Sreenivasan: ON THIS EDITION
FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 22: THE LATEST
DEVELOPMENTS ON THE CORONAVIRUS
OUTBREAK.
IN OUR SIGNATURE SEGMENT: SOCIAL
SERVICES ADAPT TO CONTINUE TO
PROVIDE FOR SENIORS.
AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TOLLS OF
SOCIAL DISTANCING.
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Sreenivasan: GOOD EVENING AND
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
WE ARE BRINGING YOU OUR
BROADCAST AGAIN TONIGHT FROM
REMOTE LOCATIONS.
I'M NOT IN THE TISCH STUDIOS--
I'M AT HOME.
AND BECAUSE WE ALL NEED A SENSE
OF CONTINUITY AND NORMALCY-- LET
ME CHANGE THAT BLANK WALL TO
SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE
FAMILIAR.
OUR REPORTERS, PRODUCERS AND
EDITORS ARE ALSO WORKING FROM
THEIR HOMES AND GATHERING THE
NEWS WHEN IT'S SAFE TO DO SO.
SO LET'S GET STARTED WITH
TODAY'S TOP NEWS:
MORE TESTING SITES OPENED
TODAY-- SOME HAD TO CLOSE
QUICKLY WHEN DEMAND OVERWHELMED
SUPPLIES.
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI OF THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
SAID MORE AND FASTER TEST KITS
ARE ON THE WAY AND THAT HARD-HIT
AREAS ARE A PRIORITY.
THE SITUATION IS NOW THAT THE
RESOURCES THAT ARE BEING
MARSHALED ARE GOING TO BE
CLEARLY DIRECTED TO THOSE HOT
SPOTS THAT NEED IT MOST.
AND CLEARLY THAT'S CALIFORNIA,
WASHINGTON STATE, AND OBVIOUSLY
NEW YORK IS THE MOST HARD HIT.
WE'RE GOING TO GET HIT.
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
WE SEE IT IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK
IS TERRIBLY SUFFERING.
BUT THE KINDS OF MITIGATION
ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT
NOW, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE
SEEING IN THIS COUNTRY, THE
PHYSICAL SEPARATION, AT THE SAME
TIME WE ARE PREVENTING AN INFLUX
OF CASES COMING IN I THINK
THAT'S GOING TO GO A LONG WAY
TO PREVENTING US FROM BECOMING
AN ITALY.
Sreenivasan: WITH MORE THAN
26,000 CASES REPORTED IN THE
U.S. ACCORDING TO JOHNS HOPKINS
UNIVERSITY'S CORONAVIRUS
RESOURCE CENTER, HOSPITALS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE NOW
ALLOWING STAFF TO REUSE
PROTECTIVE GEAR AND MASKS.
FIVE STATES HAVE ISSUED
MANDATORY STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS
FOR ALL BUT ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
SO WE TOOK THESE EXTRA STEPS.
WE'VE BEEN TAKING THEM ALL
ALONG.
AND MY PLEA WITH FOLKS IN NEW
JERSEY IS, FRANKLY,JUST STAY AT
HOME.
UNLESS YOU ARE ESSENTIAL, UNLESS
YOU ARE HELPING US IN THE FIGHT
WE NEED YOU TO BE AT HOME.
AND WE NEED YOU EVEN AT HOME TO
SOCIAL DISTANCE.
Sreenivasan: AND IN
WASHINGTON, D.C., THE SENATE
CONTINUES TO WORK TOWARD A MORE
THAN $1-TRILLION ECONOMIC RELIEF
BILL.
THIS MORNING TREASURY SECRETARY
STEVEN MUNCHIN SAID THE
LEGISLATION INCLUDES LOANS TO
SMALL BUSINESSES AND DIRECT
PAYMENTS TO INDIVIDUALS.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I HOPE
THIS GETS PASSED ON MONDAY
BECAUSE WE NEED THE MONEY NOW.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY WE'RE
LOOKING AT THIS FROM ANYWHERE
TO A 10-12 WEEK SCENARIO.
BUT AGAIN, THIS SITUATION IS
MOVING QUICKLY.
WE NEED TO GET THE MONEY INTO
THE ECONOMY NOW.
IF WE DO THAT, WE THINK WE CAN
STABILIZE THE ECONOMY.
Sreenivasan: NEW YORK STATE
NOW HAS THE MOST CONFIRMED CASES
OF CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS IN THE
COUNTRY.
MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE CASES
ARE IN NEW YORK CITY.
THIS MORNING MAYOR BILL DE
BLASIO DEMANDED FEDERAL HELP
IMMEDIATELY.
