>> THE COVID CRIES IS ONE YEAR LATER.

MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VACCINATED THAN INFECTED WITH THE CORONAVIRUS.

THERE MAY BE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL BUT CHALLENGES REMAIN IN PUBLIC HEALTH, THE SCHOOLS AND THE ECONOMY.

WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED AND WHAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE TO RESTORE THE NATION'S HEALTH.

WE'LL TAKE UP THOSE QUESTIONS AND MORE NEXT ON CONNECT NEW YORK.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ WELCOME TO CONNECT NEW YORK.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY FROM UTICA COLLEGE.

WE ARE NOW MORE THAN A YEAR IN THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS, MORE THAN HALF A MILLION AMERICANS HAVE DIED FROM COVID-19, ALMOST 50,000 HERE IN NEW YORK STATE.

THE ECONOMIC TOLL HAS BEEN STAGGERING, WITH SMALL BUSINESSES AMONG THE HARDEST HIT.

STUDENTS HAVE STRUGGLED WITH REMOTE LEARNING AND LOSS OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES BUT THERE IS GROWING OPTIMISM THAT THE WORST IS BEHIND US AND A BRIGHT FUTURE AWAITS.

CHALLENGES REMAIN.

CAN WE GET ENOUGH PEOPLE VACCINATED TO REACH HERD IMMUNITY.

HOW DO WE REBUILD A VIBRANT ECONOMY?

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES TO MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

WE'LL ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS WITH DARYLL DYKES, CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER AT SUNY UPSTATE MEDICAL UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY AND SERVED AS HEALTH POLICY DIRECTOR AT THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION.

DENIS NASH, DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AT THE CITY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, PROFESSOR NASH IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CUNY INSTITUTE OF IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE AND PAUL BROOKS, BUSINESS ADVISOR AT THE ONONDAGA SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND PROFESSOR NASH, I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH YOU.

WE ARE AT A POINT IN THE PANDEMIC WHEN MORE AMERICANS HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19 THAN HAVE BEEN INFECTED.

AND IT MAY SEEM THAT THE WORST IS BEHIND US.

BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, NOT ONLY ARE WE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET BUT THERE ARE WARNING SIGNS FLASHING BRIGHT RED.

SO I WONDER IF YOU COULD GIVE US A BRIEF STATUS REPORT, IF YOU WILL, ON WHERE THINGS STAND WITH THE PANDEMIC RIGHT NOW.

SURE PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT NEW YORK STATE WE ARE AT A PLACER WITH WE HAVE SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF CASES HAPPENING EVERY DAY SO THAT SUGGEST COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION IS QUITE HIGH AND IT HAS BEEN STUBBORN IN THE TREND IS NOT GOING DOWNWARD AND WE MAY BE AT A PLACE WHERE THERE IS AN INFLECTION POINT.

IT STAY STEADY, GO DOWN OR UP WHICH IS THE MAJOR CONCERNMENT IF YOU LOOK AT COVID DEATHS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS, THEY HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGING AND THIS IS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE VACCINE ROLLOUT AND PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 ARE BEING PROTECTED WITH THE VACCINE THE BIG CONCERN IS GETTING VACCINE OUT THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, COMPETING AGAINST THE VARIANTS THAT ARE SPREADING AND THREATENING POTENTIALLY UNDERMINING THE PROTECTION OF THE VACCINES.

I WOULD SAY THAT'S THE THREAT THAT MANY OF US ARE LOOKING AT MOST CAREFULLY RIGHT NOW.

>> SO IT IS SORT OF A RACE AGAINST TIME ALMOST, TO GET VACCINATED BEFORE THE VARIANTS SPREAD MORE.

AND I UNDERSTAND, TOO, THAT WE SEEM TO RUN A FEW WEEKS BEHIND EUROPE IN THESE MATTERS AND THAT THEY HAVE HAD QUITE A SURGE OVER THERE.

>> YEAH, THAT UPSURGE COINCIDED DIRECTLY WITH THE ASCENDANTS OF THE VARIANTS.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT ABOUT THE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE U.S.

THE FIRST ONE IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE SUCCESSFUL AND FASTER AT GETTING VACCINE OUT THERE SO I THINK WE ARE VERY FAR AHEAD OF MANY AND MOST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES IN THAT REGARD.

HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP US, PREVENT US FROM HAVING A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE NOW.

Dr. DYKES, WE HAVE THESE VACCINES AND WE ARE IN THIS RACE AGAINST TIME, IF YOU WILL, APPARENTLY WE'LL SOON HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO INOCULATE EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTRY AND YET MILLIONS OF PEOPLE REPORTEDLY DON'T WANT A SHOT.

SO LET'S DIG INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT.

WHY IS THIS SUCH HESITATION AND PARTICULARLY I UNDERSTAND THERE IS HESITATION IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY WHICH IS HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED IN TERMS OF HEALTHCARE.

WHY DO WE SEE THAT HESITATION?

>> SURE, DAVID.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS FOR THAT.

NOT A SINGLE FACTOR THAT RESULTS IN THE HESITATION THAT WE ARE SEEING.

ONE VERY CLEAR FACTOR THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM IS THE 500 YEARS OR MORE OF SYSTEMIC MISTREATMENT OF BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY AND WE WE DO KNOW VERY CLEARLY THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF EXAMPLES WHERE BLACK AMERICANS HAVE BEEN USED AS QUOTE UNQUOTE GUINEA GUINEA PIGS IN SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTATION.

THE TUSK KEYINGY EXPERIMENT WITH SYPHILLIS COMES TO MIND FOR MOST PEOPLE BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY INSTANCE.

SO I THINK WHEN YOU COMBINE THESE FACTORS OF LONG STANDING GENERATIONAL SYSTEMIC RACISM WITH VERY CLEAR EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC MISTREATMENT OF BLACKS BY THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WE STILL FACE CONSIDERABLE HEALTH DISPARITIES FOR EVERYDAY THINGS, NOT JUST THE CORONAVIRUS, BUT HYPERTENSION AND DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE AND OBESITY, DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, IT'S NOT SURPRISING, ACTUALLY, THAT THERE IS SOME MISTRUST FOR THE MEDICAL SYSTEM.

AND THEN THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE AND THIS DOES NOT APPLY JUST TO BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, THE VACCINES FOR THIS PARTICULAR PANDEMIC WERE DEVELOPED IN RECORD TIME.

MATTER A MONTHS, WHEN THESE VACCINES HAD PREVIOUSLY TAKEN YEARS SOMETIMES TO DEVELOP SO PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF THESE VACCINES FOR GOOD REASON.

>> WILL THE ME ASK ABOUT THAT.

IT WAS QUICKLY DEVELOPED AND WE HEARING IN THE BEGINNING IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL YEARS AND HERE WE ARE A YEAR LATER AND OF COURSE WE HAD THE VACCINES IN LESS THAN A YEAR.

IT WASN'T LIKE GOING FROM 0-60 ALL OF A SUDDEN.

20 YEARS OF WORK HAD BEEN DONE ABOUT OF WE HIT THE STARTING POINT FOR THIS SO IS IT REALLY-- I MEAN IT'S NOT THAT COMPRESSED.

>> RIGHT.

IT'S NOT AND THIS QUESTION COMES UP FOR ME IN MY CLINICAL PRACTICE REGULARLY.

AND SO THE WAY THAT I EXPLAIN THIS TO MY PATIENTS THAT I THINK MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

I ASK MY PATIENTS HAVE YOU MOVED FROM ONE APARTMENT TO ANOTHER APARTMENT OR FROM ONE HOME TO ANOTHER HOME.

