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England Backtracks on Reopening as U.K. Coronavirus Cases Surge; Chinese Students Yell from Dorms to Protest Strict Lockdown; Israel Sets Daily High in Cases amid Second Lockdown; Greece Calls on Governments to Cooperate with E.U. on Refugees; Top Health Officials Testify on Pandemic, U.S. Response. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired September 23, 2020 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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BORIS JOHNSON, U.K. PRIME MINISTER: We know, alas, that this virus is no less fatal than it was in the spring.
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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): Boris Johnson backtracks. The British prime minister knocked by the U.K.'s new coronavirus surge.
Then empty schools, patrols on streets and skyrocketing cases, Israel now seeing record COVID numbers despite a second lockdown.
And can the European Union unite over its migration crisis?
A new pact in an effort to carve a path forward.
This is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson.
This hour, Washington remembering the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is lying in repose at the Supreme Court of the United States. They referred to
her unadorned voice of precision. A family's life and the journey to the U.S. from Poland.
Also in D.C., top U.S. health officials are set to testify in the Senate on the country's coronavirus response less than 24 hours after America passed
200,000 COVID deaths. Dr. Anthony Fauci, who will face questions today, calls that number stunning and sobering. We'll bring you that hearing once
questioning starts.
I want to start this hour in the United Kingdom, where the world's sixth largest economy is facing one of the most dire situations it has ever
known. England is backtracking on the reopening by six months, which is sure to see Britain's economy in further tatters.
But with cases rising, prime minister Boris Johnson really had no other option. Nearly 5,000 new infections were reported on Tuesday alone. Mr.
Johnson says the struggle against COVID-19 is, and I quote him here, "the single biggest crisis the world has endured" in his lifetime.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNSON: We can see what's happening in France and Spain. And we know, alas, that this virus is no less fatal than it was in the spring and that
the vast majority of our people are no less susceptible.
And the iron laws of geometrical progression are shouting at us from the graphs, that we risk many more deaths, many more families losing loved ones
before their time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: A very sober Boris Johnson. Let's bring in CNN's Nic Robertson, who's live for you in London.
These new rules, Nic, come less than a month after Boris Johnson said it was safe to go back to the office. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNSON: I do want people to start to go back to work now if you can. But remember to obey the guidance because that's the way also to save lives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, a fair bit of whiplash then here. Let's walk through the political ramifications, Nic, a COVID crisis and a bungled Brexit. The boy
wonder, who always wanted to rule, suffering a torrid year.
How is his leadership being received?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Not well. You could slice it and dice it many ways. But I think if you just went and had a --
made a straightforward comparison between Boris Johnson, talking about the iron logic of, you know, what he's trying to describe, how the death toll
and the infection rate could go up in the U.K., compared to let's say how the Scottish first minister addressed it, which was much more emotive and
connective with her audience, the population there, the understanding and reception of oratory.
Boris Johnson finds it hard to connect with the audience in the U.K. and, as you say, has made U-turns, U-turns most recently on the going back to
work saying OK, stay at home and work from home now if you can. Only go in to work if you have to. We're seeing this reflected in a huge backlash of
public and national opinion against him.
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ROBERTSON (voice-over): One damning headline after another. Lampooned mercilessly, British prime minister Boris Johnson is having a torrid year.
Last December a massive election victory at hand.
JOHNSON: I'm humbled that you have put your trust in me.
ROBERTSON: It all seemed so different, but now trust in his leadership has withered. Matthew Parris, a former conservative MP and newspaper columnist
saw it coming.
MATTHEW PARRIS, FORMER CONSERVATIVE MP: He has no record in government, he has no record as a party spokesman. He did very little as London mayor. In
a sense, the fall is not his. The fall is in our own imaginations.
ROBERTSON: Johnson styles himself on Winston Churchill whose wisdom and rhetoric carried the country through World War II, but in the nation's
biggest challenge since Johnson stumbled, his upbeat charisma insufficient to combat COVID-19.
JOHNSON: I shook hands with everybody, you'll be pleased to know --
ROBERTSON: He seemed slow to grasp COVID-19's speed and scale; infections and deaths were rocketing. The worst in Europe.
JOHNSON: I've taken a test that has come out positive.
ROBERTSON: Johnson himself, a casualty, admitted to the hospital.
JOHNSON: The NHS has saved my life, no question.
ROBERTSON: As he recovered and the first wave subsided --
JOHNSON: I want people to go back to work.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): His return to work message ridiculed as confusing.
MATT LUCAS, COMEDIAN: We are saying don't go to work, go to work. Don't take public transport into work. Go to work. Don't go to work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And he has often sounded upbeat, done a great deal in his after dinner speech kind of way to encourage as it's all going to be
great by Christmas and then falling down and constant over promising.
ROBERTSON: A litany of failures from a late lockdown to shortages of PPE, care home deaths, shortages of tests, a bungled return to school, an exam
great fiasco. His chief advisor busting lockdown regulations and keeping his job.