RIGHT NOW I HAVE ASKED
REPEATEDLY FOR THE MILITARY TO
BE MOBILIZED.
FOR THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT
TO BE USED TO ITS FULLEST TO GET
US THINGS LIKE VENTILATORS SO
PEOPLE CAN LIVE WHO WOULD DIE
OTHERWISE.
CHUCK, I CAN'T BE BLUNT ENOUGH.
IF THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T ACT,
PEOPLE WILL DIE WHO COULD HAVE
LIVED OTHERWISE.
Sreenivasan: THE CITY'S
HOSPITALS ARE TRYING TO PREPARE
BUT ISSUING WARNINGS OF WHAT'S
TO COME.
IN A LETTER TO STAFF AT NEW YORK
PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL, THE CHIEF
OF SURGERY WARNED THAT THE
COVID-19 CRISIS IS NOT EXPECTED
TO PEAK UNTIL MID APRIL AND SAID
THE HOSPITAL WILL NEED "700-934
I.C.U. BEDS" AND THAT EVEN "THE
LOWER ESTIMATES EXCEED OUR
I.C.U. CAPACITY."
YESTERDAY GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO
SAID THE STATE IS TRYING TO FIND
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES.
WE ARE LITERALLY SCOURING THE
GLOBE LOOKING FOR MEDICAL
SUPPLIES.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED TWO MILLION
N95 MASKS, WHICH ARE THE HIGH
PROTECTION MASKS.
WE HAVE APPAREL COMPANIES THAT
ARE CONVERTING TO MASK
MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN THE
STATE OF NEW YORK IN ALL SORTS
OF CREATIVE CONFIGURATIONS.
AND I WANT TO THANK THEM.
Sreenivasan: WORLDWIDE
CORONAVIRUS CASES STEADILY ROSE
OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS.
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY IS
TRACKING THE PANDEMIC AND
REPORTS MORE THAN 316,000 PEOPLE
HAVE THE VIRUS AND THERE HAVE
BEEN MORE THAN 13,000 DEATHS AS
OF THIS AFTERNOON.
IN AN INTERVIEW THIS MORNING THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAID
LOCKDOWNS WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO
PREVENT THE DISEASE FROM
RESURGING.
WE NEED TO ACTIVELY SEARCH
FOR CASES OF THE VIRUS AND WE
NEED TO TEST EVERY SINGLE
SUSPECT CASE AND IF ANY CONTACTS
ARE SICK WE NEED TO TEST THEM AS
WELL.
WE DON'T NEED TO TEST EVERYBODY,
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON TESTING
THOSE WHO MAY HAVE THE VIRUS.
Sreenivasan: ITALY NOW HAS
MORE CASES THAN ANY OTHER
COUNTRY.
THE GOVERNMENT REPORTED MORE
THAN 53,000 CASES OF THE VIRUS,
AND MORE THAN 4,800 DEATHS.
RUSSIA IS NOW SENDING EIGHT
MOBILE BRIGADES OF MILITARY
MEDICS, SPECIAL DISINFECTION
VEHICLES AND OTHER MEDICAL
EQUIPMENT TO ITALY.
RUSSIA HAS REPORTED JUST 306
CASES OF THE CORONAVIRUS AND
ONLY ONE DEATH.
IRAN TURNED DOWN THE UNITED
STATES OFFER TO HELP COMBAT THE
VIRUS THERE.
IN A TELEVISED SPEECH, IRAN'S
SUPREME LEADER AYATOLLAH ALI
KHAMENEI CALLED U.S. LEADERS
"CHARLATANS AND LIARS" AND THE
OFFER OF ASSISTANCE "STRANGE."
MORE THAN 1,600 PEOPLE HAVE DIED
AND MORE THAN 21,000 ARE
REPORTEDLY INFECTED IN IRAN.
FOR MORE ON THE OUTBREAK AND THE
LATEST NEWS IN THE U.S. AND
AROUND THE WORLD VISIT
Sreenivasan: AN INTERACTIVE
MAP TRACKING THE NUMBER OF
CORONAVIRUS CASES GLOBALLY, IN
NEAR REAL TIME, HAS BECOME AN
IMPORTANT TOOL FOR RESEARCHERS,
HEALTH OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC
AT LARGE.
THE DASHBOARD WAS CREATED BY
JOHNS HOPKINS ENGINEERING
PROFESSOR LAUREN GARDNER AND HER
GRADUATE STUDENT ENSHENG DONG.