LET'S IMAGINE YOU HAD A SET NUMBER OF BOXES AND YOU HAD YOUR FURNITURE AND APPLIANCES AND YOU HAD ALL OF THESE THINGS TO MOVE FROM ONE DAYS TO ANOTHER AND IT WAS JUST YOU OR MAYBE YOU AND OTHER PERSON DOING THE MOVING.

OF COURSE THAT WOULD BE A VERY ARDUOUS TASK.

TAKES A LONG TIME.

NOBODY LIKES IT.

IT'S LABOR INTENSIVE.

BUT IMAGINE YOU HAVE A MOVING PARTY, RIGHT?

AND SO YOU CALL 50 OF YOUR BEST FRIENDS TO COME OVER AND HAVE PIDZA AND SODA AND EVERYBODY IS GOING TO TAKE A BOX.

THAT PROCESS MOVES MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY AND MUCH MORE ORDERLY AND IT'S NOT QUITE AS ONEROUS.

SO I THINK THE THING FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND HERE IS THAT THERE ABSOLUTELY NO SHORTCUT TAKEN IN DEVELOPING THESE VACCINES.

ALL OF THE PROCESSES, ALL OF THE TESTING, ALL OF THE RIGOROUS SCIENCE HAS TAKEN PLACE JUST AS IT WOULD HAVE IF THESE VACCINE DEVELOPMENTS OCCURRED OVER YEARS THE DISHES THIS HAS BEEN AN ALL HANDS ON DECK EFFORT AND THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE INVESTMENT AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY, AMONG SCIENTISTS.

WE EVEN HAVE COMPETING DRUG COMPANIES COLLABORATING TO STUDY AND PRODUCE AND NOW MANUFACTURE THESE VACCINES.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE NO SHORTCUTS.

IT WAS JUST THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFORT THAT HAS RESULTED IN THIS RECORD PACE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE VACCINES.

>> AND A LOT OF FEDERAL MONEY TO HELP PUSH IT ALONG, RIGHT?

SO WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOUR ANALOGY NAGL WITH THE BOX AND TALKING WITH YOUR PATIENTS.

IS THAT THE WAY TO GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS, WHEN THEY HEAR IT FROM YOU, THEIR DOCTOR, OPPOSED TO A PSA FROM A CELEBRITY OF SOME SORT SAYING GET A SHOT?

>> WELL, I THINK THOSE PSAs CAN BE EFFECTIVE.

YOU KNOW, BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE ARE NOT MONOLITHIC.

OUR SOCIETY IN GENERAL IS NOT MONOLITHIC AND WHATEVER WE CAN DO WITH TRUSTED MESSENGERS AND THAT'S THE KEY, TRUSTED MESSENGERS AND WHETHER THOSE ARE DOCTORS WHO PEOPLE TRUST OR CELEBRITIES OR CLERGY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS, OR THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS, QUITE FRANKLY, THE MESSAGE ABOUT THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY HAS TO GET OUT AND IT HAS TO REACH PEOPLE IN THE WAY THAT THEY HEAR THINGS AND WHERE THEY HEAR THINGS.

>> OKAY.

NOW LET'S TURN TO STATE ASSEMBLYMEMBER JOHN McDONALD.

Mr. McDONALD, YOU ARE ON THE ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE.

I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU OWN A PHARMACY AND YOU HAVE BEEN GIVING SHOTS.

ARE YOU SEEING LOTS OF PEOPLE COMING IN, LONG LINES OR RELUCTANCE?

>> SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE WHEN WE'VE GOT THE VACCINE, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE.

THE PROBLEM IS GETTING THE VACCINE STILL.

WE ARE DOING WELL.

YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING WHEN THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED THE REGIONAL HUBS IN SYRACUSE YOU HAVE ONE AS WELL.

THERE IS A LOT OF QUESTIONS ASKED.

BUT IT'S ACTUALLY SERVED A GREAT PURPOSE BECAUSE WHEN THE VACCINE COMES, IT COMES IN LARGE TRAWRCHS AND IT MIGHT BE GOING TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, MIGHT BE GOING TO THE HOSPITALS.

IT HAS BEEN GOING TO SOME OF THE COMMUNITY PHARMACIES SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REDISTRIBUTE, IS THE OFFICIAL TERM, THE VACCINES AND WE ARE HOSTING FOLKS IN OUR PHARMACY BY APPOINTMENT.

WE DID CLINICS OF 40 TO 60 PEOPLE AT A TIME OVER A COUPLE HOUR PERIOD AND WE ARE DOING HOME DOSES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE INFIRPED AND THEY GO TO A LOT OF SENIOR FACILITIES, SENIOR SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, INDIVIDUALS LESS LIKELY TO GET OUT AND HAVE THE WHEREWITH ALL TO GET ON THE LIST, GET ON THE VACCINE.

SO WE HAVE BEEN BRINGING IT TO THEM.

I HAVE TO SAY I HAVE BEEN IN PHARMACY FOR OVER 35 YEARS.

, THIS YEAR IS THE MOST REWARDING BECAUSE THE IMPACT WE HAVE ON PEOPLE'S LIVES.

YOU CAN FEEL THE TENSION IN THE PEOPLE'S BODIES RECEDING AS THEY GET THE VACCINATION.

IT BUILDS A TRUST.

BUT DARYL MADE SOME VERY GOOD POINTS, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO HESITANCY.

I HAVE BEEN A PROPONENT, ALTHOUGH WE ARE LOW ON VACCINE BEING OUT THERE TO A DEGREE WE WANT TO BE READY AND RELIABLE, I THINK WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO LOWER THE AGE TO 18 AND ABOVE, WE WILL GET MORE TRUSTED AGENTS GETTING THE VACCINATION.

THEY WILL SAY I WANT DOWN TO JOHN'S PHARMACY AND GOT THE VACCINE.

IT WAS FINE.

I WAS IN AND OUT.

I FELT GOOD ABOUT IT BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT.

I HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS NOW FOR OVER 35 YEARS.

BEST FORM OF ADVERTISING IS WORD OF MOUTH.

>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING POINT THAT THE MORE PEOPLE THAT GET THE SHOT, THE MORE THERE ARE TO SAY I TOOK IT AND IT'S FINE.

AND IF THEY'RE YOUNGER PEOPLE, TOO.

MANY OF THE SENIORS, OF COURSE, MAY NOT BE OUT CIRCULATING IN THE COMMUNITY VERY MUCH BUT THE YOUNGER PEOPLE STILL ARE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YESTERDAY, I BELONG TO A GYM THAT'S POPULAR IN THE CAPITAL REGION, THEY HAVE ONE OF THEM IN LIVERPOOL, AND THEIR HEAD TRAINER IN A ROCKSTAR IN THE 30 AND UNDER GROUP.

I SAID YOU GOT AN UNDERLYING CONDITION, COME ON IN AND GET A VACCINE.

WE POSTED A SHOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE LIKE, I WANT IN AND THAT'S ANOTHER WAY OF USING IT.

WE HAVE TO USE DIFFERENT MECHANISMS TO GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.

>> I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING WHAT YOU SAID.

YOU ARE BASICALLY MAKING HOUSE CALLS IT SOUNDS.

YOU ARE GOING TO THE PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.

>> A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOME BOUND, WE ARE DOING INDIVIDUALS FOR THOSE WHO ARE DISABLED BUT GOING TO A LOT OF SENIOR HOUSING COMMUNITIES AND IT'S GREAT BECAUSE THE APARTMENT MANAGERS ARE MOTIVATED.

