♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Renee: THE NUMBER OF NEW COVID-19 CASES IN KENTUCKY AND THE STATEWIDE POSITIVITY RATE ARE AGAIN ON THE RISE IN KENTUCKY AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF DECLINE.

THE STATE'S PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSIONER Dr. STEVEN STACK JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT INCREASE IN CASES, VACCINES, VARIANTS AND IF THE CHANGE IN MITIGATION RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ON THE HORIZON.

THAT'S NOW ON CONNECTIONS.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR CONNECTIONS TODAY.

I'M RENEE SHAW MUCH WE ARE JOINED BY COMMISSIONER STEVEN STACK WHO HEADS THE KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH ABOUT WHETHER THE STATE'S INFECTION RATES ARE TAKING A TURN FOR THE WORSE AND WHAT THAT COULD MEAN AS KIDS AND PARENTS READY FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR WITH IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION.

THERE ARE LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DELTA VARIANT, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE VACCINES AGAINST NEW STRAINS AND WHETHER IMMUNITY FROM COVID INFECTION IS GREATER FROM VACCINATION OR NATURAL INFECTION SORTING IT ALL OUT FOR US IS Dr. STEVEN STACK, NO STRANGER TO KET AND WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE YOU IN PERSON, SIR.

GREAT TO SEE YOU.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, RENEE.

THANKS.

>> Renee: LET'S TALK ABOUT, WHEN WE TAPED THIS PROGRAM THURSDAY JULY 8, A COUPLE HOURS AFTER YOU AND THE GOVERNOR GAVE A BRIEFING ABOUT COVID AND OTHER MATTERS.

IT WAS MENTIONED IN DETAIL ABOUT THIS RISE IN POSITIVITY RATE AND COVID CASES IN KENTUCKY AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF DECLINE.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?

WE HAD EIGHT WEEKS OF DECLINE WEEK OVER WEEK, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.

LAST WEEK INTERRUPTED THAT.

INSTEAD OF GOING DOWN FOR A NINTH WEEK, WE WENT UP SLIGHTLY, ABOUT 90 CASES MORE THAN THE WEEK BEFORE.

THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE ARE SEEING WORLDWIDE.

CONSISTENT WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN REGIONS AROUND THE UNITED STATES.

UNEVENLY DISTRIBUTED GLOBALLY AND NATIONALLY BUT THE CONCERN IS THAT WE HAVE RELAXES SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS WHICH VACCINATION HAS MADE POSSIBLE, THERE WILL BE IN INCREASE AND THAT THE DELTA VARIANT APPEARS TO BE MORE TRANSMISSIBLE AND IS CLEARLY BECOMING THE PREDOMINANT STRAIN OF THE DISEASE IN THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD.

WE ARE STILL ON A JOURNEY.

THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID THIS BEFORE THE CRISIS MAY HAVE PASSED IN THE MOMENT, THE PANDEMIC IS NOT YET OVER AND WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A ONCE IN A CENTURY GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

PEOPLE NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS.

>> I REMEMBER A FEW WEEKS AGO I DID A PROGRAM ABOUT COVID AND WHERE ARE WE NOW AND THAT'S THE QUESTION I STARTED OFF WITH.

IS COVID OVER AND YOUR RESPONSE IS?

>> COVID IS NOT OVER.

COVID IS VERY MUCH A THREAT.

WE CAN TAKE STEPS NOW TO PROTECT OURSELVES.

WE ARE IN A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE AS WE SIT HERE AND TALK TODAY IN JULY THAN LAST JULY: LAST JULY WE DIDN'T HAVE SEENS.

WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO TREAT THE DISEASE SPECIFIC FOR THE DISEASE.

WE HAD TO RELY ON FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CARING FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE SICK.

WE DIDN'T HAVE SUFFICIENT PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO KEEP PEOPLE PROTECTEDD IN THE HEALTHCARE SETTING.

NOW WE HAVE PPE.

WE KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT HOW TO TREAT THE DISEASE, THERE IS GOOD HOSPITAL CAPACITY AROUND THE UNITED STATES AND IN THE STATE.

WE HAVE VACCINES THAT HAVE MADE THE RETURN TO NORMALCY OR AT LEAST A LOT MORE OF NORMALCY POSSIBLE.

>> Renee: WOULD IT BE ACCURATE TO SAY THAT ALL OF US ARE GOING TO ENCOUNTER COVID IN SOME FORM, WHETHER VACCINATED OR NOT, THAT WE ARE ALL ARE AAT THE SAME RISK OF BEING EXPOSED.

>> IT WOULD SEEM LIKELY AT THIS POINT YOU ARE GOING TO GET COVID ONE OF TWO WAYS.

GET INFECTED OR PROTECTED FROM IT BY VACCINATION.

