♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD AND JENA FLANNIGAN.

METRO FOCUS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM, II AND PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN SOONY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG AND THE AMBROSE MONO ELLE FOUNDATION AND BY JANET PRINDEL SIDE LER, JODI AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO METROFOCUS.

I AM JACK FORD.

AS OF NOW IT APPEARS THAT THIS SUMMER IS GOING TO LOOK AND FEEL VERY DIFFERENT FROM LAST YEAR'S PANDEMIC SUMMER.

MILLIONS OF TRI-STATE RESIDENTS ARE FULLY VACCINATED AND THE CDC HAS ISSUED NEW GUIDELINES ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE WEARING OF MASKS.

MANY BUSINESSES WILL SOON BE FULLY RE-OPENED, BUT THERE ARE STILL QUESTIONS THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH.

HOW SHOULD WE CONDUCT OURSELVES ONCE WE ARE FULLY VACCINATED.

HOW CAN WE KEEP OUR UNVACCINATED LOVED ONES SAFE AND HOW ABOUT THOSE VARIANTS?

JUST HOW DANGEROUS ARE THEY AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO GET YOUR SECOND SHOT?

ALL VERY COMPELLING QUESTIONS, SO TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO TACKLE THESE ISSUES AND MORE WITH NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST WHO HAS SPOKEN WITH THE EXPERTS AND WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY ABOUT COVID.

CARRA PARKER POPE IS ALSO THE FOUNDING EDITOR OF WELL AND THE CONSUMER HEALTH SIDE AND WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE HER WITH US BACK ON "METROFOCUS."

CA CARA, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> THERE ARE MASK GUIDELINES AND THERE STILL SEEMS TO BE CONFUSION DESPITE THE CDC SAYING HERE'S WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING AND FROM YOUR OWN RESEARCH, WHAT EXACTLY NOW, SOMEONE SAYS TO YOU I'M FULLY VACCINATED, ALL RIGHT.

WHAT CAN I DO NOW WITHOUT A MASK?

>> WELL, I THINK THE CDC TRIED TO BE HELPFUL AND IN TRYING TO BE HELPFUL WE ENDED UP VERY CONFUSED AND IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE SIMPLE.

IF YOU'RE VACCINATED, YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH GO MASKLESS OUTDOORS IN ANY SITUATION EXCEPT IN A CROWD.

YOU DON'T WANT TO BE IN A CROWDED SITUATION STILL BECAUSE THE VIRUS IS STILL OUT THERE.

YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO BE SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH POTENTIALLY INFECTED PEOPLE SO CROWDS ARE STILL A NO, BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO GO HIKING OR JOGGING, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A PICNIC OR YOU WANT TO WALK OUTDOORS ON A SIDEWALK AND YOU'RE VACCINATED AND YOU DON'T NEED TO WEAR A MASK.

>> HERE'S THE QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY A CROWD?

LAST SATURDAY I DROVE OVER TO MY SON-IN-LAW'S HOUSE AND MY 5-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON HAD HIS LITTLE BASEBALL THING AND THEY'RE AT A FIELD AND THERE ARE OTHER PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS THERE, BUT THERE IS NOBODY CERTAINLY WITHIN TEN FEET OF ME.

EVERYBODY WAS SPREAD OUT AND MANY PEOPLE WERE NOT WEARING MASKS AND IN MY TALKING WITH THEM THE REPORTER IN ME CAME OUT AND THEY WERE FULLY VACCINATED.

IS THAT OKAY?

>> I THINK THAT IS OKAY.

EVEN BEFORE VACCINATIONS, OUTDOORS WAS VERY SAFE.

VERY FEW DOCUMENTED CASES ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION HAVE HAPPENED, AND IN A LOT OF THOSE CASES WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT OUTDOOR TRANSMISSION LIKE THE ROSE GARDEN EVENT AND IT WAS AN INDOOR/OUTDOOR EVENT AND CONTACT, TOO.

THE WAY THE VIRUS TRANSMITS IS TYPICALLY BY AEROSOLS AND THE MINUTE THE AEROSOLS HIT THE OUTDOOR AIR THEY DISPERSE VERY QUICKLY.

SO YOU KIND OF NEED TO REMEMBER THAT.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BUILD UP LIKE THEY WOULD INDOOR SPACE.

SO IF YOU'RE AT A SOCCER GAME WITH OTHER PARENTS AND YOU DON'T KNOW THEIR VACCINATION STATUS.