JOHNSON: We are now seeing a second wave coming in.
ROBERTSON: Cases doubling every week. Some of the same problems as before reemerging.
The government promised a world class test and trace system that's been falling short. I'll just try to book a test. Some people have been sent
hundreds of miles to get this -- there is a problem.
This is one of the reasons why people have been losing confidence in Johnson and his ministers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please don't break international law.
ROBERTSON: Johnson's credibility is sinking further, when his minister announced Johnson would break his Brexit deal with the E.U. drawing rebuke
from his own party.
THERESA MAY, FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER The government is acting recklessly and irresponsibly. I cannot support this bill.
ROBERTSON: Even his predecessor, Theresa May turning against him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A straight answer to a straight question please, Prime Minister.
ROBERTSON: And a new leader of the opposition, much tougher than the last adding to Johnson's woes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We will publish a draft bill, setting out the proposed terms and timing of an independent referendum.
ROBERTSON: And worse, Scotland's handling of COVID-19 perceived better than his. The 300-year union, an inviolate totem of U.K. leadership under
real threat.
If 2020 has a silver lining for Johnson, perhaps this, a new wife to be, number 3 and a new baby. Oh, and surviving COVID to see it all play out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: And I think, Becky, just to give you one other snapshot of how hard it is for prime minister Johnson to connect with the audience and make
that his message is clear and therefore not get rebuked for it.
The message yesterday was that there would be table service now in restaurants and pubs, table service only in restaurants and pubs, yet one
of the top ministers was on British television this morning being asked about that in some settings and other sorts of cafes, would people have to
sit at tables or line up in queues to order their food?
The answer wasn't clear and it's things like this that really plague Boris Johnson when he's trying to present a clear message. It does feel to the
country here like many stumbles, one another the other.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Nic Robertson, thank you.
While Great Britain hasn't ruled out a second coronavirus lockdown, Chinese students are livid about long-running campus restrictions.
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ANDERSON: Listen as a huge dormitory complex bursts with pent-up frustration.
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ANDERSON (voice-over): The protest video went viral in China, these students yelling "Lift the lockdown." Strict COVID-19 measures at Jijiang
(ph) International Studies University have confined the students to campus since March. But according to state media reports, students are allowed to
leave if they've been certified as healthy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Israel is in the middle of its second nationwide coronavirus lockdown but the country just reported a new daily high in
coronavirus cases, with more than 6,800. This lockdown began last Friday just at the start of the Jewish high holidays. Critics say it has too many
loopholes and exceptions which stop the spread of the virus.
Well, Oren Liebermann joins me now from Jerusalem.
Israeli police handing out almost 7,000 fines for violating the restrictions over the holiday period. We talked about this last week, as to
whether people would submit to these new regulations.
Why are people defying this lockdown, Oren?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, there's an open sense of frustration, anger and confusion about what the restrictions are, who
exactly they're applied to, what the exceptions are.
And all of that feeds into what is essentially an open defiance on the part of many Israelis. We have seen it with the restaurant owners, who said
look, we'll absorb the fine but we can't give up our livelihood, we'll keep the restaurant open.
Part of it is this frustration that there is no clear plan put forward by the government that says these restrictions will be put in place. They'll
reduce the number by this much of coronavirus cases.
When that do that we'll go to the next phase of restrictions. Nothing like that has been clearly laid out. In fact, public trust in Benjamin Netanyahu
is down to 27 percent from 58 percent, his high back in April. And all of that is leading to this anger.
Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu is saying he wants to impose much stricter restrictions very quickly here to try to contain the skyrocketing numbers.
ANDERSON: Fascinating stuff. Meanwhile, Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz was in Washington, D.C., yesterday. I want our viewers to have a
little listen to some of what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENNY GANTZ, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER: The Middle East is an unstable world, region. I think the only stable place within it is Israel, one of
the most stable places in the Middle East. And as I always say we have no part of the United States nor do you have any other Israel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Note the backtracking a little there when he said -- well, actually I should include other countries being stable, perhaps for obvious
reasons, Oren.
LIEBERMANN: Well, he just signed or rather Israel just signed normalization agreements with the UAE and Bahrain. So it's not exactly a
good political move to take a swipe at them and say they're unstable countries. He was in D.C., meeting with the Secretary of Defense Esper and
others to figure out what Israel will get for the expected sale of F-35s to the United Arab Emirates.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LIEBERMANN: Generally when Jerusalem is in the international headlines, it's for all of the wrong reasons. A loyal but extremist group of fans who
until recently were proud of the fact that Beitar had never had an Arab player.
And yet here you are considering bringing an investor from the United Arab Emirates.
Why?
MOSHE HOGEG, BEITAR JERUSALEM: Why not?
When we brought Ali Mohamed to Beitar, we brought in a very good player.
