>> THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, OUTLINING STEPS TO IMPROVE COVID-19 IMMUNIZATION.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAYS HE WANTS TO SEE COMPETITION BETWEEN HOSPITALS ADMINISTERING VACCINES.

AND COUNTY LEVEL VACCINATION EFFORTS FACE LOGISTICAL HEADACHES AS DEMAND GROWS AMID A SPIKE IN CASES.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ HELLO, I'M NANCY ALVAREZ AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US AND WHAT A SHOW WE HAVE FOR THE FIRST ONE OF THE NEW YEAR.

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

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK, GREG ANGEL FROM SPECTRUM NEWS 13 AND RENATA SAGO, INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING BACK TO US.

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

>> THANK YOU NANCY.

BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT VACCINES, WE SHOULD DISCUSS THE REACTION LOCALLY TO THE EVENTS THIS WEEK IN WASHINGTON DC AND GEORGIA.

AMID THE CHAOS AS RIOTERS STORMED THE CAPITOL BUILDING, FLORIDA, SENATOR MARCO RUBIO TWEETED THE FOLLOWING.

THERE IS NOTHING PATRIOTIC ABOUT WHAT IS OCCURRING ON CAPITOL HILL.

THIS IS THIRD WORLD STYLE, ANTI AMERICAN ANARCHY.

AND SENATOR RICK SCOTT TWEETED, EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO PEACEFULLY PROTEST.

NO ONE HAS A RIGHT TO COMMIT VIOLENCE.

WHAT HAPPENED TODAY AT THE CAPITOL IS DISGRACEFUL AND UN-AMERICAN, IT IS NOT WHAT OUR COUNTRY STANDS FOR.

AND ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF JOHN MINA RELEASED THIS VIDEO CALLING THE STORMING OF THE CAPITOL, DOMESTIC TERRORISM.

>> TO HAVE PEOPLE BREAK IN AND CAUSE VIOLENCE AND DISRUPT THE DEMOCRACY OF OUR NATION IS REALLY DEPLORABLE AND THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

I'M SURE THEY WILL, BUT IT'S DOMESTIC TERRORISM.

IT'S NOT A PROTEST.

SO I GUESS MY MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF ORANGE COUNTY IS THAT, LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS ACROSS THE NATION, MY COLLEAGUES HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, WE'RE UPSET.

JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND NOT LET THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY HAPPEN HERE OR CONTINUE.

>> AND ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR, JERRY DEMINGS DESCRIBED HOW HE WAS ON AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER WAITING FOR NEWS FROM HIS WIFE, CONGRESSWOMAN VAL DEMINGS, WHO WAS INSIDE THE CAPITOL.

AND ORLANDO DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN DARREN SOTO DESCRIBED TO NEWSNIGHT HIS EXPERIENCE DURING THE SIEGE.

>> I COULD HEAR BANGING ON THE DOORS OF THE HOUSE CHAMBER.

AND I THOUGHT AT FIRST IT WAS CAPITOL POLICE COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER, BUT IT WAS IN FACT, THESE DOMESTIC TERRORISTS WHO WERE TRYING TO INTERRUPT OUR TRANSFER OF POWER.

WE WERE EVENTUALLY ASKED TO PULL OUT OUR GAS MASKS.

WE HEARD A POP POP, POP, POP, POP SOUND, AND IT WAS FLASH BANG EQUIPMENT TO DISPERSE THESE INSURRECTIONISTS AS WELL AS TEAR GAS.

EVENTUALLY WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THE CAPITOL POLICE SECURE ONE WAY OUT OF THE CHAMBER AND DOWN THE STAIRS TO THE BASEMENT TO GET US TO A SECURE LOCATION.

WHEN WE WERE WALKING THROUGH, THEY ALREADY HAD ON THE GROUND SEVERAL OF THESE DOMESTIC TERRORISTS WHO LOOKED AT US LIKE THEY WANTED TO TAKE US OUT.

IT'S INCREDIBLE THAT THERE WEREN'T SHOTS FIRED TO DEFEND THE HOUSE AND SENATE CHAMBERS.

