>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, FLORIDA AUTHORITIES ARE ON HIGH ALERT FOR SECURITY THREATS AHEAD OF INAUGURATION DAY NEXT WEEK.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS STICKS TO HIS PLANS TO PRIORITIZE THOSE 65 AND OLDER FOR COVID-19 VACCINES, BUT DOES THE STRATEGY MAKE SENSE?

AND CAN FLORIDA COUNTIES HANDLE THE INCOMING BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S AMBITIOUS PLANS TO STEP UP INOCULATIONS?

NEWSNIGHT, STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO.

I'M NANCY ALVAREZ AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT.

THIS WEEK WE ARE LOOKING AT THE BIG STORIES HAPPENING ACROSS OUR NATION AND HOW THEY'RE IMPACTING US RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

WE DO OUR SHOW EVERY WEEK BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK, ABE ABORAYA FROM 90.7 WMFE AND HEALTH NEWS FLORIDA, AND MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE FROM WFTV CHANNEL 9, DEANNA ALLBRITTIN.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE AGAIN WITH US ON THE SHOW.

MY COLLEAGUE STEVE MORT, ONCE AGAIN IN THE STUDIO WITH US THIS WEEK, AND STEVE WE'LL START OFF WITH YOU.

>>THANK YOU NANCY.

FIRST TONIGHT, PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SECOND IMPEACHMENT JUST DAYS BEFORE PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN IS DUE TO BE SWORN INTO OFFICE.

AMONG THOSE VOTING FOR IMPEACHMENT ORLANDO, CONGRESSWOMAN STEPHANIE MURPHY, WHO CO-CHAIRS THE CENTRIST BLUE DOG COALITION OF DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS.

>>I THINK IT'S REALLY UNACCEPTABLE THAT WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO HAS REPEATEDLY CONDONED AND ENCOURAGED THIS KIND OF VIOLENCE TO DISRUPT THE POLITICAL PROCESS FOR HIS OWN POLITICAL GAIN.

THIS PRESIDENT INCITED A VIOLENT INSURRECTION AGAINST OUR DEMOCRACY.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S PROOF HE'S UNABLE TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION.

AND SO WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER AND PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY.

>>CONGRESSWOMAN TELL US WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEING IN THE CAPITOL DURING THAT ASSAULT.

>>I WENT TO WORK IN PLAIN CLOTHES AS TO NOT DRAW THE ATTENTION OF POTENTIAL RIOTERS AND CHANGED AT WORK, AND BEGAN MY WORKDAY THERE WHEN WE STARTED TO GET THE ALERTS THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM ON THE CONGRESSIONAL CAMPUS AND THE CAPITOL COMPOUND.

I SPENT A GOOD PART OF THE DAY MOVING FROM ONE OFFICE TO ANOTHER, TRYING TO FIND A SECURE LOCATION, KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AS THERE WAS VARIOUS CONFLICTING INFORMATION COMING OUT.

AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT HELPED US THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

AND I'M ALSO GRATEFUL FOR THE RESILIENCE OF OUR INSTITUTION THAT DESPITE THESE RIOTERS WHO WERE TRYING TO USE VIOLENCE TO IMPEDE OUR POLITICAL PROCESS DID NOT PREVAIL, THAT DEMOCRACY PREVAILED.

>>I MEAN, MOST PEOPLE ASSUME THAT WASHINGTON DC IS THE MOST SECURE CITY IN THE NATION I USED TO LIVE THERE.

CERTAINLY THAT WAS MY EXPERIENCE.

HOW WAS THIS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN?

>>WE DO NEED TO DO A THOROUGH REVIEW OF THE DECISION-MAKING, WHAT PEOPLE KNEW, WHAT THE RISK ASSESSMENT WAS AND WHY, BASED ON THAT RISK ASSESSMENT, THEY DID NOT DEPLOY THE KIND OF MEASURES THAT COULD CONTROL THE CROWD AND THE VIOLENCE THAT ENSUED.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF CAMERAS AND OTHER WAYS IN WHICH TO DOCUMENT WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED AND THE TIMING OF WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THEY BREACHED THE COMPOUND WHERE THESE RIOTERS WENT.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S AN ONGOING LIST OF THE ITEMS OF HISTORICAL VALUE THAT WERE DAMAGED OR TAKEN.