I RECENTLY SPOKE WITH PROFESSOR
GARDNER ABOUT HOW THE
INTERACTIVE MAP WORKS AND WHAT
TRENDS THEY ARE SEEING WITH
THEIR RESEARCH.
LAUREN GARDNER OF JOHNS HOPKINS,
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
HI HARI.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
Sreenivasan: SO YOUR SITE HAS
BECOME KIND OF THE DE FACTO GO
TO PLACE WHERE PEOPLE FIND HOW
THIS COVID-19 IS SPREADING
AROUND THE WORLD.
WHERE ARE YOU GETTING ALL THAT
INFORMATION FROM?
THIS INFORMATION IS COMING
FROM MULTIPLE DIFFERENT SOURCES
ALL OVER THE WORLD, DEPENDING ON
WHAT COUNTRY OR REGION WE'RE
ACTUALLY COLLECTING THE DATA
FOR.
AND SO IN SOME PARTS OF THE
WORLD, WE'RE GETTING THIS DATA
IN AN AUTOMATED FASHION FROM
LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES
THAT'S BEING FED DIRECTLY INTO
OUR DASHBOARD.
IN MULTIPLE AREAS WE'RE ACTUALLY
STILL COLLECTING THIS THROUGH
LOCAL MEDIA REPORTS AND THEN
MANUALLY VALIDATING THESE DATA
POINTS BEFORE WE ENTER THEM INTO
THE DASHBOARD.
Sreenivasan: WHAT HAVE YOU
SEEN?
I MEAN, YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING
THE SPREAD OF THIS.
I MEAN, MOST PEOPLE ENDED UP
STARTING TO PAY ATTENTION TO
THIS IN THE UNITED STATES IN
REALLY FEBRUARY PERHAPS, BUT YOU
SAW THIS SPREAD STARTING IN LATE
DECEMBER, JANUARY.
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO, WE STARTED THE DASHBOARD IN
MID-JANUARY.
WE'VE SEEN THIS OUTBREAK GROW
FROM A LOCAL OUTBREAK IN WUHAN
IN CHINA TO A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
THAT HAS NOW BEEN REPORTED IN
OVER 160 COUNTRIES AND REGIONS
AROUND THE WORLD.
Sreenivasan: YOU KNOW, THERE
ARE A COUPLE OF SLIDES THAT
YOU'VE SENT US, SORT OF DESCRIBE
WHAT'S IN ONE OF THEM.
SO, ONE OF THE SLIDES I SENT
THAT FIRST LOOKS AT THE GLOBAL
PICTURE, WHAT'S GOING ON IS
IDENTIFYING THE TREND IN CASES
IN THE COUNTRIES, IN THE TOP TEN
COUNTRIES THAT ARE REPORTING THE
MOST COVID CASES AT THE MOMENT.
AND ONE THING OF NOTE IS THAT
CHINA IS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT
GRAPH BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN, AT
LEAST TO DATE, MORE CASES IN
CHINA AND THEY WOULD NOT BE
SHOWN BECAUSE THEY'D BE ABOVE
THE ACCI'S CURVE ON THAT.
SO THOSE CASES HAVE SINCE
STEADIED OFF AND THERE'S
ACTUALLY NOT ANY NEW LOCAL
REPORTED CASES COMING OUT OF
CHINA AT THE MOMENT.
ANY CHINESE, ANY CASES IN CHINA
ARE COMING BACK ACTUALLY FROM
IMPORTATION OUTSIDE OF CHINA.
WHAT WE'RE REALLY SEEING IS A
HUGE SURGE IN CASES NOW IN
MULTIPLE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IN
EUROPE AND ALSO IN THE UNITED
STATES.
AND SO THESE ARE THE TRENDS THAT
ARE HAPPENING.
WE'VE KIND OF SEEN THIS SHIFT
FROM EAST TO WEST.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY
CONCERNING AT THE MOMENT.
Sreenivasan: AND WHAT ABOUT
THE TEN STATES IN THE U.S. WHERE
IT SEEMS TO BE CLIMBING FASTER?
SO THE CASES ARE CLIMBING IN
MORE THAN TEN STATES IN THE U.S.
IT'S JUST ON THAT ONE GRAPH WE
JUST ARE IDENTIFYING THOSE TEN
SPECIFICALLY.
SO WE'RE SEEING A SURGE IN CASES
IN MANY STATES IN THE U.S.
BECAUSE WE'RE DOING MORE
REPORTING IN THE U.S., BUT
THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS TO
NOTE ABOUT THIS GRAPH.
