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Rain, Storm Expected To Move Across The Northeast And Southeast; Hundreds Of Flights Delayed At Airports Across The U.S.; Airlines Staff Up Ahead Of Holiday Travel Surge; President Biden Isn't Saying Whether He'll Run Again In 2024; Biden Has Long List Of Priorities For Lame Duck Congress; Group Of Kids Sees Biden Out Shopping For Small Business Saturday; Protests Erupt Across China Against Strict Lockdown Measures; Almost 80 Percent Of Ukraine's Electricity Needs Have Been Restored; Twelve Ukrainians Freed In Prisoner Exchange With Russia; Supply Chains Brace For Potential Rail Strike Ahead of Holidays; Medicine Shortages Causing Concern Amid Surge In Viral Illness; Youth Dance Group Brings Hope And Joy Through Dance. Aired 6-7a

Aired November 27, 2022 - 06:00   ET

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

[06:00:26]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Buenos dias and welcome to CNN THIS MORNING. I'm Boris Sanchez.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Buenos dias, Boris. I'm Sara Sidner in for Amara Walker.

It's expected to be the busiest travel day of the year. Brace yourselves with another round of severe weather could get in the way of your trip home. We'll tell you what to expect as you head to the airport and get ready to hit the roads.

SANCHEZ: Plus, President Biden returning to Washington today. What he's now saying about a possible 2024 run and the challenges he's going to face before a new and divided Congress.

SIDNER: And the latest rail union rejects a labor deal putting the United States one step closer to a possible nationwide strike, how it could have a crippling effect on the economy.

SANCHEZ: And protest erupting across China, massive crowds calling for Xi Jinping to step down. We're going to have a live update from Beijing coming soon.

Welcome to a new week, Sunday, November 27th. We appreciate you waking up with us. Good morning, Sara.

SIDNER: Good morning, Boris. We begin with the severe weather that could disrupt travel plans for the millions of people returning home from the Thanksgiving holiday.

SANCHEZ: Yes. Weather across the midwest, the northeast, the mid- Atlantic, all expected to cause flight delays and cancellations, and there are a few western states also seeing some winter weather advisories.

Already this morning there are over 300 delayed flights, the rain and snow coming on what the TSA and AAA expect will be the busiest travel day of the year. AAA says nearly 55 million people traveled for the Thanksgiving holiday.

SIDNER: CNN's Allison Chinchar is joining us this morning. Allison, I know there are a lot of trouble spots.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: There are. In fact, it's probably easier for me to list the spots where we don't really have any inclement weather rather than the other way around.

But let's begin in the eastern half of the country. You've got very heavy rain that's making its way across areas from, say, Georgia all the way up to Maine. You do even have some strong to severe thunderstorms that will be embedded within that same system. And then out to the west, a brand-new system pushing in, bringing rain and snow as well. But a lot of big problems are going to be in the eastern half of the country.

Look at how widespread this system is. You're talking rain showers in Nebraska all the way over to Maryland, down into Florida as we speak. And this is going to continue to slide to the northern east in the coming hours.

One of the other things, and this is not good if you're flying -- by air, wind advisories. You have got a lot of these places you see here in orange. You're talking wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour. So, that could be too quite a bumpy flight today in a lot of these cities, gusting to even as high as 60 once you get into those higher elevations of the Appalachian Mountains.

Here's the look at the forecast radar pushing forward. Once we get towards say like midday now you're starting to see some of that heavier rain move into Pittsburgh, Cleveland, eventually into Philadelphia, New York, and Boston once we get into the second half of the day. So, yes, any travel plans in the northeast, the midwest, or the mid-Atlantic today, you are likely going to have at least some delays not just in the air but also on the roadways.

You're going to have ponding on the roads, and that's going to make it a little bit slick, causing people to slow down as they should for safety purposes on the roads. Boston, New York, D.C., this is likely where we're going to have the biggest travel delays, but also Detroit, Chicago, Cincinnati, Raleigh, even down towards Orlando, out to the west also looking at some delays as well. This next system coming in is bringing a tremendous amount of snow as well to the higher elevations.