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER YOU ARE GOING TO BE EXPOSED TO IT.

VACCINATION HANDS DOWN IS THE SAFEST WAY BY FAR THAN GETTING THE INFECTION.

>> Renee: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SHOT IN A MILLION.

THERE WAS A RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT OF A MILLION DOLLAR WINNER AND THOSE STUDENTS WHO GOT SOME HEFTY SCHOLARSHIPS.

DO YOU THINK DO YOU HAVE ANY PROOF THAT THAT EFFORT IS DRIVING UP VACCINATION RATES IN KENTUCKY AND WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO GATHER FROM OTHER STATES ABOUT SIMILAR EFFORTS?

>> RIGHT, SO THERE WAS A RECENT ARTICLE PUBLISHED I SAW IN THE OHIO EFFORTS THAT WERE LIKE THIS.

I THINK THE DIFFICULT THING WILL BE IT'S HARD TO TELL THAT THE RATE OF VACCINATION HAS INCREASED WHEN VACCINATIONS WERE ALREADY DECREASING SO I THINK WHAT THIS HAS DONE IS HELPED TO KEEP THE VACCINATION RATE HIGHER THAN IT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN.

AND REMEMBER, WE ARE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO REACH SOME OF THE MOST UNINTERRUPTED PARTS OF THE POPULATION, THOSE WHO HAVE HESITANCY OR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT INTERESTED IN BEING VACCINATED.

SO NOW WHEN YOU ARE STARTING TO GO FOR THE HARDER TO REACH POPULATIONS, HAVE YOU TO USE ADDITIONAL TOOLS.

I THINK THAT MOST OF US FEEL THAT IT HAS HELPED TO SUSTAIN SOME OF THE INTEREST IN THE VACCINATION BUT IT'S HARD TO PROVE, PROVING THE NO HYPOTHESIS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF WE HAD NOT DONE THIS?

THAT'S HARD TO PROVE BECAUSE THERE IS NO CONTROLLED EXPERIMENT UNDER WAY.

I THINK IT'S A WORTHWHILE EFFORT.

I COULDN'T BE MORE HAPPY TO SEE THE EXCITEMENT ON THE FIVE WINNERS FOR THE STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE THE SOLAR POWERS AND FOR THE SHORTS WHO WON THE MILLION DOLLARS.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL TO THE SHORTS FOR THAT AND SO IT'S A GOOD STORY AND HOPEFULLY INSPIRES OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE FENCE AND MAYBE OPEN TO GETTING VACCINATED TO GET THEIR SHOT, WHICH YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE AROUND THE STATE AND GET PRETTY EASILY NOW.

>> Renee: WE KNOW THE DISCUSSION AROUND VACCINES AND VACCINATIONS HAS BEEN POLITICIZED.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT, CONSIDERING THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CAN TAKE FULL CREDIT FOR THE SWIFT DEPLOYMENT OF THE VACCINES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DOES DESERVE SOLID CREDIT FOR, WHEN THEY TOOK OUT THE FINANCIAL RISK AND THE DESIGN AND INVESTMENT DEVELOPMENT OF THE VACCINES, MULTITRACKED THE VARIOUS APPROVAL PROCESSES, THEY MANAGED TO DO ALL THE SAFETY STUFF WE NEEDED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE RELIABLE AND EFFECTIVE VACCINES THAT WERE SAFE, BUT DO IT IN A MUCH, MUCH FASTER WAY THAN TYPICAL.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DESERVES SOLID CREDIT FOR THAT.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE POPULATION HOR PROBABLY MORE IDENTIFIED WITH THE CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL VIEW ARE MORE RESISTANT TO OR UNLIKELY TO GET VACCINATED.

I HOPE THEY WILL CHOOSE TO GET VACCINATED IT IS HANDS DOWN THE SAFER AND BETTER THINGS FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES BUT I CONTINUE TO SAY IT IS THEIR CHOICE.

WHEN WE MAKE THE CHOICES, THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES FOR IT, FOR MOST PEOPLE TO DO OKAY BUT NOT EVERYBODY FOR PEOPLE HO HAVE HAD IT AND RECOVERED WILL SAY IT'S NOT THE FLU.

SOME PEOPLE GET WORSE DISEASES THAT CAUSE LONG-TERM PROBLEMS.

>> Renee: WHAT IS THE STATEWIDE VACCINATION RATES AND WHERE ARE THE RATES THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST?

>> I'M GOING TO ROUND TO THE NEAREST WHOLE PERCENT.

WE ARE RIGHT NOW ABOUT 50% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION HAS HAD AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF VACCINE.