THEY WANT A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THEIR RESIDENTS TO LIVE IN SO WE ARE GETTING GREAT BUY IN AND WHAT IS EVEN BETTER IS I'M ON MY THIRD WAVE OF GOING BACK TO THE SECOND VISIT WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS.

WE ARE GETTING ALMOST 100% RETURN.

THAT'S FANTASTIC FOR THE SECOND DOSE.

I WANT TO ASK YOU YOU MENTION THE SENIOR FACILITIES AND OF COURSE THAT LEADS US TO NURSING HOMES AND THAT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE OF GREAT CONCERN AND OF CONTROVERSY HERE IN NEW YORK AND GOVERNOR CUOMO HAS BEEN INTENSELY CRITICIZED FOR HIS NURSING HOME POLICY ACCORDING TO THE POLICY THAT RELEASED COVID PATIENTS FROM HOSPITALS AND BACK INTO NURSING HOMES.

IN YOUR VIEW, IS ALL THAT CRITICISM JUSTIFIED?

>> YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED THE POLICY.

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS I WAS STANDING IN THE KITCHEN SAYING, WHAT DID THEY JUST SAY?

AND I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY BROTHER WHO IS THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

HE SAID THAT'S THE GUIDANCE WE ARE GOING BY RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S THE BEST WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THE UNKNOWNS.

YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER BACK AT THAT TIME, HOSPITALIZATIONS WERE SURGING.

THERE WERE NOT A LOT OF RESOURCES COMING TO NEW YORK STATE.

AND BY THE SAME TOKEN, I TRULY BELIEVE THE DECISIONS WERE MADE WITH THE BEST INTENTION OF THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.

THAT BEING SAID, WHAT PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT IN THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC IS THAT FIRST OF ALL, THE INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN NURSING HOMES TODAY VERSUS 15 YEARS AGO ARE MUCH MORE FRAIL, MUCH MORE CLOSER TO END OF LIFE, MANY MORE COMORBID AT THISES ALREADY TO BEGIN WITH.

SECONDLY, UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO LONG-TERM UNDERFUNDING OF NURSING HOMES A LOT OF NURSING HOMES DID NOT HAVE THE BEST INDOOR AIR QUALITY AND WERE NOT PREPARED WHEN IT CAME TO PPE.

SO WE HAD A LOT OF MONTHS-- WE HAD A GOOD MONTH OR SO WHERE PEOPLE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO TARGET ALL THEIR ATTENTION.

THERE WERE SO MANY DIFFERENT MOVING FACTORS GOING ON.

GO AHEAD, DENIS.

I SAW YOUR HAND.

>> THANKS.

I AGREE.

I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAY THERE, JOHN, AND I JUST-- THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT SORT OF MADE POLICIES LIKE THAT HAVE TO COME ON TO THE TABLE AT THAT TIME.

THIS CONTROVERSY ABOUT WHETHER THE POLICY RESULTED IN INCREASED COVID CASES AND INCREASED DEATH, I DON'T THINK IT HAS BEEN ANSWERED.

IT IS POSSIT DID.

THE BIGGER THINGS ARE THE THINGS YOU ALLUDED TO.

THESE ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS.

WE LEARNED THAT THE HARD WAY VERY EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC EVEN BEFORE THE POLICY AND IT HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR RESOURCING PLACES LIKE NURSING HOMES FOR INFECTION CONTROL AND BASIC PREPAREDNESS FOR PANDEMICS WHEN THERE IS NO VACCINE.

THEY JUST ARE NOT PREPARED TO DO THE KIND OF INFECTION CONTROL AND OUTBREAK PREVENTION THAT IS NEEDED.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE TESTING RESOURCES.

THE SAD PART TO ME WAS THAT WE DIDN'T SEEM TO LEARN THAT LESSON WHEN IT CAME TO THE SECOND SURGE THAT CAME THROUGH THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY AND THERE HAVE BEEN MORE DEATHS THAT I THINK COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF WE HAD REALLY REALIZED THAT NURSING HOME RESIDENTS WERE MAKING UP SUCH A LARGE PROPORTION OF DEATHS.

WELL WE DID REALIZE IT.

AND THEN IT FOLLOWS THAT WE COULD, IF WE COULD PROTECT THEM, WE COULD PREVENT A LARGE NUMBER OF DEATHS BUT THAT DIDN'T SEEM TO HAPPEN WHEN WE MOVED INTO THE SECOND WAVE AND THEN, THE UNDERCOUNTING OF NURSING HOME DEATHS, I THINK WAS A PROBLEM.

MY ISSUE WITH NEW YORK STATE CONTROVERSY HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, WHY TRY TO HIDE WHAT WAS A VERY TRAGIC OUTCOME AND BECAUSE WHEN WE HIDE IT, WE CAN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WENT WRONG AND HOW TO AVOID IT NEXT TIME AROUND.

I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

>> NOW THE EMPIRE CENTER IN ALBANY HAS DONE AN ANALYSIS OF THE DEATHS AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WERE POINTING OUT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN-FOR-PROFIT AND NON-PROFIT HOMES.

I WONDER, GIVEN WHAT YOU JUST SAID, Dr. NASH, ABOUT RESOURCING THESE HOMES, WHETHER THAT PAYS PAY PLAYS A ROLE IN THE DIFFERENCES.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING IS THE WORST HOMES WERE THE ONES RUN BY THE STATE.

>> I THINK THE WAY THESE KINDS OF SERVICES, THESE KINDS OF BASIC NEED SERVICES ARE RUN FOR OUR ELDERLY MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ARE A PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

THEY'RE VERY MUCH UNDERRESOURCED UNDERREGULATED AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS THE STATE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THESE RESIDENTS.

AND WHETHER THEY'RE IN PRIVATE OR PUBLIC FACILITIES, THEY'RE CONGREGATE SETTINGS AND THEY'RE VERY MUCH VULNERABLE TO OUTBREAKS.

THIS IS WHY THERE IS SO MUCH ATTENTION TO FLU VACCINATION IN AND THE VACCINES IN THE POPULATION AND IN THE STAFF AND PEOPLE WHO VISIT THEM.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF A VACCINE FOR COVID INITIALLY AND THAT'S A BIG REASON WHY WE SAW SO MANY DEATHS.

>> NOW I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS I WOULD LIKE TO ASK BUT I DO WANT TO BRING PAUL BROOKS IN WHO HAS BEEN SITTING PATIENTLY.

AND PAUL, I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE VIEW OF SMALL BUSINESS NOW ONE YEAR IN THE PANDEMIC AT FIRST EVERYONE SHUT DOWN AND TRIED TO GET THROUGH IT, BUT THE LOCK DOWNS WENT ON AND ON AND THE PANDEMIC IS STILL GOING O.

SO WHAT DOES SMALL BUSINESS NEED TO STAY VIABLE UNTIL WE APPROACH A SEMBLANCE OF NORMALCY?

>> I THINK IT IS INTERESTING, DAVID, THAT THE TRAGEDY OF THE COVID PANDEMIC IS THAT WE HAVE LOST ALMOST A HALF MILLION BUSINESSES IN THE UNITED STATES DURING THIS LAST YEAR.

THE TRUTH IS ALMOST 78% OR 79% OF OUR BUSINESSES HAVE REPORTED A REALLY NEGATIVE IMPACT AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.

WHAT OUR BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO DO, QUITE FRANKLY, IS TO TRY AND WEATHER THE STORM AS BEST THEY COULD.

AND THE CARES ACT, WHICH WAS PASSED VERY EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC, HAD A BIG IMPACT.

QUITE FRANKLY, THERE IS OVER $700 BILLION IN PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOANS MADE TO SMALL BUSINESSES.