SANCHEZ: A lot to keep your eyes on. Allison Chinchar, thanks so much for walking us through all of that.

So, as this holiday season kicks off airport are already seeing near pre-pandemic levels of travelers. SIDNER: And in an effort to keep up with the holiday surge, airlines are staffing up to make sure they are ready. CNN's Pete Muntean has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Airlines have been preparing for the rush at airports with the rush of their own, hiring thousands of new workers from the front desk to the flight deck. Twenty-four-year-old Ellie Gall is about to follow in her dad's footsteps as a new commercial pilot.

ELLIE GALL, NEW HIRE FIRST OFFICER, PIEDMONT AIRLINES: This is probably one of the best times in history to become a pilot.

MUNTEAN: Ellie is joining Piedmont Airlines which operates thousands of regional flights for American Airlines. At its Charlotte training center 400 new pilots have been trained here since June.

EDDIE LEVERTON, VP OF FLIGHT OPERATIONS, PIEDMONT AIRLINES: We have real ambitions to grow the airline, essentially double the size of the airline.

[06:05:03]

MUNTEAN: Seasoned pilots are also in demand. Piedmont just announced a $100,000 signing bonus for new captains.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The opportunities are never been better.

MUNTEAN: New industry number show staffing at the major airlines has now exceeded pre-pandemic levels. The hiring blitz comes after airlines struggled this summer, cancelling 55,000 flights due in part to staffing shortages.

But hiring is happening beyond just pilots. American Airlines says it has hired 12,000 employees this year company wide. Southwest Airlines says it has hired more than 15,000. And that United Airlines' 2,000 new customer service representatives are helping passengers in new ways.

It called agent on demand. You scan a QR code for a video call. Agents can now connect with a stranded passenger at O'Hare when they're not busy at another airport like Dallas.

DEBBIE REYNOLDS, CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, UNITED AIRLINES: I think this is going to be great help, especially now that we're having snow everywhere.

BEATRICE WIGGINS, UNITED AIRLINES CUSTOMER SERVICE: We want to be there for our customers, to support them, make it easy, and just make them feel good about the trip and take off some of the stress.

MUNTEAN: Airlines insist they now have the right people in the right places. Now the pressure is on them to perform.

(on camera): Are you worried at all?

NICK CALIO, CEO, AIRLINES FOR AMERICA: I'm worried about the weather. I always worry about the weather because that's the number one thing that can ruin a flight. I think we're flexible enough now that if there are cancellations or delays we will be ready to try to get people to where they want to go.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIDNER: Just got to be ready with this weather. There might be some delays. That was our Pete Muntean reporting for us.

Now, will he or won't he? The question is President Biden isn't actually answering that question just yet. He says he's going to come to a decision about the 2024 presidential race when he talks to his family over this holiday.

SANCHEZ: Yes. The president so far has been playing it coy. Let's discuss now with CNN White House reporter Jasmine Wright. Jasmine, of course, the president has hinted that he will run but if he announces there are then fund-raising and legal implications that come with it. So perhaps that's why he's been quiet?

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, Boris. All I can say is not all decisions are made quickly and that certainly applies to President Biden in his decision on 2024. But you're right. Yesterday, in Nantucket while out shopping with the first lady he was coy about his plans when asked by my colleague, Betsy Klein, about what conversations he's having. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BETSY KLEIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Mr. President, how are your 2024 conversations going?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're not having any. We're celebrating.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WRIGHT: So, there you heard that quick response. He did not elaborate more. But we do know a few things. And you're right about that timeline when it comes to enacting certain things about taxes and whether or not when he decides when to run. But also we know that the president has said over this holiday that he will come to some decision. Of course, it's only Thanksgiving. He still has time when it comes to Christmas.