ABOUT 61% FOR PEOPLE 12 AND OVER AND IT IS ANYWHERE FROM 83 TO 86%, DEPENDING ON THE DATA SET YOU ARE USING FOR PEOPLE 65 AND OLDER THE REALLY GOOD NEWS FOR THE OLDER POPULATION IS THAT 91% OF ALL OF OUR DEATHS FROM COVID IN KENTUCKY WERE IN THE POPULATION OVER 60 AND NOW WE HAVE 85% OF THEM ARE PEECT PROTECTED.

THAT'S ENORMOUS AND THIS IS GOING TO PLAY INTO HOW WE MONITOR THE PANDEMIC GOING FORWARD.

HOPEFULLY AS THE CASES INCREASE, THE BURDEN ON THE HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WILL NOT RISE IN THE SAME RATE IT DID LAST YEAR AND REMEMBER, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HEALTH SYSTEM CAPACITY.

WE CAN'T ALWAYS PROTECT EVERYONE FROM EVERY ILL OR HARM BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE HEALTH SYSTEM HAS CAPACITY TO CARE FOR EVERYONE IN THEIR TIME OF NEED.

RIGHT NOW THE HEALTH SYSTEM IS IN GOOD SHAPE.

>> Renee: THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF VACCINATIONS, RIGHT?

WE DON'T VACCINE AGAINST THE COMMON COLD EVEN THOUGH THE CORONAVIRUS IS PART OF THAT.

WE DON'T DO THAT BECAUSE WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HOSPITALIZATIONS AND FATALITIES.

>> AN INTERESTING SIDE BAR.

THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF CORONAVIRUSES.

THIS IS A WICKED ONE.

THE MORE COMMON CORONAVIRUS, THE COMMON COLDS, THOSE ARE NOWHERE NEAR AS SEVERE OR SERIOUS AND WE DON'T VACCINATE FOR THOSE AND WE DON'T TAKE UNIQUE OR DRAMATIC MEASURES FOR THAT.

BUT FOR A DISEASE THAT HAS A 1% MORTALITY RATE IN THAT THE ENTIRE POPULATION WAS VULNERABLE TO, WE HAVE TO TAKE SPECIAL ACTIONS FOR THAT.

>> WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE DELTA VARIANT AND WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES IT MORE TRANSMISSIBLE?

DO DO WE UNDERSTAND HOW IT OPERATES AND MOVES AND WHAT DANGER IT DOES POSE TO THE UNITED STATES AS THINGS REOPEN AND LIFE RETURNS TO NORMAL?

COULD THERE BE A REVERSAL HERE?

>> SO MY FIRST CONCERN, MY FUM CONCERN IS WE TEND TO FOCUS ON THE NEWS OF THE DAY SO TODAY IT'S DELTA.

PREVIOUSLY WAS THE ALPHA VARIANT, THE BRITISH VARIANT.

IT COULD BE THE KAPPA OR LAMDA.

THERE IS SO MUCH FOCUS ON THE THING OF THE DAY.

I KIND OF WOULD LIKE THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO STEP BACK FROM THAT.

AS LONG AS THE VACCINES ARE EFFECTIVE AGAINST WHATEVER VAIRNTS ARE OUT THERE, THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE, GET VACCINATED WHO ARE GOING TO GET HIT THE HARDEST AND HURT THE MOST RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT NOW IS IS A MATTER OF PERSONAL CHOICE TO ACCEPT THE RISK OR NOT.

DO WE WORRY ABOUT THE DELTA VARIANT?

>> DO I REMEMBER ABOUT IT?

YEAH, IT'S PROBABLY TWO AND A HALF MORE TIMES MORE TRANSMISSIBLE.

YOU HAVE INCREASES OF DISEED WORLDWIDE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

LESS THAN 5% OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION OF HUMANITY IS VACCINATED AND UNTIL ALL OF US ARE VACCINATED, WE ARE NOT SAFE AS LONG AS THE VIRUS HAS A LARGE NUMBER OF HUMANS TO SPREAD THROUGH, IT'S GOING TO MUTATE AND VARY.

THE REASON PROBABLY THE DELTA VARIANT IS MORE EFFECTIVE IS THE PROTEINS, THE SPIKE PROTEINS AND OTHERS, THEY CHANGE OVER TIME AND TIMES WHEN THEY CHANGE, THEY GET BETTER AT BINDING TO THE HUMAN CELLS AND MORE EFFECTIVE AT ENTERING OR STICKING.

SO MAYBE A SMALLER AMOUNT OF VIRAL EXPOSURE CAN RESULT IN INFECTION BECAUSE IT ADHERES TO THE CELLS BETTER OR MAYBE IT LEARNS HOW TO TAKE OVER THE CELLS MACHINERY MORE EFFECTIVELY AND CAUSE MORE HARM.

YEAH, I'M WORRIED ABOUT IT AND WORRIED THERE ARE GOING TO BE OTHER VARIANTS.