AND THAT HAS BEEN A LIFELINE WITHOUT WHICH WE WOULD HAVE SEEN A LOT MORE OF BUSINESS CLOSINGS.

THE REAL IMPACT THE REAL IMPACT AS WE ALL KNOW IS THE RESTAURANT AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WHERE MOST OF THE JOBS HAVE BEEN LOST AND IT HAS BEEN INORDINATELY LARGE AMOUNT OF FEMALE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THAT AND HOPEFULLY, AS THINGS LIGHTEN UP AND AS THINGS OPEN UP, THESE JOBS WILL RETURN.

BUT THERE IS A LOT OF THESE JOBS THAT WILL NEVER COME BACK AND, QUITE FEIGNINGLY, WORKING REMOTELY HAS BECOME SO CONVENIENT FOR SO MANY EMPLOYEES THAT I THINK A LOT OF EMPLOYERS ARE GOING TO DECIDE THAT THEY DON'T NEED ALL THE REAL ESTATE THAT THEY CURRENTLY OCCUPY.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF NUANCE TO THIS, WITH REGARD TO SMALL BUSINESS.

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT WEATHERING THE STORM HAS BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR SMALL BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE EMPLOYMENT PICTURE BECAUSE HIRING PEOPLE IS NOW DIFFICULT BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING THE ADDITIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT AND AS SOON AS THAT EXPIRES IN SEPTEMBER, WE ARE GOING TO SEE ANOTHER DRAMATIC CHANGE IN THE WAY PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT HIRING AND STAFFING THEIR BUSINESSES.

>> SO THAT'S AN INTERESTING POINT ABOUT REAL ESTATE BECAUSE IF A LOT OF COMPANIES DON'T MAINTAIN, LET'S SAY, DOWNTOWN OFFICE BUILDINGS, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT AS WELL ON THE LUNCH TRADE AND THOSE RESTAURANTS.

AGAIN, ARE THERE OTHER SECTORS-- THAT'S THE BIG ONE.

BUT ARE THERE OTHER SECTORS IN TERMS OF SHAWBS THAT HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY HARD HIT?

>> I THINK IT'S HARD TO PICK ON ANY ONE SPECIFIC SECTOR OTHER THAN RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE BEEN DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED, ALTHOUGH MANY OF THE SMALLER BUSINESSES, SINGLE EMPLOYEE OR SOLE PROPRIETOR-TYPE BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BECAUSE TYPICALLY THEY'RE CONSULTANTS OR PROFESSIONALS OF ONE SORT OR ANOTHER.

AND AS A RESULT OF ALL THE OTHER BUSINESSES SLOWING DOWN, THEY HAVE BEEN DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED SO SOLE PROPRIETORS, I WOULD SAY WOULD BE THE NEXT AREA WHERE WE WOULD BE MOST CONCERNED AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT RIGHT HERE IN NEW YORK STATE WITH THE PEOPLE WE HAVE BEEN COUNSELING.

BUT THE GOOD SIDE IS, AT THIS POINT, THAT NEW START-UP BUSINESSES ARE UP OVER I LIKE AT A 13-YEAR HIGH THIS YEAR VERSUS PREVIOUS YEARS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOW SEEING AN OPPORTUNITY WITH THE PANDEMIC SEEMINGLY, IN SOME PLACES, BECOMING LESS OMNI PRESENT THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DECIDING TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE LAID OFF IN THE PANDEMIC ARE SAYING, I'M NOT GOING TO FACE THAT AGAIN.

I THINK I'LL TRY MY OWN HAND AT.

>> IT THE AMERICAN SPIRIT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS ALIVE.

MAYBE NOT PARTICULARLY WELL BUT IT'S ALIVE AT THIS POINT.

>> IT'S NOT FULLY HEALTHY BUT IT'S DEFINITELY ALIVE.

>> GOOD.

NOW I WANT TO GO BACK TO Dr. DYKES AND WE SPOKE ABOUT VACCINE HESITATION AMONG SOME BLACK AMERICANS, RELUCTANT FROM OUR HISTORY, ESPECIALLY THE SYPHILLIS EXPERIMENT AND VACCINATION FALL AS LONG OTHER LINES AS WELL, THE ANTI-VACS EVENERS AND NOW THERE IS A STRONG PARTISAN DIVIDE AMONG PEOPLE IN TERMS OF GETTING VACCINATIONS.

REPUBLICAN MEN SAY THEY'RE LESS LIKELY, MUCH LESS LIKELY TO GET VACCINATED THAN DEMOCRATS ARE AND OVERCOMING THIS DIVISION SEEMS LIKE IT IS A DIFFERENT SORT OF CHALLENGE.

I WONDER WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE AS TO THE BEST APPROACH TO HANDLE THAT?

IS THE IT THE SAME AS TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR AND THE PEOPLE YOU TRUST?

>> I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT AND THE MESSENGERING HAS TO BE THE SAME.

THE FACTS ABOUT VACCINES, THE FACTS ABOUT THE VIRUS AND THE DISEASE HAVE TO COME FROM TRUSTED INDIVIDUALS.

AND WE HAVE SEEN, IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, WHERE TRUSTED INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN, IN FACT, THE SOURCE OF A LOT OF THE MISINFORMATION REGARDING THE DISEASE, REGARDING COMMON SENSE PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES TO PREVENT TRANSITION OF THE DISEASE, AND NOW MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE VACCINE AND SO I THINK THIS IS A VERY REAL PROBLEM.

WE WILL NOT HAVE OUR ULTIMATE GOAL OF HERD IMMUNITY UNTIL WE OVERCOME SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WITH HESITANCY, SO, YES, LEADERS, TRUSTED LEADERS IN THESE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT ARE RELUCTANT TO BE VACCINATED HAVE TO RISE TO THE OCCASION AND HAVE TO STOP DISSEMINATING MISINFORMATION AND ENCOURAGE THEIR CONSTITUENTS THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR FOLLOWERS, TO RELY ON THE DOCTORS AND SCIENTISTS AND OTHER PEOPLE THEY TRUST WITH CREDIBLE INFORMATION.

IT'S THAT SIMPLE.

>> AND THE HERD IMMUNITY, OF COURSE, IF WE GET THAT FROM THE VACCINATIONS, WHICH EVER ONE IT MAY BE, BUT DOES INFECTION WITH THE VIRUS CONFER THAT IMMUNITY AS WELL?

AND OR DOES IT CONFER IT AS STRONGLY AS VACCINATION THROUGH, YOU KNOW, INOCULATION WOULD BE?

>> SO THAT INFORMATION, THOSE DATA ARE STILL EMERGING.

AGAIN, WE DO KNOW, JUST BASED ON FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY, HUMAN BIOLOGY, THAT WHEN WE ARE EXPOSED TO FOREIGN AGENTS, PEOPLE WITH NORMAL IMMUNE SYSTEMS CREATE DEFENSES AGAINST THOSE FOREIGN INVADERS SO YES THERE IS EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT EVEN WITH CORONAVIRUS INFECTION PEOPLE WILL DEVELOP SOME DEGREE OF IMMUNITY.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE IMMUNITY LASTS.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW STRONG THAT WILL BE NECESSARILY.

BUT WE DO KNOW THAT, THROUGH THE VACCINE TRIALS, AND NOW WAS WE HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN IN POST VACCINATION SURVEILLANCE IS THAT THE IMMUNITY THAT IS CONFERRED BY VACCINATION IS PROBABLY SUPERIOR TO THE IMMUNITY THAT YOU GET FROM INFECTION AND ACTUALLY IT MAY NOT JUST BE ADDITIVE.