LIEBERMANN: He's Christian but has a Muslim name.
HOGEG: Yes, his mother is Christian, his father is Muslim. He has a Muslim name. It doesn't matter anything. He has a Muslim name and that was a
challenge for a few percentage of our fan base.
LIEBERMANN: The signing ceremony officially between Israel and UAE and Bahrain, what was going through your mind as that was happening?
Were you even watching?
HOGEG: Yes, I was watching. I was excited. I was very emotional about this. I think that when you lay infrastructure, then it takes time. But in
the end you enjoy the fruits. But football is the people. And when you have a partnership between the nations, between a Jewish guy from Israel named
Moshe and an Arab guy from the United Arab Emirates named I don't know what.
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HOGEG: And we are cheering for the same team and we are building this community. We are giving good. We're putting money, all we want is to see
people having fun.
LIEBERMANN: From the perspective of football, not politics, not diplomacy, what could this bring to Beitar?
HOGEG: You know, I'm a dreamer. If this will happen, this -- I won't bring a partner just to say we have a partner from the Emirates. If I bring a
partner, it will be a significant one, one that shares the same ideology but also have the financial ability to take this club to a different level.
The dream, of course, is to win the championship and playing in the Champions League. This would be the dream, to have a dominant team from the
Middle East that is competing in the best number one European stage.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIEBERMANN: That was Moshe Hogeg, the owner of Beitar Jerusalem, and that's one of the consequences of the UAE-Israel normalization, as
organizations, countries, people that couldn't do business together in the past are suddenly able to, which is why Beitar Jerusalem, a club with a
sketchy past that has made international headlines for the wrong reasons, is suddenly looking at bringing in an Emirati investor.
Becky, crucial question here, who is the Emirati investor?
And that's one he claims he doesn't know the answer to yet, because he's working through an intermediary. But it's an interesting question indeed.
ANDERSON: Isn't it just?
And we'll do some digging. Thank you, sir. That's what we do. Oren Liebermann on the story. Fascinating one.
Now Palestinians harshly criticized Israel's deals with Bahrain and the UAE. They came on this show to do so. The deals include no language for an
Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian Territories but the UAE deal did at least get Israel to agree to suspend annexation.
Well, Turkey's president also lashed out at the deals in his prerecorded speech for the United Nations General Assembly. Just have a listen to what
Erdogan said.
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RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, PRESIDENT OF TURKEY (through translator): The Palestinian people have stood up against Israel's policies of oppression,
violence and intimidation for more than a half a century.
Upon rejection of the document of surrender, which was attempted to be imposed on Palestine under the name of deal of the century, Israel this
time accelerated its attempts to have the inside track with the help of its collaborators.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the UAE minister of state for foreign affairs calls Mr. Erdogan's criticism of Israel hypocritical. He explained why when I sat
down with him late last week.
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ANWAR GARGASH, UAE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Turkey's position is really not about Palestine. Turkey's position is about a
polarized region where Turkey has tried to play an outsize role within the Arab context.
ANDERSON: You have accused them of neo-Ottoman expansionism.
GARGASH: Well, true, and I think this is also part and parcel of Turkey's image with itself.
There's nothing wrong with you having sort of a reinterpretation of your role in the world and your image. But I think it should stop with affects
other regions. And I think from this perspective, Turkey is using really the Palestinian issue to try and forward its position.
It's a very hypocritical position, to be honest. There's 600,000 Israeli tourists going to Turkey. There's $2-$3 billion of trade between Turkey and
Israel. There are flights every day from Tel Aviv Ben Gurion to Turkish resorts and Turkish cities. There's a functioning embassy and ambassador.
So I really don't see it in that context. I don't think it's a principled position but one that we have seen that Turkey struggled with. And I think
this is a policy that is weakening really Turkey's position in the Arab world rather than strengthening it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That is Dr. Anwar Gargash.
Coming up, the debate around the European migrant crisis has been reignited.
But will the E.U.'s new solidarity pact win back migrants' trust?
That's up next.
Also turmoil and trust: the Trump administration's chaotic response to the coronavirus has left many Americans wary of a vaccine.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. And the time here is 20 past 6:00. And when I say here, that is
Abu Dhabi.
You have probably seen this fire, on Lesbos, destroying the migrant camp, leveling the overcrowded home of an estimated 13,000 refugees. It's one of
the many recent events that have reignited the debate about Europe's migrant crisis.
Well, now the European Union has proposed a new migration pact aimed at making sure nothing like the Moria fires happen again. The pact will spread
responsibility of the crisis more evenly among members, with states either taking in refugees or financially supporting the states that do.
E.U. Commission president Ursula van der Leyen said, quote, "It's not a question of whether the member states should support with solidarity and
contributions but how they should support."
Well, joining us now is Margaritis Schinas from Brussels, who is the vice president of the European Commission for Promoting Our European Way of
Life.