RIGHT NOW THE DELTA VARIANT, THE VACCINE SEEMS TO WORK PRETTY WELL.

WE WILL SEE OVER TIME IF THAT CHANGES.

I WANT TO ASK, IS THE ADMINISTRATION HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE MORE RHETORIC METRIC FOR CHANGING COURSE AND REINSTITUTED FACE COVERING RECOMMENDATIONS AND OTHER MITIGATION MEASURES.

WHEN DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO PULL BACK THIS IS ALL UNCHARTED TER TERRITORY FOR A LOT OF THIS.

WE WILL LOOK AT HEALTH SYSTEM CAPACITY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY TO CARE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK AND NEED IT.

WE'LL CONTINUE THE VACCINATION EFFORTS AND CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE AND TRY TO MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE TRY TO MEET THEM IN A POSITION OF THEIR COMFORT AND UNDERSTANDING SO THEY CAN FREELY CHOOSE TO TAKE THE PROTECTION OF THE VACCINE AND AS FAR AS MANDATE, I DON'T THINK WE ARE LOOKING AT GOING TO MANDATES RIGHT NOW.

I THINK WE NEED KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

GET VACCINATED.

IF YOU ARE NOT VACCINATED WEAR A MASK AND PHYSICALLY DISTANCE.

YOU CAN PURSUE THAT OPTION IF YOU WANT TO AND REMEMBER, ALL ALONG WE HAVE SAID EVEN AFTER JUNE 11 WHEN WE REMOVED MOST OF THE RESTRICTIONS, WE SAID IF YOU ARE NOT VACCINATED AND ARE INDOORS AND CLOSE TO OTHER PEOPLE, YOU SHOULD WEAR A MASK AND TRY TO PHYSICALLY DISTANCE.

THAT'S STILL OUR GUIDANCE AND RECOMMENDATION AND REMAINS THAT WAY.

IF YOU ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE, IF YOU HAVE COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM, CHEMOTHERAPY FOR CANCER, MEDICATIONS FOR RHEUMALOGIC OR IMMUNE SYSTEM, YOU SHOULD GET VACCINATED AND STILL WEAR A MASK AND DISTANCE BECAUSE YOUR IMMUNE RESPONSE MAY NOT BE ROW ROBUST.

>> Renee: WE HAVE SEEN REPORTS ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE IMMUNOSUPPRESSED AND HAVE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS OR CANCER PATIENTS AND THE VACCINATIONS WERE NOT EFFECTIVE, THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY ANTIBODIES AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME OF TESTING.

FOR THOSE PEOPLE, LIKE YOU SAID, THE MITIGATION MEASURES ARE THE BEST PROTECTION.

IS IT THEIR ONLY OPTION?

COULD THEY GET A THIRD DOSE PERHAPS?

AND IT DO THE TRICK?

>> THE MEDICAL SCIENTISTS WILL KEEP WORKING ON THAT AND ADVISE.

THERE IS TALK ABOUT WHETHER A THIRD DOSE WOULD BE WORTH TRYING TO SEE IF IT COULD SPUR THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEMS TO DO BETTER.

IT'S A DIFFICULT SWAYS.

I'LL TELL YOU.

THIS CROSSWALK THAT OVER TO THE SMALL MANY OF PLACES WE REQUIRED THE MASK MANDATE TO STAY IN PLACE.

PUBLIC TRANSIT.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS DECLARED THAT.

BUT THEN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES AND NURSING HOMES.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, A THIRD OR MORE OF ALL OF OUR DEATHS EVEN NOW HAPPEN IN NURSING FACILITIES.

>> Renee: STILL?

>> EVEN OF THE TOTAL 7250 OR SO DEATHS WE'VE HAD SO THAT'S A PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE POPULATION SO THAT'S WHY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE OF KENTUCKY STILL REQUIRE MASKS IN THAT SETTING.

HEALTHCARE FACILITIES IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT A PLACE THAT SPECIFICALLY IS DESIGNED TO AGGREGATE AND BRING TOGETHER PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTICULARLY MEDICALLY FRAIL AND VULNERABLE, IT'S HEALTHCARE FACILITIES.

THAT'S WHERE THEY GO TO SEEK CARE BUT THOSE ARE THE AREAS WHERE WE REQUIRE THAT PEOPLE WEAR MASKS BECAUSE VULNERABLE PEOPLE UNIQUELY GO THERE TO SEEK HELP.

THE OTHER SETTINGS, THE BURDEN FALLS ON THE INDIVIDUAL TO CHOOSE WHAT SETTINGS THEY ENTER OR DON'T ENTER AND WHETHER THEY WEAR A MASK OR DON'T.

I'LL CONTINUE TO URGE, ALL ALONG I HAVE SAID WE NEED TO BE TOLERANT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S CHOICES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT THAT WE CAN.