WHEN YOU HAVE ARMED FOLKS RUNNING TO THE DOOR TO STOP THE TRANSFER OF POWER, IT'S INCREDIBLE THAT THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH RESOURCES GIVEN.

BUT WE HAVE AN INCOMING NEW PRESIDENT IN BIDEN WHO UNDERSTANDS THE DEEP GRAVITY OF WHAT'S HAPPENED YESTERDAY.

AND WE ARE RESOLVED TO SECURE THE CAPITOL AND OUR DEMOCRACY FOR THE FUTURE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP THROUGH HIS INCITING OF INSURRECTION OF THE CAPITOL IS A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO OUR DEMOCRACY.

I WHOLLY SUPPORT HIS REMOVAL BY THE 25TH AMENDMENT OR BY IMPEACHMENT.

HE CANNOT SERVE ANOTHER TWO WEEKS.

NOW WE KNOW THESE ARE THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE.

THEY AREN'T SWIFT.

THERE'S A POSSIBILITY HE MAY BE ABLE TO HANG ON FOR THESE NEXT TWO WEEKS, BUT OUR MILITARY, OUR INSTITUTIONS HAVE TO REALIZE JUST WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES INCITED AN INSURRECTION AGAINST THE CONGRESS TO STOP THE PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER.

THIS IS A DAY YESTERDAY THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY, MUCH LIKE PEARL HARBOR.

AND PEOPLE WILL THINK, HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS RELEGATED TO THE HISTORY BOOKS, ARMED INSURRECTIONS OF THE CAPITOL.

BUT THIS HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6TH 2021 AND WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PURSUE THE REFORMS TO SECURE OUR CAPITOL AND OUR DEMOCRACY AND WE HAVE A WORKING GOVERNMENT TO DO IT.

>> AND OF COURSE, ALL THIS CAME AFTER THE DEMOCRATS WINS IN GEORGIA SENATE RACES.

I ASKED ORLANDO STATE REPRESENTATIVE ANNA ESKAMANI WHAT LESSONS THE FLORIDA DEMOCRATS CAN LEARN FROM THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN GEORGIA.

>> FLORIDA HAS STACEY ABRAMS-LIKE LEADERS HERE IN FLORIDA, BUT WE DON'T INVEST IN THEM AND WE SIDELINE THEM.

THERE ARE SO MANY INCREDIBLE ORGANIZERS ON THE GROUND EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT COMMIT THEMSELVES TO VOTER REGISTRATION, VOTER OUTREACH.

THEY'RE CAMPAIGNING ON BOLD ISSUES AND THEY'RE NOT SUGARCOATING POLICY.

THEY'RE DIVING INTO THE WEEDS WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

THEY'RE NOT THE ONES THAT ARE LIFTED UP TIME AND TIME AGAIN, CORPORATE DEMOCRATS AND MODERATE DEMOCRATS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE PUT IN PEDESTAL.

AND THERE'S SO MUCH TRANSACTIONAL CAMPAIGNING WHERE ALL THIS MONEY IS SPENT ON TV COMMERCIALS AND MAILERS, BUT THERE'S NOT ACTUALLY RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.

WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THAT STACEY ABRAMS AND HER LEADERSHIP ALONGSIDE SO MANY OTHERS IN GEORGIA, IT'S BEEN 10 YEARS OF NONSTOP ORGANIZING, OF EXPANDING THE ELECTORATE, OF BUILDING POWER.

>> ALL RIGHT.

A LOT TO GET TO HERE, LET'S START WITH WASHINGTON.

AND WE WANT TO REMIND OUR VIEWERS THAT WE TAPE THE SHOW ON THURSDAY AND IT AIRS ON FRIDAY NIGHT.

SO A LOT COULD HAPPEN.

GREG, WE'RE SEEING RESIGNATIONS AT THE WHITE HOUSE AND DISCUSSION OF THE PRESIDENT'S FUTURE.

WHAT REACTION HAVE YOU SEEN FROM POLITICAL LEADERS IN FLORIDA AND FLORIDA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO THE EVENTS THIS WEEK.

AND JUST AS WE WERE RECORDING THIS MARCO RUBIO STARTED TWEETING AGAIN.

>> YEAH.