So that's a title and a half. So European Commission head is calling this a pact, quote, "European solution to restore citizens' confidence."
Whose confidence?
Who benefits from this pact?
MARGARITIS SCHINAS, EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR PROMOTING OUR EUROPEAN WAY OF LIFE: Becky, as you know, the European Union is the biggest and better
regulated market in the world. We produce more than 20 percent of the world's GDP. We have the second global currency of reference.
But it's unthinkable that we still don't have a single E.U. migration and asylum policy. Most of the things you described, the tragedy in Lesbos, the
overcrowded centers are the result -- a reminder of the cost of non-Europe.
So what we're doing today is we're putting forward a set of proposals with the right policy mix of responsibility and solidarity to make sure that,
for the first time, the European Union has one single cohesive framework to address migration and asylum policies.
ANDERSON: Well, it's not as if Europe needed reminding that something needs to be done. This pact calls for member states to either agree to take
in asylum seekers or take charge of sending back those who are refused asylum. I spoke to the Greek migration minister twice following the Lesbos
fire. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NOTIS MITARACHI, GREEK MIGRATION MINISTER: We are able to process more applications on arrivals this year. We have processed 60,000 applications
(INAUDIBLE) through the backlog.
[10:25:00]
MITARACHI: And we think that by Easter next year there will be no backlog in any of the Greek islands. Those entitled to (ph) international
protection, they get the resident status in Greece. They get private documents as provided in the (INAUDIBLE).
The question remains how do you deport (INAUDIBLE) national protection. It's very critical for the whole concept of refugees to be able to return
(INAUDIBLE) not being refugees and (INAUDIBLE) need to be cooperative with the European Union.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So let's be quite clear then.
What does this pact say?
What is the process of sending back those refused asylum, sir?
SCHINAS: Europe will continue to be an asylum destination for those fleeing war and dictatorship. But those who have no reason to be in Europe
under our asylum rules will have been to returned.
And one of the novel ideas that we're proposing today with our pact is precisely this notion of return sponsorship, where certain of our member
states would assume, on behalf of the bloc, the obligation to organize these returns to the countries of origin or transit.
This is a novelty and we're confident that we will build a very strong external dimension with our neighbors and partners to make this work.
ANDERSON: So I just want to pin you down for a moment because I'm not clear on this answer. So I'm sure you have the numbers, the data.
What percentage of those who seek refuge in Europe do not fit asylum rules and will be or are sent back?
SCHINAS: At the peak of the Syrian crisis, the majority of people are arriving to Europe were, of course, asylum seekers with very good reasons
to be granted the asylum protection.
After a certain stabilization in Syria, now it's the opposite. The majority of people arriving, I would say more than 60 percent, probably 70 percent,
are not from countries with a high recognition rate for asylum. So they are the ones that would constitute the pool of people to return.
And under the new pact, we'll have very clear procedures for solidarity and for organizing these returns in an orderly and humane way.
ANDERSON: That's fascinating. So 70 percent of those who seek refuge, you are saying, are likely to be turned back. This German-backed pact would
require all 27 E.U. countries to take part. However, it has what you call flexible options. So countries, such as for example, Hungary and Poland,
who refused to take in arrivals, can help in different ways.
What are these so-called flexibilities?
SCHINAS: Well, this is precisely a new, fresh beginning. We tried to organize this European response, this European framework but -- in 2016 but
unfortunately, due to the opposition from certain governments, we failed. This is the second go.
And this time what we're doing is we are putting together a system of responsibility, which is -- means robust management of our external
borders, a very meaningful returns program and the relations with herd (ph) countries and the solidarity, which is a permanent and effective system of
solidarity.
That means that whoever of the member states requests solidarity will have the certainty that the partners will provide it either through relocation
or through return sponsorship or through any other measures of practical assistance and help.
ANDERSON: With respect, sir, these flexible options do sound like a way to look as if Europe stands united on an issue that it is still very much
divided on.
SCHINAS: Well, you know, migration policy is a policy where our member states have different views, different priorities. And, of course, if we
try to satisfy one part of the member states, it's almost automatic that another part will protest or oppose.
So today we're preparing a landing zone, where establishing the terms of a compromise, where we're confident that all our member states would find
things that they could deliver. And our hope is that Council, the governments of our member states and the European Parliament will be able
this time to agree on this landing zone.
[10:30:00]
ANDERSON: OK. All right. Well, we will return to this conversation when we see this agreed on by all 27 states. I do want to ask you how you respond
to the WHO's warning of alarm about European COVID transmission rates.
How concerned are you?
SCHINAS: We are concerned, of course, and we are very vigilant. As you know, health is not, as such, a competence of the European Union and this
is a problem because people have expectations from the European Union in an area where the European Union has not much legal competence.
But despite this structural difficulty, we are in permanent contact with the WHO, with our member states' governments, with the health ministers and
we are pulling together resources to be able to help mainly in the area of vaccines.