WE HAVE TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND IF PEOPLE CHOOSE TO WEAR A MASK, WE SHOULD BE RESPECTFUL OF THAT AND NOT CRITICIZE OR QUESTION OR STIGMATIZE THEM.

THEY'RE CLEARLY PROTECTING THEMSELVES OR SOMEONE ELSE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM AND WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE TO BE MORE WILLING TO YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A CHOICE.

GET VACCINATED OR WEAR A MASK AND PHYSICALLY DISTANCE.

I KNOW THIS IS A QUESTION YOU GET ASKED A LOT.

DOES KENTUCKY REQUIRE IMMUNIZATION AGAINST COVID AS A CONDITION OF ENTERING PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

>> NO.

WE HAVE SAID PRETTY CLEARLY WE DON'T ANTICIPATE A MANDATE FROM THE STATE TO REQUIRE COVID VACS FLAITION.

AND SO THIS WILL BE A MATTER OF PERSONAL CHOICE.

I DON'T SEE THAT CHANGING ANY TIME SOON AND IT HAS BEEN THE SAME MESSAGE NATIONALLY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE IS THAT THIS WILL BE A MATTER OF PERSONAL CHOICE WE ARE GOING TO TRY REAL HARD TO HELP PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THERE IS CLEARLY A RIGHT CHOICE AND AND NOT SO RIGHT CHOICE.

>> Renee: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FDA AND WE KNOW THAT PFIZER AND MODERNA, THEY WERE AUTHORIZED FOR EMERGENCY USE.

AND I WANT YOU TO DEFINE THE DIFFERENCE TWREN THAT AND BREEG FULLY-- BETWEEN THAT AND BEING FULLY LICENSED.

WHY DOES THAT MATTER AND SHOULD THE FDA SPEED UP THE PROCESS.

>> THERE IS A LOT OF NUANCE AND DETAIL THAT I CAN'T DO OFF THE CUFF BUT THE HIGH LEVEL VIEW OF THIS IS, YOU HAVE TO DO PHASE 1, PHASE 2, PHASE 3 STUDIES.

THOSE ARE, FIRST PHASE 1 IS DOSE TRIALS AND SAFETY AND TWO-- I CAN'T EVEN DO THIS ACCURATELY.

YOU GO FROM TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS SAFE TO TRYING TO DETERMINE YOU DON'T HAVE COMPLICATIONS IN FOLKS AND THEN YOU GO TO PHASE 3 AND YOU HAVE LARGE STUDIES TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE RARE COMPLICATIONS.

ALL OF THAT WAS DONE.

ALL THE PHASE 1, 2 AND 3 WAS DONE ON LARGE SAMPLE SIZES SO 35,000 ARE, 40,000 PEOPLE IN A PHASE 3 TRIAL.

THAT WAS ENOUGH FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE AN EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION.

THE TYPICAL AND FULL AUTHORIZATION REQUIRES ALSO A COMPONENT OF THE POST MARKETING SURVEILLANCE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND HAVE YOU TO HAVE A YEAR OR MORE WORTH OF DATA.

I DON'T THINK THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO CUT THAT SHORT NOW ALL ALONG WE HAVE SAID WE ARE FOCUSED ON SAFETY THE FIRST DOSES OF THE VACCINES WERE GIVEN PROBABLY COMING ON A YEAR AGO NOW.

>> Renee: TRUE.

I THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE THIS FALL, THE REGULAR APPROVALS NOW COME FOR THESE VACCINES BECAUSE WE HAVE IMMUNIZED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THE WORLD AROUND WITH INCREDIBLY HIGH SUCCESS AND VERY, VERY HIGH SAFETY AND REALLY IT'S FAIR TO SAY ONLY RARE, YOU KNOW, SIDE EFFECTS OR CONSEQUENCES AND PART OF THAT LEADS TO THE NEXT QUESTION, VACCINES FOR KIDS, 12 AND OLDER, 12-17.

THEY'RE ABLE TO BE VACCINATED.

I'M CURIOUS ABOUT MORE THOUGHTS ON THAT PERHAPS THE CHOICE YOU HAVE MADE AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OR WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE CLINICAL TRIALS FOR KIDS YOUNGER THAN THAT.

ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE HEART INFLAMMATION OR OTHER THINGS WE'VE HEARD IN RARE CONDITIONSES.

>> WE GIVE VACCINES TO PREVENT HARM AND DISEASE AND WE GIVE A TREATMENT TO A HEALTHY PERSON TO PREVENT HARM.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THAT IT PREVENTS HARM AND DOESN'T CAUSE HARM NO TREATMENT IS WITHOUT RISK.

YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THE HARM IS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE INFINITESIMAL.

