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Countries Ban Travel from South Africa and Neighboring Countries as Omicron Variant of COVID-19 Spreads; Research Underway into Transmissibility of Omicron Variant; American Family Stuck in South Africa Due to Travel Bans. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired November 29, 2021 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

ENES KANTER, CENTER, BOSTON CELTICS: So to me it was important so we can get awareness of all those people, not just in Turkey or China, but all over the world. So that's why for me it was really important to bring awareness and to be the voice. To me it's definitely my life mission.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, look, on behalf of the American people, your people, Enes, let me say we're lucky to have you, Mr. Freedom. Welcome.

KANTER: Thank you guys so much. I appreciate it.

BERMAN: Enjoy the cupcakes.

NEW DAY continues right now.

Good morning to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm John Berman with Brianna Keilar. It is Monday, November 29th. And we have major breaking developments around the world as nation after nation takes action against the new highly mutated Omicron COVID variant. It's hard to tell what's spreading faster this morning, the variant or fear, because there's so much we don't know. Is it more contagious? Is it more lethal than variants we've seen? Does it evade vaccines? It will take weeks to get answers.

Overnight, the United States banned entry for non-citizen travelers from South Africa and seven neighboring countries. At least 44 other countries are also imposing travel restrictions. Japan, Israel, and Morocco have suspended all arrivals of foreign nationals, they're basically shutting down their borders. A growing number of countries now reporting confirmed cases of the Omicron variant, including Canada. BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: The variant has not been detected in the

U.S. yet. And we say yet because health officials say it may already be here. The CDC is currently sequencing coronavirus genomes. They're working closely with state health officials. South African epidemiologist Salim Abdool Karim talked to us earlier about what they're seeing there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SALIM ABDOOL KARIM, CO-CHAIR OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MINISTERIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON COVID-19: Based on the early evidence we see in South Africa, it's certainly transmitting faster than the Delta variant, and based on what we've seen with the overlap with the beta variant, we are seeing some evidence of immune escape from antibodies. The clinical presentation is like over other patient they've seem with COVID. There's been nothing different. The second is that what they are seeing are largely younger people. But that's to be expected, because we have much higher vaccine coverage in the older people. We have a much lower vaccine coverage in younger people, so that's just to be expected.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Now this morning, President Biden will be briefed by his White House COVID team, then he will deliver an update on the Omicron variant to the country. With more on all of this, let's bring in Michael Osterholm. He is the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. Doctor, thank you so much for being with us. And look, I know this is going to take time to figure out how transmissible this is, how aggressive it may or may not be, whether this can get past vaccines. What is going into determining that?

DR. MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH AND POLICY AT UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA: Well, I think the most important thing to put out here is that, yes, we shouldn't be fearful of this, and I hear people talk about panic. But we should be very concerned. What's happened here has not previously happened within the COVID pandemic, and that is that we're seeing a variant that has the capability of high transmissibility, meaning that it's very readily transmitted. And that has been the variant that ultimately wins the king of the hill for the viruses as Delta basically replaced Alpha, which replaced previous strains.

But now also we're seeing mutations that we're also seeing in previous variants that did have an impact on immune escape, whether or not the vaccines protected as well, whether or not previous infection immunity protected as well. And now they're linked into one virus. And so it's very likely that we're going to see in the days ahead that the Omicron virus is going to ultimately be the new king of the hill, and in fact it will bring with it this ability to potentially impact an immune response.

So you're right, we won't know this for several weeks. Studies are ongoing right now, but even new data that we've gotten out of South Africa in the last 12 hours is concerning, showing that now we're starting to see a rise in hospitalizations, and we are starting to see more serious illness manifest in people who have been infected with this virus.

KEILAR: So how should Americans be thinking about vaccines and about boosters for their vaccine?

OSTERHOLM: I can't emphasize this enough, but this is something we've been saying over and over again as a broken record. First of all, for those who have not yet been vaccinated, remember only 59 percent of Americans have been vaccinated to date. Number two is that we're actually growing a higher risk of the problems with not being vaccinated today because 125 million Americans have now gone beyond the six-month period of when they were first vaccinated, and they're eligible for boosters.

[08:05:01]

Of those 125 million, only 37 million have received their booster, so now each day they grow more likely to potentially get infected. And so we've got to get people boosted also. We know that from the previous studies with looking at those variants I mentioned that weren't as infectious but did have the immune escape capability that we did see reductions in how well the vaccines worked. But one thing that appeared to be the case is that they did prevent serious illness and hospitalizations at still a high rate. So getting vaccinated against Delta, which is still rearing its ugly head in this country in a big way, will also help set us up to do whatever we can to reduce the Omicron risk in addition.