ONE, IT'S SHOWING TOTAL
CONFIRMED CASES OVER TIME.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE INCREASING
FOR EVERY STATE NO MATTER WHAT,
BECAUSE THE CASES WILL NEVER
OBVIOUSLY, THE TOTAL CASES WILL
NEVER GO DOWN.
THE OTHER THING TO NOTE IS THAT
A LOT OF THAT IS ACTUALLY ABOUT
THE TESTING THAT'S CURRENTLY
BEING DONE.
AND NEW YORK HAS TAKEN SOME
PRETTY AMAZING STEPS RECENTLY IN
TERMS OF THEIR TESTING
CAPABILITIES.
AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY TESTING A
LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THE
POPULATION IN THAT STATE THAN
HAS BEEN DONE EVEN IN SOUTH
KOREA, CHINA OR ANY OTHER STATE
IN THE U.S.
AND SO A BIG REASON FOR THAT
SURGE SHOWN IS THAT THOSE ARE
POSITIVE TESTS, WHICH ARE ONLY
POSSIBLE IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY
DOING TESTS.
Sreenivasan: SO THE MORE
TESTING YOU'RE ABLE TO DO, THE
FASTER YOUR NUMBERS ARE GOING TO
GO UP, BECAUSE WE'RE JUST
MEASURING CONFIRMED CASES.
SO IS FLATTENING THE CURVE
HAPPENING ELSEWHERE IN THE
WORLD?
AND HOW LIKELY IS THAT IN THE
U.S.?
FLATTENING THE CURVE IS
DEFINITELY HAPPENING IN SOME
PLACES AROUND THE WORLD.
IT'S HAPPENED IN CHINA.
WE'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN IN SOUTH
KOREA.
AND I THINK IT DEFINITELY CAN
HAPPEN IN THE U.S. AS WELL.
IT'S JUST SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED
TO HAPPEN TOMORROW.
Sreenivasan: ALL RIGHT.
LAUREN GARDNER OF JOHNS HOPKINS,
THANKS SO MUCH.
Sreenivasan: AS WE CONTINUE
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NOVEL
CORONAVIRUS, ONE THING WE DO
KNOW IS THAT FOR SENIORS AND
THOSE WITH EXISTING MEDICAL
ISSUES, THE DISEASE CAUSED BY
THE VIRUS IS PARTICULARLY
DEADLY.
NEWSHOUR WEEKEND PRODUCER MOLLY
ENKING REPORTS ON HOW
ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT NEW
YORK CITY'S SENIORS ARE
RESPONDING TO THE CORONAVIRUS
PANDEMIC.
EXTRA CARE WAS GIVEN TO
DISTANCING MEASURES WHILE
REPORTING THIS STORY.
Reporter: AT THE 25,000
SQUARE FOOT CITYMEALS ON WHEELS
DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN THE
BRONX, DOZENS OF VOLUNTEERS AND
STAFF ARE PACKAGING EMERGENCY
MEALS.
FROM HERE THEY'LL BE DELIVERED
TO HOME-BOUND SENIORS.
THIS IS THE LARGEST MEAL
DELIVERY ORGANIZATION IN THE
COUNTRY.
IT'S ALWAYS BUSY, BUT THE DANGER
COVID-19 POSES TO OLDER PEOPLE
IS POSSIBLY THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGE IT'S EVER FACED,
ACCORDING TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BETH SHAPIRO.
THE PEOPLE WE'RE SERVING ARE
THE MOST VULNERABLE.
THEY'RE VULNERABLE ALL THE TIME.
BUT WITH COVID-19, THEY ARE MOST
SUSCEPTIBLE.
THEY ARE ISOLATED AND ALONE.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE
GETTING THE NUTRITION THAT THEY
NEED AT THIS TIME.
Reporter: CITYMEALS ON WHEELS
IS NEW YORK CITY'S DESIGNATED
EMERGENCY RESPONDER FOR SENIORS.
THAT MEANS WHEN A DISASTER HITS,
LIKE A HURRICANE, OR A BLIZZARD,
CITYMEALS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
FEEDING THE HOMEBOUND ELDERLY.
IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, IT HAS
DRAMATICALLY RAMPED UP THE
AMOUNT OF FOOD THAT IT'S
DISTRIBUTING.
IN A GIVEN YEAR, WE'RE
DELIVERING TWO MILLION MEALS.
IN JUST THE LAST TWO WEEKS OR
SO, WE'VE DONE 250,000 MEALS
FROM HERE.
