.

>> Braude: TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON" WE ARE SPENDING THE WHOLE SHOW TALKING VACCINES, THE GOOD AND THE BAD.

I WILL TALK TO A WOMAN WHOSE BEEN TRYING SINCE LAST WEEK TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR HER INFLAWS THEIR LATE SEVENTIES AND REPRESENTS THE 70 SOMETHINGS ON WHAT SHE HEARING ON THE CAPE AND IS A FIX ON THE WAY?

>> PLUS THE ROLE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE MAY PLAY IN THE RACE TO BUILD IMMUNITY FASTER THAN THE CORONAVIRUS CAN MUTATE AND SPREAD.

THE BOSTON RESEARCHER WHO LED ITS DEVELOPMENT, DR. BAN BAN DAN BAROUCH JOINS ME AND THEN LATER, A TOP EXEC FROM THE CIC THE COMPANY RUNNING THE MASS VACCINATION SITES AT GILLETTE, AND NOW AT FENWAY.

>> WE BEGIN THIS SOME OF THE BAD NEWS, MASSACHUSETTS PASSED THE HALF MILLION CONFIRMED CASES MARKED TODAY ON THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST DIAGNOSIS IN THE STATE.

AND NOR'EASTER SETTLING IN JUST AS PEOPLE 75 AND OLD WE ARE ELIGIBLE TO GET THE VACCINE IN MASSACHUSETTS IS FURTHER COMPLICATING AN ALREADY TROUBLED ROLLOUT, THE STATE IS FALLEN TO 41ST PLACE IN THE PERCENT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOTTEN AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF THE VACCINE PER THE "WASHINGTON POST", MANY ARE FRUSTRATED OFFICIALS AREN'T OPENING UP MORE APPOINTMENTS NOW, MAKING APPOINTMENTS FURTHER AHEAD AND WILL EVEN SAY WHEN THE NEXT PHASE MAY BEGIN AND GOVERNOR CHARLIE BAKER BLAMED THE LIMITED NUMBER OF DOSES THE STATE GETS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

>> HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAVE HAD FIRST DOSES?

YOU NEED TO BUDGET SLOTS FOR THE ASSUMPTION THOSE FOLKS ARE COMING BACK FOR SECOND DOSES, RIGHT?

SO THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON WHEN YOU ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO MAKE FIRST DOSES AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE NEXT GROUP.

>> BUT JUST THIS MORNING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION APPEARED TO CAUTION AGAINST THAT APPROACH.

>> WE BELIEVE THAT SOME HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ARE REGULARLY HOLDING BACK DOSES THAT ARE INTENDED AS FIRST DOSES AND INSTEAD KEEPING THEM IN RESERVE FOR SECOND DOSES FOR PATIENTS.

>> WE WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHY HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS HAVE DONE THAT, BUT THAT IT DOES NOT NEED TO HAPPEN AND SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.

>> SO MIGHT THAT MEAN MASSACHUSETTS WILL RETHINK ITS STRATEGY FOR THOSE WHO SPEND DAYS CAMPED OUT ON THE STATE'S WEBSITE TRYING TO SCORE A COVETED APPOINTMENT, EASIER ACCESS CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH.

I AM JOINED BY JODI SCARBROUGH WHO IS TRYING TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS FOR HER IN-LAWS IN THE CAPE TO GET HER VACCINE DOSES AND THE STATE SENATOR FOR THE CAPE AND ISLANDS, JULIAN CYR, JODI, SENATOR, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.

>> HELLO.

>> Braude: JODI, STARTING WITH YOU ARE YOU HELPING YOUR IN-LAWS JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE A GOOD DAUGHTER-IN-LAW OR BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T MANIPULATE OR MANEUVER THE SYSTEM THEMSELVES?

>> I THINK FOR TWO REASONS, ONE THE SYSTEM WAS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO NAVIGATE, MOST DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT IS SET UP IN A WAY YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH MANY SITES IN ORDER TO DETERMINE AVAILABILITY, AND SECOND, YOU KNOW, IT IS BECAUSE I AM A GOOD DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AND, THIRD IS, BECAUSE THE TIME THAT THEY ARE THE LEAST OFTEN -- ONE OR TWO IN THE, ONE OR 2:00 A.M.

IN THE MORNING, WHICH EVERYONE TOLD ME.

>> ME.

>> Braude: MY UNDERSTANDING IS YOU ARE NOT ALONE YOUR BROTHER-IN-LAW IS DOING THIS TOO, DO YOU HAVE A ROUGH ESTIMATE HOW MUCH TIME YOU AND YOUR BROTHER-IN-LAW HAVE SPENT TRYING TO GET YOUR IN-LAWS AN APPOINTMENT?

>> SO SINCE LAST WEEK, THURSDAY, I HAVE PROBABLY SPENT AROUND SIX OR SEVEN HOURS, AND HE IS ON THE WEST COAST SO HE TAKES ON A LITTLE LATER IN HIS DAY BUT, AROUND ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.