KEILAR: Let's talk about what local public health officials should be doing, because, for instance, I'm here in Washington, D.C., which lifted its indoor mask mandate last week. We've seen at least one community that borders Washington, D.C., reverse course on that, saying OK, look, obviously it's not the time to do that. What do you think about those indoor mask mandates being lifted?

OSTERHOLM: Well, we have to keep emphasizing that the Delta variant is here. It is causing major challenges. Here I sit in the upper Midwest where we have seen tremendous increases in cases over the past six weeks. You're part of a northeastern, southeastern combination, where we're now beginning to see cases rise substantially in the far northeast and some potential hint of it may even starting to increase in the southern states. As of this week, 32 states have had increases in cases in the last 14 days, 14 states have had a 20 percent increase or more in cases in the last two weeks.

And so we have to keep going after vaccine. We need to keep reminding people that these close contacts indoors without masks in fact put them at increased risk for Delta, something we can't forget about. And so we want to be done with this pandemic as a population, but the virus isn't done with us yet. And I think that's the challenge we have is seeing these very large numbers of cases. And we are going to see bumps after Thanksgiving and Christmas, and people have to just be mindful of that.

KEILAR: What do you think about these travel bans? The U.S. as well as other countries putting bans on South Africa as well as some neighboring countries. Good idea? Bad idea?

OSTERHOLM: I understand initially it was really an attempt to slow down the likelihood of transmission around the world, but as you've already seen, we have at least 17 countries already reporting cases. I suspect within the end of this week we can get that number well over 40. And at some point you have to say are we going to ban travel between every country in the world with every other country in the world? And I think these bans will actually be released or relaxed.

What we have to put in place, however, is a much more efficient testing program and follow-up for people who are going from one country to the other. But it won't be long here, and we're going to be seeing sustained and potentially very serious transmission issues here in this country. And the question would be should other countries ban our travel from here to their country, and I think ultimately these bans will be relaxed.

KEILAR: All right, we'll be watching that. Sir, thank you so much for being with us.

OSTERHOLM: Thank you.

KEILAR: I think a lot of people are confused right now, and it's very helpful to have your expertise.

OSTERHOLM: Thank you.

BERMAN: An American family says they're now stuck in South Africa just as this travel ban takes effect for the new coronavirus variant. Joining me now from Johannesburg, Lauren Kennedy and her daughter Riley Campbell. Hello, to both of you. Lauren, why don't you tell us, what's happening here? What happened? You were in South Africa on this long-awaited family vacation. Then what?

LAUREN KENNEDY, AMERICAN STUCK IN SOUTH AFRICA: Well, we've been waiting to be on this vacation since April, 2020, was when it was originally scheduled. And so COVID happened and so we're bookending it with COVID obviously. And we flew in from Zambia, our final little leg of our trip, and on the ground, just CNN reports came through on my phone and text messages from my husband about this new variant and travel bans and the U.K. shutting down. And so by the time we got into the terminal it was already frenzied and panicked, and everybody trying to rebook their flights, et cetera. So we were swept up in the confusion.

BERMAN: So you were at the airport in South Africa when you got the news. You immediately tried to rebook and get out, and how hard has it been to find a way to get out?

KENNEDY: Well, it's been really hard. We've probably, what, Riley, had about 10 flights booked that were either canceled or that we were not allowed to board the flight because most of the flights that come from Johannesburg go through Europe, and those bans were coming in like hour by hour, day by day, that each country was closing its borders to anybody who didn't hold a European passport. But I will say that we are, fingers crossed, we do have flights tonight going out directly to America.

[08:10:00]

So, again, things are changing minute by minute. So we're just trying to be calm, trying to be patient and be grateful that we're together, and that we're safe and we're healthy, we have our negative COVID tests we took yesterday. We're all vaccinated, and we've been holing up in this hotel room for the last how many, three days. So we're just grateful to be together.

BERMAN: Riley, what was it like at the airport once you realized what was going on? Could you visibly tell that there was this heightened level of anxiety?

RILEY CAMPBELL, AMERICAN STUCK IN SOUTH AFRICA: I think, yes, kind of right when we got off the plane, we saw people scattering to figure out what to do. But us trying to be optimistic, we were like no, it's OK. It will be fine. We'll get on a plane. And then as hours went on, we kind of realized that that wasn't going to happen. But yes, people were, there was long lines in Air France, which we were supposed to be going to Paris. So there was a lot of people in line scrambling, trying to figure out what was going on, and no one was really answering.

KENNEDY: Nobody had any information, yes. Nobody really knew.

BERMAN: Lauren, what's the level of communication been from the U.S. embassy there, or American officials in South Africa?