Now, he has said so far that it is his intention to run and that he intends to make a decision by early next year. But of course, Boris, all eyes are on the president when it comes to this decision, especially as we know his former opponent Donald Trump is already officially in the race and that is a reason why President Biden launched his bid in 2020, Boris and Sara.

SANCHEZ: Right. So the president is returning to Washington today with a long list of legislative priorities, things that have to pass before this lame duck Congress moves along for the next Congress beginning in January. What are some of the items that are at the top of the agenda?

WRIGHT: Yes, Boris. Long list, is a bit of an understatement. But I think perhaps what is at the top of the agenda is the must pass government funding bill. Now, of course, that is set to expire on December the 16th. So, they have to do that.

And the question really going forward is whether or not Democrats try it tack on anything else like COVID or Ukraine funding. Now on the screen here you see more things like the bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriage, debt limit deal, defense authorization bill. And, of course, now the assault weapons ban that President Biden has been talking about over the holiday really trying to see whether or not he has the votes to get something passed on that in this lame duck session before it is expected for Republicans to take the House in January delivering President Biden a divided government. Boris, Sara.

SANCHEZ: Jasmine Wright, thank you so much for your reporting.

So, let's chat about this new chapter of President Biden's administration with Daniel Strauss. He is the senior political correspondent for "The New Republic." Daniel, grateful to have you this Sunday morning. In the wake of two mass shootings last week President Biden talked about further gun control legislation. Do you think it's a safe bet that the lame duck Congress is going to follow up with his demand that they take that up?

DANIEL STRAUSS, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW REPUBLIC: I mean, there's never a safe bet in a lame duck Congress about passing any piece of legislation.

[06:10:04]

So, right off the bat it's unclear. At the same time this is an administration that has passed gun control legislation in the past where previous presidents haven't. But there's very little time and as Jasmine said, there are other things that this Congress wants to and has to face in the next few weeks, a government funding measure, the possible same-sex marriage bill, interracial marriage bill. These are things that -- these are all priorities I've heard from Democrats on the Hill.

It also comes at a time where there's a leadership change in Congress. Nancy Pelosi is leaving as the top Democrat and a new -- a range of new Democrats are coming in to take that role. I don't think that this is going to be the make-or-break moment for the new Democratic leadership but there is a definite different atmosphere on the Hill and it will be right now a test to see how active a new or a transitioning Congress will be in passing Biden administration priorities.

SANCHEZ: Yes. You mentioned that potential battle over funding the government. How do you expect that to play out?

STRAUSS: Honestly, I think there's going to be some kind of stopgap measure. The pattern with government funding for years has been Congress has waited until the very last second and Democrats have griped about how debt ceiling at all or debt ceiling limit is essentially a hostage negotiation situation. And with these Congressional Republicans that's likely to be the same situation. So, probably some kind of short-term bill to keep the government funded and then they will come back during the regular period of Congress and try and tackle something longer. But I don't see any sort of long-term deal happening.

SANCHEZ: We'll keep our eyes peeled for another continuing resolution there. The president also as you noted wants Congress to pass legislation protecting same-sex and interracial marriage. Do you anticipate that might make its way into the government funding debate?

STRAUSS: I mean, there's a lot of interest and enthusiasm in Congress toward passing these two measures. I don't see why there would be much of a problem here. But at the same time there are always hold outs, there are always lawmakers who will complain that these measures are unnecessary, that this is just Democrats trying to trap and put Republicans on the record for something that -- on the surface seems pretty simple and germane to everyone but in fact, I guess, the complaint would be there's more to it than that. Look, obviously these are not entirely -- these are not objectionable measures but it's Congress, man, so we don't know what they're going to pass and what they won't.

SANCHEZ: "It's Congress, man," that's like the title of a book. That's awesome. Let's talk about 2024 before we go, the presidential race. President Biden said that he would discuss running again with his family over Thanksgiving. No word yet as to whether he's made a decision.