THESE ARE ALL A PART OF THE REVIEW THAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SECURE THIS BEACON OF DEMOCRACY, A SYMBOL OF OUR REPUBLIC, AND WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.

>>WELL, PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN HAS CONDEMNED PRESIDENT TRUMP OVER THE CAPITOL ASSAULT.

FLORIDA SENATOR, MARCO RUBIO, TWEETED THIS, "BIDEN HAS A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO UNIFY AMERICA BEHIND THE SENTIMENT THAT OUR POLITICAL DIVISIONS HAVE GONE TOO FAR.

BUT INSTEAD HE DECIDED TO PROMOTE THE LEFT'S EFFORTS TO USE THIS TERRIBLE NATIONAL TRAGEDY TO TRY AND CRUSH CONSERVATIVES OR ANYONE NOT ANTI-TRUMP ENOUGH".

DEANNA, LET ME START WITH YOU.

WE'VE BEEN HEARING THAT MESSAGE FROM REPUBLICANS, RIGHT?

THAT IMPEACHMENT DOESN'T HELP BRING ABOUT UNITY.

HOW DID CENTRAL FLORIDA REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE COME DOWN ON IMPEACHMENT ON WEDNESDAY?

>>WELL, THEY CAME DOWN THE SAME WAY THAT SENATOR RUBIO HAS INDICATED IN THAT TWEET, AS IT WAS A RIDE ALONG PARTY LINES.

AND THERE WERE A LOT OF HOUSE REPUBLICANS WHEN ASKED THAT, EITHER OUTRIGHT DEFENDED THE PRESIDENT IN THE CASE OF REPRESENTATIVE GATES OR THEY... YOU JUST SAID EXACTLY WHAT SENATOR RUBIO SAID, THAT THIS ISN'T UNIFYING, THAT THE COUNTRY NEEDS TO HEAL OR SOME OBJECTIVE AS TO THE TIMELINE REQUIRED FOR IMPEACHMENT.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE HEARD AGAIN AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST THAT THIS IS TOO FAST AND IT SETS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT, THE PRECEDENT THAT SPEED AT WHICH THIS HAS HAPPENED.

>>AND WE HAVE TO JUST IMAGINE HOW ALL OF THESE LEADERS ARE THINKING ABOUT THEIR OWN POLITICAL FUTURES BEING REALLY BASED ON WHAT THEY DO AND SAY AT THIS MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY.

SO WHAT HAVE SENATORS RUBIO AND SCOTT SAID THEY WILL DO NOW, DEANNA?

>>SO SENATOR RUBIO HAS SAID IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT HE WILL NOT SUPPORT IMPEACHMENT, AND YOU JUST ALLUDED TO IT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS.

THERE HAS LONG BEEN TALK THAT SENATOR RUBIO WOULD TRY AGAIN TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT.

SO THAT IS CERTAINLY IN THE MINDS OF MANY BECAUSE THERE ARE...

THE PRESIDENT STILL HAS A VERY LARGE BASE WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE CLEARLY AT THE CAPITOL WHO INDICATED THAT ANYONE WHO WAS NOT DEFENDING THE PRESIDENT IS SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE A TARGET, WHETHER LITERALLY OR FIGURATIVELY IN THE POLITICAL REALM.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS CERTAINLY ON THEIR MINDS.

AND THEN YOU HAVE SENATOR RICK SCOTT, AND HE HAS BEEN A LITTLE MORE EVASIVE ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD OR WOULDN'T SUPPORT.

BUT HE ALSO SAYS THAT WHAT IS THE POINT OF IMPEACHING A PRESIDENT WHO WILL NO LONGER EVEN BE AN OFFICE BY THE TIME HE'S IMPEACHED?

>>AND ANOTHER OUTCOME OF EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED IS THAT REALLY STATES ARE ON EDGE PEOPLE, LEADERS, EVERYONE.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAYS FLORIDA WILL BE READY FOR ANY THREATS ON INAUGURATION DAY.

SO DO WE KNOW HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT IS PLANNING TO HANDLE SECURITY AT THE FLORIDA CAPITOL ABE?

>>SO WE HAVE DEFINITELY HEARD FROM THE GOVERNOR THAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO BE PREPARED FOR ANY LARGE PROTEST, PARTICULARLY ANYTHING THAT GETS OUT OF HAND.

WE KNOW FROM THE SENATE PRESIDENT THAT THEY'VE BEEN ASKING PEOPLE TO WORK FROM HOME, IF THEY'RE ABLE TO WORK REMOTELY AS WELL.

SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A SENSE THAT THE CAPITOL IS PRETTY MUCH...

THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY SPECIFIC THREATS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED ABOUT FLORIDA AND TALLAHASSEE IN PARTICULAR, THEY ARE EXPECTING.

THEY ARE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING THAT COULD HAPPEN.

AND I THINK GIVEN WHAT HAPPENED IN WASHINGTON, DC, THERE'S GOING TO BE LESS TOLERANCE FOR ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT GO SOUTH.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT MORE OF AN EFFORT FOR CROWD CONTROL.

>>SURE.

AND WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT GOVERNOR DESANTIS.

IRONICALLY HE HAS BEEN PUSHING FOR THIS ANTI-PROTEST LEGISLATION TO BE PASSED THIS SESSION, WHICH WAS BORN OUT OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTEST.

HE WAS VERY VOCAL ABOUT THAT, AND WHAT HE BELIEVES SHOULD HAPPEN TO PEOPLE WHO DO THESE DEMONSTRATIONS AND CAUSE HARM.

SO COULD THE EVENTS IN WASHINGTON BOLSTER HIS CASE?

HOW DOES THAT ALL PLAY INTO THIS AND HIS STANCE ON ALL OF THIS, DEANNA?

>>WELL, NANCY, IT DID GIVE HIM SOME MORE BIPARTISAN COVER.

A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY ATTACKED HIM RIGHT AFTER HE PROPOSED THIS LEGISLATION AND SAID, "WELL, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTEST.

YOU ARE TARGETING BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE WITH THIS LEGISLATION."

THE CAPITOL RIOTS GAVE HIM COVER THAT HE PROBABLY WASN'T EXPECTING TO SAY THAT, "NO, THIS IS A BIPARTISAN ISSUE.

THIS IS ABOUT RIOTERS.

THIS IS ABOUT LOOTING OF ANY KIND."

BUT DEMOCRATS THROUGHOUT THE STATE ARE NOT BUYING THAT.

THEY STILL THINK THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TAKE TO THE STREETS WELL BEYOND THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY, ARE GOING TO BE ALLIES OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT, PEOPLE WHO ARE PROTESTING POLICING, AND THEY SAY THAT THIS IS GOING TO MAKE THOSE PEOPLE TARGETS.

IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT EASIER TO KILL BLACK PEOPLE.

AND THEY SAY IT ALREADY IS WITH STAND-YOUR-GROUND LAWS IN THE STATE.

AND SO THEY ARE REALLY STILL PUSHING BACK ON THIS.

>>DEANNA LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERING POLICE RESPONSES TO THE BLM PROTESTS AND THE STORMING OF THE CAPITOL.

LISTEN TO THIS FROM UCF PROFESSOR LARRY WALKER, WHO STUDIES RACIAL INEQUITIES AND USED TO WORK AT THE US CAPITOL.

>>MEMBERS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN WHICH GROUPS ARE TREATED.

A FEW MONTHS AGO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTEST THIS SUMMER IN WASHINGTON, DC, THERE WERE FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, NOT ONLY METRO AND CAPITOL HILL POLICE AND SECRET SERVICE, BUT THERE WERE INDIVIDUALS IN MILITARIZED GEAR.

THERE WERE TANKS AND THERE WERE HELICOPTERS.

THAT WAS THIS SUMMER, JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO IN THE SAME CITY.

AND NOW THOSE INDIVIDUALS DON'T LOOK LIKE THE PROTESTS WE SAW FROM THIS SUMMER, WERE ALLOWED TO PENETRATE THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE.

SO AS AN AMERICAN, AS SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN DEMOCRACY, WE HAVE TO CLEARLY SEE THE RACIAL DIFFERENCE IN HOW THEY TREATED.

>>DEANNA, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I MEAN, IS THIS RESPONSE TO THE EVENTS OF JANUARY 6TH IN WASHINGTON, AND EXAMPLE OF THAT SYSTEMIC PROBLEM IN POLICING THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING?

>>I WAS ACTUALLY DOING AN INTERVIEW WITH A DIFFERENT RACE STUDIES SOCIOLOGY PROFESSOR, AS THE CAPITAL, CHAOS UNFOLDED.