AND AS STEVE WAS POINTING OUT, WE'VE BEEN HEARING THE STRONGEST OF TERMS FROM REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CONDEMNING THE ACTIONS OF THE RAID, THE SIEGE, WHATEVER IT IS YOU WANT TO CALL OF THE ACTIONS ON THE US CAPITOL.

THE DEMOCRATS THOUGH, ALSO CALLING OUT SAYING THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING OF REPUBLICAN STOKING THE SMOKE AND FLAMES FOR SOME TIME, THE RHETORIC OF THE BASELESS LIES.

AND SO THEY ARE POINTING OUT SAYING ACTIONS AND WORDS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.

AND THAT'S WHY ACTIONS AND WORDS OF LEADERS MATTER.

YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT SENATOR MARCO RUBIO WHO TWEETED EARLY THURSDAY MORNING, ACTUALLY CALLING OUT MEMBERS OF HIS OWN PARTY, SAYING SOME HAD MISLED THEIR FOLLOWERS AND ARE NOW USING THIS SIMPLY TO FUNDRAISE.

TO USE THIS WHAT SOMEONE CALLED A TERRORIST ATTACK, DOMESTIC TERRORIST ATTACK.

SOME REPUBLICANS ARE NOW USING IT TO FUNDRAISE.

THE WORDS OF A REPUBLICAN SENATOR MARCO RUBIO, BUT AT THE END, NANCY, WHAT THIS IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THE POLITICAL CONTEXT IS TRUTH MATTERS, FACTS MATTER AND LEADERS, WHAT THEY SAY AND HOW THEY SAY IT MATTERS A LOT.

AND LET'S KEEP IN MIND, CAPITOL POLICE CONFIRMING THAT NOT ONLY WAS THIS A SIEGE AND RAID, BUT FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED.

ONE WOMAN, A SUPPORTER OF THE PRESIDENT WHILE RAIDING THE CAPITOL WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY CAPITOL POLICE.

AND THREE OTHERS HAD HEALTH RELATED DEATHS AS WELL.

SO THIS IS VERY SERIOUS AND A VERY CONCERN FOR THE AMERICAN POPULATION AND LAWMAKERS ALIKE.

>> YEAH.

YOU MENTIONED MARCO RUBIO THERE IN TERMS OF REACTION AND YOU MENTIONED WORDS MATTER.

AND LET'S TALK ABOUT SENATOR SCOTT AS WELL, WHO ALSO TOOK A STANCE ON ALL OF THIS.

AND YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT WITH EVERY WORD, WITH EVERY TWEET, THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT THEIR OWN POLITICAL FUTURE IN ALL OF THIS, GREG.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND THE ONE THING THAT WHEN TALKING WITH POLITICAL DIRECTORS AND CANDIDATES AND VOTERS IS I QUESTION, HOW LONG TERM OF A MEMORY DO VOTERS HAVE?

THE NEXT MAJOR ELECTION COMING UP IN 2022, THERE'S GOING TO BE A SENATE RACE, A GUBERNATORIAL RACE.

A SENATE RACE THAT'LL BE MARCO RUBIO, BUT WILL LIFE BE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO WHERE VOTERS WILL FORGIVE WHATEVER'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST AND FLIP THE NEW PAGE AS SENATOR MARCO RUBIO SAYS IT'S TIME TO DO WITH THE BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION.

OR WILL VOTERS REMEMBER THIS AND WILL THEY HOLD ELECTED LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE?

KEEP IN MIND, LOOK AT THE GEORGIA SENATE RACE, WE HAD SEEN AGAIN THE ONGOING BASIS, LIES AND THE RHETORIC AND SO FORTH.

BUT LOOK AT HOW NARROW THE ELECTION RESULTS WERE THERE.

THE OTHER THING THAT SENATOR RICK SCOTT SPECIFICALLY IS GOING TO GET CRITICISM ON IS THE ONE THING THAT MOTIVATED THIS MOB AND HIS CROWD IN DC ON WEDNESDAY WERE THE ACTIONS TO CONTEST SOME OF THE STATE ELECTORAL VOTES.