THERE MAY BE A MULTIPLE EFFECT.

SO PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD CORONAVIRUS VACCINE SUBSEQUENTLY INFECTED WITH CORONAVIRUS MAY GET A HEIGHTENED IMMUNE RESPONSE THAN PEOPLE NOT PREVIOUSLY INFECTED.

>> A BOOSTER ALMOST AND Dr. NASH, YOU WANTED TO GET A WORD IN THERE?

>> YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO WHAT DARYL WAS SAYING AND RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE WAYS WE CAN GET TO HERD IMMUNITY FROM WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

ONE IS, YOU KNOW, NO NEW INFECTIONS AND EVERYBODY VACCINATED UNTIL WE GET TO A CERTAIN LEVEL OF HERD IMMUNITY AND THE OTHER IS A COMBINATION OF, YOU KNOW, NATURAL INFECTIONS AND VACCINE COVERAGE AND THE MORE PEOPLE WE CAN GET TO BE IMMUNE THROUGH VACCINATION VERSUS NATURAL INFECTIONS, THE FEWER DEATHS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS WE WILL HAVE SO THAT'S WHY IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON VACCINATING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> I WANT TO TURN TO SCHOOLS FOR A FEW MINUTES.

ASSEMBLYMEMBER McDONALD, I'M WONDERING WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS ABOUT SCHOOLS AND HOW THEY RESPONDED TO COVID AND DO WE KNOW ANYTHING, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT OUTCOMES OR WHAT YOU ARE HEARING IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR KIDS ARE LEARNING WHAT THEY NEED TO LEARN.

>> IT'S NO DOUBT, MY WIFE IS AN EDUCATOR SO I'VE SEEN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FORMATS.

SOME DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN HOME VIRTUALLY THE WHOLE TIME.

>> AND TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUES IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE, I GUESS THERE HAS NOT BEEN MUCH IN CLASSROOM EDUCATION GOING ON.

IRKNOW IN MY DISTRICT THE MAJORITY OF IT EXCEPT THE CITY OF ALBANY WHICH IS A VERY LARGE URBAN DISTRICT, IT HAS BEEN A HYBRID FORMAT WHERE STUDENTS ARE COMING IN ON DIFFERENT TEAMS, EVERY OTHER DAY AND THEY'RE HOME REMOTELY EVERY OTHER DAY.

AND IF A FAMILY CHOOSES TO HAVE THE CHILD STAY HOME, THEY CAN DO THAT AND DO IT VIRTUALLY.

IT'S NOT BEST FORM.

WE ALL REALIZE THAT COVID HAS SET EVERYBODY BACK IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND EDUCATION IS PART OF IT RIGHTED NOW NEW CDC GUIDANCE HAS BEEN RELEASED THAT TALKS ABOUT SHRINKING THAT DISTANCE BETWEEN DESKS BETWEEN SIX FEET TO THREE FEET TO ALLOW MORE DISTRICTS TO PUT MORE STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.

WE ARE ANXIOUSLY PUSHING AND AWAITING DOH TO COME TO A DECISION ON THAT AND IT'S COMPLICATED BECAUSE BY THE SAME TOKEN, YOU HAVE SOME PARENTAL CONCERNS, STAFF CONCERNS, TEACHER CONCERNS ARE THERE: THAT'S WHY THEY WERE AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE TO GET VACCINATED.

IT'S ANYBODY'S GUESS.

IT IS CHALLENGING.

THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THE LAST QUARTER MARKING PERIOD, AT LEAST HAVE THE CHILDREN BACK, HAVE THE OPTION TO BE BACK IN THE CLASSROOM ON A REGULAR BASIS.

TO TRY TO GET SOME KIND OF NORMALCY BEFORE THEY TAKE THEIR SUMMER BREAK.

BUT IT HAS BEEN VERY CHALLENGING IN MANY ASPECTS.

>> AS WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING, ONE OF THE PANDEMIC'S BIGGEST IMPACT HAS BEEN ON SCHOOLS AND EDUCATORS HAVE HAD TO CREATE NEW WAYS TO TEACH STUDENTS AT HOME PARENTS AND GUARDIANS HAVE HAD TO CAN BECOME PART TIME TEACHERS WHILE WORKING FROM HOME, REMOTE LEARNING IN THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN A NECESSARY ALTERNATIVE TO THE CLASSROOM.

BUT NOT ALL STUDENTS HAVE BENEFITED FROM THIS MODEL.

>> HE IS AN ENERGETIC KID.

HE IS DEFINITELY FULL OF SPUNK.

HE LOVES GODZILLA.

THAT'S PROBABLY HIS FAVORITE THING IN THE WORLD AND HE IS SUCH A BRIGHT LIGHT IN MY LIFE.

BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, AS A STUDENT, AARON WAS A LOT MORE EXCITED ABOUT SCHOOL IN GENERAL.

HE EXCELLED AT MATH.

HE DEFINITELY HAD SOME FOCUS ISSUES, BUT OVERALL, HE WAS DOING VERY WELL.

AND ONCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED, SCHOOL WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BURDEN FOR HIM.

HE WAS NOT AS EXCITED, THAT LIGHT THAT HE HAD ABOUT GOING TO SCHOOL AND SEEING HIS FRIENDS SLOWLY DISSIPATED AND IT WASN'T UNTIL THIS YEAR THAT WE HAD HIM OFFICIALLY DIAGNOSED WITH A.D.H.D.

HE HAS A HARD TIME FOCUSING ON THE COMPUTER, WHICH HAS AFFECTED HIM DAYCAREALLY THIS YEAR.

-- ACADEMICALLY THIS YEAR.

>> REMOTE LEARNING HAS BEEN DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PLACES.

MET NEEDS FOR SOME PEOPLE AND FOR OTHERS IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT, HAS BEEN HARD FOR THEM FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

>> I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY THAT LOOKED AT THIS SITUATION AND SAID WE WILL BE HERE A YEAR FROM NOW.

I THINK EVERYBODY HAD ROSE COLORED GLASSES THINKING, WE'LL START OUT IN SEPTEMBER, MAYBE BY NOVEMBER WE WILL BE BACK TO NORMAL.

THIS WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF.

I THINK THE FRUSTRATION OF WHAT KIDS ARE DEALING WITH, HOW THEY'RE DEALING WITH, THE RESOURCES, SCREEN TIME PLAYS A PART OF THIS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT REPRESENT SCHOOL TODAY HAS BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT.

PILE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT HAVE RAMPED UP WHAT IS GOING ON IN HOMES BUT I WILL SAY NOT ALL TEACHERS OR ADMINISTRATORS OR SCHOOLS ARE CREATED EQUAL.

SOME OF THE TEACHERS ARE GOING SO FAR OVER THE TOP AND DO WE HAVE PEOPLE UNDERPERFORMING?

WE PROBABLY DO AND I GET THAT.

I HEAR FROM PARENTS REGULARLY THAT THIS STUDENT IS GETTING ALL OF THESE RESOURCES AND THIS ONE IS GETTING YOU KNOW, A 10-MINUTE CLASS MEETING AND THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING.

>> BY AND LARGE, IT HAS MET THE MIDDLE GROUND FOR A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHICH, BY AND LARGE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, I THINK THAT THAT IN ITSELF SAYS SOMETHING, THAT WE'VE ADAPTED TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE MOST FOR THE MOST.

SOME KIDS WHO REALLY NEED THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS OF SCHOOLS, THROUGH IEP AND OTHER NEEDS, THIS HAS BEEN A HORRIBLE TIME FOR THEM SOME OF THEIR RESOURCES, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT, MAY NOT BE AS PRESENT.