>> Braude:YOU KNOW, SENATOR, IF I CAN BRING YOU IN, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE?

AND I DON'T JUST MEAN THOSE TWO PEOPLE, BUT ALL OF THE PEOPLE WE HAVE HEARD ON THE RADIO, FROM SCORES OF THEM, WHO SAY I JUST CAN'T DO THIS.

AND BY THE WAY, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A KID OR A KID IN LAW WHO IS WILLING TO SPEND THIS KIND OFÑi TIME, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM?

>> WELL, EXACTLY JIM, I AM REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE CAPE CODERS AND ISLANDERS WHO AREN'T FORTUNATE NOW HAVE SOMEONE LIKE JODI WHO CAN HELP THEM NAVIGATE WHAT IS A CLUNK CAN I SYSTEM THAT SO FAR WE HAD REALLY POOR COMMUNICATION IN .. AND NOT GOOD MESSAGING ON, AND SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS, LOOK, THERE IS A BROADER SUPPLY CHALLENGE GOING ON BUT THERE IS STILL A REAL COMMUNICATION IN, AND MENING ISSUE AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS SAY, ALL RIGHT, HOW DO WE WORK IN A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS SO WHAT WE ARE DOING IN BARSTOW COUNTY HERE IN CAPE COD WE ARE PRO ACTIVELY REACHING OUT THE 50,000 ADULT WHOSE ARE 65 AND OLDER AND WE WILL BE DOING A BRIEFING ON WEDNESDAY EVENING ACTUALLY AT 5:30 TO WALK THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT WE KNOW, RIGHT?

WE ARE NOT CONTROLLING THIS BUT EVERYTHING WE KNOW AND THEN ANSWER QUESTIONS, BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN REALLY, ARE EL FRUSTRATING, NERVES ARE FRAYED AND THEY ARE RIGHT TO BE.

>> Braude: YOU KNOW, BUT RESPECT ANY, SENATOR, WHEN YOU SAY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FEDS HAVE SUN PLIED, STATE SENATOR IN 50 STATES COULD SAY THE EXACT SAME THING, YET 40 STATES HAVE DEALT WITH THE FEDERAL SHORTAGE BETTER THAN WE.

SOME TIME THIS WEEK I BELIEVE CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG THE GOVERNOR SAID SOME TIME THIS WEEK WE WILL HAVE A CALL CENTER WHICH IT SEEMS ME PARTICULARLY SEEN SENIORS WHO DON'T HAVE A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW ARE GOING TO IMMEDIATE, WHEN THAT CALL -- I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WASN'T SET UP AGES AGO, WHEN THAT CALL CENTER IS SET UP, WILL THE PERSON ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE BE ABLE TO MAKE A SPECIFIC APPOINTMENT FOR THE PERSON WHO IS CALLINGñr IN?

>> I SURE HOPE SO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR CONSTITUENTS NEED AND WHAT THEY DESERVE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS -- LOOK, I MEAN THIS HAS BEEN A BREAKDOWN AROUND COMMUNICATION, I THINK THAT MASSACHUSETTS HAD A ROBUST VACCINE 0 STRATEGY, WE TRIED TO, AND THERE WERE SOME THINGS IN THE VACCINE STRATEGY I THINK WERE REALLY IMPORTANT FROM AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE PUTTING HOME HEALTH AIDES AND OTHERS FIRST, BUT PARTICULARLY WHEN WE GOT TO THIS POINT, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST WEEK, JUST BOAT BOTH THE SYSTEMS PEOPLE ARE ASKED TO REGISTER AND THE FACT IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE AND COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN SO MIXED IT HAS JUST CREATED SO MUCH FRUSTRATION AND I FEEL IT TOO, I MEAN PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO ME AS STATE SENATOR FOR ANSWERS AND I DON'T HAVE MANY, I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE ANSWERS THAN WHAT IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.

>> Braude: I APPRECIATE YOUR CANDOR, I APPRECIATE -- I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, I WILL JUST ASK YOU IF SOMEONE CALLS THE CALL CENTER WHENEVER IT IS SET UP WILL THEY BE ABLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?

YOU ARE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE STATE AND YOU ARE NOT SURE THEY CAN?

>> THIS TIME I AM NOT SURE OF THE SPECIFIC DETAILS, I HOPE -- I HOPE -- I SURE HOPE THEY CAN.

>> Braude: I HOPE SO TOO.

SO, JODI, LET'S NOT LEAVE PEOPLE IN US IS PEPS, SUSPENSION THE SECOND BEFORE YOU, WE STARRED THIS INTERVIEW YOU DISHAIRD GOOD NEWS AFTER YOU AND YOUR BROTHER-IN-LAW SPENT A LOT OF HOURS SO WHAT HAPPENED?