Obviously, there are legal and fund-raising requirements that go into place if he announces so that is a consideration. But ultimately, what factors do you think will determine whether President Biden seeks another four years?

STRAUSS: I mean, when an incumbent president announces their re- election, there's a lot of attention away from his legislative agenda and towards his running for president, and that will especially be the case given that Donald Trump is already running. At the same time, there's not a lot of pressure for him to run compared to other sort of situations that the country could be in. There are no real serious Democratic challengers that have shown a strong interest and movement toward challenging him as a primary candidate.

And the Republican field is still taking shape. I expect that there will be a few more, maybe many more candidates in the primary alongside Donald Trump. So for the Biden administration and Biden's political team, there's an incentive to keep the attention on them right now rather than his own re-election campaign.

But beyond that -- look, the Biden family, Biden himself have strongly suggested that he's very interested in running. He is one of the older presidents in American history so that will be a factor. And again, the new shape of Congress that Democrats will continue to control the Senate but not the House. This is a situation that is not ideal for every president and you have to remember that this is a president who has enjoyed Democratic control about the House and the Senate in the past few years.

SANCHEZ: Yes. Daniel Strauss, got to leave the conversation there. Thanks so much for joining us this morning.

[06:15:02]

SIDNER: And while President Biden was out shopping in downtown Nantucket, Massachusetts yesterday, he was going there for small business Saturday, that's the fun time to shop at small businesses.

Well, some kids noticed. They took some video from a restaurant. They could not contain their excitement. Listen to this. "Hi, hi, hi." It's funny because they keep saying "hey, Joe."

They saw the president walking by. He comes over. You see him there. He hears the commotion. He walks over smiling and waving and even took a couple of selfies. The clip was posted on the Nantucket Current. Biden is on Nantucket with his family for the Thanksgiving holiday and will depart later this morning for the White House.

SANCHEZ: I'm not sure that President Biden gets that warm of a reception everywhere he goes. Those kids were so pumped to see him.

SIDNER: I mean, that's probably why he went over and know that they were screaming for him. But it was so cute, they kept saying, "Hey, Joe. Hey, Joe," like it was their uncle. It's adorable, truly.

Still ahead, anger explodes in China over another round of COVID lockdowns. The strong message protesters are sending to China's leadership. Plus, no deal. A rail union fails to reach a labor agreement setting up a possible strike nationwide. How it could impact everything from food supply to manufacturing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:20:28]

SANCHEZ: Overnight some remarkable scenes in China. Acts of defiance in cities and universities as anger boils over against the country's strict zero COVID lockdowns. Watch this.

SIDNER: That video is from Shanghai. You hear protesters yelling "step down." That is aimed at China's leader Xi Jinping and his ruling communist party. That is an exceptionally rare sight in China given the communist party's ruthless crackdown on expressions of dissent.

Let's get now to CNN's Steven Jiang live from Beijing. Can you give us a sense of whether this protest is different from earlier reactions to COVID lockdowns?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING SENIOR PRODUCER: Yes. Sara, it was just extraordinary to hear those Shanghai protesters chant the slogans you just mentioned. Because up to that point even the most vehement opponents of the so called zero COVID policy have been dancing around this issue saying how the top leadership had its heart in the right place but instead blaming local enforcement and pointing finger at incompetent or overzealous local officials.

But those protesters in downtown Shanghai they were directly challenging the legitimacy of the communist party and its strongman leader really saying the system is the problem. As you mentioned, this is something that's simply not tolerated here. So, there is growing worry and concern about the fate of some of the protesters that got taken away by police. That's why a new crowd again gathered at the same location in Shanghai on Sunday demanding those protesters' release.

But we understand now there's a heavy police presence on site with the authorities sealing off a larger area surrounding this location and also clearing everyone from site. So there is obviously a lot of fear on the part of the authorities that this kind of messaging could inspire others across the country.