VACCINES OVERWHELMINGLY FIT THAT DESCRIPTION AND SO DO THE COVID VACCINES.

WITH THE CHILDREN THE YOUNGER YOU GO, THE MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT IT IS THAT RISK BENEFIT EQUATION THAT YOU ARE NOT CAUSING HARM IN THE IMMEDIATE TERM OR OVER A LIFETIME SO I THINK SIGHTS APPROPRIATE AND IT'S THE NORMAL COURSE THAT THERE IS MUCH MORE TIME IN AND ADDITIONAL STEPS THAT GO INTO THE YOUNGER POPULATIONS FOR RIGHT NOW FOR THE 12 AND OVER TO THE POINT ABOUT THE PERI CAR INDICTS, IT REMAINS A PER CAR INDICTS PER CAR INDICTS, THEY HAVE SAID IT IS THEIR OPINION AND THE VALUATION OF ALL THE AVAILABLE EVIDENCE, THAT THE RISK OF GETTING COVID GREATLY OUTCEDES ANY RISK FRFT VACCINE AND THE VACCINES REMAIN VERY SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

I HAVE A 16-YEAR-OLD.

THE MOMENT WE COULD GET HER VACCINATED WE SIGNED HER UP AND GOT HER VACCINATED.

>> Renee: AND SHE IS DOING FINE.

>> SHE IS DOING FINE.

PLEASE NEVER LET ME MIP MYSELF FOR THE ONE PERSON, IT MAY ONLY BE 10 IN A MILLION BUT IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE 10 IN A MILLION, IT'S 100% FOR YOU.

NEVER LET ME FAIL TO CONVEY THE CONCERN AND SENSITIVITY FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS IT WAS NOT A GOOD THING BUT IF YOU TALK ABOUT THE OTHER PEOPLE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT WHATEVER, THE MATH IS, ALMOST A MILLION PEOPLE, WHO DID PERFECTLY WELL AND SPARED ALL THE OTHER RISKS.

LIFE IS FULL OF RISKS.

WE HAVE TO ASSESS THEM IN RELATIVE TERMS AND PICK THE PATH THAT'S SAFEST.

>> Renee: A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS I'M ASKING YOU ARE QUESTIONS I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO ASK YOU AND ONE IS ABOUT THE CONCERNS ABOUT FERTILITY.

FOR WOMEN IN THEIR CHILD BEARING YEARS, SOME HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT BEING VACCINATED.

CAN YOU ALLAY THEIR FEARS?

>> THERE IS NO DEMONSTRATED LINK TO MEN OR WOMEN FERTILITY RELATED TO THESE VACCINES.

WOMEN SHOULD HAVE NO CONCERN ABOUT ADVERSE EFFECT ON THEIR FERTILITY BY GETTING THE VACCINES.

THERE HAS BEEN NO WARNING SIGNAL TO THAT EFFECT.

THERE HAS BEEN NO RED FLAGS RAISED TO THAT EFFECT.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT UNFORTUNATELY IS MISINFORMATION THAT CAUSES A LOT OF PEOPLE TO GET HAD URT FROM A DISEASE THAT COULD HURT THEM BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T TAKE THE VACCINE THAT WOULD HAVE PROTECTED THEM.

>> Renee: THERE IS ANY TIME DURING THE GESTATION PERIOD THAT YOU WOULD NOT RECOMMEND A COVID-19 VACCINE.

>> THE CURRENT GUIDELINES IS THAT PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD GET VACCINATED FOR COVID.

THERE IS NO SPECIFIC RESTRICTION BY TRIMESTER.

>> Renee: THE MAIN COMMON THEME, STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS IS THE RISKS OF GETTING INFECTED FAR OUTWEIGH THE BENEFITS OF A VACCINATION.

>> THE RISK OF THE DISEASE ARE FAR GREATER THAN THE RISK OF THE VACCINE.

I WILL SAY THOUGH, EVERYBODY SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT THEY INFORM THAT THEY'RE INFORM AND QUESTIONS ARE ASKED.

IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, TALK TO YOUR OBSTETRICIAN.

I HOPE YOU LISTEN AND PLACE SOME CONFIDENCE THAT I'M HERE TO RECOMMEND WHAT IS IN YOUR BEST INTEREST BUT YOU KNOW YOUR DOCTOR.

TALK TO YOUR OB DOC F. HAVE YOU A CHILD AND YOU ARE ON THE FENCE, TALK TO YOUR PEDIATRICIAN.

ASK THEM, ASK THE PERSON YOU KNOW AND TRUST WITH YOUR CHILD'S HEALTHCARE WHAT THEY WOULD RECOMMEND AND WHY AND MAKE SURE YOUR QUESTIONS ARE ADDRESSED NO UP WITH SHOULD LOOK BACK AND SAY I DIDN'T REQUEST THE QUESTIONS.