IT WAS UNRELATED, BUT WE HAPPENED TO BE TALKING AND HE WAS LOOKING UP AT HIS SCREEN RIGHT THEN, HE SAID, "IF THOSE WERE BLACK AND BROWN PROTESTERS THEY WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN THAT CLOSE."

AND THAT'S JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE FEEL RIGHTLY SO, BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE THE CONTRAST OF THE PICTURE OF PEOPLE IN MILITARIZED GEAR, STANDING ON THE STEPS BEFORE PROTESTERS EVEN ARRIVED DURING THE SUMMER, BEING CLEARED AFTER PEACEFULLY PROTESTING EVEN, BEFORE THAT PHOTO OP WITH THE PRESIDENT THAT MADE INTERNATIONAL NEWS, WHEN THAT AUSTRALIAN JOURNALIST WAS BEATEN ON LIVE TELEVISION.

SO YOU DEFINITELY CLEARLY SAW A DIFFERENT RESPONSE.

WE'RE NOW LEARNING THAT SOME OF THAT WAS THEM WANTING...

THE CAPITOL POLICE SAYING THAT THEY... AND SERGEANT AT ARMS SAYING THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TOO MUCH OF A SHOW OF FORCE AT THE BEGINNING BEFORE ANYTHING EVEN HAPPENED.

BUT PEOPLE ARE QUESTIONING, "WELL, WHY WERE YOU SO COMFORTABLE HAVING THAT SHOW OF FORCE WHEN PRIMARILY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE WERE IN THE STREETS THERE?"

>>YEAH, IT REALLY IS QUITE A JUXTAPOSITION.

WE SHOULD NOTE THAT WE'RE RECORDING THE SHOW ON THURSDAY MORNING.

SO OF COURSE THINGS CAN CHANGE BY AIRTIME.

AND YOU CAN JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA WE ARE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, FLORIDA HAS SURPASSED 23,000 COVID-19 DEATHS AS ORLANDO ICU IS NEAR CAPACITY.

THE WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE WARN THIS WEEK THAT OUR STATE FACES SIGNIFICANT FATALITIES IN THE COMING WEEKS AMID SOARING CASES NOW.

MEANWHILE, GOVERNOR DESANTIS IS FACING MORE CRITICISM FOR HIS HANDLING OF THE VACCINE ROLLOUT, INCLUDING OVER HIS REFUSAL TO PUT ESSENTIAL WORKERS, LIKE TEACHERS, AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE AS SCHOOLS RETURNED FOR THE SEMESTER.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS WAS RECENTLY ASKED IF HE'D OPEN UP VACCINATIONS TO ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

>>NOT AT THIS TIME.

ANY TEACHER THAT'S 65 OR OLDER, OR WHO MEETS OTHER CRITERIA.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE HOSPITALS HAVE THE ABILITY TO VACCINATE SOMEBODY REGARDLESS OF AGE, IF THEY'RE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO COVID.

BUT BASICALLY THIS IS FOR US, THIS IS BASED ON DATA.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE COVID MORTALITY, 65 AND UP REPRESENTS OVER 80% OF THE COVID RELATED MORTALITY IN OUR COUNTRY, AND IN OUR STATE OF FLORIDA.

IF YOU HAVE A 73-YEAR-OLD PARENT, 73-YEAR-OLD GRANDPARENT, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF STATES IN THIS COUNTRY, THEY ARE SIMPLY NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE VACCINATED.

AND WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S RIGHT.

WE BELIEVE THE SENIORS HAVE TO BE PUT FIRST.

THEY'VE DONE HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND THEY'LL CONTINUE TO DO, AND THEY SHOULD.

WE'RE DOING STAFF OF LONG-TERM CARE AS WELL AS THOSE SENIORS THERE.

BUT OUR SENIOR POPULATION DESERVES TO BE THE PRIORITY.

WE WERE THE FIRST TO COME OUT OF THE GATE ON THAT.

>>WELL, LAST WEEK I ASKED THE SUPERINTENDENT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY SCHOOLS, HOW THE DISTRICTS TEACHERS FEEL ABOUT THEIR INABILITY TO GET VACCINATED.

>>I UNDERSTAND THAT PARTICULARLY AS WE COME BACK AFTER THE HOLIDAYS, AS WE HAVE SEEN THE COVID NUMBERS INCREASE, WE CAN'T CAN'T DENY THAT IN ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION, THAT WE HAVE STAFF MEMBERS, TEACHERS, BUS, DRIVERS, CAFETERIA WORKERS, WHO ARE FRIGHTENED AND NERVOUS ABOUT COMING BACK FACE-TO-FACE.