As you know, we are negotiating and signing prepurchase agreements and we tried to organize our response as much as we can, as best as we can.
ANDERSON: OK. It is that lack of health competence, as you call it, which is worrying many people, who say that this -- you know, it shows the
fractures in the European Union. Sir, thank you. Thank you for joining us.
We want to get to the Senate, to the hearings now with the health experts in the U.S. Dr. Anthony Fauci is speaking now.
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DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: -- resulting from infection. We have continued to push the frontier of
understanding this virus, particularly with regard to the conformational structure of the spike protein which serves as the basis for all of the
vaccines that are being pursued now, which I'll get to in a moment.
In addition, there have been a number of important clinical observations that we will be pursuing in the future. I bring to your attention the fact
that a number of individuals who virologically have recovered from infection, in fact have persistence measured in weeks to months of
symptomatology that does not appear to be due to persistence of the virus.
They're referred to as long haulers. They have fatigue, myalgia, fever and involvement of the neurological system as well as cognitive abnormalities,
such as the inability to concentrate.
In addition, we found, to our dismay, that a number of individuals who have completely recovered and apparently are asymptomatic, when they have
sensitive imaging technology, such as magnetic resonance imaging or MRI, are found to have a disturbing number of individuals who have inflammation
of the heart.
These are the kinds of things that tell us we must be humble and that we do not completely understand the nature of this illness.
Next, with regard to diagnostics, you know we have the RADx program that is going to, in the next several months, allow us to have a considerable
number of point of care testing.
Moving on to therapeutics I mentioned to this committee some time ago that the NIH put together an expert panel for treatment guidelines, which is a
living document that reviews the literature as well as the areas of expertise that are prepublication to health clinicians throughout the world
to address the clinical components of this outbreak.
I must tell you that, as of last night, there have been 4.5 million views of this treatment guideline. So it clearly is helping people throughout the
world.
I want to mention two of the drugs that have actually now been part of these guidelines. Remdesivir, which you've heard about, has been shown in a
randomized placebo-controlled trial to diminish the time to recovery in individuals who are hospitalized, who have lung disease.
In addition, dexamethasone, a commonly used steroid, has been shown in a randomized placebo-controlled trial involving more than 6,000 individuals,
has been shown to clearly and significantly reduce the 28-day mortality.
In addition, there are a number of other treatments, including antiviral convalescent plasma, still being tested in randomized control trials. And
you mentioned, appropriately and correctly, that we feel optimistic about monoclonal antibodies, which are currently being tested in an outpatient
setting in an inpatient setting, family prophylaxis, which means when an individual in a given family gets infected, if you give monoclonal
antibodies to the rest of the family, can you prevent the spread within the family unit?
And finally nursing home prophylaxis. As you mentioned, there are three companies involved in this.
And finally and importantly, the issue of vaccine.
[10:35:00]
FAUCI: We have put together what's called a strategic approach to COVID-19 vaccine development. As you mentioned, Mr. Chairman, there are six
companies the federal government is playing a rule in either helping to develop subsidizing or supporting the clinical trials.
We're harmonizing the trials so that information from one can be applicable to another. Currently there are three platform candidate vaccines that have
entered into phase three trial. Very soon there will be a fourth.
As I mentioned to this committee, we feel cautiously optimistic that we will be able to have a safe and effective vaccine although there is never a
guarantee of that. Early studies in animals and in human phase one and in phase two indicate that individuals induce a response that is comparable to
if not better than natural infection.
And so as these trials go on we predict that some time by the end of this year -- let's say November or December -- we will know whether or not these
are safe and effective.
And as you mentioned, Mr. Chairman, right now doses of this vaccine are being produced so they'll be ready to be distributed.
We feel strongly if we have a combination of the adherence of the public health measures together with a vaccine that will be distributed to people
in this country and worldwide we may be able to turn around this terrible pandemic that which we have been experiencing.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Happy to answer questions later.
ALEXANDER: Thank you, Dr. Fauci. Let's go to Dr. Redfield and then Admiral Giroir and then Dr. Hahn.
Dr. Redfield, welcome.
DR. ROBERT REDFIELD, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION: Thank you, Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray and members of the
committee. And I want to thank you for the opportunity to be here today.
On behalf of CDC I also want to thank you for your continued support of our public health professionals and their lifesaving work that they're
committed to 24/7. Over 6,700 CDC staff have been engaged in our agency's COVID-19 response so far.
And more than 1,200 have been deployed to more than 200 locations, tribal nations in the United States and abroad. I know that you joined me in
expressing our collective deep gratitude to the women and men of CDC for their resilience, their dedication and their service to our nation.
Throughout this global pandemic, CDC has brought its science expertise to the front lines, grounded in science and data conducting rapid
investigations of disease outbreaks that identify the highest risk populations and settings and putting in place measures to prevent further
spread of COVID-19.