BUT THE EVIDENCE IS OVERWHELMING AND THE PEOPLE YOU ENTRUST YOUR CHILD'S HEALTH TO WILL LARGELY AGREE AND SAY YOU SHOULD GET IT.

>> Renee: ANOTHER CHARGE CONVERSATION IS THOSE WHO HAVE NATURAL ANTIBODIES.

LOTS OF CONVERSATION THAT THEY HAVE BUILT IN IMMUNITY AND DON'T NEED TO NECESSARILY HAVE A COVID VACCINATION.

CAN YOU STRAIGHTEN OUT THIS CONFLICT WE SEEM TO HAVE ABOUT THE IMMUNITY THAT YOU WOULD GET FROM INFECTION VERSUS WHAT CAN BE PROVIDED FROM A VACCINATION 1234.

>> IN THIS CASE, THE EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT THE PROTECTION FROM THESE VACCINES IS SUPERIOR FROM THE PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THE NATURAL INFECTION FOR VIRTUALLY ALL THE PEOPLE WHO GET INFECTED OR GET THE VACCINE.

THE MRNA VACCINE, THE PFIZER AND MODERNA ARE PARTICULARLY SPECTACULAR IN THAT REGARD.

THE ONES I'M FAMILIAR WITH SHOWED A 10 FOLD STRONGER RESPONSE THAN THE NATURAL INFECTION.

THAT MEANS YOU BOTH HAVE A STRONGER RESPONSE AND APPEARS TO HAVE A LONGER DURATION OF PROTECTION.

SO EVEN IF HAVE YOU HAD COVID, ONCE YOU'VE RECOVERED YOU SHED GET VACCINATED BECAUSE THE PROTECTION YOU WILL GET FROM THE VACCINE IS CLEARLY SUPERIOR THAN THE NATURAL INFECTION.

>> Renee: A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

HOW SOON SHOULD YOU GET THE VACCINATION AFTER YOU HAVE RECOVERED FROM COVID AND WHEN HAVE YOU RECOVERED FROM COVID?

>> RIGHT, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

SO AS FAR AS ONCE YOU HAVE RETURNED TO YOUR BASELINE HEALTH ONCE YOU FEEL YOU ARE BACK TO NORMAL, YOU CAN GET VACCINATED.

SO FOR SOME PEOPLE, THAT IS AS QUICK AS 10 TO 12 OR 14 DAYS AFTER THEIR POSITIVE TESTS OR SYMPTOMS BEGAN.

FOR OTHER PEOPLE, THEY MAY HAVE A LONGER RECOVERY, THEY MAY HAVE A FEW WEEKS WHERE THEY DON'T FEEL RIGHT AND THEY GET BETTER AND THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LONG COVID OR LONG HAULERS HAVE GOTTEN THE VACCINE AND FELT BETTER.

IT MAY WELL BE THAT THE IMMUNE RESPONSE GENERATED BY THE VACCINE HELPED RESOLVE THE LINGERING SYMPTOMS THEY'VE HAD.

THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO FIGURE OUT BUT AT ANY RATE, WHEN YOU RECOVER FROM THE INFECTION AND YOU FEEL BETTER LIKE I'M BACK TO MYSELF, YOU SHOULD GO AHEAD AND GET YOURSELF VACCINATIONS IF YOU HAVE NOT.

AND I RECOMMEND EVERYBODY SHOULD BE VACCINATED WHO DOESN'T HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC REASON NOT TO.

>> DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US, MAYBE TO LOOK INTO ANTIBODY TESTING, EVEN THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN VACS THAT ITED?

>> I DON'T THINK PEOPLE SHOULD DO THAT.

I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY PARTICULAR VALUE FOR THE GENERAL PERSON IN THE POPULATION TO GET ANTIBODY TESTING.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT TESTS YOU CAN DO.

THE REGULAR ANTIBODY TESTING TO SEE IF YOU HAVE EVIDENCE OF IMMUNE RESPONSE DOES NOT TELL YOU IF YOU HAVE PROTECTION AGAINST FUTURE INSPECTION INFECTION.

YOU HAVE TO GET DIFFERENT TESTS NOT COMMONLY AVAILABLE AND REALIZE THE EVIDENCE WOULD SUGGEST THERE IS LITTLE TO NO VALUE FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON IN THE PUBLIC TO GET THAT THERE MAY BE TIMES WHEN SOMEONE WITH THAN IMMUNE DISEASE OR COMPROMISED I MINE SYSTEM WHERE THEIR ONCOLOGIST OR IMMUNOLOGIST, A SPECIALIST IN OR DEALING WITH THOSE THINGS MIGHT SAY HEY, LOOK IT'S PROBABLY WORTH US TO CHECK AND SEE IF YOU MOUNTED AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE.