WHAT I WANT TO REASSURE THEM IS THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO MAINTAIN OUR SAFETY PROTOCOLS.

WE ARE WELL-STOCKED WITH FACE COVERINGS AND HAND SANITIZER, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE PROVISIONS IN PLACE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWING SAFETY PROTOCOLS.

I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW.

I ALSO I'M JOINED MY FELLOW SUPERINTENDENTS AND OTHERS ACROSS THE STATE ADVOCATING FOR THE FACT THAT EDUCATORS ARE FRONTLINE ESSENTIAL WORKERS, AND TO KEEP OUR SCHOOLS OPEN IT'S SO, SO, SO IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE VACCINATIONS AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN GET THEM.

CERTAINLY THE SUPPLY CHAIN RIGHT NOW IS LIMITED, AND OBVIOUSLY WE WANT OUR 65 AND OLDER FOLKS TO BE SAFE, BUT WE DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE ROLE THAT OUR EDUCATORS HAVE PLAYED SINCE MARCH TO CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR KIDS.

AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT ACCESS AS SOON AS WE CAN.

WE'RE ALSO IN PARTNERSHIP OR CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR LOCAL MEDICAL PROVIDERS TO SEE IF, AS SOON AS THAT GATE OPENS, WE CAN PRIORITIZE GETTING PEOPLE SCHEDULED FOR VACCINATIONS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S START THIS DISCUSSION OFF WITH YOU, ABE.

WE'VE HEARD THE GOVERNOR SAY OVER AND OVER THAT THE CDC IS NOW FOLLOWING FLORIDA'S LEAD IN PUSHING FOR ALL PEOPLE OVER 65 TO BE VACCINATED.

WE GET THAT.

BUT HE'S STILL NOT RECOMMENDING VACCINES FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

SO IS THERE A RISK TO NOT VACCINATING THOSE WORKERS WHEN THE ECONOMY AND SCHOOLS ARE FULLY OPEN?

SO ON ONE HAND, HE, AS WE KNOW, IS PUSHING FOR THESE BUSINESSES TO KEEP GOING, BUT THESE ESSENTIAL WORKERS ARE STILL NOT A PRIORITY.

>>THERE'S ABSOLUTELY A RISK.

AND WHAT YOU'VE GOT IS MULTIPLE COMPETING PUBLIC HEALTH AIMS WITH THIS.

SO TO START, GOVERNOR DESANTIS IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT WHEN HE'S SAYING 65 AND UP IS 80% OF THE MORTALITY, ROUGHLY SPEAKING.

WHAT'S EVEN MORE STUNNING WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, IT'S, IF YOU ARE OVER 85 YEARS OLD AND YOU ARE HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID, THERE'S AN 81% CHANCE THAT YOU WILL DIE.

SO THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE 65 AND UP ARE AT THE GREATEST RISK FOR HAVING A REALLY BAD OUTCOME FROM COVID-19.

AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DISINGENUOUS TO SAY THAT THE CDC IS NOW FOLLOWING FLORIDA'S LEAD BECAUSE THE CDC'S RECOMMENDATION IS NOT TO GO TO 65 AND UP.

THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN SUCH A DELAY IN GETTING VACCINES INTO FLORIDIANS AND INTO PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS ONLY HIT ABOUT 40% OF THE VACCINES THAT IT'S BEEN GIVEN, ONLY ABOUT 40% OF THEM HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO PEOPLE IN THE STATES.

BUT THE REASON WHY THE CDC IS ALSO RECOMMENDING ESSENTIAL WORKERS BE INCLUDED IN THAT IS BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT... FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH STANDPOINT, THERE ARE COMPETING GOALS.

AND THE OTHER ONE IS YOU WANT TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.

SO YOU WANT TO STOP THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ABLE TO WORK FROM HOME, WHO HAVE TO GO INTO WORK AND WHO POTENTIALLY ARE SPREADING IT, AND THE OTHER GOAL OF THIS IS TO WORK IN SOME EQUITY BECAUSE COVID-19 DOES HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

AND SO HAVING ESSENTIAL WORKERS BE LISTED IN SOME OF THE EARLIER GROUPS IS AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT VACCINE IS GETTING INTO GROUPS THAT ARE TAKING A LARGER BRUNT OF THE DEATH TOLL AS WELL.