AND WHILE THERE WERE NO VOTES TO CONTEST ARIZONA, LATE INTO THE PROCESS AND THE EARLY MORNING HOUR OF THURSDAY, FLORIDA, SENATOR RICK SCOTT VOTED YES TO CONTEST PENNSYLVANIA'S ELECTORAL VOTE.

SO AGAIN, IT THEN GOES RIGHT BACK INTO FEEDING THE FRENZY, IF YOU WILL.

>> OBVIOUSLY WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF DIVISION AMONGST POLITICIANS HERE IN FLORIDA, WHETHER THEY SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT OR WHETHER THEY'RE SORT OF IN THE MORE ESTABLISHMENT WING OF THE PARTY.

I WONDER IF IT GIVES THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN FIRMLY BEHIND THE PRESIDENT AN ESCAPE RAMP HERE TO SORT OF MOVE FORWARD AND HOW DOES THAT PLAY AS WE MOVE INTO 2022 TO 2024?

>> THE QUESTION NOW FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY GOING FORWARD, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE FOUR YEARS AND ESPECIALLY THE EVENTS OF THIS WEEK, IS WILL THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TRANSFORM INTO SOMETHING NEW?

TAKE A STEP BACK, BECOME MORE OF A MITT ROMNEY REBULICAN PARTY AGAIN OR A GEB BUSH KIND OF REPUBLICAN PARTY?

OR WILL IT IN SOME WAYS REMAIN A PARTY OF ONE FOCUSED ON A SINGULAR PERSON?

>> SO ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT ELECTORAL POLICIES AND MARCO RUBIO AND RICK SCOTT, WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN SEEING A CERTAIN TURNOUT.

FOR EXAMPLE, MARCO RUBIO WE KNOW THAT HE'S CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE.

AND SO THE RECENT TURNOUT, EVEN WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED IN GEORGIA DEFINITELY AFFECTS BASICALLY HIS POLITICAL TRAJECTORY.

ALL OF THESE YEARS, HE'S BEEN INVESTING IN CERTAIN ISSUES RELATED TO CUBA, NICARAGUA.

>> YEAH.

AND RENATA WE HAVE ALREADY HAD GEORGIA COME UP JUST IN OUR OWN DISCUSSION HERE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MINUTES.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, WE HEARD REPRESENTATIVE ANNA ESKAMANI TALK ABOUT HOW GEORGIA COULD BE A ROADMAP FOR FLORIDA DEMOCRATS.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY DOUBT THAT BOTH SIDES WILL BE DISECTING WHAT WENT DOWN IN GEORGIA AND HOW EVERYTHING CHANGED THERE, BUT FLORIDA HAS DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

CAN WHAT HAPPENED IN GEORGIA HAPPEN HERE?

>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

WHAT WE CAN SAY ABOUT GEORGIA IS THAT ITS POPULATION IS HALF OF FLORIDA IN TERMS OF BLACK PEOPLE IN GEORGIA, ABOUT A THIRD OF THE POPULATION OF GEORGIA IS BLACK.

HERE IN FLORIDA WE'VE GOT A HISTORY OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT.

SO THE GREAT THING ABOUT STACEY ABRAMS' WORK, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EXPANDING A POPULACE, RIGHT?

WHETHER IT'S FOR DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS, GEORGIA HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN EXPANDING A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T VOTING TO BEGIN WITH TO BECOME A PART OF THE POLITICAL PROCESS.

HERE IN FLORIDA, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE NEWLY RE-ENFRANCHISED AND MANY OF WHOM WHO ARE NOT.

WE'VE GOT WITHIN OUR LATINO COMMUNITY, A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NO PARTY AFFILIATED VOTERS IN A CLOSED PRIMARY STATE.

AND EVEN WITHIN THE LATINO COMMUNITY, THERE ARE MANY NUANCES BETWEEN CUBANS AND PUERTO RICAN'S.

SO THERE ARE SOME STRATEGIES THAT FLORIDA DEMOCRATS COULD TOTALLY IMPLEMENT HERE, BUT THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT STATE WITH A DIFFERENT POLITICAL CONTEXT.

AND ACTUALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT APPROACHES ON THE GROUND GEORGIA DEMOCRATS HAVE TAKEN MORE MODERATE APPROACHES COMPARED TO THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL PARTY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO WOO MORE PEOPLE.