>> I THINK IT IS VERY MUCH A NOT DA NOT WHAT YOU KNOW BUT WHO YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN LEXINGTON MASSACHUSETTS AND ONE OF OUR LOCAL FACEBOOK GROUPS HAD BEEN BEMOANING HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO SET UP APPOINTMENTS OR FIND OUT MORE DETAILS ON WHEN TO, AND SOMEONE REACHED OUT TO ME AND STATED, HER MOTHER, IN FACT -- COMMUNITY HOSPITAL AND SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SCHEDULING AT THE CLINIC MICK, SO FORTUNATELY, ME COMING FROM THIS LOVELY AFFLUENT AREA OF LEXINGTON MADE SOME OTHER, KNEW SOME FABULOUS PERSON WHO COULD PUT ME IN TOUCH WITH A MOTHER WHO COULD DIRECTLY SCHEDULE ME THIS WEEK FOR MY IN-LAWS SO I THINK IN ONE WAY I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THAT, IN OTHER WAYS, THERE IS FRUSTRATION FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO NAVIGATE COMPLICATED SYSTEMS OR HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO REACH OUT TO.

I THINK THAT ISÑi VERY EXTREMELY -- THERE IS A HEALTHCARE DISPARITY THERE WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.

>> Braude: I AM REALLY GLAD YOU SAID THAT, JODI, BACK TO YOU, SENATOR, FOR A SECOND.

I THINK YOU HEARD THE BEGINNING WE PLAYED THE GOVERNOR SAYING HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE RESERVED ENOUGH SHOTS FOR SECOND DOSES AND ANDY, ONE OF THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE DEAL FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYING DON'T HOLD THOSE FIRST DOSES BACK.

FOR THE CDCÑi THIS MORNING APPROXIMATELY A MILLION DOSES HAVE BEEN SENT TO MASSACHUSETTS AND A LITTLE SHORT OF 600,000 HAVE BEEN IN PEOPLE'S ARMS MEANING 400 PLUS THOUSAND ARE IN FREEZERS, WE LOOKED THIS UP, THE VACCINE EFFICACY AFTER ONLY ONE DOSEÑi OF MODERNA IS HUGE, 80 PERCENT, PFIZER, 52 PERCENT, WHICH IS STILL HIGHER THAN DR. FAUCI SAID IS THE GOAL AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS.

WHY IS THE STATE NOT DOUBLING THE ODDS OF PEOPLE LIKE JODI'S IN-LAWS AND JUST INJECTING EVERY DOSE WE HAVE AND THEN GOING TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND SAY, NEED MORE?

>> IT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND AGAIN I DON'T -- I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER.

AND MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES IN THE LEGISLATURE DON'T HAVE THOSE ANSWERS AS WELL.

THAT'S PART OF THE COMMUNICATION PROBLEM I AM REALLY TALKING ABOUT, SOMEONE, YOU KNOW -- YOU WOULD EXPECT SOMEONE LIKE ME WOULD HAVE THESE ANSWERS, I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT JODI USE SAYING AND JODI I AM GLAD YOUR FAMILY IS GETTING THE VACCINE HERE BUT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM NOT JUST FROM A FAIRNESS PERSPECTIVE BUT WHEN WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT PUBLIC HEALTH AND HOW WE WILL MAINTAIN THE PANDEMIC IF WE DON'T REACH THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES THEN COVID-19 IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING LIKE THE FLU IT COULD BE SOMETHING LIKE HIV, RIGHT?

WHERE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTAIN IT AMONG, YOU KNOW, MY COMMUNITY, IF YOU LOOK AT MIDDLE CLASS, GAY MEN -- HIV THERE, WITH YOU LOOK AT HIV TRANSMISSION AND AMONG DRUG USERS THEY ARE ALARMINGLY HIGH THAT'S THE PREDICAMENT WE COULD GET IN IN THESE VACCINES IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THE EQUITY ISSUES.

>> Braude: JODI BACK TO YOU BEFORE WE GO.

WHO GOT TO MODIFY THE IN-LAWS OF THE GOOD NEWS?

>> I GOT TO DO A GREAT BIG FAMILY GROUP TEXT AND THEY ARE DELIGHTED.

>> Braude: OH, GREAT.

>> HOW DID THEY REACT?

>> THEY ARE LIKENESS WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO PAY OR KILL SOMEONE TO GET THIS?

[LAUGHTER] >> Braude:.

>> WELL, I HAVE TO SAY THANK GOODNESS THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE YOU BUT THINK ALL THREE OF US WOULD AGREE THERE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE PEOPLE LIKE YOU, SO WE HOPE EVERYBODY ELSE HAS THE SAME GOOD FORTUNE YOUR IN-LAWS DO, JODI, GOOD TO MEET YOU, SENATOR IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU AS ALWAYS, THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

>> Braude: THE EMERGENCE OF NEW CORONAVIRUS VARIANTS IS MAKING THE VACCINE ROLLOUT TIMELINE MORE URGENT THAN EVER AS "THE NEW YORK TIMES" HEADLINE SAYS, NO ONE IS SAFE UNTIL EVERYBODY IS SAFE.