>> 5 PLUS 4.

>> GREAT JOB.

>> AARON ACTUALLY RECEIVES AN IEP THROUGH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR HIS SPEECH AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY.

AND THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC, THEY HAVE ACTUALLY REDUCED HIS THERAPY SESSIONS JUST BECAUSE IT IS HARD FOR US TO DO THOSE THERAPY SESSIONS ON REMOTE DAYS.

SO HIS IN-PERSON DAYS, THEY PULL HIM OUT OF THE CLASSROOM TO DO IT SO WE OPTED, BASICALLY CUT THE SERVICES IN HALF.

AND AGREED WITH WHAT THE SCHOOL RECOMMENDED TO DO.

UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THAT, WE HAVE SEEN A LITTLE REGRESSION IN SOME OF HIS-- LIKE HIS HAPPENED WRITING, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS SUFFERED.

WE HAVE SEEN A LITTLE REGRESSION THERE.

BUT IT IS NUFT UNFORTUNATE THAT EVEN WITH THE IEP, YOU KNOW, IT IS LIMITING HIS ABILITIES TO GROW.

>> UNDERNEATH THE PANDEMIC LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, WE HAD TO FIND DIFFERENT WAYS TO MEET NEEDS.

AND IT WAS CLEARLY EVIDENT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO MEET ALL THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR KIDS WE WERE NOT AS ADEPT AS WE WOULD HAVE BEEN HAD EVERYBODY BEEN IN SCHOOL BUT I HAVE TO KEEP REMINDING EVERYBODY, WE ARE IN A PANDEMIC.

AND THROUGH GUIDELINES THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE CDC AS WELL AS NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, IT REALLY DID PUT BARRIERS BETWEEN US AND THE KIDS THAT ARE HERE.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT STUDENTS WITH AN IEP, STUDENTS WITH SPEECH, LANGUAGE OR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY OR PHYSICAL THERAPY OR LEARNING DEFICIENCIES, YOU NAME IT, WHAT IS ON THE IEP, HAVING THAT DONE VIRTUALLY OR DONE IN A REMOTE MODEL, IN MOST CASES, ISN'T AREY PLACING IN-PERSON LEARNING.

>> WHEN WE STARTED UP SCHOOLS BEFORE AND WHEN LOCAL DISTRICTS PUT FORWARD REOPENING PLANS, THINGS WERE DIFFERENT.

THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW.

WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW SCHOOL WOULD WORK.

WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WOULD BE TRANSMISSION IN THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

SINCE THEN WE HAVE COLLECTED A LOT OF DATA, DATA WITH QUARANTINES, DATA WITH TESTS.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING ASYMPTOMATIC TESTING IN SCHOOLS SINCE THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGAN.

WE CAN CONFIRM THROUGH THE DATA THAT THERE IS NOT TRANSMISSION IN THE BUILDINGS.

Dr. GUPTA AND HER TEAM CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THEY BELIEVE AT THIS POINT THAT IT WAS SAFE TO GO TO SOMETHING LESS THAN SIX FEET.

>> WE ARE STILL GOING HAVE AN ABC GROUPS EVERY DAY FIVE DAYS A WEEK AND A FULLY REMOTE GROUP EVERY DAY FIVE DAYS A WEEK.

I KNOW THAT OUR CLASSES HOLD BETWEEN 12 AND SA KIDS WITH A SIX FOOT OF SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENT.

MOVING IT TO THREE PETE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO PUT CAPACITY OF ALL THE KIDS THAT ARE ON THE ROSTER OF THAT TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM WITHOUT AN ISSUE WHICH MEANS WE PROBABLY WON'T BE ABLE TO GET KIDS BACK BEFORE SPRING BREAK.

>> MOST DISTRICTS WILL GO FOR MORE IN-PERSON LEARNING THE FIRST WEEK IN APRIL WHEN THEY GET BACK FROM SPRING BREAK.

>> OUR GOAL IS TO GET THE KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL AND EFFECTIVELY HELP THEM GET TO WHERE THEY SHOULD BE BY THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR ACADEMICALLY.

I THINK EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TO BE ABLE TO ANALYZED WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THEIR SYSTEM, THE CONFERENCE THAT HAS TO BE HAD AROUND THAT IS WHAT IS THE IMPLICATION OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM HOW ARE WE PREPARING TEACHERS TO BEST MEET THE NEW DEMAND OF STUDENTS COMING ON BOARD.

HAVE ALL THE SAFETY MEASURES BEEN IDENTIFIED, APPLIED AND ARE READY TO GO?

I'M NOT BELIEVING EARLY PART OF APRIL IS TIMELY BUT WE PICK UP AND WE MOVE.

THAT'S THE WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE.

WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR THE TIMELINES.

>> WHEN SCHOOLS RETURN TO NORMAL, I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING, YOU KNOW, AARON COME HOME AND TALK ABOUT SITTING IN EXTO HIS BEST FRIEND AND HAVING THEM JOKING AROUND ABOUT MINE CRAFT OR ROBLOX.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATIONS I DON'T GET TO HAVE WITH HIM ANYMORE.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HIM HAPPY AGAIN.

>> THAT CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES SUGGESTIONS FROM-THE-CDC FROM SIX FEET TO THREE IN TERMS OF SOCIAL DISTANCING IN SCHOOL MAKES ME WONDER A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OTHER CHANGES WE MAY HAVE BEEN MAKINGT POLICY.

IS THERE ANYTHING WE SHOULD BE DOING DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT WE HAVE DONE?

I MEAN AT FIRST THINGS WERE ROUGH BUT THEN THINGS STARTED MOVING MORE SMOOTHLY.

MAYBE ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS FOR THE VACCINE OR TESTING OR WHAT, THERE IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE DOING DIFFERENTLY TO HELP US GET OUT OF THIS WHOLE?

>> I THINK THE THING THAT WE HAVE TO DO AND WE HAVE TO REALLY EMPHASIZE IS WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE AND FOLLOW THE DATA.

SO AS THE DATA AND SCIENCE BECOME MORE CLEAR, OUR POLICY SHOULD MIRROR THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS BECOMING CLEAR NOW AS OUR VACCINE SUPPLY EXCEEDS THE DEMAND FOR PEOPLE IN THE GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED HIGH RISK, I THINK IT'S TIME AND I CERTAINLY DO HOPE THAT OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS REALLY START TO OPEN UP VACCINE ELIGIBILITY TO MORE PEOPLE SO THEN IN ESSENCE, ALL PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 18 BECOME VACCINE ELIGIBLE AND GET ACCESS TO THE VACCINES WE HAVE AVAILABLE.

>> WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STATES IN THE LAST WEEK OR SO HAVE SAID THEY'RE GOING DOWN TO 16 OR 18.

>> YES.

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

>> OKAY.

NOW THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND INFORMATION AND MISINFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH STEPS THAT WE CAN TAKE TO HELP LIMIT THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.

NOW WITH A YEAR'S DATA TO LOOK AT, I'M WONDERING, Dr. NASH, WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT CONTROL MEASURES?

AND WHICH MAYBE WE SHOULD KEEP AND WHICH WE DON'T NEED TO?

WE HAVE BEEN DISTANCING, WEARING MASKS, SPRAYING SURFACES, PUTTING UP PLASTIC BARRIERS, DO WE NEED TO DO ALL OF THAT.

CAN WE DISPENSE WITH SOME OF THAT?