SO OUT OF RESPECT YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR DISTANCE AND A PERSON SAYS OH, I'M VACCINATED AND I'M VACCINATED, TOO, AND YOU CAN GET CLOSER.

AN OUTDOOR VACCINATION WHERE YOU'RE SPACED OUT ENJOYING A SPORTING EVENT AND IT'S NOT A RISK IF YOU'RE UNVACCINATED AND DEFINITELY NOT A RISK IF YOU'RE VACCINATED.

>> WHAT YOU CAN DO AND CAN'T DO, AND I KNOW THERE IS THAT CONFUSION THERE, YOU ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO SPEAK WITH SOME OF THE WORLD'S LEADING EXPERTS ON THE TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS AND YOU TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN SIMPLIFY THINGS AND OUR APPROACH AND WHAT WE CAN'T DO.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THEM?

>> I THINK THIS WAS REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL TO PEOPLE BECAUSE IT DOES SIMPLIFY IT.

I SPOKE WITH A WOMAN NAMED DR. LINDSAY MAR AND SHE HAS BEEN THE VOICE OF GUIDANCE FOR ALL OF US.

SHE CONSULTS WITH THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, WITH THE CDC AND THE WORLD'S LEADING EXPERT ON VIRAL TRANSMISSION AND SHE HAS USED THIS TWO OUT OF THREE RULE HERSELF WHERE SHE HAS TO BE IN ANY SITUATION, SHE NEEDS TO MEET TWO OUT OF THREE CONDITIONS.

OUTDOORS, MASKED OR DISTANCED.

SO SHE'S OUTDOORS.

SHE CAN BE DISTANCED AND SHE DOESN'T NEED TO WEAR A MASK.

IF SHE'S INDOORS, IF SHE'S NOT OUTSIDE SHE MUST BE DISTANCED AND MASKED.

SO THINK OF IT JUST TWO OUT OF THREE OF THOSE THINGS OUTDOORS, DISTANCED AND MASKED.

THE TWO OUT OF THREE RULE IS EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO REMEMBER, PARTICULARLY UNVACCINATED PEOPLE, BUT IT SOLVES ALL OF THE QUESTIONS, CAN I BE IN A CROWD?

WELL, YOU SHOULD BE DISTANCED.

IF YOU'RE NOT DISTANCED THEN YOU SHOULD BE OUTDOORS AND MASKED.

>> YOU ALSO TALK ABOUT AND YOU HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT THIS IN ONE OF YOUR STORIES.

THE CONFUSION, AND CONFUSION SEEMS TO BE THE HIGHLIGHTED WORD HERE IN THIS CONVERSATION AND THE CONFUSION AND MISPERCEPTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT ACTIVITIES OUTDOORS THAT ARE SAFE.

>> WE SAW THE VIDEOS OR PHOTOS OF CROWDED BEACHES AND PARKS, AND AS A CONSEQUENCE WE ARE CONCERNED THAT WE MIGHT NOT TRULY UNDERSTAND THESE ACTIVITIES AND WHAT AMONGST THEM CAN BE SAFE.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THAT?

>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME RESEARCH THAT THE PHOTO IMAGES THAT NEWSPAPERS LIKE MY OWN HAVE USED IN MAGAZINES AND TELEVISION SHOWS TO TALK ABOUT CROWDS IN THE TIME OF COVID AND THEY HAVE, UNFORTUNATELY, CHOSEN TO SHOW BEACH PHOTOS AND IT'S CREATED A SENSE THAT THAT'S A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

I PERSONALLY STILL, IF I WAS UNVACCINATED WOULD NOT BE COMFORTABLE IN AN OUTDOOR CROWD, BUT ILS KNOW ALSO KNOW THAT OUTS SAFER.

SPEAKING ABOUT THE UNVACCINATED ESPECIALLY.

WHEN YOU'RE OUTDOORS HIKING, SPENDING TIME IN A BEACH OR IN A PARK YOU ARE GENERALLY SAFE AND YOU CAN FEEL RELAXED, COMFORTABLE AND HAPPY TO BE ENJOYING THE FRESH AIR.

THE PROBLEM COMES WHEN CROWDS START TO GATHER.

YOU DO WANT TO AVOID THOSE SITUATIONS, BUT WHEN WE SAW HIGH-SPREADING EVENTS IN OUTDOOR SITUATIONS AND I WOULD SAY IT WAS ALWAYS BECAUSE IT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY AN INDOOR, RISKY ACTIVITY.