THE LONGER IT TAKES TO GET SHOTS IN EVERYONE'S ARMS AROUND THE WORLD THE MORE DANGEROUS MUTATIONS WILL LIKELY KEEP SEEING.

AS OF NOW LESS THAN TWO PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE VACCINATING BUT HERE ARE SOME OF THE GOOD NEWS WE PROMISED, ANOTHER VACCINE IS ON THE HORIZON.

WITH JOHNSON & JOHNSON EXPECTED APPLY FOR EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION FROM THE FDA IN THE COMING DAYS.

AND BECAUSE IT ONLY REQUIRES ONEÑi DOSE AND DOESN'T NEED TO BE KEPT NEARLY AS COLD AS THE OTHERS ON THE MARKET NOW, THE HOPE IS IT WILL DO A LOT OF GOOD A LOT MORE PLACES.

CLINICAL TRIAL DATA RELEASED FRIDAY SHOWS VACCINE WAS 66 PERCENT EFFECTIVE OVERALL, 85 PERCENT EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING SEVERE CASES, WITH NOT A SINGLE DEATH.

AT THIS AM JOINED NOW BY THE BOSTON RESEARCHER AND PARTNER WITH THE FIEWRM SAT CAL GIANT THAT LEADS THAT VACCINE'S DEVELOPMENT, DR. DAN BAROUCH, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER OF VIROLOGY AND VACCINE RESEARCH AT BETH ISRAEL DEACON CENTER.

DOCTOR, IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Braude: CAN QUESTION WORK BACKWARDS FOR A SECOND?

WAS I RIGHT THE LIKELIHOOD OF JOHNSON & JOHNSON APPLYING FOR EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO IS QUITE LIKELY, CORRECT?

>> YES.

J & J IS PLANNING TO APPLY FOR EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION FOR THIS VACCINE IN THE COMING DAYS, SO HOPEFULLY THIS WEEK.

>> Braude: AND HOW SHORTLY AFTER APPROVAL, ASSUMING THEY GET IT, WILL THE FIRST BATCH BE SHIPPED?

>> WELL, THAT IS REALLY UP TO THE FDA, THE FDA DOES DO A VERY, VERY THOROUGH JOB IN REVIEWING THE DATA, NOT JUST THE COMPANY PROVIDED DATA, BUT ALL OF THE UNDERLYING RAW DATA AND THAT'S WHY THEY DO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME BEFORE THEY RENDER A DECISION.

>> Braude:YOU KNOW, -- I AM SORRY, GO AHEAD.

>> FOR PREVIOUS VACCINES IT HAS BEEN ABOUT THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE FDA HAS COME TO A DECISION AND THEY HAVE THE EXTERNAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO RENDER OPINIONS AS WELL.

>> Braude: YES.

>> BUT IF ALL GOES WELL, THEN IT IS POSSIBLE THAT FDAÑi WILL GRANT EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION BY THE END OF THE MONTH.

>> YOU KNOW, WHILE MOST OF US HAVE NEVER USED THE WORD EFFICACY AND VACCINE IN THE SAME SENTENCE IN OUR LIVES, WE ALL THINK WE HAVE BECOME EXPERTS.

AND WHEN WE HEAR THE MODERNAS AND THE PFIZER'S ARE IN THE 90 PERCENT RANGE AND THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON IS A BIT LOWER, WE HAVE CONCERNS, WHY LOWER EFFICACY RATE FOR JOHNSON & JOHNSON?

>> IT IS REALLY COMPARING APPLES AND ORANGES BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS VACCINES A THAT WERE TESTED LAST FALL WERE REALLY A DIFFERENT PANDEMIC, WE HAVE A MUCH MORE COMPLICATED PANDEMIC NOW, A PANDEMIC THAT EXPANSE SPANS THE GLOBE, A PANDEMIC THAT HAS MULTIPLE DIFFERENT VARIANTS, SOME OF WHICH ARE MORE CONTAGIOUS AND SOME WHICH ARE ACTUALLY RESISTANT OR PARTIALLY RESISTANT TO ANTIBODIES SO IT IS A TOUGHER TIME NOW FOR ANY VACCINE TO SHOW EFFICACY THAN THE TRIALS THAT WERE DONE LAST FALL.

SO UNLESS VACCINES ARE REALLY TESTED HEAD TO HEAD THEN IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE ANY COMPARATIVE STATEMENTS.

>> Braude: BUT BY THE WAY, ALSO I WANT TO CONFIRM WHAT I SAID UP FRONT IS CORRECT, WHICH I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, IN TERMS OF PREVENTION OF DEATH AND HOSPITALIZATION, YOUR TRIAL WAS ABSOLUTE, CORRECT?

>> YES.