Reporter: TO MEET DEMAND,
SHAPIRO SAYS THE NONPROFIT HAS
DOUBLED ITS WAREHOUSE STAFF AND
ARRANGED TO BUY EXTRA FOOD.
BUT PROTECTING SENIORS AND
WORKERS FROM EXPOSURE TO THE
CORONAVIRUS HAS ADDED
CHALLENGES.
EVERYONE WEARS GLOVES WHILE
PACKING THE FOOD, BUT THE
ORGANIZATION HAS RUN OUT OF
MASKS, LEAVING WORKERS TO EITHER
BRING THEIR OWN OR GO WITHOUT.
WE ARE MAKING SURE OUR
VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF ARE
FOLLOWING C.D.C. GUIDELINES, YOU
KNOW, KEEPING A SAFE DISTANCE,
WEARING GLOVES, ET CETERA.
OF COURSE, NOBODY HERE IF
THEY'RE NOT FEELING WELL.
WE'RE JUST MAKING SURE WE DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE THE
SAFETY OF STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND
OF COURSE THOSE WHO ARE
DELIVERING MEALS TO.
Reporter: CITYMEALS HAS ALSO
CHANGED HOW IT INTERACTS WITH
ITS CLIENTS: NO MORE IN-PERSON
CONTACT.
VIVIENNE O'NEILL IS THE GROUP'S
VOLUNTEER DIRECTOR.
VOLUNTEERS NOT ONLY DELIVER
MEALS AND KNOCK ON THE DOOR,
THEY SEE THE SENIORS, IT'S SORT
OF LIKE A WELLNESS CHECK IN, YOU
KNOW, TO SEE THEM HAND THE FOOD
OVER TO THEM.
BUT BECAUSE OF ALL OF THIS, YOU
KNOW, COVID 19, THEY'RE NOT
SEEING THE SENIOR, BUT THEY'RE
HEARING THE SENIOR BECAUSE
THEY'RE TALKING TO THEM BEHIND
THE DOOR.
HELLO?
HI MISS ROSS, HOW ARE YOU?
Reporter: BESIDES DELIVERING
FOOD, CITYMEALS HAS A PROGRAM
WHERE VOLUNTEERS VISIT
VULNERABLE SENIORS.
NOW, THOSE VISITS ARE DONE OVER
THE PHONE.
HAEVA LAWRENCE-CHALLENGER HAS
BEEN MEETING WITH 88-YEAR OLD
HARRIET ROSS FOR YEARS.
EVERYTHING IS QUIET.
OKAY.
ARE YOU WORRIED WHEN IT'S QUIET?
I HATE TO BE ALONE.
Reporter: SOCIAL ISOLATION IS
ALREADY A PROBLEM FOR MILLIONS
OF ELDERLY AMERICANS.
THE PANDEMIC HAS MADE THINGS
EXPONENTIALLY WORSE, SAYS N.Y.U.
SOCIOLOGIST ERIC KLINENBERG.
WE NOW FACE A RISK THAT
EVERYONE WHO IS OLDER AND ALONE
WILL GET ISOLATED.
THAT WILL OBVIOUSLY PROTECT THEM
IN SOME WAYS, BUT IT WILL ALSO
COMPOUND THEIR STRESS AND
ANXIETY.
Reporter: KLINENBERG, WHO HAS
WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY ABOUT
LONELINESS AND AGING, SAYS THE
EFFECTS OF ISOLATION CAN
DIRECTLY IMPACT A PERSON'S
HEALTH.
IF YOU'RE OLD AND ISOLATED,
AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU GET THAT
FEELING OF LONELINESS, THAT
COMPOUNDS THE EXPERIENCE OF
ANXIETY, OF STRESS THAT CAN MAKE
YOU FEEL LETHARGIC, MAKE YOU
GIVE UP HOPE, AND YOU GET INTO
THIS VICIOUS CYCLE WHERE THE
STRESS MAKES YOU MORE VULNERABLE
TO AN ILLNESS LIKE COVID-19.
Reporter: SENIOR CENTERS
EXIST TO HELP COMBAT ISOLATION
AMONG OLDER AMERICANS.
BUT MANY HAVE HAD TO CLOSE THEIR
DOORS.
INCLUDING THIS ONE IN FOREST
HILLS, QUEENS.
THERE'S USUALLY A DAILY GROUP
MEAL IN THE GYM.
NOW, FOOD IS BEING PREPARED AS
TO-GO LUNCHES, INDIVIDUALLY
PACKED MEALS THAT SENIORS CAN
CALL AHEAD TO RESERVE.