PEOPLE WHO GO TO THE BEACH ALSO GO INSIDE TO BARS, AND THEY GO INSIDE TO RESTAURANTS AND PEOPLE WHO I SPOKE WITH A RESEARCHER WHO SAID, PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISTANCED OUTDOOR BARBECUE, BUT THEN THEY GO INTO THE KITCHEN AND MINGLE FOR 20 MINUTES AND TALK IN THE KITCHEN AND THAT'S NOT SAFE IF YOU'RE UNVACCINATED AND THERE ARE LIMITS IF YOU'RE VACCINATED.

SO I THINK THE RULES HAVE REALLY NOT CHANGED.

OUTDOORS IS MUCH SAFER AND WE CAN FEEL MORE RELAXED ALTHOUGH IF YOU'RE NOT VACCINATED YOU SHOULD KEEP YOUR DISTANCE AND NOT BE IN A CROWDED SITUATION.

INDOORS, WE STILL NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF WHO WE'RE WITH AND ENJOY LOUD, INDOOR GATHERINGS UNLESS WE KNOW WE'RE WITH OTHER UNVACCINATED PEOPLE.

>> THAT'S SUCH A GOOD POINT AND IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING IN THE BEACH OR THE PARK, IT'S THE ADJUNCT ACTIVITIES WITH THE BARBECUE IN YOUR BACKYARD THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

I GREW UP ON THE BEACH.

I LIVED DOWN THE JERSEY SHORE AND WORKED AS A LIFEGUARD ON THE OCEAN AND TO ME I ALWAYS THOUGHT THIS SEEMS LUKE A REALLY SAFE PLACE TO BE, YOU KNOW?

IN YOUR ABILITY TO SPREAD ON AROUND AND MOVE OUT AND STILL ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES WITH YOUR FAMILY, SO THE ADVICE YOU'RE GIVING IS VERY HELPFUL ESPECIALLY FOR THE BEACH GOERS AMONGST US THAT ARE INTERESTED.

>> ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER.

I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO BE RELACKED THIS SUMMER AND NOT BE SUPER STRESSED LIKE WE WERE BEFORE.

>> YEAH.

WE CAN ALL SIGN ON THERE.

I MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION ABOUT HOW DO WE PROTECT THE UNVACCINATED AMONGST US WHEN WE ARE VACCINATED AND CLEARLY THAT APPLIES TO FAMILY MEMBERS, ADULTS AND CHILDREN.

WHAT TYPE OF ADVICE HAVE YOU HELPED FOLKS NAVIGATE THROUGH THOSE SITUATIONS.

I THINK, UNFORTUNATELY, THE PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDANCE HERE HAS BEEN INTENTIONALLY CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT IT HAS RESULTED IN REALLY SCARING PEOPLE.

I THINK IF YOU ARE VACCINATED, YOUR CHANCE OF TRANSMITTING COVID-19 TO ANOTHER PERSON OR THE CORONAVIRUS TO ANOTHER PERSON, IF IT'S NOT NON-EXISTENT IT'S TESTAMENTALLY SMALL -- I CAN'T SAY THAT WORD.

IT'S SMALL AND MINISCULE.

SO I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN A CAUTION IN THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT HAPPENS IF A VACCINATED PERSON IS EXPOSED FOR A WHILE TO A PERSON WHO IS INFECTED WITH COVID-19.

RIGHT NOW, THEY BELIEVE THAT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT YOU COULD PICK UP THAT VIRUS AND IT CAN MAYBE BE IN YOUR NOSE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING SPREAD IT.

THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF DOCUMENTATION AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS HAVE EXPOSED TO HUGE DOSES OF THE VIRUS, RIGHT?

THEY HAVE HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO HAVE BREAKTHROUGH INFECTIONS AND THESE ARE INCREDIBLY RARE AND THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY CASES.

IT CAN HAPPEN WHERE A VACCINATED PERSON MAY GET INFECTED AND WHAT'S REALLY REMARKABLE IS THAT THESE INFECTED PEOPLE ARE NOT SPREADING THE DISEASE.

THEY'RE JUST NOT SPREADING IT TO OTHERS.

SO I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT IF I'M VACCINATED AND I'M WITH YOU AND YOU'RE NOT VACCINATED, I DON'T THINK I'M A RISK TO YOU.