KENNEDY: Well, of course this happened on a weekend, of all weekends, a holiday weekend, so it's been pretty tricky. We haven't really been able to talk to anybody at the consulate or the embassy here in South Africa. But we have had a number of supportive friends in America and some people within the government who have been giving us tips and being really helpful about what to expect and how to anticipate the next few days. So yes. We're just really putting one foot in front of the other right now, and hopefully we'll be able to get on these flights tonight.

BERMAN: And just finally, Riley, everyone's healthy, right? You guys have been tested, you're healthy, you're feeling good?

CAMPBELL: Yes, we feel great. Just been in this hotel, though. We're very lucky to be safe and healthy.

KENNEDY: It's true. We spent the last 12 days outside on safari and taking in this beautiful country, and so we've had two negative tests in the last three days. We're vaccinated, I'm boosted, along with my mom, who has got a bad knee, and of course that's been sort of the tricky part of this whole experience as well. And my niece Fiona, we're good, we're all healthy and ready to come home and do what we have to do on that side, but just want to be home with the rest of our family.

BERMAN: That is good news. Listen, knock on wood, I hope this flight tonight works out for you. I know how hard it can be once there is this mass wave to get out of a country.

KENNEDY: Yes, and we hope that everybody else in the airport can get on their flights. We're not the only ones going through this. There's a lot of people who are stuck and stranded, and our hearts go out to everyone who is experiencing this now.

BERMAN: Hang in there. Nice to see you, Lauren Kennedy, Riley Campbell.

KENNEDY: Thanks, John, appreciate it. Thank you for having us on.

BERMAN: Thank you very much.

So why prosecutors are accusing Steve Bannon of trying to turn his criminal case into a media circus.

KEILAR: Plus, goodbye to the monarchy. Why one nation is cutting ties with the queen in a rare move. And what ancient secrets could an 800- year-old mummy hold? We'll have the stunning discovery ahead.

[08:16:50]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: New this morning, the Justice Department is pushing back on ex-Trump advisor Steve Bannon's request to publicize the evidence against him. Prosecutors now accuse him of tempting to try his criminal contempt of Congress case through the media instead of in court, saying his tactics could affect witnesses against him.

Joining me now is David Rothkopf, columnist for "The Daily Beast" and "U.S.A. Today" and host of "The Deep State Radio" Podcast, and David, you got a piece out of "The Beast," which focuses on something related to this, but not exactly the same thing where you would like to see the Justice Department moving much more quickly in going after big fish in terms of the insurrection.

You write, "By failing to hold Trump and company accountable, Garland, (the Attorney General) will set the stage for them to continue unabated in their efforts to turn the U.S. into a one party state in which only Republicans can win elections, and any tactics they may use to hold on to power will have been effectively validated by the inaction of Garland and his D.O.J."

Explain to me who exactly you want the Justice Department to be going after right now?

DAVID ROTHKOPF, COLUMNIST FOR "THE DAILY BEAST" AND "U.S.A. TODAY": Well, first of all, it's not that I want them to move more quickly. It's that I want them to move quickly enough. I think the clock is ticking. I think if we get to the election next year, and there hasn't been clear action and the Republicans win, they'll get rid of the January 6th Committee.

I think as we move towards 2024, the ability to prosecute a case that's got such political component is going to become much more difficult. So, we've got a limited amount of time. And furthermore, by not taking action against the coup plotters, Trump, the people around him, the people who funded this, we are enabling the people who are supporting them, which is really the whole G.O.P. leadership to essentially say, "This isn't real. It's not a real thing." And that enables the big lie to continue.

BERMAN: You're talking about the Justice Department, though in moving against the former President. I'm not even aware there's any active criminal investigation into him for what he did.

ROTHKOPF: Well, yesterday, Adam Schiff said on one of the Sunday shows that he doesn't think there is one. And the F.B.I. Director said he doesn't think there is one and yet, this is the man who oversaw it. This is the man who incited the people to move. This is the man cited by the people who stormed the Capitol for being the reason for doing it. And so clearly, he is at the center of this, and if we don't go after the people who plotted the coup, planned the coup attempt, and who actually funded it, then what's the point? We're just going after foot soldiers?

BERMAN: That's where I'm going out here. You are saying in this piece, not just that you would like to see Garland moving quickly enough. You think he should be prosecuting the President and who else -- former President?

ROTHKOPF: I think that whomever was responsible for planning this, whether it was the President, people around the President, whoever was responsible for funding this, whoever was responsible for inciting this and that could include Members of Congress. You know, we have Josh Hawley giving the thumbs up to the crowd as they stormed the Capitol the day before. We had Ted Cruz --

BERMAN: You want him prosecuted for that?

ROTHKOPF: If in fact it is provable that what they did led to an insurrection against the United States, the only instance in U.S. history of not -- an un-peaceful transfer of power, then I think they should be prosecuted for it.