IN ADDITION TO PEOPLE 65 AND UP, YOU ALSO WANT TO LOOK AT THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS FROM A HEALTH EQUITY STANDPOINT AS WELL.

>>YEAH.

AND THOSE NUMBERS ARE JUST ASTOUNDING.

DEANNA, ON CHANNEL 9, WE'VE DONE STORIES ALL WEEK THAT HAVE REFLECTED THE DEMAND FOR THIS VACCINE.

WE'VE SHOWN VIDEO OF THE LINES AND THE PEOPLE ARE JUST SO EAGER TO GET IT.

BUT WE'VE HEARD FROM ORANGE COUNTY AND COUNTIES REALLY ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOSPITALS AS WELL SAYING THAT THE DEMAND FOR THE VACCINE REALLY EXCEEDS THE AVAILABLE DOSES THAT THEY'RE GETTING.

WE'VE ASKED LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS, WHAT'S NEXT?

HOW DO WE DO THIS BETTER?

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING AS FAR AS PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE INTERVIEWED THIS WEEK ON THAT TOPIC?

>>WELL, THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE CONFUSION COMES IN BECAUSE AS ABE STATED, WE'RE ONLY AS OF LAST NIGHT USING ABOUT 45, 46% OF ALL OF THE AVAILABLE DOSES THAT HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO THE STATE SO FAR.

BUT MANY OF THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN TELLING ME SINCE LAST WEEK THAT THEY HAVE THE STAFFING AND THE LOGISTICS TO VACCINATE FAR MORE PEOPLE THAN THEY HAVE DOSES FOR.

BUT SOME OF THE HOSPITALS ARE SAYING THE SAME THING AS WELL.

SO WHERE ARE THE MILLION OR SO DOSES THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOTTED TO FLORIDA, BUT HAVEN'T BEEN USED?

SO MANY OF THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS...

I KNOW IN OSCEOLA COUNTY, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO VACCINATE 800 PEOPLE A DAY, BUT THEY HAVEN'T VACCINATED ANYONE FOR FOUR DAYS NOW.

VOLUSIA COUNTY COULD BE DOING 35, 3,600 PEOPLE A DAY.

THEY DID 1000 FOR TWO DAYS.

SO THAT IS A CONCERN OF HEALTH OFFICIALS IS NOT ONLY DO THEY NOT HAVE ENOUGH AVAILABLE DOSES, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO CONSISTENTLY VACCINATE PEOPLE, TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO ROLL OUT APPOINTMENTS, AND TO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE LOGISTICS TO GIVE SECOND DOSES TO PEOPLE THREE TO FOUR WEEKS FROM NOW ON TOP OF HAVING TO FIGURE OUT THE LOGISTICS OF MANY, MANY MORE FIRST DOSES, BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN CONSISTENTLY VACCINATING ALONG THE LINE.

AND THEN YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE ADDITIONAL LOGISTICS OF TRYING TO REACH COMMUNITIES THAT RIGHT NOW, PARTICULARLY BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, THAT AREN'T BEING REACHED RIGHT NOW BY THE VACCINE BECAUSE OF THE PUSH TO VACCINATE PEOPLE 65 PLUS.

THERE ARE JUST MANY MORE WHITE 65 PLUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE GREATER ACCESS TO THE VACCINE, CARS, TRANSPORTATION, TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THESE DRIVE-THRU SITES.

AND SO THERE ARE MANY MORE LOGISTICS THAT ARE GOING TO GOING TO BECOME MORE COMPLICATED.

WE GET A FLOOD OF VACCINES LATER INSTEAD OF CONSISTENTLY VACCINATING NOW.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT.

>>YEAH.

AND WHAT I KEEP HEARING OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS JUST LOGISTICALLY FINDING A WAY TO GET THESE VACCINES INTO COMMUNITIES IN A WAY THAT'S MOBILE AND EFFICIENT AND SAFE, OBVIOUSLY, INSTEAD OF ASKING PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OVER THE AGE OF 65 TO SOMEHOW MAKE IT TO SOME FAIRGROUND OR A SHOPPING CENTER SOMEWHERE.

SO HOPEFULLY THEY CAN DO THAT.