I STILL MAY WANT TO TAKE SOME PRECAUTIONS IF YOU'RE ANXIOUS OR JUST, YOU KNOW, OUT OF RESPECT FOR YOUR CONCERNS, IF YOU'RE HIGH RISK AND WEAR A MASK, BUT ONCE YOU'RE VACCINATED AND FULLY VACCINATED AND WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE THIS.

IT NEEDS TO BE A FULL VACCINATION SCHEDULE DEPENDING ON THE SHOT YOU'RE GETTING AND IT NEEDS TO BE TWO WEEKS AFTER YOUR LAST DOSE, YOU'RE CONSIDERED FULLY VACCINATED AND THOSE EXTRA TWO WEEKS MATTER.

SO I THINK IN THAT CASE THE VACCINATED PERSON SHOULD FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ENDANGER THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM.

>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT SPECIFIC AREAS THAT ARE INVOLVED AND THE GUIDANCE THAT YOU RECEIVE FROM PEOPLE.

AS SUMMER IS APPROACHING THEY'RE SAYING WHAT ABOUT SUMMER CAMPS?

ARE THEY SAFE?

ARE THEY NOT SAFE?

SOME OPENED LAST SUMMER AND SOME HAD SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS LAST SUMMER.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT ADVICE FROM PARENTS ABOUT SUMMER CAMPS.

>> SUMMER CAMPS ARE TRICKY.

I THINK THE OVERNIGHT CAMPS IN A WAY TEND TO BE A BUBBLE BECAUSE YOU CAN GO AND SORT OF DISTANCE THE KIDS AND KEEP THEM SEPARATE FOR A WHILE AND DO SOME TESTING AND THEN KEEP EVERYONE IN THE BUBBLE AND IT'S THE DAY CAMPS WHERE THEY GO BACK AND FORTH, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE'RE MANAGING THIS WITH SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW WITH TESTING AND MASK WEARING, YOU KNOW, IF YOUR KID HAS THE SNIFFLES, KEEP THEM HOME.

IT'S PROBABLY ALLERGIES, TO BE HONEST, BUT THAT'S JUST THE WORLD WE LIVE IN WHERE A FEVER OR SNIFFLES KEEPS YOUR KIDS HOME.

THE VIRUS -- CHILDREN ARE NOT AT HIGH RISK OF THE VIRUS AS ADULTS ARE.

THEY'RE NOT VERY BIG SPREADERS OF THE VIRUS AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE SEEN SCHOOLS CAN STAY OPEN WITH TESTING AND WITH SOME VIGILANCE AND CAN CONTINUE AND CHILDREN CAN KEEP LEARNING.

SO WE'VE LEARNED A LOT WITH CHILDREN AND THE SAME IS GOING TO BE WITH THE SUMMER CAMP AND IT WILL BE BETTER BECAUSE IT'S MOSTLY OUTDOORS.

IF THEY'RE IN OUTDOORS AND CABINS, THEN YOU NEED DISTANCING AND MAKING SURE KIDS AREN'T WOSHLING TOGETHER WITH THE WRITING AND WITH A LITTLE VIGILANCE AND SOME TESTING, TESTING IS GREAT.

IT CAN KEEP YOU IN THOSE SITUATIONS KEEPING THE VIRUS AWAY.

>> IT'S INTERESTING, IT'S DROPPED, AND WE HEAR VACCINE, VACCINE, VACCINE AND NOT MUCH MORE ABOUT TESTING.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT STILL SHOULD BE IN OUR PORTFOLIO OF -- OF OUR WEAPON AGAINST THIS AND IN THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING?

>> TESTING IS A GREAT TOOL AND I USED IT WITH MY COLLEGE-AGE DAUGHTER BEFORE SHE WAS VACCINATED.

THESE RAPID TESTS HAVE GOTTEN THE IDEA THAT THEY'RE NOT RELIABLE, BUT THEY'RE VERY RELIABLE IN TERMS OF TELLING YOU WHEN THEY'RE INFECTIOUS OR NOT, AND SO, YEAH.

WE CAN USE TESTING.

THE PANDEMIC IS GOING TO BE HERE FOR A WHILE.

NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE VACCINATED AND CHILDREN, IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT LONGER BEFORE THEY GET VACCINATED AND THERE ARE HOME TESTS NOW THAT HAVE BEEN AXE PROVED.