Understanding which populations are most at risk and how this virus spreads in various settings is critical in developing guidance and protecting the
health of Americans. As you are aware, in the United States, we are approaching nearly 7 million cases and decidedly over 200,000 deaths.
Every death means that a loved one was lost. But there is some progress to report. Since the pandemic peaked we've experienced nearly a 50 percent
reduction in pandemic cases. And there's also been significant improvement in mortality particularly in the elderly.
For example, during the peak of the epidemic, April 17th, a 75-year-old American had a mortality of about 46.8 per 100,000. And by the end of
August, the numbers had significantly declined to about 10 per 100,000.
These improvements, however, do not mean we can let our guard down. Over last week, we had an average of over 40,000 cases and nearly 800 daily
deaths.
I do want to emphasize the shift in age in these case counts. The 18- to 25-year olds currently make up over 26 percent of new infections and more
than any other group. It's imperative that these young adults recognize that, even though they're unlikely to get seriously ill from this virus,
they are major contributors to spread of COVID-19 in our country at this time.
In order to understand what proportion remains at risk, CDC is currently performing large scale serology testing across the United States.
Preliminary results appear to show most Americans have not been infected with the virus. We hope to be able to post the analysis of the first round
of this study in the next several weeks.
[10:40:00]
REDFIELD: As I stated before, the CDC encourages all Americans to embrace the powerful public health tools we have right now, wear a mask, maintain
social distance, practice routine hand washings with vigilance, be smart about crowds and stay home when you're feeling sick.
And as we move into the fall, I want to add one more critically important step, flu vaccination. Flu vaccination is safe. CDC encourages all
Americans to embrace the flu vaccine with confidence for themselves, their families, loved ones and communities.
This year the CDC has purchased an additional 9.3 million doses of adult flu vaccine as well as 18.5 million doses for children. This is a
significant increase than previous years.
When combined with the tools I mentioned above, this could help our nation avert a very difficult fall and lessen the burden on our health care system
to save lives. To further strengthen our public health, CDC awarded $65 million through the existing cooperation agreements to begin to scale up
staffing preparedness for the flu season and also developed a new diagnostic test capable of measuring both influenza A and B as well as
COVID-2 using a single specimen and a single assay.
This will better help our public health professionals. And I'm also announcing today an additional $200 million funding from the CARES Act as
the first step to help individuals complete their individual plans and implement for their COVID vaccination and follow-up to the play book that
we released last week.
CDC is an integral part of Operation Warp Speed in leveraging our expertise to support distribution and administration and monitoring of the future
COVID-19 vaccines. In coordination with Operation Warp Speed, CDC is working closely with state and local community organizations to -- on their
detailed flexible plans for vaccine distribution.
As I've emphasized in prior hearings, now is the time to commit to sustained investment and core capabilities of public health, day to day
analytics, work force expansion and rapid response capabilities.
Years of underinvestment in public health has led to a system that's been sorely tested in this pandemic. COVID-19 is the most significant public
health challenge that our nation has faced in more than a century. Now's the time to build not only the public health our nation needs but the
capability the people of our nation deserves.
As we work collectively to fight COVID-19 and the pandemic, CDC and all the outstanding men and women of the CDC remain strongly committed to our
mission to protect all Americans from disease, threats and to save lives.
I want to thank you for your time and I look forward to your questions.
ALEXANDER: Thank you, Dr. Redfield.
Admiral Giroir, welcome.
ADMIRAL BRETT GIROIR, M.D., ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH: Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray and distinguished members of the
committee, I am honored to update you on our nation's efforts to combat COVID-19 with the specific focus on testing, recommended public health
practices like wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, especially indoors, and washing your hands, combined with smart testing is the formula to
effectively slow the spread, flatten the curve and save lives.
By providing county-specific guidance to governors on a weekly basis, expanding and managing the right supplies, providing the right person at
the right time and distributing safe and effective therapeutics, we are seeing promising results.
Specifically, since the post-Memorial Day peaks in community spread, the number of new cases is down, as Dr. Redfield just testified. The number of
people hospitalized with COVID-19 is down 54 percent. The number of people in intensive care units due to COVID is down 65 percent. And deaths
associated are down 32 percent.
But let me emphasize that to sustain these gains we must continue our disciplined mitigation efforts, especially wearing masks when we can't
physically distance, avoiding crowds, particularly indoors, and increasing our screening and surveillance testing.
Now specifically regarding testing, the nation has performed over 106 million tests for the virus causing COVID-19.
[10:45:00]
GIROIR: On 10 separate days we performed over 1 million tests per day. The federal government has purchased and delivered over 106 million swabs and
88 million tubes of media to states, tribes and federal partners.
Starting on April 7th we have purchased and delivered to public health laboratories in every state and the health service over 2.5 million Abbott
ID Now point of care molecular tests.
We have implemented federal surge testing sites in 20 different cities, helping to squelch emerging outbreaks typically among asymptomatic young
adults.