But this latest wave of protests really triggered by a deadly apartment fire in Xinjiang and also how the authorities there handled the aftermath because on one hand officials insisted that their COVID measures had nothing to do with the firefighters' delay reaching the fire to put it out. But on the other hand after insisting for weeks that lockdowns must be maintained because of the outbreak they all of the sudden announced a phase of reopening.

So, I think all of that really serving as the latest and loudest wake- up call to a lot of people in terms of how increasingly unscientific, ineffective and potentially dangerous this policy has become, not to mention all of the absurdities surrounding its enforcement. That's why across the country we are seeing people trying to take matters into their own hands by taking to the streets and tearing down metal fences setup by local officials to seal them off in their residences. And also a lot of vigils and protests spearheaded by young people on university campuses because for many of them, Sara and Boris, they have lived their entire college life in the past three years under some form of lockdown.

SIDNER: Yes. Steven Jiang, I remember hearing those cries from apartments in Shanghai of people hungry but they were locked in because of these COVID restrictions. So a lot of upset there in China. Steven Jiang, thank you so much for joining us.

This morning as Russia's attack on Ukraine's critical infrastructures continue, Ukraine's national power supply company says 80 percent of electricity needs nationwide have been restored now.

SANCHEZ: Yes. Meantime, in central Ukraine officials say there is serious destruction after two Russian missiles hit a railway infrastructure facility in a certain region. CNN's senior international correspondent Sam Kiley is live for us in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Sam, what's the latest you're learning about these attacks?

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris, these are the latest attacks. They're not the wave attacks that we've seen, the massive storm cruise missile attacks against critical national infrastructure in terms of the energy generating capacity but they are targeted clearly at the rail infrastructure, a neighboring Dnipro province.

So I'm in Zaporizhzhia province just across the border there. They are saying that the -- this is a regional border -- that the rail infrastructure has taken a very bad hit and it will some time before it's up and running again. This, of course -- again this is, of course, just less than a week since rail service to Kherson City, which was liberated from Russia at the beginning of this month have been restored.

[06:25:05]

So this is a blow but it is not the kind of crippling body blow that the ongoing attacks that we've seen pretty much weekly against the energy sector have been. Now, though, Kyiv is up and running. The government saying about 80 percent of power generating and distribution capability is being met. That is what is needed rather than what should be done. It will take two years, they say, at least before they're able to actually repair the power grid and bring it back to pre-war levels.

SIDNER: Now, there was a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia yesterday. Is there anything more you can tell us about that?

KILEY: Well, Sara, not in any great detail. This was relatively a small number, about a dozen prisoners on each side. A few days prior to that there have been a hundred in total, 50 on each side.

They are doing sort of like for like, you know, man and woman for man and woman exchanges and they are conducted very much in secret these processes with the -- often role of the international committee of the Red Cross. So Ukrainian members of parliament have been instrumental in the kind of cover outreach that allows for these exchanges to be conducted. But, of course, the Russians have many hundreds of prisoners of war and have forcibly moved thousands of civilians out of areas that they've captured here in Ukraine.

SIDNER: Sam Kiley, thank you so much.

SANCHEZ: Sam Kiley, thanks so much.

SIDNER: The U.S. is one step closer to a nationwide rail strike with union workers failing to reach a labor agreement this week how this could impact everything from gas to food to commuter trains.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): A major looming labor strike could have enormous impacts on the economy. Negotiators are still working to settle differences between the nation's largest rail union and railroad companies with workers recently rejecting a tentative deal because it included no paid sick leave. Keep in mind, if no deal is reached, the country's economy could lose a billion dollars in the first week of a strike alone.

In just one day, a strike would cost roughly $60 million, including nearly 40 million in lost freight, not to mention $25 million in lost railway industry wages and 3.8 million for long-term passenger rail disruptions. Major sectors would be significantly affected. A strike could strand vital shipments of things like gasoline and food, as well as cars and materials needed for manufacturing. That would wreak havoc on supply chains.