I'M LUCKY, IN NEW YORK, YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH GET A RAPID TEST EVERYWHERE YOU WANT AND IT'S NOT THAT WAIT ANYMORE, AND IF YOU'RE AN AREA THAT DEFINITELY CAN I PLAY A ROLE ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A VULNERABLE PERSON, IF YOU'RE TRAVELING.

USE THE TEST.

RIGHT NOW IF YOU TRAVEL TO CERTAIN STATES, I KNOW IF YOU GO TO HAWAII YOU NEED TO TAKE A TEST TO PROVE THAT YOU'RE NEGATIVE SO TESTING IS STILL NEEDED FOR TRAVEL AND OTHER REASON, SO DEFINITELY, WE WANT TO REMEMBER THAT TESTING IS AVAILABLE TO US.

>> WE ARE TALKING WITH TARA PARKER POPE, COLUMNIST FOR "THE NEW YORK TIMES" WITH EXTENSIVE WRITING ON COVID AND THE FOUNDER OF WELL, THE TIMES OF AWARD-WINNING CONSUMER HEALTH SITE, AND LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING TO YOU.

I MENTIONED IT AGAIN IN THE INTRODUCTION ABOUT BUSINESSES BEING RE-OPENED AND THAT, OF COURSE, INCLUDES RESTAURANTS.

SO WHAT'S THE GUIDANCE IN TERMS OF DINING INDOORS NOW IN RESTAURANTS.

>> WELL, IT VARIES BY STATE, RIGHT?

IN SOME STATES YOU'RE STILL AT 10% OR 20% CAPACITY.

STATES ARE TRYING TO OPEN UP.

IF YOU'RE UNVACCINATED, INDOOR DINING IS A BAD IDEA.

YOU JUST SHOULDN'T DO IT AND THAT MIGHT BE MORE CONSERVATIVE ADVICE THAN YOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS TELLING YOU, BUT THERE ARE A FAIR NUMBER OF DOCUMENTED CASES OF CORONAVIRUS TRANSMISSION AT RESTAURANTS.

AN INFECTED PERSON MIGHT BE AT A TABLE AND DEPENDING ON THE VENTILATION SYSTEM IN THE RESTAURANT, IF THERE IS A KNOW IF OR AIR-CONDITIONING BLOWING ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER IT CAN PUSH THE VIRUS ACROSS THE RESTAURANT.

I THINK IF YOU'RE UNVACCINATED, INDOOR DINING REMAINS A GOOD IDEA, BUT INDOOR DINING AT A RESTAURANT.

IF YOU'RE VACCINATED, YOU KNOW INDOOR DINING SEEMS OKAY.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW YOUR LOCAL STATE GUIDELINES AND SOME OF THE STATES ARE FULLY OPENED UP.

I PERSONALLY AM NOT SUPER COMFORTABLE SITTING IN A CROWDED RESTAURANT, BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF PANDEMIC HANGOVER WE ALL HAVE WHERE WE STILL HAVEN'T ADJUSTED TO THIS LIFE.

>> MAYBE THAT'S NOT SUCH A BAD THING.

>> I THINK IT'S CAUTIOUS ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER WHEN YOU HAVE OUTDOOR OPTIONS.

INDOOR DINING IS COMING BACK AND I THINK PROBABLY BY JULY WE WILL SEE IT WIDELY OPENED UP AROUND THE COUNTRY.

>> HOW ABOUT TRAVEL?

WHAT -- WHAT ARE WE HEARING IN TERMS OF GUIDELINES AND LET'S TALK ABOUT PEOPLE BHOR FULLY VBLGSATED AND IT'S THE PEAK TRAVEL PERIOD.

>> THE CDC HAS SAID PRETTY CLEARLY THAT WE CAN'T TRAVEL IT'S MORE CHALLENGING WITH YOUR CHILDREN SHALL RLLY, IF YOU'RE YOUR NEGATIVE IF YOU'RE UNVACCINATED YOU SHOULD PROBABLY TEST BEFORE YOU GET ON THE PLANE AND WEAR A DOUBLE MASK AND IF YOU'VE VACCINATED YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY.

UNVACCINATED KIDS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

YOU STILL WANT TO MAINTAIN THE SAME PRECAUTIONS ABOUT MIXING WITH OTHERS AND STRANGERS, BUT I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO TRAVEL.

EVERYTHING IS MUCH MORE RELAXED THAN IT USED TO BE.