We are now at an inflection point in testing. This month we will have available on average 3 million tests per day, nearly all of which will be
rapid point of care. We have been building towards this inflection point and I previously testified to its coming several times over the past
months.
Now let me discuss two specific testing initiatives. Protecting the elderly has been, is and will continue to be a foremost priority for this
administration. So on July 14th, we announced that every single eligible nursing home in America would receive a point of care instrument and
testing supplies.
We have delivered on this promise. All 13,850 eligible nursing homes have now received a total of 13,985 instruments and over 4.9 million rapid point
of care tests ahead of schedule.
On August 27th, after months of planning and only one day after its FDA authorization, the administration announced a $760 million contract with
Abbott for the delivery of 150 million rapid point of care tests. It does not require an instrument, delivers test results in 15 minutes or less and
costs $5.
We have already deployed 65,000 of these tests in support of disaster operations in California, Oregon, Texas and Louisiana. Last week we also
shipped 974,000 tests to nursing homes in areas of significant community transmission; 541,000 tests to over 5,500 assisted living facilities and
300,000 tests to the Indian health service.
This week we'll be shipping 349,000 tests to historically Black colleges and universities. In the coming weeks, we will begin shipping millions of
tests per week in support of our teachers and our students to open and keep open our K-12 schools.
Now I would like to close by recognizing my fellow officers in the public health service, the uniformed service which I have the honor of leading;
4,172 women and men have deployed 8,918 times in direct support of this pandemic.
On the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan to our community based testing sites to FEMA and our task forces and to our nursing homes and field
hospitals in our hardest hit communities, I thank each and every one of these officers and their families and, on their behalf, thank all of you in
Congress for supporting our training needs, the establishment of a ready reserve to supplement our ranks during inevitable future national
emergencies.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide these remarks.
ALEXANDER: Thank you, Admiral Giroir.
Dr. Hahn, welcome.
DR. STEPHEN HAHN, FDA COMMISSIONER: Good morning, Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray and members of the committee.
Over the past several months, I've had the honor to work shoulder to shoulder with FDA's career staff as we fought a historic pandemic that has
altered the lives of every American. I am proud of all FDA employees and how they have measured up to this extraordinary challenge.
The efforts of the FDA's expert workforce are critical to ensuring the safety and health of the American public at any time. But it is magnified
during a public health emergency. Of course our work on COVID-19 and non- COVID issues comes with unprecedented public scrutiny and sometimes criticism.
Any agency that has the broad responsibilities and far-reaching impact of FDA, particularly involving issues of public health, can't expect to do its
job without inviting controversy and disagreement.
But it's also essential the criticism we get never shakes the underlying faith the public has and should have in FDA and our commitment to
protecting the public health. I am confident in the decisions that are being made related to COVID-19.
[10:50:00]
HAHN: And that will be made in the coming months as we continue to address the challenges of this pandemic.
Now I know there's been particular attention paid to a few of the decisions the past several months. I want to assure you and emphasize that every one
of the decisions we have reached has been made by career FDA scientists based on science and data, not politics.
FDA represents science in action. Often, we must make real-time decisions based on ever-evolving data concerning a previously unknown, highly
contagious virus that we are still learning about.
And sometimes it is necessary to reverse decisions as new data emerges. This is inherent in the emergency use authorization process, otherwise
known as E.U., and it is akin to how a doctor might approach a patient in an emergency situation, constantly updating a treatment plan as new data
emerged.
So in the interest of transparency, I would like to use this opportunity today to lay out the process we will use to review vaccines for COVID-19.
When a vaccine sponsor reaches the conclusion that the data from its phase 3 clinical trials are adequate to submit to FDA, they will decide whether
to apply for approval or emergency use authorization.
This will be based upon the trial meeting prespecified success criteria that were established by that sponsor. This is really important. They
should also be consistent with FDA recommendations regarding those criteria.
FDA will receive that application or submission and our career scientists will review its safety and efficacy data as well as manufacturing quality
and consistency data. FDA made clear recommendations in our June 30th guidance regarding the safety and effectiveness of vaccines so we can see
that prior to the approval process.
We will also work to provide additional information so that it is clear what we expect to see, should a sponsor choose to submit an emergency use
application, emergency use authorization application.
As we have indicated previously, we plan on seeking advice from the vaccines and related biologics products advisory committee comprised of
independent members who have been screened for ethics conflicts.
The safety and effectiveness data and the committee's decision will be public; although we will need to adhere to confidentiality requirements.
The public will have an opportunity to comment. The process will be transparent and independent.
FDA career staff will then take the committee input into account as they make their decisions regarding the application or EUA request.
Now before we were to issue an EUA, if that were to happen, FDA would have to determine, among other things, that the statutory standard is met. We
expect that this would be demonstrated based on adequate manufacturing data to ensure a vaccine's quality and consistency and data from at least one
well-designed phase 3 clinical trial that demonstrates its safety and efficacy in a clear and compelling manner.