Let's get some more perspective now with Tom Madrecki. He's the vice president of supply chain for the Consumer Brands Association. Tom, thanks so much for being with us this morning. We appreciate your time. We outline some of the implications of a strike here. Help us understand how harmful this would be for consumers.

TOM MADRECKI, VICE PRESIDENT, CONSUMER BRANDS ASSOCIATION: Thanks, Boris. As you outlined, obviously, there's significant, you know, millions, billions of dollars a year, you know, a day in terms of the impact. But this is really an issue that goes far beyond the numbers, right? This is something that ultimately hurts consumers. Consumers, for example, in our industry, the consumer of packaged goods industry, so food beverage, household, personal care manufacturers, consumers use our products every day around 42 times. And when shipments are delayed -- rail moves America. So, when shipments are delayed, when you have rail go down, America goes down.

You ultimately start to see, you know, food manufacturers only have anywhere from two to three days' worth of product on hand in some cases. And so, when those shipments aren't arriving, then manufacturing lines aren't arriving in time. And then you start to see some really significant impacts at the grocery store and beyond just in terms of it on shelf availability, probably about a week out from when a strike starts to happen.

SANCHEZ: And the timing of this is especially delicate because we're in the holiday shopping season. How might that impact folks getting ready to host people in their homes, getting ready to buy gifts and things of that sort.

MADRECKI: Well, on a retail side of things, in many cases, shipments have already arrived or the supply chain has moved. So, I don't think that this is a situation where like Christmas is canceled as a result of a rail strike. But especially for everyday products, for food, agriculture supply chains, this is going to have a significant impact if a strike occurs.

And that's why the consumer brands associations, others in the business community have really asked Congress to intervene here proactively to take steps and measures. We saw a deal negotiated back in September, the Biden administration helped a broker. And we just need to put this issue to rest.

The two sides haven't seen a lot of traction in recent weeks. And this is again, this is something that can be resolved proactively. We don't have to wait until the last minute to have a crisis upon us at the last minute. We can -- we can do this now.

SANCHEZ: So, from what I understand, the main sticking point, Tom, correct me if I'm wrong, is paid sick days. The union asked for 15 of them. The railroads came back with an increase in wages but offered only one personal day. Is that an accurate assessment of the division right now in the negotiations?

MADRECKI: Well, you start to see this back and forth, right? And we saw this back in September. There's a lot of horse trading that's going to have to -- have to happen. And at the end of the day, we just need supply chains to keep moving. This is too critical of an issue to get hung up. I think negotiators have come a long way over the last several months. We saw the Biden administration come in. And the deal was negotiated back in September built on what was previously issued in the presidential emergency board recommendations.

And so, I think we've come a long way. It's time to get this done. Congress has the tools at its disposal to either enforce a deal or to extend at least the negotiating deadline period. But from our point of view, and I think the point of view of consumers, this is something that can get finalized and we can -- we can move on to solving many other supply chain issues that are impacting our economy and the cost of goods across this nation.

[06:35:27]

SANCHEZ: Tom, you mentioned some form of congressional intervention. Make the case. What exactly is it that you want to see them do?

MADRECKI: Right. So, there's really two options, Congress's disposal. I mentioned that they can enforce a deal or they can extend that negotiating period from December 9, sort of kick the can if you will. Again, enforcing a deal, doing this proactively. That's the simplest, cleanest solution here. And they can build on either the September 14th deal that was negotiated and sort of signed off on a tentative basis by rail and unions, or they can do something like a presidential emergency board recommendations that were issued previously.

It's sort of at their -- in their -- in their court what they actually do. But we can enforce this. We can get this done. And that's, I think, the cleanest solution here.

SANCHEZ: Tom Madrecki, it has enormous implications. I hope there's a resolution soon that serves both sides. Tom, thank you so much for the time.

MADRECKI: Absolutely. Thanks so much, Boris.

SANCHEZ: I appreciate it.