MORNING, MORNING, MORNING.
Reporter: OZZIE SEVILLA
WALKED THE TWO BLOCKS FROM HIS
APARTMENT TO PICK UP LUNCH.
HE SAYS IT'S AN ESSENTIAL
SERVICE RIGHT NOW.
IT FREES ME UP FROM GOING TO
THE GROCERY STORE.
THE SUPERMARKET SHELVES ARE
EMPTY ANYWAY, SO IT'S ALL GOOD.
IT TAKES ME OUT OF THE HOUSE FOR
A LITTLE WALK AND I GO BACK IN
THERE AND ENJOY MY LUNCH.
Reporter: QUEENS COMMUNITY
HOUSE RUNS THIS SENIOR CENTER
AND FOUR OTHERS.
BEN THOMASES IS THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR.
QUEEN COMMUNITY HOUSE HAS
ALWAYS TAKEN THE POSITION THAT
OUR SOCIETY NEEDS TO DO MUCH,
MUCH MORE TO PROTECT VULNERABLE
PEOPLE EVEN IN ORDINARY
CIRCUMSTANCES.
Reporter: HE SAYS THE
ORGANIZATION HAS HAD TO ADAPT
QUICKLY AND HAS ALREADY
TRANSITIONED ITS ENGLISH-AS-A-
SECOND-LANGUAGE CLASSES TO
ONLINE ONLY.
WHAT'S THE DAY?
WEDNESDAY.
THOSE CLASSES ARE GOING
GREAT.
I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE
STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED AND THEY'RE
LEARNING.
AND I AM EXPECTING THAT OVER
TIME WE'LL ALSO HAVE MORE, MORE
VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING FOR OUR
SENIORS.
A LOT OF OUR SENIORS WHO USE OUR
SENIOR CENTERS ARE PRETTY TECH
SAVVY.
IF WE CAN DO, YOU KNOW, BOOK
GROUPS OR CREATIVE WRITING
CLASSES OR THINGS LIKE THAT OVER
VIRTUALLY, I THINK IT'LL, IT'LL
HELP A LOT.
Reporter: BUT SERVICE
PROVIDERS AND EXPERTS
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS LIKELY
ONLY THE BEGINNING OF WHAT COULD
BE A LONG PERIOD OF SOCIAL
ISOLATION.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE
PROBLEMS FROM ISOLATION
COMPOUNDING, OF PEOPLE BECOMING
MORE ISOLATED AND MORE STRESSED
AND ANXIOUS OVER TIME.
I SUPPOSE IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE
THAT WE WILL LEARN TO ADAPT AND
DEVELOP SOME NEW SKILLS FOR
MAKING CONTACT IN THE WAY THAT
WE CAN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO
USE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY.
HERE WE ARE HAVING THIS
INTERVIEW ON ZOOM.
BUT WE ARE ENTERING INTO A
PERIOD WHERE THERE'S GOING TO
BE, YOU KNOW, REAL SOCIAL PAIN.
WE ARE A SOCIAL SPECIES.
AND OUR IMPULSE WHEN SOMEONE IS
SICK IS TO REACH OUT AND HUG
THEM AND TAKE CARE OF THEM.
AND WE WANT TO DO THAT RIGHT
NOW.
BUT WE HAVE A VERY CLEAR
MESSAGE, IT'S JUST NOT THE RIGHT
THING TO DO.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
Sreenivasan: AS WE JUST HEARD
IN OUR PREVIOUS SEGMENT, THERE
IS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN SOCIAL
DISTANCING AND SOCIAL ISOLATION,
BUT IT'S NOT ONLY OUR SENIORS
WHO ARE IMPACTED.
AND AS THIS PANDEMIC CONTINUES
THE MENTAL HEALTH TOLL WILL
GROW.
I RECENTLY SPOKE VIA ZOOM WITH
DR. MAGGIE MULQUEEN, A
PSYCHOLOGIST WHO JOINED ME FROM
WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS.
DR. MULQUEEN, GIVE ME SOME
EXAMPLES OF HOW COVID-19 IS
AFFECTING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF
THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO SEE YOU.
IN A PLETHORA OF WAYS.
SO I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT
DISTINCTION WE NEED TO MAKE IS
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOCIAL
DISTANCING AND SOCIAL ISOLATION.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT
DISTINCTION IS BEING MADE
CLEARLY ENOUGH TO PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO RESPECT
SOCIAL DISTANCING AND HAND
WASHING AS OUR BEST MEANS RIGHT
NOW TO SAVE OURSELVES
PHYSICALLY, BUT WE NEED TO
REALLY SHORE PEOPLE UP AGAINST
SOCIAL ISOLATION.