Let me emphasize that again: data from at least one well-designed phase 3 clinical trial that demonstrates its safety and efficacy in a clear and
compelling manner.
FDA also expects that an EUA quest would include a plan for active follow- up to monitor safety among individuals who receive the vaccine. In the end, FDA will not authorize or approve a vaccine that we would not feel
comfortable giving to our families.
On behalf of the 17,000-plus employees of the FDA, I want to make the following commitments today to the American public and this committee.
FDA will not authorize or approve any COVID-19 vaccine before it has met the agency's rigorous expectations for safety and effectiveness. Decisions
to authorize and approve any such vaccine or therapeutic will be made by the dedicated career staff at FDA through our thorough review processes and
science will guide our decisions.
FDA will not permit any pressure from anyone to change that. I will fight for science, Mr. Chairman. I will fight for the integrity of the agency and
I will put the interests of the American people before anything else.
Thank you and I look forward to answering your questions.
ALEXANDER: Thank you, Dr. Hahn. We'll turn to questions from senators.
We have full participation today. So I would like to ask the senators and witnesses to keep your exchanges within five minutes so all senators will
have a chance to participate.
[10:55:00]
ALEXANDER: And for my five minutes, I'd like to ask for the courtesy of short answers so I can ask all my questions.
Dr. Hahn, let me go back to two things you said.
Who makes decisions about safety and efficacy at the FDA?
Do you do it?
Does career scientists do it?
Or does the White House do it?
HAHN: Career scientists at the FDA do it. We -- that's very clear. I'm briefed on all major medical product decisions. Overruling a center's
decision is a very rare event and I have expressed on multiple occasions my intention. And I have done during this COVID-19 to make sure that those
decisions are made by career scientists in the centers.
ALEXANDER: You referred to this but once FDA approves a vaccine, as we have said today, we're going to have tens of millions of doses ready, none
can be distributed until FDA approves it.
Will you be willing to take that vaccine for you and for your family?
HAHN: Absolutely, yes, Senator, Mr. Chairman. I have the complete and absolute faith in the expertise of the scientists, who are terrific at FDA.
If they were to make a determination that a vaccine would be safe and effective, I would do that and I would encourage my family to take the
vaccine.
ALEXANDER: Dr. Fauci, you have been around since the Reagan years. You have seen lots of diseases and pandemics and lots of responses to it.
Is the administration cutting corners in safety and efficacy in its effort to produce vaccines and treatments rapidly?
FAUCI: Not at all, Mr. Chairman. In fact, the rapidity of where we are right now is the reflection of the technological advances in vaccine
platform technology as well as the risks that were taken financially so that the -- we'll have doses available when the decision is made by the FDA
as to the safety and efficacy, as you've heard from Dr. Hahn.
(CROSSTALK)
FAUCI: So no cutting corners.
ALEXANDER: We're risking the taxpayers' money but not we're risking safety and efficacy.
Is that your testimony?
FAUCI: Yes, it is. That's absolutely correct.
ALEXANDER: Now millions of students are going back to thousands of colleges and there are inevitably outbreaks of COVID-19, Dr. Fauci.
Is the smart thing for college administrators to do, is to send them home when the outbreaks occur on campus?
FAUCI: Absolutely not. They should be able to accommodate the students in a facility, maybe a separate dorm or a separate floor. So they don't spread
among the student body but do not send them home to their community because of the likelihood of them reseeding infection in the community.
ALEXANDER: Dr. Fauci, I have listened to your testimony for the last several months. Some people say that your message is that you want to lock
down the country in order to stop the spread of the vaccine.
Is that accurate?
FAUCI: That's completely inaccurate. I have said multiple times we do not need to shut down if we follow, carefully and prudently, the recommendation
and the guidelines for opening America again. I believe we can do that safely and still accomplish the goal of opening the economy again.
ALEXANDER: Dr. Fauci, some people said it was political to ask the states to get ready to distribute the vaccine in October.
Is that true or false?
FAUCI: That's false. The reason that was done is because we want to make sure that that, when a decision is made, that we will be ready to
distribute the vaccine.
ALEXANDER: Dr. Redfield, the British ambassador told me yesterday the government studies in the United Kingdom said that, based on serology
testing, that 5 percent to 25 percent of their country's population, depending on the location, has been exposed to COVID-19.
What does -- what about the American population?
How many of us have been infected by COVID-19?
REDFIELD: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. CDC's in the process of a very large sequential study across the entire United States measuring serology. As I
mentioned, the preliminary results in the first round show that a majority of our nation, more than 90 percent of the population, remains susceptible.
It varies in different geographic parts from states that have less than 1 percent with evidence of previous infections to some that have more than
15-20 percent and one as high as 24 percent. We'll have that finalized and probably published in the next week or so. But it does show that a majority
of Americans are still susceptible to this virus.
END