SARA SIDNER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): More people gathering for the holidays means more germs about. But doctors are sounding the alarm about a shortage of some key drugs used to fight common illnesses especially in children. How to protect your family coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:40:00]

SIDNER: There is growing concern this morning about a shortage of some antiviral and antibiotic medicines amid a rough season for respiratory viruses. According to the CDC, more than half of the United States have high or very high respiratory virus activity. Most of that is due to flu which had earlier and harder this year, and RSV, a virus common among children that has surged to its highest rate seen in the past couple of years.

So, what led to this shortage? And when will more medicine be back in stock? Here to discuss this with me is pharmacist Brigid Groves. She is the Senior Director and practice -- for Practice and Professional Affairs at the American Pharmacists Association. Bridget, thank you so much for coming on this morning.

BRIGID GROVES, SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR PRACTICE AND PROFESSIONAL AFFAIRS, AMERICAN PHARMACISTS ASSOCIATION: Thank you so much for having me. I'm pleased to be here.

SIDNER: Can you give me a sense of how unusual it is for us to be at this point with those shortages so early into the flu season?

GROVES: Yes, what I think we're really hitting here is this unprecedented collision of an early flu season RSV and then compounded by COVID-19. It's really something we haven't seen in the past and knowing that our flu season has come up early, it's really increasing the demand for some of the medications that we see to commonly treat secondary infections and other related conditions, especially in our children.

SIDNER: What has caused this shortage? Because you just said, you know, sort of earlier flu season, you've got RSV, and of course, COVID is very much still around. Is this a manufacturing issue or is there something else going on?

GROVES: Yes, great question. There's a variety of reasons that could cause a drug shortage. This one in particular, though, is really from an increased demand early on in the season that we really weren't anticipating. So, in this case, because of the demand has more patients are being impacted earlier on, we're seeing a higher need for these medications. And therefore, it's causing a little bit of a shortage, especially for the liquid antibiotics such as amoxicillin or augmentin for children.

SIDNER: You know, this would put a lot of stress and strain on the families and -- especially when there are children involved, that are looking to make sure that the medicine is available. Is there any advice for families who are struggling with some of these respiratory illnesses to make sure they're able to get those important medicines?

GROVES: Wonderful question. It can certainly be stressful and alarming as a parent or a caregiver to know that this is something that you might have to face. But this is something that's not necessarily unfamiliar to pharmacists. We has dealt with shortages in the past, and we're here to help you and your family and your patients. There are options. There are alternatives. There are substitutions. So, your pharmacist can work with your doctor if necessary to make an appropriate change and recommendation.

Another thing that a family or caregiver might expect to do is potentially drive a little bit further or go to a different location that might have that product in stock. Additionally, the FDA has permitted pharmacists to compound some of those liquid antibiotics for children during the case of this shortage.

SIDNER: And I know this isn't just happening here. I know there are some issues in Canada as well. This is not just a United States problem. It's happening in several parts of the world. You know, but there is a question about -- because I know RSV cases are way, way up. How are hospitals dealing with this? Are we -- are we dealing with the potential for them to really be overwhelmed by all these different respiratory illnesses?

[06:45:07]

GROVES: Great question. And I know here in the United States this is what we're experiencing. I can't speak to others. But I do think that it's important for families and caregivers to identify what is their -- what's impacting their patient or their family. We haven't heard yet whether or not there will be any other longer-term impacts from a hospital or health system standpoint, but right now, making sure they're getting the care up front and then making sure to treat them accordingly is the best recommendation at this point.

SIDNER: Brigid Groves, thank you so much. Important information for families to know about, especially if someone in the household falls ill. I appreciate you coming on.

GROVES: Thank you so much.

SANCHEZ: From Uganda to the World Cup. We have a story of how a group of kids have danced their way onto the world's biggest stage and into the hearts of millions online.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:50:00]

SANCHEZ: Uniting people through dance is the mission of a dance troupe from Uganda.