THOSE SHOULD BE DONE BY SPECIFIC TYPES OF PHYSICIANS WORKING WITH THEIR PATIENTS IN A VERY SPECIFIC WAY.

TYPICAL MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, THERE IS NO REASON TO GET AN ANTICIPATE BODY TEST.

>> Renee: IF YOUR LOCAL FARM PHARMACY IS OFFERING THE TEST, HOW MUCH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE SHOULD YOU HAVE IN THE RESULTS OF THEM?

>> WELL, I MEAN IF THEY OFFER AN ANTIBODY TEST AND THEY TELL YOU YOU HAVE ANTIBODIES THAT MAY BE AN ACCURATE TEST.

YOU CAN TRUST AND HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY'RE OFFERING AN APPROPRIATELY APPROVED TEST TO TELL YOU IF YOU HAVE ANTIBODIES.

THE QUESTION IS WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> Renee: AND THE ANTIBODIES ARE GOOD FOR HOW LONG?

>> OR PROTECTIVE VALUE?

CIPH SAID THIS I THINK ALL THE WAY BACK TO LAST SUMMER.

FOLKS SHOULD NOT BE GOING OUT AND ASKING FOR ANTIBODY TESTS.

THERE IS ALMOST NO REASON.

NO REASON.

IF YOUR PHYSICIAN SPECIALIST SAYS I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE THIS AND HERE IS WHY, LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR.

IN GENERAL, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD NOT BE GETTING ANTIBODY TESTS.

>> Renee: I HAVE HEARD PEOPLE SAY WHO ARE VACCINATED IT MAY LAST SIX OR EIGHTS MONTHS.

I DON'T WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE.

I WASN'T TO KNOW MY LEVEL OF PROTECTION OR IF I HAVE ANY PROTECTION.

>> THEN THEY'RE USING THE TESTING CORRECTLY AND REACHING A FALSE CONCLUSION AND WASTED THEIR MONEY.

DON'T GET ANTIBODY TESTS.

I CAN'T BE ANYMORE CLEAR ON THAT THE.

>> Renee: I CAN'T ASK THAT ANY OTHER WAY TO GET A DIFFERENT ANSWER.

>> UNLESS YOU HAVE A PHYSICIAN SPECIALIST WHO HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC REASON WHY IT'S BENEFICIAL TO YOU.

>> Renee: AND THE TIME WE HAVE REMAINING, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE NOW VERSUS THIS TIME IN 2020, ARE YOU SURPRISED WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT AND AND DO YOU FEAR THAT THERE IS ANOTHER MUTATION?

VARIANTS ARE GOING TO BE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE BUT DO YOU THINK WE ARE ON A COURSE WHERE THIS IS GOING TO BE A PART OF OUR LIVES?

IT'S NEVER GOING TO GO AWAY AND WE HAVE TO ADJUST TO A NEW NORMAL?

>> I THINK MOST FOLKS BELIEVE IT WILL BE A PART OF OUR LIVES AND THE TERM THEY USE IS ENDEMIC.

IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT CIRCULATION JUST LIKE THE FLU OR COMMON COLD.

IT IS NOW A VACCINE MANAGEABLE PROBLEM.

NOW WE MAY HAVE TO GET BOOSTERS.

IT MAY BE FUTURE VARIANTS LEARN HOW TO CIRCUMVENT THE CURRENT VACCINE BUT PROBABLY BEING VACCINATED NOW WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE THEN TO GET A SINGLE DOSE BOOSTER THAT AUGMENTS AND IMPROVES YOUR IMMUNE RESPONSE FOR THE NEW VARIANT.

>> Renee: EVEN IF YOU HAD THE DOUBLE DOSE BEFORE, YOU CAN GET THE SINGLE DOSE BOOSTER?

>> THAT'S WHAT I WOULD EXPECT.

>> Renee: IN KENTUCKY WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR HERD IMMUNITY.

>> NO, BUT WE ARE NOT AT THAT 70 PLUS% BUT IN THE COMBINATION OF VACCINATED AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECOVERED FROM INFECTION, WE ARE IN A FAR BETTER SPOT THAN WE WERE BEFORE.

BUT WE NEED TO GET HIGHER.

WOO WE NEED TO GET ANOTHER MILLION PEOPLE OR MORE VACCINATED.

LET'S HOPE WE CAN PULL TOGETHER AND DO THAT.

>> Renee: WE APPRECIATE YOUR EXPERTISE, TIME AND TIRELESS WORK THESE LAST SEVERAL MANY MONTHS THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Renee: THANK YOU FOR WATCHING CONNECTIONS TODAY WE HOPE HAVE YOU LEARNED A LOT AND CONTINUE TO LEARN ABOUT ALL OF THE TYPES OF ISSUES.

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