SO IT'S JUST A REALLY INTERESTING COMPARISON OF BOTH STATES AND IT'S NOT BLACK AND WHITE HERE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND AS NANCY MENTIONED, WE SHOULD NOTE THAT WE'RE RECORDING THE SHOW ON THURSDAY MORNING.

SO OF COURSE THINGS CAN CHANGE BY THE TIME WE GO TO AIR.

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

>> ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, A MASSIVE DEMAND FOR VACCINATIONS AS FLORIDA RECORDS ITS SECOND LARGEST ONE DAY INCREASE IN CASES SINCE THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC BEGAN.

AS HOSPITALS RECEIVE MORE VACCINE DOSES, THE GOVERNOR THIS WEEK SAID HE WANTED TO SEE QUOTE, HEALTHY COMPETITION BETWEEN PROVIDERS TO GET THEM TO THE PUBLIC.

AND HE WARNED HOSPITALS, NOT DOING A GOOD JOB OF ADMINISTERING DOSES, COULD HAVE THEIR ALLOTMENTS TRANSFERRED TO OTHER FACILITIES.

>> WE REALLY VIEW THE HOSPITALS AS THE FRONTLINE ON THIS.

THEY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THEY HAVE THE EXPERTISE AND THEY HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> DESANTIS HAS ORDERED HOSPITALS TO PROVIDE THE STATE WITH THEIR PLANS FOR ADMINISTERING THE VACCINE.

>> WE DO NOT WANT VACCINE TO JUST BE IDLE AT SOME HOSPITAL SYSTEM.

>> THE STATE SAYS IT HAS A FOUR PRONGED PLAN TO IMPROVE DISTRIBUTION.

OPENING ADDITIONAL STATE SUPPORTED VACCINATION SITES, INCLUDING CONVERTING SOME TESTING SITES INTO VACCINATION CENTERS.

DEPLOYING VACCINES TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, ADDING STAFF TO EXISTING VACCINATION EFFORTS BY HIRING A THOUSAND CONTRACT NURSES STATEWIDE.

AND ACCELERATING EFFORTS BY FEDERAL CONTRACTORS, CVS AND WALGREENS AT LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS THE FLORIDA DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL ASSUME ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AT ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES AMID CRITICISM FROM STATE OFFICIALS OVER THE VACCINE ROLLOUT TO RESIDENTS, ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE STATE'S LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES HAVE RECEIVED VACCINES.

>> FROM THE NURSING HOME PERSPECTIVE.

WE ARE SEEING THOSE VACCINES CLINICS SCHEDULED.

I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY, BUT WE WERE TOLD THAT THE NURSING HOMES WOULD BE FIRST IN, WOULD BE THE PRIORITY.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING HAPPENING.

>> COUNTY-LEVEL EFFORTS HAVE BEEN DOGGED BY PROBLEMS THIS WEEK FROM CRASHING SIGNUP WEBSITES TO VACCINATION LOCATIONS HITTING CAPACITY HOURS BEFORE OPENING.

OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL, LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENTS, THE OVER 65S AND THOSE DEEMED EXTREMELY VULNERABLE BY HOSPITALS.

BUT EVEN THOUGH SCHOOLS REOPENED THIS WEEK, TEACHERS WILL NOT BE AMONG THOSE EARLY VACCINE RECIPIENTS, DESPITE PLEAS FROM UNIONS.

>> IF THE GOVERNOR IS SO INTENT ON HAVING FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES, HE REALLY SHOULD PRIORITIZE TEACHERS.

THEY'RE CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

AND IN OTHER STATES, THEY ARE NEXT IN LINE AFTER THE HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND THOSE IN HOMES AND THOSE OVER 75 TO HAVE THE VACCINE, BUT NOT IN FLORIDA.

>> MEANWHILE, THE TSA REPORTED ITS BUSIEST TRAVEL DAY SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN.

AT THE SAME TIME AS FLORIDA BECAME THE THIRD STATE TO DETECT A CASE OF THE UK VARIANT OF COVID-19.