SO IN THE UNITED STATES THE VACCINE SHOWED 72 PERCENT EFFICACY IN PREVENTING MILD DISEASE AND 85 PERCENT EFFECTIVENESS IN PREVENTING SEVERE DISEASE AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY AT A U.S. -- THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND 100 PERCENT EFFECTIVENESS IN PREVENTING HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATH.

SO I WOULD SAY WHAT IS THE GOAL OF A VACCINE?

IS IT TO PREVENT THE SNIFFLES OR PREVENT YOU FROM GETTING SICK?

>> Braude:, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU AND I SPOKE IN THE FALL, I ASKED YOU TO, RAISED THE CONCERN THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR WERE NOT BEING INCLUDED IN SOME TRIALS IN NUMBERS THAT WERE REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR PIECE OF THE POPULATION.

YOU ASSURED ME THAT IN THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON TRIALS IT WAS A REPRESENTATIVE NUMBER, II3 ASSUME I GOT THAT CORRECT.

WERE THE RESULTS COMPARABLE FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND WHITES IN TERMS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE VACCINES?

YOUR TRIAL?

>> YES.

THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL REPRESENTATION OF MULTIPLE RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES IN THE J & J TRIAL, AND THE LEVEL OF, THE HIGH LEVEL OF EFFICACY AGAINST SEVERE DISEASE WAS REALLY SEEN ACROSS ALL SUBGROUPS SO THAT IS VERY GOOD NEWS.

>> Braude: THAT IS GOOD NEWS.

SPEAKING OF VARIANTS I PULLED SOME NUMBERS FROM ONE OF THE REPORTS ON JOHNSON & JOHNSON IN TERMS OF EFFICACY A AND AS WE SEE OVERALL 72 PERCENT, U.S., LATIN AMERICA, SIX PERCENT, SOUTH AFRICA, 57 PERCENT.

WELL OBVIOUSLY THE SOUTH AFRICAN NUMBER IS LOW AND THAT APPEARS TO BE THE VARIANT THAT IS OF GREATEST CONCERN TO PEOPLE OF EXPERTISE LIKE YOU.

I ASSUME IN SOME WAYS THAT NUMBER, THOUGH LOWER, THE 57 PERCENT, IF I AM READING IT CORRECTLY, IS IN SOME WAY ASSURING PEOPLE THAT THIS VACCINE WILL DEAL RELATIVELY WELL WITH THAT STRAIN, AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT OR NO?

>> YES, ACTUALLY, I WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS VACCINE AND ALL VACCINES MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE MUCH, MUCH LOWER EFFICACY THAN THAT AGAINST THE SOUTH AFRICA VARIANT, SO ALTHOUGH THAT NUMBER IS LOWER THAN THE FACT THAT IT IS 57 PERCENT EFFECTIVE IN A POPULATION IN WHICH THERE IS ALMOST COMPLETELY THE RESISTANT VARIANT, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT EVEN IN SOUTH AFRICA THERE WAS AN 89 PERCENT EFFECT DIFFERENCE AGAINST SEVERE DISEASE IS VERY -- IS VERY POSITIVE RESULTS AND VERY REASSURING.

OUR CONCERN WAS THAT NUMBER MIGHT HAVE BEEN MUCH, MUCH LOWER AND THAT WOULD APPLY TO ALL OF THE THE VACCINES AND NOT JUST THIS ONE.

SO TO SOME EXTENT, ALTHOUGH IT HIGHLIGHTS THAT THE VARIANTS ARE A PROBLEM FOR VACCINES, IT ACTUALLY IS ALSO REASSURING AND SUGGESTS THAT THE VACCINES, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE LESS EFFECTIVE STILL HAVE SUBSTANTIAL EFFICACY THAT TRANSLATES INTO A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF CLINICAL PROTECTION.

>> Braude:, YOU KNOW, ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE I HAD AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY, I WAS ON THE TOP OF MY LIST OF CONCERNS WAS THE VARIANTS, AND THEN I READ A STORY ON THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SAYING THE CDC RELEASED DATA TODAY SUGGESTING THAT ONLY 38 PERCENT OF NURSING HOMES STAFF, 38 PERCENT ACCEPTED THE SHOT WHEN IT WAS OFFERED TO THEM.

WHAT IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF A PATHETICALLY LOW RATE OF ACCEPTANCE, WHETHER IT IS HESITANCY, WHATEVER THE CAUSE IS, IN A PLACE WHERE OBVIOUSLY THE LIKELIHOOD OF DAMAGE IS SO SEVERE?

>> WELL, WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW IS WE ARE SEEING A DECLINE IN VACCINE HESITANCY AS DATA, AS MORE AND MORE DATA IS COMING OUT SHOWING SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF ALL OF THESE VACCINES, THEN WHAT WE ARE SEEING COMPARED TO THE LAST FALL WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS A DECLINE IN THE LEVELS OF VACCINE HESITANCY, NOW IT IS NOT -- >> Braude: HOW ABOUT THE NURSING THING, NURSING HOME THING, THOUGH?