RAUL PINO FROM ORANGE COUNTY SAYS EFFORTS ARE STARTING TO MOVE QUICKLY NOW WITH MORE VACCINES COMING ONLINE STATEWIDE.

HAS THERE BEEN ANY INDICATION WHEN THE BROADER POPULATION MIGHT GET A CHANCE TO BE VACCINATED?

SO WE'RE STILL OBVIOUSLY CERTAINLY IN THAT FIRST PHASE.

WHEN CAN WE SEE THE NEEDLE MOVING ON THAT DEANNA, ANY IDEAS?

>>SO EVERY TIME A DATE COMES OUT OR AN ESTIMATED TIME COMES OUT, PEOPLE KIND OF GET THEIR HOPES UP.

AND SO I HATE TO SAY LATE SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER, BECAUSE WITH HOW SLOWLY THINGS HAVE ROLLED OUT SO FAR, THAT MAY NOT BE IN THE CARDS REALLY.

I MEAN, LAST NIGHT I WAS TALKING TO AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST WHO SAID THAT WE WERE REALLY TOLD THAT THE PACE WAS GOING TO PICK UP EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANTLY THAN IT HAS IN THE SECOND WEEK OF JANUARY.

AND IF IT DOES NOT PICK UP CONSIDERABLY SOONER, THEN WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT EARLY SUMMER, MAYBE MID SUMMER, FOR THE BROADER POPULATION.

NOW, OF COURSE, THAT IS IF WE DON'T CHANGE OR HAVE ANY OF THOSE FACTORS CHANGE.

SO JUST LIKE WITH CASES, IF PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIORS, THEN THE CURVE CHANGES.

IF PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET MORE MOBILE SITES AND HAVE THE DOSES COMING IN CONSISTENTLY, IF MORE OF THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS GET FREEZERS IN TIME TO BE ABLE TO STORE BOTH TYPES OF VACCINES, THEN WE COULD SEE PEOPLE GETTING VACCINATED MORE SOON, MORE QUICKLY, BUT REALLY THAT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON HOW THE STATE GETS THESE VACCINE DOSES OUT.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE WAITING FOR IS TO BE ABLE TO GET UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON WHEN THE STATE AND HOW THE STATE IS GETTING DOSES TO DIFFERENT PLACES.

SO WE CAN SEE IN REAL TIME, WHERE ARE THESE DOSES BEING CONCENTRATED AND WHERE COULD DOSES BE GOING RIGHT NOW?

IT'S KIND OF HARD TO HAVE THAT ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION FROM THE STATE.

>>PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN IS GOING TO BE SWORN IN ON WEDNESDAY OF COURSE.

HE SAYS HIS ADMINISTRATION AIMS TO DISTRIBUTE A HUNDRED MILLION VACCINE SHOTS IN HIS INITIAL 100 DAYS IN OFFICE.

HERE'S WHAT ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS SAID ABOUT THAT THIS WEEK.

>>IF THEY CONTINUE WITH THE STRATEGY OF DISTRIBUTING THE VACCINE TO THE STATES, THEY WILL HAVE TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF DOSES THAT THEY ARE DISTRIBUTING WITHIN THE VARIOUS STATES.

AND THEN THE STATE WILL HAVE TO REDISTRIBUTE THAT INTO THE COUNTIES IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT.

I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE PREPARED IF WE SEE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE AVAILABLE SUPPLY OF THE VACCINE IN THIS COMMUNITY, WE HAVE CONTINGENCY PLANS TO BE ABLE TO RAMP UP VERY QUICKLY.

>>SO ABE, WHAT HAVE FLORIDA AND THE COUNTY SAID ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO HANDLE THE EXPECTED DIRECTIVES OF THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION?

>>WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SAY IS THAT IF WE DO SEE A SIGNIFICANT RAMP UP IN VACCINATIONS, WE ARE EXPECTING THE COUNTIES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JERRY DEMINGS IS KIND OF HINTING AT THERE IS SORT OF THE WAY THAT WHEN THEY DID THE CARES ACT FUNDING, THEY HAD POOLS OF MONEY THAT WERE GOING TO THE STATE.

AND THEN THEY HAD POOLS OF MONEY THAT WENT TO LARGER COUNTIES AND LARGER GOVERNMENTS THAT WERE ABLE TO HAVE THE STAFF AND THE ABILITY TO TAKE A LARGE POT OF MONEY AND THEN DO ALL THE ADMINISTRATION TO GET THAT DIVVIED OUT TO THE CITIZENS.