AND ONE PART OF THAT IS THAT
SOCIAL ISOLATION DOESN'T ONLY
MEAN BEING ALONE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE
SOCIALLY ISOLATED EVEN WHEN THEY
ARE AT HOME WITH OTHERS.
BECAUSE THEY ARE MAYBE MARITAL
PROBLEMS OR, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY
BE FEELING A RIFT WITHIN THEIR
FAMILY OR THEIR APARTMENT MATES
OR WHOMEVER.
SO FINDING WAYS TO HELP PEOPLE
RIGHT NOW TO REACH OUT, TO MAKE
INTERCONNECTIVITY A STRENGTH, I
THINK IS ESSENTIAL TO
INCREASING PEOPLE'S RESILIENCY
TO GET THROUGH THIS FROM A
MENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE.
Sreenivasan: DOCTOR, OUR
HEALTH EXPERTS HAVE BEEN TELLING
US TO LOOK OUT FOR THE ELDERLY
NEARBY, PEOPLE WHO CAN'T GET TO
THE STORE, PERHAPS WHO ARE
ALREADY IMMUNOCOMPROMISED.
IN THE MENTAL HEALTH LANDSCAPE
WHO SHOULD WE BE LOOKING OUT
FOR?
WONDERFUL QUESTION.
I THINK ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE AND
MORE.
NO ONE WILL BE UNTOUCHED BY
THIS, YOU KNOW, I THINK JUST
LIKE YOU THINK ABOUT THE LAYERS
OF WHO WAS AFFECTED BY 9/11 FROM
THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS TO THE
FAMILY MEMBERS TO THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU
KNOW, TO THE WHOLE COUNTRY, AND
I THINK SIMILARLY IN COVID-19 WE
ARE GOING TO FIND PEOPLE WHO ARE
GOING TO KNOW THIS UNFORTUNATELY
AT THE MOST CLOSE AND INNER
TRAUMA TO ALL OF US BEING
TRAUMATIZED BY IT.
SO MY HOPE IS THAT IF EVERYONE
CAN FIND A PURPOSE RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PURPOSE IS
WHAT INCREASES OUR SELF-ESTEEM,
EVEN IN GOOD TIMES, IF PEOPLE
CAN FIND A PURPOSE, ONE OF THE
BEST PURPOSES WE CAN FIND IS TO
FIND A WAY TO CONNECT EVEN IF IT
IS WITH JUST ONE PERSON, AND SO
I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, I
WOULDN'T ACTUALLY SAY WE SHOULD
IDENTIFY THIS PERSON OVER THAT
PERSON.
IT IS WHO DO YOU KNOW IN YOUR
CIRCLE THAT YOU CAN MAKE SOME
FORM OF OUTREACH TO.
Sreenivasan: WHAT ARE SOME
OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERN YOU
THAT WILL NO NO LONGER BE, I
GUESS, IN THE PUBLIC EYE?
IF PEOPLE ARE STUCK AT HOME AND
NOT GOING TO THEIR JOBS, THEY
ARE NOT GOING TO SCHOOL, WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
HAPPEN INSIDE THE HOME THAT WE
WON'T HAVE INSIGHT INTO?
SO FIRST OF ALL HUMAN TOUCH,
FOR THOSE OF WHO ARE NOT
LIVING WITH OTHERS, THE ABSENCE
OF HUMAN TOUCH WE KNOW IS
DETRIMENTAL, I MEAN, IT IS WHY
LITTLE BABIES WHO AREN'T TOUCHED
DIE.
SO I THINK ANYONE WHO IS
EXPERIENCING AN ABSENCE OF HUMAN
TOUCH IS SOMEONE I AM VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT.
I ALSO THINK THAT WITHOUT THE
PRESENCE OF SCHOOLS UNDER THESE
FINANCIAL, FINANCIALLY VERY
DIFFICULT TIMES I AM VERY
CONCERNED IN AN UP TICK IN CHILD
ABUSE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
MITIGATES AGAINST CHILD ABUSE IS
THAT CHILDREN ARE SEEN AT
SCHOOLS, BUT BY NOT SEEING THEM
IN SCHOOL THE BELT MARKS, THE
BLACK EYES ARE GOING TO GO
UNDETECTED.
THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS GOING
TO GO UNDETECTED, SO I AM
ACTUALLY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE IF
THEY ARE CONNECTED TO PEOPLE
THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT
YOU ALMOST INSIST, IF YOU HAVE
THE CAPABILITY, OF COURSE, TO DO
A VISUAL INTERACTION.