>> I MEAN I THINK THERE IS SOME GOOD EVIDENCE EMERGING ABOUT SCHOOLS JUST TO RETURN TO DARYL'S POINT AND WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN RIGOROUS STUDIES OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE DOING MEASURES LIKE MASKING AND, YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL DISTANCING AT SIX FEET, GOOD VENTILATION AND SO FORTH, SYMPTOM SCREENING TO MAKE SURE AND MAYBE TESTING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED ARE NOT COMING THROUGH THE DOORS OR IN THE SCHOOLS FOR VERY LONG PERIODS OF TIME, THERE SEEMS TO BE VERY LITTLE EVIDENCE WITHIN SCHOOL TRANSMISSION AND THAT MEANS THAT WE CAN FOCUS REALLY PREVENTING, KEEPING COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION LOW AS A MEANS OF KEEPING FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS SAFE AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THE VACCINE, I THINK THAT IT IS GOING TO OPEN A LOT MORE POSSIBILITIES FOR SCHOOLS THIS FALL WITH TEACHER AND STAFF COVERED AND MAYBE EVEN WITH THESE NEW TRIALS STARTING IN YOUNGER KIDS, MAYBE EVEN THE CHANCE OF CHILDREN BEING UNDER THE AGE OF 16 BEING VACCINATED THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR.

FOR THIS LARGER ISSUE OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION, ALL OF THE EVIDENCE SEEMS TO POINT TO AVOIDING SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE INDOORS WITHOUT MASKS AND THAT IS LIKE THE SIMPLEST WAY TO SUMMARIZE IT.

EVEN SOMETIMES WITH MASKS INDOORS, THERE CAN BE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSMISSION.

BUT CERTAINLY ALL THE EVIDENCE SAYS BEING INDOORS WITHOUT MASKS IS PRESENTING THE GREATEST RISK AND I THINK THIS IS THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION TO IF WE WANT TO KEEP TRANSMISSION LOW WHILE WE GET HIGHER LEVELS OF VACCINE OUT THERE.

>> SO, IN SOME WAYS, A YEAR LATER, THE BEST ADVICE IS THE ADVICE WE HAD RIGHT IN THE BEGINNING, PUT ON A MASK OR TWO.

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT.

I AGREE.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, MASKING IS SUPER IMPORTANT.

THIS ISSUE ABOUT THE SIX FEET IN SCHOOLS, I FORGOT TO MAKE MY POINT EARLIER.

I THINK THE REALITY IS THAT SIX FEET, THAT'S NOT SO MUCH AN EVIDENCE-BASED, YOU KNOW,GUIDELINE AS IT WAS SOMETHING THAT SEEMED LIKE THE BEST THING WE SHOULD DO GIVEN THAT WE DON'T HAVE MUCH EVIDENCE TO SAY WAS WE SHOULD DO.

AND SO NOW WE ARE IN A SITUATION OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF IT IS SAFE TO GO FROM SIX FEET TO THREE FEET AND IT DOES REALLY INVOLVE A CONSIDERATION OF WHAT THE OTHER SCIENCE TELLS US AND I DO THINK THAT, IF WE CAN MAINTAIN MASKING AND GOOD VENTILATION AND GOOD SCREENING OF STUDENTS THAT IT IS A REASONABLE THING TO CONSIDER GOING TO THAT THREE FEET DISTANCE.

>> NOW-- >> IF I COULD FOR JUST A SECOND.

THIS IS ITS OWN SEPARATE SHOW AND ENTITY, BUT INDOOR AIR QUALITY WAS VERY, WAS NOT VERY WELL UNDERSTOOD OR APPRECIATED BY THE AVERAGE PERSON.

I HAVE A BROTHER WHO IS AN INDOOR AIR QUALITY EXPERT, AN ENGINEER, AND I REALLY DO THINK THIS IS AN AREA THAT IS GOING TO EXPLODE AND GROW IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE I THINK WE DID NOTICE THE SIMPLE THINGS.

IF YOU KEPT THE WINDOW OPEN, YOU HAD AIR EXCHANGES GOING AT A VERY APPRECIABLE RATE PER HOUR, IF YOU HAD THE PROPER HUMIDITY IN YOUR PLACE OF WOULD, OR RESIDENCE, YOU WEREN'T GOING TO GET THE VIRUS.

YOU WERE PRETTY SAFE.

AND IN VERY DRY OR VERY WET HUMID ENVIRONMENTS.

>> OPEN THE WINDOW.

SOME BEST ADVICE, I GUESS.

AND NOW UNTIL THE PANDEMIC IS PRETTY SOUNDLY DEFEATED, PAUL BROOKS, WE DON'T GET OUR ECONOMY BACK SO WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT THE BUSINESS LOSSES AND THE JOB LOSSES.

ARE YOU CONCERNED OR HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU THAT EVEN WITH THE WANING OF THE PANDEMIC, THAT WE WON'T GET THAT BOUNCE BACK FOR SMALL BUSINESS?

>> WELL THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF A BOUNCE BACK.

FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST WEEK, NEW UNEMPLOYMENT FILINGS DROPPED BELOW 700,000 FOR A WEEK.

DROPPED DOWN TO ABOUT 680,000 NEW FILINGS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.

SO THAT'S A POSITIVE SIGN.

BUT IT IS NOT POSITIVE ENOUGH TO JUMP UP AND DOWN ABOUT YET.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, THERE IS STILL 10 MILLION JOBS THAT ARE NOT BEING FILLED THAT WERE BEING FILLED A YEAR AGO.

SO WE ARE OPTIMISTIC, BUT WE ARE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINE IMAGINATION.

AND WE ALL KNOW THAT SMALL BUSINESSES HIRE FAR AND AWAY MORE NEW PEOPLE THAN LARGE BUSINESSES DO.

SO AS WE SEE THESE NEWER BUSINESSES DECIDING, ENTREPRENEURS DECIDING TO START A NEW BUSINESS, I THINK THERE IS REASON FOR HOPE THAT A LOT MORE NEW JOBS WILL BE CREATED.

BUT THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING IS YET TO BE SEEN AND HOPEFULLY, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WE WILL SEE AN UPTICK IN NEW JOBS CREATED.

>> NOW YOU MENTION THE CARES ACT EARLIER.

WE ARE INTO THE THIRD ITERATION OF FEDERAL RELIEF.

THERE IS ANY EVIDENCE THAT THE THIRD BUDGET, THE THIRD BILL, EXCUSE ME, THE $1.9 TRILLION BILL SIGNED JUST RECENTLY, IS THAT DOING ANYTHING?

>> WELL, NOT YET.

IT'S A LITTLE TOO SOON BECAUSE, IN FACT.

THE GUIDELINES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION AREN'T REALLY DISSEMINATED FULLY YET.

BUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS $25 BILLION IN THAT BILL FOR GRANTS TO RESTAURANTS TO RESTORE RESTAURANTS IS A POSITIVE SIGN.

THERE IS ALSO $SA BILLION ADDITIONAL FOR THE ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOAN PROGRAM SO THERE ARE POSITIVE SIGNS FOR ASSISTANCE FOR BUSINESS.

BUT IT'S A LITTLE TOO SOON TO TELL, QUITE FRANKLY.

>> JOHN McDONALD, SPEAKING OF BUDGETS, THIS IS BUDGET SEASON IN NEW YORK.

THERE IS ALWAYS A LOT OF NEED AND NEVER ENOUGH MONEY TO GO AROUND EXCEPT FOR MAYBE THIS YEAR AFTER THAT FEDERAL WINDFALL.

WHAT KIND WHAT CAN THE LEGISLATURE DO TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON PUBLIC HEALTH?

I KNOW YOU MENTIONED INDOOR AIR QUALITY.

WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES AND STANDARDS THERE.