AND I THINK WHAT JERRY DEMINGS IS TRYING TO KIND OF HINT AT THERE IS THAT YOU MIGHT SEE A CHANGE IN THE WAY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS DISTRIBUTING THE VACCINE TO NOT JUST BE DELIVERING DOSES TO THE STATE AND HAVING THE STATE ACT AS THE SORT OF CENTRAL COMMAND TO DISTRIBUTE IT OUT TO THE REST OF THE DIFFERENT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND TO PUBLIX AND ALL THE OTHER DIFFERENT HOSPITALS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO YOU MIGHT SEE A CHANGE IN THE WAY THE VACCINES ARE SORT OF HANDLED FROM A LOGISTICAL STANDPOINT, AND THE BIGGEST WILDCARD WITH THIS IS GOING TO BE THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE.

BECAUSE THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE CAN BE A ONE DOSE VACCINE.

AND THERE'S SOME PRELIMINARY DATA THAT'S COMING OUT ON THAT.

AND IF THAT VACCINE ENDS UP GETTING FDA EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION, WE'VE HEARD THE GOVERNOR TALK ABOUT MAYBE TAKING THAT JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE, AND DROPPING IT INTO CENTRAL LOCATIONS, LIKE EVEN MAJOR EMPLOYERS LIKE DISNEY AND DROPPING THOUSANDS OF DOSES AND HAVING THEM START VACCINATING ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

SO THAT COULD BE THE BIG WILD CARD WITH THIS IS IF WE START HAVING THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON ONE THAT HAS A MUCH BETTER CAPACITY TO MANUFACTURE LARGE NUMBERS OF VACCINE, AND IT'S MUCH LESS OF A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE TRYING TO GET TWO DOSES, THEN WE MIGHT START SEEING A BIG RAMP UP IN THE VACCINATION PROGRAMS.

>>AND ABE, JUST BRIEFLY, IF YOU CAN, YOU'VE BEEN REPORTING ON SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDER 65 HERE IN FLORIDA, WHO'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET A HOLD OF VACCINES.

HOW IS THAT HAPPENING?

>>SO WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN A HOSPITAL...

IN PARTICULAR THE GENTLEMAN I TALKED TO WHO WAS ABLE TO GET ONE, HE GOT IT FROM ORLANDO HEALTH BECAUSE, WHEN THEY OPEN A VILE OF THE MODERNA'S VACCINE, IT HAS 10 DOSES AND THEY HAVE TO USE THOSE 10 DOSES WITHIN SIX HOURS.

AND SO IF PEOPLE DON'T SHOW UP FOR AN APPOINTMENT, THEN YOU'VE GOT VACCINE THAT'S SITTING AROUND.

AND THE HOSPITAL HAS SAID, "WE ARE TRYING TO STAY WITHIN THE GOVERNOR'S DIRECTIVES TO GET THESE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE 65 AND UP."

BUT THEY'VE ALSO SAID VERY SPECIFICALLY, "IF IT COMES DOWN TO IT AND THE CHOICE IS TO TAKE THE VACCINE AND WASTE IT AND NO ONE GETS IT OR GIVE IT TO SOMEONE WHO IS UNDER 65 OR DOESN'T HAVE HEALTH CONDITIONS, AND MAYBE IT DOESN'T FIT INTO THOSE EARLY GROUPS, THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE IT TO THOSE PEOPLE.

AND ANYONE WHO CAN SAVE FROM GETTING IT IS GOING TO BE A PLUS >>FOR SURE YOU DON'T WANT VACCINES GOING TO WASTE.

DEFINITELY.

AND YOU CAN FIND LINKS TO YOUR COUNTY'S COVID-19 VACCINATION INFORMATION SITE AND THE LINK TO A LIST OF EVERY HOSPITAL IN FLORIDA THAT'S ADMINISTERING THE VACCINE ON OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND LINKS THERE TO THE VACCINATION PROGRAMS AT ORLANDO HEALTH, PUBLIX, AND TRUE HEALTH.

NANCY.

>>ALL RIGHT.

SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT, BUT WE ARE OUT OF TIME FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO ABE, ABORAYA OF 90.7, WMFE AND HEALTH NEWS, FLORIDA, AND DEANNA ALLBRITTIN FROM WFTV CHANNEL 9.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 RIGHT HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.