WE WANT US NOT JUST TO
TELEPHONE, WE WANT TO SEE, ARE
THE DISHES PILING UP IN THE
SINK?
ARE THERE BEDS UNMADE?
HAS THE PERSON NOT SHOWERED IN
DAYS?
ARE THERE BRUISES THAT ARE
UNEXPLAINED?
SO I ACTUALLY THINK FOR SOME
PEOPLE, I WOULD PUSH TOWARDS
SAYING, I WANT TO SEE YOU.
I WANT -- I WANT TO SEE WHAT
YOUR HOME LIFE LOOKS LIKE RIGHT
NOW.
WHICH IS -- I HAVE TO SAY WAS
EXTRAORDINARY FOR ME THIS WEEK
BECAUSE AS SOMEONE WHO NEVER
WANTED TO HAVE A PRACTICE IN MY
OWN HOME BECAUSE I LIKED THE
SEPARATION BETWEEN WORK AND
HOME, SEEING MY PATIENTS HOMES I
WAS INVITED INTO THEIR HOMES,
WHICH I NEVER HAD SEEN BEFORE,
AND CONVERSELY THEY WERE INVITED
INTO MY HOME.
IT WAS A VERY DIFFERENT WAY TO
EXPERIENCE A THERAPY
RELATIONSHIP.
Sreenivasan: AND FINALLY,
DOCTOR, THIS CRISIS HAS REALLY
EXPOSED MANY OF THE SHORT
COMINGS OF THE PHYSICAL
HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE
MOST CONCERNED ABOUT, ABOUT THE
MENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE, THE
MENTAL HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY?
SO MENTAL HEALTH HAS ALWAYS
BEEN THE STEPCHILD OF THE
PHYSICAL HEALTH SYSTEM.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS ALWAYS
SHORT SHIFTED, IT GETS THE LEAST
REIMBURSEMENT FROM INSURANCE.
IT IS HARD TO ACCESS PROVIDERS.
THERE IS MUCH GREATER STIGMA,
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OFTEN TALK
ABOUT IF THEIR CHILD HAD CANCER
PEOPLE WOULD BRING MEALS, BUT
BECAUSE THEIR CHILD IS
SCHIZOPHRENIC PEOPLE STAY AWAY.
SO THERE ARE SO MANY FACTORS
ALREADY IN OUR SYSTEM, YOU KNOW,
AND THEN IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE
AN ACTING OUT ADOLESCENT BOY,
THE LIKELIHOOD THAT YOU ARE
GOING TO FIND A PROVIDER WHO CAN
TAKE THAT RISK ON TO TREAT THAT
CHILD IS MUCH LOWER.
SO ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH, THE
REIMBURSEMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH,
THE RESOURCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH,
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS,
ET CETERA, HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
SHORT SHIFTED AND NOW IT IS
GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE.
YOU KNOW, IRONICALLY, I THINK WE
ARE WAITING FOR THE "P" IN
P.T.S.D.
WE WANT THIS TO BE
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT DATE
IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
BUT WHEN IT DOES, YOU KNOW, WE
MAY HAVE FLATTENED THE CURVE ON
THE PHYSICAL VIRUS, BUT THE
IMPLICATIONS OF THIS IN TERMS OF
MENTAL HEALTH I SEE GOING ON FOR
YEARS TO COME.
Sreenivasan: DR. MAGGIE
MULQUEEN, THANKS SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US.
Sreenivasan: FINALLY TONIGHT,
KENTUCKY SENATOR RAND PAUL'S
OFFICE TWEETED THIS AFTERNOON
THAT THE SENATOR HAS TESTED
POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.
HE DID NOT HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS AND
IS EXPECTED BACK IN SENATE AFTER
THE QUARANTINE PERIOD ENDS.
HE SAYS HE HAS NOT HAD ANY
CONTACT WITH ANY OF HIS STAFF
FOR THE LAST TEN DAYS.
AND A REMINDER THAT NO MATTER
HOW MUCH OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN
CHANGED BY THE CORONAVIRUS, SOME
THINGS REMAIN THE SAME.
THE NORTHERN LIGHTS FILLED THE
SKIES OVER FINLAND ON FRIDAY
NIGHT-- RIGHT ON SCHEDULE--
OFFERING US ALL SOME MUCH NEEDED
TRANQUILITY.
THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF
"PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND."
I'M HARI SREENIVASAN.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
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