>> CLEARLY THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO DO, THERE IS AN IMPROVEMENT, AND WHAT WE NEED, IS WE NEED TO HAVE THE POPULATION ADVANTAGE FLAYED TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL POSSIBLE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS VACCINATION HELP THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE COMMUNITY BUT ALSO WE NEED VACCINES TO BE ROLLED OUT MORE QUICKLY TO HELP PREVENT THE EMERGENCE OF NEW VIRAL VARIANTS.

IT IS CLEAR THE EMERGENCE OF THE CURRENT VIRAL VARIANTS IS REALLY THE PRODUCT OF THE VIRUS GOING THROUGH MILLIONS OR HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE UNCHECKED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

AND THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE EMERGENCE OF NEW VARIANTS THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BECOME EVEN MORE WORRISOME THAN THE CURRENT ONES IS IF WE REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCELERATE THE VACCINATION CAMPAIGN AND FOR PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING.

>> Braude:YOU KNOW, WE ONLY HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT BUT HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE PLAYED SUCH A MAJOR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VACCINE THAT IS LIKELY TO SAVE THOUSANDS, SAVED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LIVES?

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO YOU, DOCTOR?

>> WELL, GOOD THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

QUITE SHOPS SCHI IT HASN'T REALLY SUNK IN YET, WE ARE SO BUSY AND WORKING SO HARD TRYING TO DEVELOP THIS AS A SAFE AND HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND A AND A HIGHLY IMPLEMENTABLE VACCINE THAT I THINK WE HAVEN'T REALLY GOTTEN TO THE POINT TO REFLECT ON IT BUT WE ARE JUST DELIGHTED THE EFFICACY RESULTS CAME OUT SO GOOD AND HOPING THE FDA REVIEW AGREES WITH THAT ASSESSMENT AND THAT THIS VACCINE CAN QUICKLY BE ROLLED OUT TO THE PUBLIC, BOTH TO THE UNITED STATES AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND HELP SAVE LIVES.

>> Braude: I HOPE IT SINKS IN SOON, DOCTOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR TIME, APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, APPRECIATE IT.

>> Braude: NOW FOR ANOTHER MASSACHUSETTS OPENED ITS THIRD MASS VACCINATION SITE TODAY AT FENWAY PARK IN ADDITION TO ONES ALREADY UP AND RUNNING IN GILLETTE STADIUM IN FOXBOROUGH AND EASTFIELD MALL IN SPRINGFIELD WHICH OPENED FRIDAY, FORESIGHT WAS ALSO DISPOSED OF TODAY THROUGH THE REGGIE LEWIS CENTER IN ROXBURY THAT WAS DELAYED DUE TO THE WEATHER.

FENWAY IS THE CAPACITY TO GIVE UP TO 500 SHOTS A DAY AT THE MOMENT, AIMING TO RAMP UP TO 1250 A DAY IN THE COMING WEEKS, IT IS BEING RUN BY THE CAMBRIDGE HEALTH COMPANY, CIC HEALTH WHICH IS MANAGING THE SITE OF GILLETTE WHICH HAS THE MANAGEMENT OF 15 1,500 SHOTS A DAY AND HOPES TO RAMP UP TO 5,000 A DAY SOON, CHIEF MARKETING OFFERING RODRIGO MARTINEZ JOINTS ME NOW, RODRIGO, GREAT TO SEE YOU.

>> GREAT TO SEE YOU, JIM.

>> SO TWO WEEKS OF GILLETTE, ONE DAY IN FENWAY, I KNOW WITH SNOW, WE GOT CALLS ON THE RADIO TODAY FROM PEOPLE WHO MOSTLY ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW HORRIBLE IT IS THEY CAN'T GET AN APPOINTMENT, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN AT FENWAY THIS MORNING AND HAD BEEN AT GILLETTE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS RAVED ABOUT HOW RESPECTFULLY AND WELL THEY WERE TREATED BY YOUR PEOPLE.

HOW HARD HAS THE SETTING UP OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE NICE SMILE YOU DESERVE IT, HOW HARD IS THAT SETTING UP OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BEEN FOR THIS?

>> YES, SO WE HAVE CREATED BASICALLY AN APPEARANCE FROM A TO Z, WE GIVE INFORMATION TO THE GUESTS THAT ARE COMING TO EITHER FENWAY PARK OR GILLETTE STADIUM, AHEAD OF TIME, WE INFORM THEM WHAT TO EXPECT, ET CETERA, WE TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO GET THEM READY TO THEIR EXPERIENCE WHILE THEY ARE HERE.

AND OF COURSE, SETTING UP THE PROPER REQUIRES ENORMOUS PARTNERSHIPS, BOTH WITH GILLETTE STADIUM TEAM, THE FENWAY PARK TEAM, WE HAVE OUR MEDICAL OVERSEERS, ALSO MASS GENERAL, REAGAN, GILLETTE SAID WHERE YUM, BETH ISRAEL DEACON MEDICAL CENTER AT FENWAY PARK AND THEN WE HAVE SUPPORT WITH CLINICAL STAFF FROM -- AMBULANCE AND FALLON AMBULANCE SO IT REALLY REQUIRES A LOT OF ORGANIZING TEAMS TOGETHER TO PULL IT OFF.