THE NEW VARIANT IS BELIEVED TO BE UP TO 70% MORE TRANSMISSIBLE AND HAS FORCED A NEW NATIONAL LOCKDOWN IN ENGLAND, INCLUDING THE CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS.

AND ANOTHER A BIG HEADLINE THIS WEEK THAT WE WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT ANNOUNCEMENT THAT 22 PUBLIX PHARMACIES IN MARION, CITRUS, AND HERNANDO COUNTIES HERE IN FLORIDA WILL ADMINISTER VACCINE THAT'S ALL PART OF A PILOT PROGRAM, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

COULD THEN BE EXPANDED TO ALL OF OUR PUBLIX PHARMACIES IF IT GOES WELL IN THOSE COUNTIES.

SO WE'LL SEE.

RENATA, FLORIDA HAS DIVERGED FROM FEDERAL GUIDELINES ON WHO SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR VACCINATION.

AND YOU HEARD THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE TEACHER'S UNION THERE.

WHY DOES THE STATE SAY IT'S NOT PRIORITIZING ESSENTIAL WORKERS LIKE TEACHERS AND GROCERY STORE EMPLOYEES.

LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.

>> BACK IN OCTOBER, THE STATE SUBMITTED A 50 PAGE VACCINATION PLAN.

A LOT OF NUMBERS IN THIS PLAN AND BASICALLY THE BIGGEST, IT'S FUNNY IF YOU DO A SEARCH IN THE DOCUMENT AND YOU TYPE TEACHERS, IT DOES NOT APPEAR AT ALL IN 50 PAGES.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS THEY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE MEDICALLY VULNERABLE.

THAT MEANS PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINES.

THESE ARE ABOUT A MILLION HEALTHCARE WORKERS, ANYTHING FROM PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, NURSES THEMSELVES.

THEN WE'VE GOT ABOUT 200,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES AND RESIDING IN THESE FACILITIES.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAS MAINTAINED THAT 80% OF THE CASES HERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE BETWEEN 65 AND 75, A LITTLE BIT OLDER.

AND SO WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT GROUP.

THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT BEING CONSIDERED.

>> AND GREG, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN SAYING ABOUT ALL OF THIS.

THIS WEEK HE SAID, QUOTE, 'THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A HITCH IN THE GIDDY-UP.'

BUT EMERGENCY MANAGER, JARED MOSCOWITZ TOLD THE SENTINEL THAT COVID-19 VACCINATION SYSTEMS ARE QUOTE, 'NOT MEETING THE MOMENT.'

AND AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER, NIKKI FRIED HAS DESCRIBED THE ROLLOUT AS QUOTE 'BOTCHED.'

SO DIFFERENT PERCEPTIONS THERE OF HOW THINGS ARE GOING.

WHAT ISSUES ARE WE SEEING ON THE STATE AND COUNTY LEVELS?

AND OF COURSE WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THOSE SENIORS IN VOLUSIA COUNTY, SPENDING THE NIGHT IN THEIR CARS.

>> AND LITERALLY CAMPING OUT AND KEEP IN MIND THAT IS AN IMAGE THAT GOVERNOR DESANTIS LIKE SOME OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT TROUBLES, HE ACTUALLY FIRST BRUSHED OFF IN A BACK AND FORTH WITH A REPORTER IN MIAMI.

HOURS AFTER THAT, THE GOVERNOR ESSENTIALLY SAID IT'S NOT HAPPENING.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND IS REALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS, LOOK RIGHT NOW WE'RE ALLOWING 65 AND OLDER PLUS SELECT FRONTLINE WORKERS TO GET THE VACCINE THAT ACCOUNTS FOR OVER 4.4 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE 4.4 MILLION DOSES TO ADMINISTER.

FAIR POINT.

WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO TO GET THE FULL DOSAGE.

BUT THE ISSUE AT HAND AND THE CRITICISM THAT I'M HEARING FROM PEOPLE ON THE GROUND IS THE FACT, AGAIN, POINTING BACK TO THE GOVERNOR, THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO BE IN CHARGE.

THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO TAKE THE LEAD AND CALL THE SHOTS.

BUT THEN IN THE SAME BREATH, HE IS PUSHING THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE OPERATIONS ONTO OTHERS LIKE THE HOSPITALS AND SO FORTH.