THE VIRUS IS STILL OUT THERE AND WE KNOW MORE AND KNOW MORE HOW TO COPE.

AIRPLANES IN GENERAL ARE PRETTY SAFE.

THEY HAVE BETTER VENTILATION SYSTEMS THAN MOST BUILDINGS, FAR BETTER.

>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE VIRUS VARIANTS AND THE RECENT STORIES.

YOU TOOK A LOOK AT THE MISINFORMATION SURROUNDING THE VIRUS VARIANTS AND IT CAN ALMOST SOUND LIKE A HORROR MOVIE WHEN SOME OF THESE ARE BEING DESCRIBED.

WHAT IS THE REALITY IN TERMS OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THESE VIRUS VARIANTS AND ALSO THE IMPACT THAT BEING FULLY VACCINATED CAN HAVE UPON YOUR POTENTIAL FOR CONTRACTING AN ILLNESS.

>> I THINK REPORTING ON A VIRUS VARIANT HAS BEEN SCARY.

I QUOTED DIFFERENT ARTICLES I HAD SEEN WHERE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT A DOUBLE MUTANT AND THE DEVIL IS HERE, AND FROM THE PUBLIC STANDPOINT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

THE VIRUS DOES MOVE QUICKLY.

IT IS MOVING FAST AND CHANGING AS IS EXPECTED AND NOT SPECIAL TO CORONAVIRUS.

>> I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT NOTE FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT VIRUSES DO CHANGE.

THEY DO MUTATE AND PART OF WHAT THEY ARE AS OPPOSED TO SOME OF THE REPORTING THAT MAKES US FEEL, OH, MY GOSH, NOT ONLY IS IT TERRIBLE, BUT IT'S GETTING EVEN WORSE AND THAT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT DOES THAT.

>> THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT TRUE AND IN TERMS OF REVOLUTIONARY PRESSURE, YOU KNOW, VIRUSES WANT TO SORT OF SUSTAIN THEMSELVES.

SO A VIRUS THAT'S EASILY TRANSMITTABLE, THAT DOESN'T KILL YOU IS GOING TO LAST LONGER THAN ONE THAT IS SUPER SCARY, AND THAT'S ONE THING TO REMEMBER THAT VIRUSES CHANGE MATCH RLLY AND THE PRESSURE IS TO FIND A SUSTAINABLE FORM OF THE VIRUS THAT WILL NOT DO AS MUCH MUCH DAMAGE.

THE WAY THIS HAS SCHAFRNL CHARGED VERY IS IMHAR.

WE ARE VERY GOOD RIGHT NOW, AND WE KNOW A LOT AND THE VACCINE COMPANIES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE CHANGES AND THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE VACCINES, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VARIANTS IS THAT THE VARIANTS CAN BE CONTAGIOUS OR MORE EASILY TRANSMITTED.

IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT HOW YOU SHOULD BEHAVE.

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS TAKE THE SAME PRECAUTIONS YOU HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN.

IT JUST MEANS THAT IF YOU'VE GOTTEN AWAY WITH LAX BEHAVIOR BEFORE, YOU MAY NOT NOW.

THE B-117 IS THE VARIANT RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS THE VERY FIRST IDENTIFIED IN BRITAIN, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE VACCINES WE USE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE VERY EFFECTIVE AGAINST THERE VARIANT.

WE'VE BEEN GIVINGEN THE THOUGHT THAT THEY DON'T USE AGAINST THE VAR VARIANTS?

>> DO THEY WORK AS WELL.

IT DEPENDS ON THE VARIANT, TOO, IN THE U.S. B-117, AND THERE WAS A VARIANT FIRST IDENTIFIED IN AFRICA AND A VARIANT IN BRAZIL.

THOSE VARIANTS ARE PUTTING UP A BETTER FIGHT AGAINST THE VACCINES, BUT THE VACCINES STILL WORK.

YOU MIGHT GET A MILD BREAKTHROUGH INFECTION AND BREAKTHROUGH INFECTIONS ARE RARE AND I HESITATE TO SAY YOU MIGHT GET IT BECAUSE IT'S STILL INCREDIBLY RARE, BUT YOU WILL BE PROTECTED AGAINST SERIOUS DISEASE, HOSPITALIZATION IF YOU GET VACCINATED AND YOU'LL STILL BE PROTECTED FROM THE VARIANTS.