>> Braude: WELL, YOU LEFT TOUT GUY FROM THE MARATHON TOO, I MEAN YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS CIC BEING THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE.

WHAT EXACTLY DOES CIC DO?

>> YES, THAT'S RIGHT, CIC HEALTH, WE ARE BASICALLY A SIX-MONTH-OLD STARTUP, WE WERE PUT TOGETHER BY OUR COFOUNDERS, TIM ROWE AND -- FIRST TO DO TESTING, COVID TESTING SO FOR THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN DOING COVID TESTING AND NOW WE ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST COVID TESTING COMPANIES IN THE COUNTRY.

WE HAVE DONE OVER 800,000 TESTS JUST IN NEW ENGLAND.

AND FROM THERE, THE STATE REACHED OUT AND ASKED US IF WE WOULD BE SUPPORTING A VACCINATION SITE, THIS WAS LATE DECEMBER, AROUND DECEMBER 18 OR SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND WE SAID ABSOLUTELY SO WE GOT WORKING SO NOW WE HAVE TRANSFERRED A LOT OF THE LEARNINGS FROM THE TESTING SITE TO THE VACCINATION SITE AND STARTED WORKING IN OPENING GILLETTE STADIUM AND NOW OF COURSE FENWAY PARK.

>> Braude: WHAT WHAT DOES WHAT DOES THE BUTTON SAY, I CAN'T READ IT, WHAT DOES THE BUTTON SAY?

>> IT SAYS I HAVE ANOTHER ONE HERE SO WHEN PEOPLE COME TO FENWAY THEY GET THIS BUTTON, I GOT VACCINATED AT FENWAY PARK.

>> Braude: THAT'S GREAT.

>> AND GET THIS ONE ALSO I GOT VACCINATED AT GILLETTE STADIUM.

>> Braude: A PRIZED POSSESSION.

>> WE WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE, IT HAS TO BE SAFE, BUT ALSO JUST A GOOD EXPERIENCE IN GENERAL.

>> Braude: YES.

WE HEARD THEY CAN TAKE SELFIES AT THE STADIUMS, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND A COUPLE OF THINGS, THOUGH, EARLY ON AT GILLETTE WE DID HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO SAID THEY HAD TO WAIT OUTSIDE AND THEY WERE COLD, WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANY OF THAT IN THE LAST TEN DAYS OR SO.

JUST TO BE CLEAR, AT BOTH SITES, YOU ARE -- WELL, EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENS.

>> YOU ARE IN YOUR CAR, YOU GET THERE, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENGi AND ONCE YOU ARE CALLED, ARE YOU INSIDE FOR THE WHOLE REST OF THE TIME?

>> YES.

THAT'S RIGHT.

SO WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE LINES ONE DAY WHEN WE TRIED SOMETHING ON THE LAYOUT AND LOOK THERE IS WHY WE STARTED WITH THE SMALLER NUMBERS SO WE CAN TRY CERTAIN THINGS AND FIX THEM.

>> Braude: SURE.

>> AND IN THE LAST TEN DAYS WE HAVEN'T HAD A LINE TODAY AT ALL, TODAY WE ARE DOING 2,500 A DAY OVER AT GILLETTE STADIUM AND NO LINES.

SO THE IDEA IS THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN APPOINTMENT, WE ASK THEM TO COME EITHER FIVE OR TEN MINUTES BEFORE THEIR APPOINTMENT, NO SOONER THAN THAT, AND AS SOON AS THEY COME IN, THEY CAN COME INTO THE BUILDING SO THEY ARE NOT WAITING OUTSIDE IN THE COLD, THERE ARE NO LINES, ET CETERA, AND THEY CAN BE INSIDE WARM AND THEN THEY GET CHECKED IN, THEY PASS 0 0 PASS TO THE VACCINATION SITE, THE ACTUAL VACCINATION TAKES THREE TO FIVE MINUTES, THAT'S IT, WE OBSERVE THEM FOR 15 MINUTES OR 30 MINUTES.

>> Braude: YES.

>> AND SOMETIMES THEY STAY LONGER BECAUSE THEY WANT TO ENJOY THE VIEW AND TAKE SOME PHOTOS AND THEY WANT TO BE IN THE STADIUM AND WE ARE HAPPY TO ACCOMMODATE THEM FOR THAT AS WELL.

>> Braude: BY THE WAY, AND DO THEY MAKE THE SECOND APPOINTMENT, THE APPOINTMENT FOR THE SECOND DOSE WHILE THEY ARE WITH YOU OR WHEN DOES THAT HAPPEN?