SO NOBODY KNOWS WHO IS IN CHARGE.

NOBODY KNOWS WHO TO LOOK FOR AND NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON.

AND THAT IS WHY EACH SELECT COUNTY IS FIGURING OUT THEIR OWN PROCESS OF APPOINTMENTS ONLY.

DO THEY JUST SHOW UP FIRST, COME FIRST SERVE.

THEN YOU CONSIDER THE CLASS OF INDIVIDUALS, NOT ALL THOSE 65 AND ABOVE ARE REALLY MEDICALLY IN NEED OR SENIOR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

BUT ALSO NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE INTERNET.

NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE CAPABILITY OF GOING ONLINE AND GETTING AN APPOINTMENT, WHICH ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

WHEN THE PUBLIX'S APPOINTMENT SYSTEM OPENED UP THURSDAY MORNING, IT WAS ONLY OPEN FOR A SHORT TIME BEFORE ALL OF THOSE APPOINTMENTS WERE CLAIMED.

I DID TALK RECENTLY WITH CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, JIMMY PATRONIS.

HE WAS WITH THE GOVERNOR EARLIER THIS WEEK IN THE PANHANDLE, TALK ABOUT USING CHURCHES TO HELP DISTRIBUTE THE VACCINE.

AND HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT, WHILE PUBLIX IS TRYING TO GET INTO THE GAME, IT WAS KIND OF JOKED WHY NOT CHICK-FIL-A?

CHICK-FIL-A KNOWS HOW TO RUN KIND OF THE DRIVE-THROUGH LANES.

SO, IN THAT CHEEKINESS IS ALSO THE SERIOUSNESS OF FIGURING IT OUT.

AS THE GOVERNOR SAYS, THE STATE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO RUN THIS.

SO WHERE CAN PRIVATE BUSINESS IN FLORIDA STEP UP AND HELP OUT?

AT LEAST THAT'S THE ONE ADMISSION FROM THE GOVERNOR IS THEY ARE HAVING TO RELY ON OTHER FOLKS.

THE QUESTION IS, WHO'S DRIVING THE CAR RIGHT NOW.

>> YEAH.

STATE SENATOR LINDA STEWART WROTE GOVERNOR DESANTIS THIS WEEK IN HER LETTER, SHE WROTE, THIS IS NOT WORKING FOR OUR CITIZENS.

CONTRARY TO YOUR CLAIM THERE HAS BEEN A MAJOR HITCH IN THE GIDDY-UP, ABOUT 870,000 UNUSED VACCINE DOSES ACCORDING TO THE CDC, AWAITING THE ARMS OF FLORIDIANS.

CURRENTLY BLOCKED FROM THE RECEIVING THEM AS A RESULT OF YOUR ADMINISTRATION'S POOR PLANNING, POOR DISTRIBUTION, OR POOR WEBSITE TECHNOLOGY.

GREG, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF CONFUSION AND MISCOMMUNICATION HERE.

AS YOU MENTIONED, GOVERNOR DESANTIS HIMSELF GAVE OUT AN INCORRECT WEBSITE ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC ON MONDAY.

I MEAN, WHAT HAVE PEOPLE BEEN TELLING YOU ABOUT THE PROBLEMS IN GETTING APPOINTMENTS?

THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> WELL, THAT'S REALLY...

THE MAIN ISSUE, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE SIMPLY CAN'T GET THROUGH AND WHAT YOU HAVE.

AND AGAIN, IT'S THE FLASHBACK TO THE UNEMPLOYMENT STUFF NOBODY COULD EVER GET THROUGH.

AND SO IT'S TWO FOLD.

PEOPLE ARE ANXIOUS AND STRESSED FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

THEY'RE BEING TOLD, HEY, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU.

THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

WELL, THEY TRIED TO GO AND DO THAT AND THEY CAN'T GET THROUGH, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY ANSWERS.

AND SO THAT IS WHY WE WERE SEEING THE TURNOUT THAT NANCY WAS TALKING ABOUT.

LITERALLY SENIORS WAITING IN THREE-MILE-LONG CARS OVER NIGHT, CAMPING OUT IN THEIR CARS TO TRY JUST HOPE TO GET A VACCINE AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO BE TURNED AWAY.

