Amanpour and Company

WE TURN TO LOUISIANA. WHICH IS EXPERIENCING THE WORST COVID SURGE YET WITH AN ALL TIME HIGH IN HOSPITALIZATION. WHILE THE VACCINATION RATE IN LOUISIANA IS AMONG THE LOWEST IN THE COUNTRY IT IS NOW RISING. DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR HAS R REINSTATED A MASK MANDATE. TALKING TO US ABOUT WRESTLING WITH THE COVID CRISIS AND WHAT GOOD GOVERNMENT CAN DO. >> THANK YOU. GOVERNOR, WELCOME TO THE SHOW. >> THANK YOU. L.A. IS ONE OF THE WORST HOT SPOTS. 2,000 PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL. WHAT IS THE LATEST? >> FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE NOT ONE OF THE HOTTEST SPOTS WE ARE THE HOTTEST SPOT. MEASURED BY THE 7 DAY CASE RATE. IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE. JUST THE RATE OF GROWTH IN CASES. WHICH IS FUELLING THE HOSPITALIZATION. THAT 2,100 THAT WE HAVE ADMITTED IN PATIENTS ACROSS THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. THAT'S THE HIGHEST THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC. WHAT'S REALLY MOST CONCERNING RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE POSITIVITY OF THE TESTS CONTINUES TO INCREASE. TODAY WE'LL ANNOUNCE POSITIVITY IS 15%. LAST WEEK IT WAS 13%. IT HASN'T BEEN THAT HIGH IN OVER A YEAR. WHEN IT WAS HIGHER, IT WAS 20% AS MANY TESTS BEING CONDUCTED. ALL OF WHICH BEING DONE IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS IN THE PANDEMIC LAST YEAR. WE'RE NOW TESTING HALF A MILLION PEOPLE A MONTH. WE HAVE THAT POSITIVITY. WHAT WE KNOW TS FIRST INDICATOR YOU ARE REACHING THE CREST OF THE SURGE. OF COURSE WE NEED IT TO GO DOWN. WE HAVE THE WORST NUMBERS IN THE COUNTRY. IN THE PANDEMIC. THERE'S NOTHING ON THE HORIZON TO INDICATE THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER. WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE REINSTATED THE MASK MANDATE. FOR PEOPLE FIVE KP OVER. THAT INCLUDES K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS AND HIGHER EDUCATION AND THIS IS IT FOR INDOOR PUBLIC SETTINGS. WE HAVE TO CURB TRANSMISSION. THIS DELTA VARIANT IS A REAL GAME CHANGER. AND WE DIDN'T DO A GOOD ENOUGH JOB OF GETTING PEOPLE VACCINATED IN THE TIME THAT WE HAD BEFORE THIS SURGE GOT STARTED AND WE ARE PAYING THE PRICE. WITH PLAYING CATCH UP. THE ONLY GOOD NEWS I CAN REPORT IS THAT OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS VACCINATIONS HAVE INCREASED BY 300%. I BELIEVE THAT IN TERMS OF WEEK OVER WEEK INCREASE WE ARE LEADING THE COUNTRY IN THAT REGARD. WITH RESPECT TO NEW VACCINATION. THAT IS WELCOME. WE HAVE A VERY LONG WAY TO GO. >> THE NEWS OF THE SURGE HAS CAUSED PEOPLE WHO WERE HESITANT ANT VACCINES TO CHANGE THEIR MIND AND SAY I WANT A VACCINE? >> YES. THE NEWS OF THE SURGE -- THEY ACTUALLY THE DISEASE BURDEN IN EVERY COMMUNITY ACROSS THE STATE IS O SO PRONOUNCED. EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMEONE STRUGGLING WITH COVID. EITHER HOME SICK DURING THE HOSPITAL SICK. SOMEONE WHO RECENTLY DIED. I BELIEVE THAT'S GETTING TRACTION AND ATTENTION. AND PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN HESITANT MEANING THEY WERE WAITING. THEY DECIDED NOT TO WAIT ANY LONGER. SOME PEOPLE WHO I THINK CAN NEVER GOING TO GET THE VACCINE CHANGED THEIR MIND. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING. WE NEED TO KEEP IT GOING. ACROSS LOUISIANA FOR QUITE A WHILE. ONLY 37% OF OUR STATE IS FULLY VACCINATED. ABOUT 43% HAVE RECEIVED ONE SHOT. IF THERE'S OTHER GOOD NEWS IT'S THIS, AT LEAST AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE VACCINATION RATES IN THE NURSING HOMES IS GOOD. WE DON'T HAVE NURSING HOME PATIENTS COMPETING FOR BED SPACE IN THE HOSPITAL. UNLIKE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC. AND IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE VACCINATIONS IN PLACE, WE KNOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE JUST ABOUT AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK TODAY. TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL. WHO NEED HELP. THIS IS A POINT THAT IS LOST ON PEOPLE. IT ISN'T JUST THE COVID PATIENTS WHO NEED SPACE IN THE HOSPITAL. IT'S STROKE VICTIMS. HEART ATTACKS. MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS AND SO FORTH. WHEN THE HOSPITALS ARE FULL AND WE MIGHT HAVE 50 BEDS. WE WON'T HAVE THE DOCTORS AND NURSES AND RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS TO STAFF THE BEDS. THAT IS AN INCREASING CHALLENGE WE ARE TRYING TO HELP OUR HOSPITALS WITH. EVERY SINGLE DAY. YESTERDAY A MEDICAL DIRECTOR EVERY TIER 1 HOSPITAL IN THE STATE. THEY ARE ALL HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. 46 HOSPITALS IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA ASKED ME TO FIND HELP FROM THEM. WITH RESPECT TO STAFFING. THAT'S HOW THINGS ARE IN LOUISIANA TODAY. >> YOU COME FROM LOUISIANA. YOUR MOTHER WAS A HOSPITAL NURSE. WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM PEOPLE ABOUT WHY THEY ARE HESITANT TO GET THE VACCINATION AND WHAT ARGUMENTING ARE WORKING? >> FIRST OF ALL THE REASONS RUN THE WHOLE GAM ET. THE SOURCE OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE IS JUST SO PLENTIFUL. IT'S HARD TO STAY ON TOP OF IT. MANY TIMES IT'S PEOPLE WORRIED ABOUT FERTILITY. OR DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE VACCINE. OR IT'S EXPERIMENTAL. AND SO FORTH. OR THEY TRUST THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE HAVE HAD A HEALTH EMERGENCY SINCE MARCH 2020. WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE COVID ISN'T REAL. >> WAIT A SECOND -- THEY BELIEVE THAT NOW? THEY KNOW SOMEBODY WHO HAS HAD COVID IN LOUISIANA. >> THE ONES WHO GET IT SOMETIMES WHEN THEY ARE IN THE HOSPITAL, THESE RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS BECAUSE YOU ARE COVID POSITIVE. ON OCCASION THE PATIENTS GET ANGRY THEY SAY NO I CAN'T BE. COVID ISN'T REAL. >> WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT THAT MISINFORMATION? >> IT'S DIFFICULT. WE JUST CONTINUOUSLY TRY TO PUT OUT GOOD INFORMATION TO THE PEOPLE. PEOPLE GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND ONCE THEY REALIZE THEY ARE IN BAD SHAPE, THEY WILL ASK, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND GIVE ME THE VACCINE. AND AT THAT POINT. IT WOULD BE TOO LATE TO DO THEM ANY GOOD. SO JUST WORKING WITH PEOPLE. WE HAD A VERY POWERFUL PRESS CONFERENCE THIS PAST MONDAY. AND IT WAS THE MOST POWERFUL THAT I HAVE SEEN. THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS I ACCEPT THIS, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO REMAIN HESITANT TO GET THE VACCINE, MY VOICE IS MAKING NO DIFFERENCE. I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE NEED TO BE VACCINATED FOR A LONG TIME. HAVING HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS WHO ARE IN THE TRENCHES WHO CAN RELATE PERSONAL STORIES AND PERSONAL OBSERVATION ABOUT JUST HOW BAD THIS DISEASE IS AND WHAT THE BURDEN LOOKED LIKE IN THE STATE AND CAUSING PEOPLE TO DIE. A SMALL RURAL