>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, WHEN THEY ARE HERE DURING THAT OBSERVATION PERIOD, WE HAVE STAFF THAT HELPS THEM MAKE AN APPOINTMENT OR REMINDS THEM TO GET AN APPOINTMENT AND WE ARE REALLY GLAD TO SAY THAT OVER 95 PERCENT OF PEOPLE HAVE THEIR SECOND APPOINTMENT BOOKED WHEN THEY LEAVE THE SITE.

>> Braude: THAT'S GREAT.

YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE CLEAR BY THE WAY WHEN WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION, FOR ALL OF YOU ANGRY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET AN APPOINTMENT, CIC HEALTH DOESN'T DEAL WITH THAT, THEY TAKE YOU FIRST APPOINTMENT I AM TALKING ABOUT, THEY TAKE YOU ONCE YOU HAVE GOT AN APPOINTMENT, MY UNDERSTANDING, I CAN'T REMEMBER, THE GOVERNOR BAKER READING THE GLOBE, EVERY THURSDAY AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT, ADDITIONAL APPOINTMENTS OPEN UP AT GILLETTE AND FENWAY; IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THAT IS CORRECT, LOOK, WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE STATE IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT SUPPLY, WHICH WE HAVE, WE OPEN UP THE SLOTS, WE BASICALLY AGREE ON WHAT IS THE PLAN TO RAMP UP, AND THEN WE TAE INTO ACCOUNT WE ARE GOING TO NEED THE FIRST DOSE AND THE SECOND DOSE AND THEN WE OPEN THOSE SLOTS EVERY THURSDAY.

AND AT THE BEGINNING THERE ARE GOING TO BE MANY MORE PEOPLE WHO WANT AN APPOINTMENT, AND APPOINTMENTS -- IN WEEKS TO COME HOPFULLY THAT WILL START BALANCING OUT.

>> Braude: AND BY THE WAY THIS IS ALL ENTRY, WE SHOULD MAKE CLEAR TO PEOPLE.

SO RODRIGO, I WILL END WITH A QUESTION THAT I KNOW YOU WON'T ANSWER SO IT IS A ROTTEN WAY TO END AN INTERVIEW.

IF CIC HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN TESTING AND VACCINE AND IN A MATTER OF MONTHS COULD GEAR UP TO THE LEVELS THAT IT HAS, WHY CAN'T THE STATE HAVE A WEBSITE THAT IS CONSUMER FRIENDLY?

>> YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT ONE?

>> OF COURSE IT IS A HARD ONE, AND WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO PROVIDE A GOOD EXPERIENCE TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS, I THINK WE ARE ALL LEARNING OF THINGS THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER IN THE LAST YEAR, SO HOPEFULLY WE ARE BETTING MANY MORE PEOPLE TO COME IN AND GET ADVANTAGE THAT I HAD.

>> Braude: GREAT.

BEFORE YOU GO, JUST SO I CAN FEEL LIKE I AM GETTING CLOSER TO A VACCINE, DO YOU HAVE A VILE IN YOUR POCKET YOU CAN HOLD UP?

>> THIS IS THE MODERNA VILE.

>> THIS VIAL.

>> THIS HOLDS TEN DOSES AND THIS ONE HERE ACTUALLY THE PFIZER VIAL IS MUCH SMALLER AND HOLDS SIX DOSES, AND THESE ARE KEPT OBVIOUSLY IN THE ULTRA LOW TEMPERATURE FREEZERS AND THAWED OVERNIGHT AND WE OPEN THEM WHEN WE ARE READY TO ADMINISTER THEM THE NEXT DAY.

>> Braude: TERRIFIC, RODRIGO, KEEP BRINGING THOSE PEOPLE THROUGH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CIC HEALTH AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Braude: AND FINALLY WE RECEIVED SOME FEEDBACK ON MY COMMENTARY LAST WEEK, IN WHICH I ARGUED MEN ARE CLEARLY WORSE AT ABIDING BY PROPER MASK ETIQUETTE, JULIA WROTE IN, I THINK THE PROBLEM IS MORE THE ONE SIZE FIT ALL MASKS, IN GENERAL, MEN'S HEADS ARE BIGGER IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE, HA, SHE SAYS, MASKS SHOULD COME IN SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE, EXTRA LARGE AND THAT MIGHT SOLVE THE SLIPPAGE PROBLEM, GOOD POINT, JULIE, EMILIA SAYS SHE WAS SO ENINCENSED ABOUT THE MASK PAUSING SHE RECENTLY PAUSED THE TV TO WROTE HER OWN SCREEN SHOT, I AM GLAD TO REALIZE I AM NOT A CRAZY PERSON SEEING THINGS, ACTUALLY BELIEVE IT WAS SO OVER DUE THAT SOMEONE WOULD BRING THIS UP.

HAPPY TO HELP, EMILIA, THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT AND WE WILL BE BACK TOMORROW, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND PLEASE STAY SAFE.

>>