WHAT CAN YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES IN ALBANY DO TO MAKE AN IMPACT BEE PASSED SEVERAL BILLS THAT WILL BRING MORE ACCOUNTABILITY TO NURSING HOME OPERATORS.

YOU MENTIONED AND IT IS TRUE, THERE ARE A LOT OF PRIVATE OPERATORS, QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR BEHAVIOR AND PRIORITIZATION AND WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO REGULATE THEM A LITTLE MORE AND PUT IN GREATER PRIORITIZATION IN REGARDS TO HOW THEY SPEND THE RESOURCES THEY RECEIVE FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE SURE IT'S GOING TOWARDS PATIENT CARE.

PAUL HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS, WE HAVE $100 MILLION SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM WHICH WE WANT TO MAKE A GRANT PROGRAM, NOT A LOAN PROGRAM.

TO HELP PROVIDE SOME, I WOULD SAY COMPANION PACKAGE MONEY TO GO WITH THE FEDERAL PROGRAM, IT'S REALLY TO HELP BUSINESSES PREPARE THEMSELVES TO LIVE POST PANDEMIC.

I RUN A PHARMACY.

DURING THE PANDEMIC WE WERE FORTUNATE TO STAY IN BUSINESS BUT I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY DURING THAT LULL IN EARLY MARCH AND APRIL WHERE I RIPPED OUT 24 FEET OF SHELVES, OPENED UP THE SHELVES AND MADE WIDER AISLE AND PUT IN THE PROTECTIONS AND BARRIERS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOUR CUSTOMER HAVE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE WALKING IN YOUR BUSINESS AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE CAN BE HELPFUL BECAUSE THE SENSE IS USUALLY, ALL THAT MERCHANDISE, GET IT ON THE SHELVES AND CROWD IT ALL IN THERE.

THE CUSTOMER IS GOING TO WANT MORE SPACE.

THE RESTAURANT, WE WANT TO HELP THEM RETRO FIT THEIR VENTILATION SYSTEMS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE BEING THERE FOR AN HOUR HALF TO TWO HOURS TO MAKE SURE THE AIR QUALITY IS GOOD AND WHETHER IT IS IONIZATION OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE, WE WANT TO GIVE THEM COVID RELATED SUPPORT TO HELP THEM REMAKE THEIR BUSINESSES.

AND MY FAVORITE WORD IN THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN PIVOT.

AND LET THEM PIVOT AND DO IT RIGHT NOW I'M GOING TO PIVOT Dr. MASH.

IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD IS THE HISTORY OF PANDEMICS AND FOR YEARS HEALTH EXPERTS AND NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS TOO, HAVE BEEN TELLING US THAT THERE WOULD BE ANOTHER EVENT LIKE THE 1918 FLU THAT KILLED MILLIONS.

IT WAS NOT A MATTER OF IF BUT A MATTER OF WHEN AND AS I RECALL, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN WHEN SARS ARRIVED ON THE SCENE WHICH I THINK WATT 2003 THAT WAS A CORONAVIRUS, TOO.

SO THERE COULD BE OTHERS, RIGHT?

I'M NOT TRYING TO SCARE PEOPLE BUT THERE IS A LOT OF POTENTIAL DISEASE FACTORS.

HOW DO WE PROTECT AGAINST ALL OF THEM?

IS THAT AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK?

>> NO, IT'S NOT.

THERE BE, AS YOU RIGHTLY ALLUDED TO, A LOT OF DISCUSSION FOR DECADES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS AND THERE IS A LOT THAT WE CAN DO EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THE NEXT PANDEMIC IS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, COME UPON US.

AND THAT STARTS WITH SOME VERY BASIC THINGS THAT WE SAW FAULTER DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

LACK OF PPE AVAILABLE FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.

THE LACK OF SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS AND LABORATORY CAPACITY TO MOBILIZE RAPIDLY TESTING PLATFORMS FOR QUICK DIAGNOSIS, AND YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, GETTING MESSAGING OUT AND COORDINATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSES SO THAT WE CAN LIMIT THE POTENTIAL FOR SURGES IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

BUT WHEN THEY DO OCCUR, THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM ARE PREPARED TO TO EXPAND AND TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE SURGES.

THERE IS LOTS THAT CAN BE DONE EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEXT OR WHEN THE NEXT PANDEMIC WILL OCCUR.

THIS PANDEMIC HAS BEEN SO HORRIBLE AND THE TOLL IT HAS EXACTED ON THE WORLD YOU ALLUDE TO THE STARS, EARLIER SARS PANDN 2013.

IN SOME WAYS, IT COULD BE VIEWED AS NOT SPREADING AS WIDELY BECAUSE IT CAUSED DISEASE QUICKLY AND IT WAS NOT REALLY POSSIBLE TO SPREAD IN AN ASYMPTOMATIC PHASE.

LIKE WE HAVE NOW WITH SARSZ COVID 2 AND WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING MUCH WORSE IN THE FUTURE WHICH COULD BE SOMETHING CAPABLE OF SPREADING ASYMPTOMATICALLY AND ALSO CAUSING VERY SEVERE DISEASE AND DEATH AT HIGHER RATES THAN WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE CURRENT PANDEMIC THAT IS A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT BUILDING CAPACITY IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS AT EVERY LEVEL, COUNTY, STATE, FEDERAL, AND WITHIN NOT JUST HEALTH AGENCIES BUT SOME OF THE OTHER MULTI-SECTOR AGENCIES THAT ARE CRITICAL TO THE RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE SEEN AND I GUESS YOU KNOW, THE LAST THICK I'LL SAY IS SOMETHING THAT, A TREND THAT WE NEED TO REVERSE THAT WE HAVE SEEN HAPPEN AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, ALSO I'M SAD TO SAY, IN OUR OWN STATE AND OWN CITIES HERE IN NEW YORK IS THE MARGINALIZATION OF CAREER LEGISLATE EXPERTS, PEOPLE-- HEALTH EXPERTS PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR PANDEMICS FOR MANY DECADES AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND COUNTIES AND CITIES AROUND NEW YORK, AROUND THE COUNTRY BASICALLY MARGINALIZED FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO THE DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION TO THE CUOMO ADMINISTRATION F. WE WANT TO BE EFFECTIVELY PREPARED TO DEAL WITH PANDEMICS OF THE FUTURE THO BE CHANGED RIGHT NOW.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT VACCINES AND HESITATION ABOUT VACCINES AND THE NEED TO TAKE THEM AND THERE HAS BEEN THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS WITH ANY VACCINE THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED THUS FAR.

IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

THERE HAVE BEEN SURPRISINGLY FEW COMPLICATIONS WITH ANY OF THE VACCINES THAT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED SO FAR AND IF I COULD JUST SAY IN ONE QUICK SECOND, TO EXPAND ON WHAT DENNIS SAID, THE DISPARITIES THAT WE HAVE SEEN WERE NOT CREATED BY COVID INFECTION.

THEY HAVE HIGHLIGHTED AND BEEN HIGHLIGHTED BY.

ONE OF THE WAYS WE NEED TO BE PREPARED IF AND WHEN THE NEXT PANDEMIC HITS IS ALSO SERIOUSLY ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING DISPARITIES THAT MAKE PEOPLE SO GREATLY AT RISK FOR THESE WHEN THEY DO COME.

>> THANK YOU FOR LAST POINT.

THAT WILL DO IT FOR TONIGHT'S PROGRAM.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION, WRITE TO AT DRESS ON THE SCREEN AND FOLLOW ALONG ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER, VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WCNY.ORG/CONNECT NEW YORK.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.