HOSPITAL. WHO CANNOT BE TRANSFERRED TO A LARGE HOSPITAL. WHERE THEY CAN RECEIVE THE HIGHER STANDARD OF CARE. THAT OUT COME IS LIKELY TO INCLUDE DEATH. HAVING THOSE PEOPLE TELL THESE STORIES AND INCLUDING HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE BEING ADVERSELY AFFECTED. THAT'S A DIFFERENCE WITH THE DELTA. PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND. ABOUT 20% OF THE CASES WE ARE ANNOUNCING ARE PEOPLE UNDER 18. MANY YOUNG PEOPLE EVEN THOUGH THE EXISTING CONDITIONS ARE HAVING THE CLASSIC CASES OF COVID. INVOLVING RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS AND NOT JUST THE MULTI-SYSTEM INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME IN CHILDREN. WHICH IS WHAT WE SAW PREVIOUSLY. THIS IS A VERY DIRE SITUATION. WE'RE TRYING TO RELATE IT TO PEOPLE AS BEST WE CAN. UNVARNISHED. USING PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL TO DO THAT. IT SEEMS TO BE HAVING SOME EFFECT. BUT I'M DISMAYED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO REMAIN OPPOSED TO VACCINE. AND HOW MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO BE PURPOSELY AVOIDING CONFIDENCE IN VACCINATION. IN THINGS LIKE MITIGATION MEASURES. SUCH AS MASKING. >> GIVE ME EXAMPLES OF THAT. WHO IS PUBLICLY TRYING TO UNDER MINE YOU ON VACCINATION? >> WELL, UNFORTUNATELY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HERE. IN LOUISIANA. AS IF WE DON'T HAVE OTHER REASONS TO OPT UT OF THE VACCINES. ALL OF THE REASONS YOU CAN OPT OUT IF YOU WANT. AS IF WE'RE MANDATING IT. WHICH WE'RE NOT. AS A STATE. >> YOU'RE A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR. YOU HAVE A VERY CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL. WHO IS TRYING TO TELL PEOPLE HOW TO OPT OUT OF VACCINES? >> HOW TO OPT OUT AND MASKING. >> HAVE YOU TALKED TO HIM? IS THERE A WAY TO RECONCILE THIS? >> I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. QUITE FRANKLY I DON'T BELIEVE HE'S CONSULTING WITH PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS. AND WHAT HE'S DOING HAS NO BASIS IN THE LAW. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH HIM AND THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE GOING TO LISTEN TO THAT. WE HAVE TO DO IS MINIMIZE THE NUMBER. IN PERSON EDUCATION FOR EXAMPLE IN OUR SCHOOL IS SO IMPORTANT. LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF COVID AND SO MANY PEOPLE WHO CHILDREN NOT IN THE CLASSROOM, THE TEST RESULTS CAME BACK THIS WEEK. THEY WERE ANNOUNCED. THE KIDS WHO SPENT THE MOST TIME IN THE CLASSROOM HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF LEARNING LOSS AND DID MUCH BETTER. WE WANT ALL KIDS IN PERSON IN EDUCATION. IT HAS TO BE A SAFL ENVIRONMENT. SAFE ENVIRONMENT. WE KNOW YOU CAN'T RUN A SCHOOL IF YOU ARE HAVING OUT BREAKS. WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN THE SUMMER. WITH RESPECT TO CAMPS AND OTHER THINGS WHERE THE KIDS WERE SPREADING COVID. THE STAFF GETTING IT AND SO FORTH. AND THEY WANT TO MASK. WE PUT THE MASK MANDATE FOR SCHOOL AND BE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. WHERE THE KIDS CAN LEARN. AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS. IN THE CLASSROOM. NUTRITION NEEDS ARE SATISFIED AT SCHOOL. AND FOR OTHER REASONS AS WELL. KIDS UNDER 12 DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE VACCINE. THE VACCINATION RATE 12 TO 18 IS ONLY 15%. WE HAVE TO DO BETTER. IT'S A CDC RECOMMENDATION. >> YOU SAID THAT PATIENTS ARE HAVING NON-COVID ISSUES