SIDNER: These lovely children became a viral sensation online and are now taking their talents to the World Cup in Qatar. Their smiles and success though masks the struggle they've endured just to survive. CNN's Becky Anderson has their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dance means to me a lot because I lost my mother and --

DAUDA KAVUMA, FOUNDER, TRIPLETS GHETTO KIDS: It's OK. Everything will be fine, OK.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR (voiceover): King lost his mother when he was just 9 years old, left to fend for himself on the streets of Kampala, with his younger siblings. But after the heartache of early tragedy, an opportunity to find joy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ghetto Kids, Uganda, Africa.

ANDERSON: Meet the ghetto kids. Each of these children has a different story, but they have one thing in common, a love of dance.

PRISCILLA KISAKYE ZAWADDE, MEMBER, TRIPLETS GHETTO KIDS: I have a father, I have a mother, but their jobless. I come from disadvantaged family. Sometimes we eat once in a while. Now, because of dance, I eat every day, I go to school, and sometimes I send money to my family because of dance.

ANDERSON: That's amazing.

Dauda started the group in 2013 when a homemade video went viral.

So, it went out. And then people are saying, the video is going viral. I said, what's viral? The video is on YouTube. What is YouTube? I didn't know about it.

ANDERSON: Himself homeless at a young age, he says, he was taken in by a Good Samaritan, something he has never forgotten.

KAVUMA: That's what inspired me. So, right now, I have 30 children. So, we are using music, danching and drama to help the kids to -- for this education, healthcare, then medication, and other needs that children have.

ANDERSON: The dance troupe have been invited to the World Cup by Qatar's Generation Amazing and visit Qatar.

KAVUMA The Generation Amazing, they promises to help us build our foundation. Because we have a home, we are now trying to build it. It is on a starting level. So, they promised to complete our home for the kids because we're planning to have like 100 kids and more.

ANDERSON: What do you think of Qatar?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's cool.

ANDERSON: Tell me what you've done since you've been here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I meet the mother of the Emir. Yes, and then I meet Aguero.

ANDERSON: You met Aguero?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. ANDERSON: Are you joking? No.

You're going to be dancing, performing a little bit later on. Can you just give me a few moves?

Amazing. OK, am I coming in? Oh, please don't do this to me.

A timely reminder of the power of sport in changing our world. Becky Anderson, CNN Doha.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Our thanks to Becky Anderson for bringing us that heartwarming story and for breaking it down herself. Those kids are really inspiring, yes. And I hope that getting more attention will help their foundation and ultimately build on their cause.

SIDNER: Yes. I mean, the one child that says sometimes we eat once in a while and dance has now made it so that I can eat every day. No child should have to worry about having a meal. And so, it was just -- it's heart-wrenching to think about what they've been through. But look at where they are now. It's amazing.

A quick programming note for us now. It's the holiday season, and that means holiday movies and specials. You cannot avoid them. CNN's newest Original Series: Tis The Season takes a look at their impact on our culture. Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM NAFTALI, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: America has just been through a long Depression and World War II. And many of Hollywood's famous actors went to war. And Jimmy Stewart was one of them.

JIMMY STEWART, ACTOR: I'm proud to be here. And I'm going to do my best to be useful as a soldier in the United States Army.

BEN MANKIEWICZ, HOST, TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES: Jimmy Stewart is a pilot. He delivered 20 bombing missions. Of course, he had PTSD. He risked his own life on those 20 missions. And his men were at risk whenever he sent them up.

NAFTALI: Stewart wondered if you could ever return to acting. something that seemed frivolous. Frank Capra, who as a director, made films for the war effort, understood this about Jimmy Stewart. And he went to Stewart and he said, this is the right role for you. The main character contemplates suicide. And apparently, that was it.

KEN BURNS, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER: The film reflects the darkness that the world has emerged from, but it's also the optimism that comes from having seen the worst of human beings and understanding that good people triumphed and that good people could triumph.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[06:55:59] SIDNER: Tis The Season premieres tonight at 8:00 right here on CNN. And we will be right back.

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