are much higher than they were last year.

At the same time, home sales continue to decline, partially because of those rates and partially because home prices continue to rise.

The latest reading from the National Association of Realtors showing that, overall, median home prices increased 10.8 percent year over year, which is a moderation, Alex, from what we had been seeing.

But still, 10.8 percent, mortgage rates, again, higher than they were last year. Because of those two factors, affordability is really an issue.

You also just have a lack of supply. There just aren't enough homes out there for people who are looking.

MARQUARDT: And now, Rahel, to one of the busiest economic periods of the year. We're four months out from Christmas. And of course, Christmas, dominated by that now classic tune by Mariah Carey.

But Mariah Carey is trying to trademark the title, Queen of Christmas, and being challenged on it by at least two other singers. What's happening here?

SOLOMON: The question is, can there only be one Queen of Christmas? Mariah Carey and her team are trying to trademark Queen of Christmas, from that hit song, and they want to place it on different products, items, et cetera.

But other singers such, as Darlene Love, are saying, wait a minute, she, too, has been using that monograph, posting on her Facebook, in part, "David Letterman officially declared me the Queen of Christmas 29 years ago, a year before she released 'All I Want for Christmas Is You.'"

Another singer, Elizabeth Chan, filing in an opposition notification that there can be more than one queen.

So, Alex, what is this going to come down to? Well, I spoke to an I.P. attorney today about sort of what are the factors that go into determining who gets the trademark.

And he tells me a few things. First, first of use. Who was the first to use it? Darlene Love essentially saying it was her who used it.

Also, is the good or service distinct? I don't know. Queen and Christmas are pretty ordinary words. But is it distinct, Queen of Christmas, for Mariah Carey.

And is it too similar or does it conflict with another trademark? And are there any other oppositions? As I just pointed out, there is now an opposition to this.

[13:55:03]

So, lots to debate. Unclear who, if anyone. Because, Alex, by the way, the trademark office could decide no one is the Queen of Christmas. It really just depends.

(CROSSTALK)

SOLOMON: But, yes, she does dominate.

MARQUARDT: I was reading, by her own admission, she said that the actual Queen of Christmas was Mary, the mother of Jesus.

I think we all agree it's a great song. It's a classic song. I just beg Starbucks and anybody else who plays it to please wait until December.

Rahel Solomon, our queen of the economy --

SOLOMON: That's a fair request.

MARQUARDT: -- thank you so much.

SOLOMON: Thank you.

MARQUARDT: And that does it for me. I'll be seeing you right back here tomorrow.

But don't go anywhere. The news continues right after this.

Take care.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)