SO IT'S THE CHAOS AND THE CONFUSION ADDING ON TOP OF THE STRESS AND ANXIETY.

AND AGAIN, AS THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID, LOOK, WE NEED PATIENTS.

THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE.

IT'S A SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUE AT THIS POINT.

BUT PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATED.

THEY ARE READY FOR 2021 TO BE A BETTER YEAR, BUT ALREADY IT'S 2020 2.0.

>> YEAH, AND AS GREG MENTIONED THE PROBLEMS EARLIER THIS WEEK FACING THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WEBSITE AND PHONE LINE SYSTEMS SPARKED MEMORIES OF THE RECENT DEBACLE INVOLVING THE STATE'S EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS PORTAL.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS BEFORE WE GO.

AND GREG LET'S LOOK AT THE CONFUSION OVER THOSE EXTENDED BENEFITS.

IF PEOPLE DID NOT EXHAUST THE ORIGINAL BENEFITS THAT EXPIRED ON DECEMBER 26TH, CAN THEY STILL REQUEST THEM AND HOW DO THEY DO SO?

>> YEAH.

AND THIS IS ACTUALLY A CRUCIAL THING AND IT'S ALL THE TERMINOLOGY WHICH ADDS TO IT.

SO THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED EXTENDED BENEFITS.

THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL WEEKS REQUIRED BY LAW, THAT STATES WHEN THEY GET FEDERAL MONEY WILL DISTRIBUTE BECAUSE OF STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ONLINE THIS SUMMER, IN DECEMBER THEY JUST GOT THAT ONLINE.

THAT IS OFFICIALLY CALLED EXTENDED BENEFITS.

SEPARATELY, AS WE SAW IN THIS NEW ROUND OF $900 BILLION OF CARES ACT FUNDING THAT WILL PROVIDE AT LEAST UP TO 10 WEEKS OF $300 PER WEEK.

SO WHAT DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IS TELLING FOLKS AT THIS POINT, THAT IF YOU DID NOT RUN OUT OF ALL THE MONEY ELIGIBLE BY DECEMBER 26TH, YOU SHOULD START SEEING A LINK ON YOUR CONNECT ACCOUNT.

YOU CAN FILL THAT OUT.

IT'S GOING TO ASK FOR A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, BUT YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND DO A WHOLE NEW CLAIM.

IF YOU HAD ALREADY RUN OUT OF MONEY, RUN OUT OF BENEFITS BY THE TIME DECEMBER 26TH HIT, DEO SAYS, "HANG TIGHT, THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON THE SYSTEM.

A LINK SHOULD BE COMING ALONG."

WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU ARE STILL OUT OF WORK, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY GET WHAT IS OWED TO YOU.

DEO IS ALSO STILL DEALING WITH A NUMBER OF CLAIMS WHERE PEOPLE ARE ONLY GETTING PARTIAL PAYMENTS INSTEAD OF FULL AMOUNTS OF WHAT'S OWED.

SO FOR THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES OUT THERE, THERE ARE STILL ISSUES.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE HOUNDING DEO DAILY.

THEY SAY THAT YOU'RE STILL WORKING ON IT.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PAID IN FULL WHAT IS OWED.

BUT I KNOW THOSE WORDS DO LITTLE WHEN PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY GETTING EVICTION NOTICES TODAY, FIGURING OUT HOW TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, BUT JUST KNOW IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS.

AND THERE ARE MANY REPORTERS AND STATE LEADERS HOUNDING DEO MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY TO GET THIS STUFF DONE.

>> AND CERTAINLY WHAT'S NEXT REALLY APPLIES TO JUST ABOUT EVERY SINGLE THING WE SPOKE ABOUT ON THIS PROGRAM TODAY.

AND UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE OUT OF TIME FOR THIS WEEK.

STILL, MUCH TO DISCUSS THOUGH.

MY THANKS TO GREG ANGEL OF SPECTRUM NEWS 13 AND INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST RENATA SAGO.

YOU'RE BOTH DOING INCREDIBLE WORK AT A TIME WHEN IT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED.

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.