I should add that the piece was also about the fact that Mueller identified a dozen cases of obstruction of justice of Trump, and there has been no motion on that. Trump was named in a case for which Michael Cohen went to jail, there has been no prosecution of that.

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ROTHKOPF: And so I think we're setting a precedent that continues the past four years, which says, the President of the United States is above the law, and I think that's a very dangerous precedent, especially if that gentleman comes back in 2024, and sees this as a free pass.

BERMAN: I guess -- do you know of any specific crimes committed by specific people surrounding the President?

ROTHKOPF: Specific crimes in terms of -- well, I mean, this attempt to storm the Capitol didn't come out of nowhere. The President said, there were meetings that took place, the President incited on his Twitter account, the President went to a rally and said, go and send a message to Congress. People around him helped bus people into this thing.

People around him, Roger Stone, other kinds of people met with the Oath Keepers and other groups. I think we need to know what these people did. But I think the whole panoply of cases that can be made against Trump and those close to him, which goes back to 2016, which goes back to the Mueller report needs to be addressed, or we are a country in which we are saying someone is above the law, the President of the United States.

And by the way, Merrick Garland has, you know, in one instance taken the side of Trump and the presidency saying that it was okay that he was acting within his official duties when he defamed E. Jean Carroll, who accused President Trump of rape.

That's outrageous, and it's saying that we're leaning away from holding the President accountable.

BERMAN: David Rothkopf, thank you for coming in today. Nice to see you in person.

ROTHKOPF: Nice to see you.

BERMAN: So the former British colony about to ditch Queen Elizabeth as its head of state.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: And the woman accused of helping Jeffrey Epstein recruit and abuse his victims, what to expect as Ghislaine Maxwell's sex trafficking trial starts just minutes from now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:26:30]

KEILAR: After four centuries, Barbados is cutting ties with the British crown and removing Queen Elizabeth as head of state tonight.

Sandra Mason, the country's 73-year-old Governor General will be sworn in as the first ever President of the island nation, and Prince Charles is there in Barbados for the transition.

CNN's Max Foster joining us live now from Barbados.

This is a big move, obviously with, you know, some friendliness, I would say since Prince Charles is going to be there.

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, absolutely. It was 55 years ago that the island became independent from the United Kingdom. But as you say, this is the island really breaking that last formal tie to its colonial past. I think that's very much the debate that we hear here.

If you imagine, you know, there was inevitability, I think in this island becoming a Republic. Everyone is supportive of it. But it was the Black Lives Matter movement that really added momentum to that push. And I think that's really what today is about. There is some concern about Prince Charles coming here, people saying

it's inappropriate. Some concern about the fact that the President wasn't elected by the people who was just appointed by the Parliament, but generally a huge amount of excitement about this moment and not just here in Barbados, actually.

Republican movements around the world, hoping in Australia, for example, that Australians will look at this example and also remove the Queen as head of state of Australia. Fourteen countries outside the U.K. still have the Queen as head of state and the Palace simply saying this is a choice for the Barbadian people.

So at midnight, this island will transition from a Royal realm to a Republic, and it's it was the 1620s that the Brits first arrived here, made huge fortunes on the sugar trade, on the slave trade, and this is about breaking that history and renewing the island's independence, I'd say, Brianna.

We will wait to see what happens later on with the celebrations.

KEILAR: Yes, no, that's going to be something to see. Berman?

BERMAN: Yes, something to see is the beach where Max is standing right now, I will say that. But as you say, Max, I mean, this is a crucial time for I think the crown over the next several years where you will see a lot of these realms asking these questions. It's not just Barbados. It's Jamaica, it's Canada, it's Australia. Countries that think it might be time to move on.

FOSTER: Yes, and you go to Australia, you go to Jamaica, in particular, and you know, very strong Republican movements. What you do experience when we have these conversations with people is there's a there's a real commitment to the Queen personally, and people don't want to oust the Queen. I think that's why Prince Charles is here today.

I think the big question for the Royal Family is when Prince Charles is King and whether or not there's the same commitment to him personally, and wanting him as head of state. I mean, I think a lot of these places they wouldn't invent the monarchy today. But you know, it's about how you replace that monarchy. How you replace the Queen -- and it's interesting, we are going to speak to Sandra Mason hopefully later on and it's a big -- it's a big thing, isn't it? How do you replace the Queen and she's got that duty here, but she's got full support, I think that's what I'm finding.

BERMAN: Max, hang in there.

KEILAR: Some kind of racket, right, that Max is running there on the beach in Barbados. Not bad.

BERMAN: Thanks, Max.

So a team of archaeologists unearthing a mummy in Peru estimated to be at least 800 years old. Researchers have reason to believe the mummy may not have been just an ordinary citizen. CNN's Patrick Oppmann with the latest.

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