ARE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING TREATMENT. TELL ME WHAT THAT HAS DONE? >> WELL, WHAT IT'S DONE IS CAUSED PEOPLE TO NOT BE ABLE TO GET A BED IN A HOSPITAL WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. IN ORDER TO HAVE A SURGICAL PROCEDURE. WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING AVAILABLE, THEY ARE HAVING TO POSTPONE ANYTHING THAT ISN'T AN EMERGENCY PROCEDURE. WHETHER IT'S SURGERY OR MEDICAL. WHAT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY TODAY CAN BE AN EMERGENCY NEXT WEEK. IF IT'S BEEN DELAYED. AND SO FORTH. THIS IS REALLY HAVING AN IMPACT AKRSZ THE STATE. I KNOW FOR EXAMPLE YOU TALK ABOUT MY MOTHER BEING A NURSE. MY SISTER IS A NURSE. SHE WORKED IN THE BIGGEST HOSPITAL THERE. SHE'S IN HER EARLY 60s SHE SURVIVED BREAST CANCER. SHE'S IMMUNE COMPROMISED AS A RESULT. SHE GOES TO WORK AND HAVING TO DO EXTRA SHIFTS. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S REQUIRED OF NURSES. I HAVE A NIECE WHO WENT TO WORK ON SUNDAY. AND A SMALL RURAL HOSPITAL. SHE PERSONALLY CALLED 38 HOSPITALS IN THE STATE AND OUT OF STATE. COULDN'T LOCATE AN ICU FOR THAT PATIENT. WE CANNOT PRETEND THAT'S NOT EFFECTING ADVERSELY THE OUT COME OF THE PATIENT. THAT'S HOW ACUTE THE SITUATION IS. WE NEED EVERYBODY ON BOARD. TODAY LOWER TRANSMISSION AND TURN THIS AROUND. I BELIEVE WE'LL GET THERE. I'M AN OPTIMIST. I'M PRAYING HARD AND WORKING HARD. WE NEED PEOPLE TO GET ON BOARD AND I APPRECIATE WHAT THE PRESIDENT STARTED SAYING YESTERDAY. IF YOU'RE NOT LEADING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION, GET OUT OF THE WAY. WE NEED PEOPLE IN LOUISIANA TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. >> YOU'RE A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR IN A CONSERVATIVE STATE. YOU ARE VERY PRO-LIFE. HOW YOU MAKE THE PRO-LIFE ARGUMENT TO THE OTHERS IN LOUISIANA? >> THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE ALWAYS SAID. PRO-LIFE TO ME AT LEAST HAS TO BE MORE THAN JUST SIMPLY ANTIABORTION. IT HAS TO BE PRO-LIFE. WE HAVE HAD OVER 11,000 PEOPLE DIE. YESTERDAY ALONE. WE LOST 59 DEATHS IN LOUISIANA. FOUR WEEKS AGO WE ANNOUNCED TWO. IN ONE DAY. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT AND KNOW THAT 90% OF THE PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL ARE UNVACCINATED AND IF YOU VACCINATE YOURSELF. YOU ARE 29 TIMES LESS LIKELY TO DIE FROM COVI. THIS HAS A PRO-LIFE ELEMENT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT CONNECTION ISN'T BEING MADE. THERE ISN'T MORE OF AN EFFORT OF ACROSS THE SPECTRUM. ESPECIALLY AMONG THE MORE CONSERVATIVE FOLKS IN LOUISIANA. WITH RESPECT TO THE PANDEMIC. THIS IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR LIFE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. AND MANIFESTING ITSELF IN LOUISIANA. IN WAY THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN UP TO NOW. I AM MAKING A APPEAL TO PEOPLE. I MENTIONED THIS MONDAY. TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO TO DO IT IN IN THIS LIGHT. I WILL BE HAVING A CALL WITH PASTORS TOMORROW. FROM AROUND THE STATE. >> GOVERNOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD LUCK WITH THE FIGHT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE ACCEPT HELP. WE ACCEPT PRAYER. WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS. LOUISIANA PEOPLE ARE GOOD, RESILIENT PEOPLE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CRESTING AND COMING DOWN ON THIS SURGE. WE ARE LITERALLY OVERWHELMED. >> GOOD LUCK. >> THANK YOU.