>> I SAW A STATISTIC FAIRLY RECENTLY AND I THINK THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT 60-SOME MILLION VACCINATED PEOPLE AND ABOUT 5,000 BREAKTHROUGH CASES WHICH COMPUTES TO BE A 0.08, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY TINS INCIDENT.

YOU, YES, IT'S THERE BUT WE SHOULD NOT LIVE IF DIRE FEAR OF THAT HAPPENING TO US.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT AND WE STRUGGLE UNDERSTANDING THE RISK OF CORONAVIRUS.

YOUR RISK OF DRIVING TO THE GROCERY STORE IS GOING TO BE HIGHER OF HAVING A CAR ACCIDENT THAN GETTING A BREAKTHROUGH INFECTION AFTER VACCINATION.

WE HAVE A LOT OF RISK, AND WE WANT TO BE VIGILANT AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS AND WANT TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY, BUT VACCINATION REALLY WILL PROTECT YOU AND WHILE WE HEAR OF BREAKTHROUGH INFECTIONS AND WE HAVE STORM THE NUMBER YOU SAID, THAT WAS A CDC STUDY WITH 75 MILLION CASES AND IT WAS THE TEENIEST, TINIEST FRACTION OF PEOPLE WHO HAD BREAKTHROUGH INFECTIONS AND WE HAVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE AND THEY HAD HIGH EXPOSURE, VULNERABLE AND A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM AND IN GENERAL, YOU CAN BE PRETTY CONFIDENT AND YOU WILL BE PROTECTED AND LET'S SAY IN THESE BREAKTHROUGH INFECTIONS WE SEE CONSISTENTLY THAT THESE PEOPLE TEND TO HAVE MILD ILLNESS AND THEY DON'T GET HOSPITALIZED AND THEY GET VERY, VERY SICK AND IT'S INCREDIBLY RARE.

>> WHAT ARE WE LEARNING ABOUT THE IMPENDING AVAILABLE OF VACCINES FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN NOW?

>> THEY JUST ANNOUNCED -- THE NEW YORK TIMES JUST WROTE A STORY THIS WEEK SAYING THAT THE PFIZER VACCINE IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE APPROVED FOR CHILDREN 12 TO 15 AND WE'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE THE TIMING, BUT SOON.

YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW YOUNG PEOPLE 16 AND OLDER ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE VACCINATED AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT.

THE PFIZER, AND IT LOOKS LIKE BY THE FALL.

THE VERY, VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, DR. ANTHONY FAUFRPY HAS PREDICTED MAYBE THAT WILL HAPPEN IN 20 TWOOR.

THEY'LL BE LAST LEFT, AND THEY DON'T HAVE A HIGH RATE OF INFECTION OR TRANSMISSION AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT, SO I THINK SOON CHILDREN WILL BE -- THERE WILL BE VACCINATIONS IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND WE'LL START SEEING THAT VERY SOON.

>> LAST QUESTION, AND I WANT TO COME BACK AND HAVE YOU ELABORATE ON SOMETHING YOU SAID BEFORE.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO GET THEIR SECOND SHOT.

>> I LEARNED A LOT WHEN I DID REPORTING ON THE STUDY AND SOME OF THE PEKS PERTS WERE SORT OF NEUTRAL.

WE SEE SO PROTECTION ABOUT THE PFIZER AND MODERNA DOSE.

WE'VE, AND INHE SAID THE SECOND SHOT YOU MIGHT GET THIS 80% PROTECTION FROM THE FIRST SHOT, BUT THE SECOND SHOT GIVES YOU TEN TIMES THE NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODIES AND THE T-CELL PROTECTION AND BACKUP PROTECTION.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF BENEFIT FROM YOUR SECOND SHOT SO DON'T SKIP IT.

IT SOLIDIFIES YOUR PROTECTION AND GUARDS YOU AGAINST CONTRACTING COVID-19.

>> I WILL SAY, I DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC HAS LEARNED THAT, AND THAT'S WHY I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT FOR OUR AUDIENCE, BUT THAT TO ME, IS NOT INFORMATION THAT'S GOTTEN OUT THERE.

SO AGAIN, IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE ALWAYS TLITLI DELIGHTED, CARE A FOR THE RESEARCH YOU'RE DOING AND THE ROOTING IT'S IT WAS -- SO YOU STAY SIFE AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

THAT IS CORRECT.

IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TALKING TO YOU.

THANK A LOT.

>>"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SHN FOUNDATION.

♪ ♪OHN FOUNDATION.

♪ ♪