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CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Let me start by asking you where you think your city is right now. We hear, obviously today, that the tri-state area, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, have gone into a coordinated response, banning gatherings of more than 50 and doing, as I outlined a number, of social distancing measures. What is the situation right now in your view?
OXIRIS BARBOT, NEW YORK CITY HEALTH COMMISSIONER: Right now, we have documented widespread community transmission, which means that it’s more likely for a New Yorker to contract COVID-19 from someone here already in New York City than from someone who’s bringing it in from the outside. And as a result of having community wide transmission, we are now taking very significant steps in order to slow down the spread of that illness as well as reduce the potential harm to New Yorkers and that’s why we have closed schools, that’s why we have taken extreme measures overnight.
AMANPOUR: And can you imagine anymore measures being taken? And I just want to ask you because you heard the head of the World Health Organization say it isn’t just social distancing, it is also self-isolation when necessary and that’s not — people haven’t kind of quite got a grip with the importance of that. But most especially, the idea of testing and that seems to be a massive hole in this response. What can you tell me about testing and whether it’s possible that you might get any new kits?
BARBOT: So, in the immediate period, early on in the investigation or the outbreak rather, testing was really very critical. And right now, given the widespread community transmission that we have, we are pivoting to focus testing on those who need it the most, simply because there are concerns about ensuring that those individuals that are not getting better have access to care and importantly, have access to testing. So, from our estimation or from our stance, it is really critical that the federal government move more quickly in expanding access to automation in these tests. So, rather than having to wait three or four days for results, we can get them in a matter of hours.
About This Episode EXPAND
New York City health commissioner Oxiris Barbot explains the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in her region. Dr. Sonia Adesara discusses whether the U.K.’s healthcare system is prepared for the crisis. Harvard economics professor Jason Furman discusses the economic fallout caused by the crisis. David Axelrod reacts to last night’s debate between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders.
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