>> COMING UP ON COVID UNCOVERED: >> IT WAS JUST SAD TO KNOW THAT, AND HURTFUL, TO KNOW THAT SHE PASSED AWAY FROM COVID.

>> NURSING HOMES ARE BEING HIT ESPECIALLY HARD BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WHILE THE VACCINE ROLLOUT IS GIVING HOPE TO THOSE IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.

>> I'M A LIVING WITNESS THAT THIS COVID IS REAL, AND IT WOULD TAKE YOU OUT OF HERE, >> AND AN OXFORD MAN RECOUNTS HIS RECOVERY STORY AFTER COVID-19 ALMOST TOOK HIS LIFE.

♪ WELCOME TO COVID UNCOVERED, I'M DAVID HURST.

CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS CONTINUE TO RISE ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA AS MANY LINEUP FOR THE VACCINE.

KELLY MCCULLEN HAS THE LATEST ON HOW THE CORONAVIRUS IS AFFECTING YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY.

>> THE UNITED STATES ENTERED THE WEEK WITH OVER 24 MILLION CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASES AND A DEATH TOLL APPROACHING 400,000.

BUT HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE DOWN FROM THE JANUARY 6 PEAK AND VACCINATIONS ARE ROLLING OUT.

NEW YORK CITY LEADERS SAY THEY'LL RUN OUT SOON.

>> AT THE RATE WE ARE GOING WE WILL BEGIN TO RUN OUT ON THURSDAY.

THIS THURSDAY, 2 DAYS FROM NOW.

AND WE WILL HAVE LITERALLY NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE AS OF FRIDAY.

>> THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSING A NEAR 2 TRILLION DOLLARS CORONAVIRUS STIMULUS PLAN.

IT WANTS TO SEE 100 MILLION COVID-19 VACCINATIONS WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION'S FIRST 100 DAYS IN OFFICE.

>> RIGHT NOW, WITH INTEREST RATES AT HISTORIC LOWS, THE SMARTEST THING WE CAN DO IS ACT BIG.

IN THE LONG RUN, I BELIEVE THE BENEFITS WILL FAR OUTWEIGH THE COSTS, ESPECIALLY IF WE CARE ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE.

WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

>> THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IS REPORTING THAT 8.1 MILLION COVID TESTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN SO FAR WITH NEARLY 12% OF THOSE DAILY TESTS NOW COMING BACK AS POSITIVE.

NEARLY 3,900 NORTH CAROLINIANS ARE HOSPITALIZED DUE TO COVID-19 AND 8,100 NORTH CAROLINIANS HAVE DIED FROM COVID-19 COMPLICATIONS SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN.

KELLY MCCULLEN REPORTING.

>> AND AS KELLY JUST MENTIONED OVER 8,000 NORTH CAROLINIANS HAVE DIED OF THE CORONAVIRUS AND ABOUT 40% OF THOSE DEATHS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO NURSING HOMES.

ONE OF THOSE DEATHS IS 86 YEAR-OLD EMMA DAY.

I SPOKE WITH DAY'S DAUGHTER ABOUT HER HEARTBREAKING LOSS AND HOW SHE IS NOW HONORING HER MOTHER.

>> SHE WAS ONE OF THE MINISTERS AT THE CHURCH.

>> GROWING UP SHEILA FRANKLIN SAYS HER MOM ALWAYS TAUGHT HER THE VALUE OF SERVING OTHERS.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I MEAN THAT I JUST LEARNED IN MY HOUSE WAS TO HELP PEOPLE AND SO I DEFINITELY GOT THAT FROM HER BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I SAW.

>> AFTER 86 YEARS OF SERVING EMMA DAY PASSED AWAY.

THEY LIVED AT A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY IN HENDERSON, NORTH CAROLINA.

HER HEALTH STARTED DETERIORATING IN EARLY NOVEMBER AFTER SHE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.

SHEILA FRANKLIN AND HER FAMILY WE'RE ALLOWED TO VISIT THEIR MOTHER ONCE MORE BEFORE SHE PASSED.

>> BUT I REALLY FELT LIKE THAT WOULD BE THE TIME I WOULD BE SAYING GOODBYE BECAUSE I COULD SEE THE STRUGGLE THAT SHE WAS HAVING JUST TO BREATHE AND AT HER AGE 86 AND HAVE UNDERLYING CONDITIONS.

I JUST FELT LIKE IT WOULDN'T BE LONG.

>> EMMA DAY PASSED AWAY A FEW DAYS LATER AND DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, FRANKLIN WAS NOT ALLOWED TO BE WITH HER MOM IN HER FINAL MOMENTS.

>> THAT TO ME IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THIS KNOWING THAT SHE'S THERE AT A NURSING FACILITY BY HERSELF WITHOUT US BEING BY HER SIDE TO BE ABLE TO SOOTHE HER, TO TRY TO HELP HER.

>> SOON AFTER HER MOM'S DEATH FRANKLIN IS ABLE TO FIND A WAY TO CARRY ON HER MOTHER'S LEGACY WHEN SHE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE CORONAVIRUS VACCINE.

>> IT'S SO SAD TO CONTINUE TO SEE PEOPLE PASS AWAY WITH COVID ESPECIALLY OUR SENIORS WHO HAVE UNDERLYING CONDITIONS.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN AGAIN SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I DID IT, IN HONOR OF MY MOM BECAUSE SHE WAS A SENIOR.

>> AND WHILE FRANKLIN IS ADJUSTING TO LIFE WITHOUT HER MOTHER, SHE'S HOPEFUL THE VACCINE WILL HELP LIMIT THE NUMBER OF DEATHS LINKED TO THIS VIRUS.

>> I THINK IT'S GIVEN ME A LOT OF HOPE, WHOLE LOT OF HOPE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THIS VACCINE IS OUT AND HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY WILL REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE VACCINE THAT IT'LL HELP SO MANY PEOPLE AND HOPEFULLY SAVE SO MANY LIVES.

>> AND JOINING ME NOW IS LAUREN ZINGRAFF, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FRIENDS OF RESIDENTS IN LONG-TERM CARE.

LAUREN THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US TODAY, NURSING HOMES AND OTHER LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES ARE BEING HIT PARTICULARLY HARD BY THIS PANDEMIC.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

HOW IS THIS PANDEMIC AFFECTING THESE FACILITIES?

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY DAVID.

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS BEEN CATASTROPHIC FOR NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITIES IN OUR STATE.

WHILE IT ONLY MAKES UP ABOUT 4% OF THE TOTAL POSITIVE CASES HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, IT DOES MAKE UP OVER 40% OF THE DEATHS.

RESIDENTS HAVE GONE NOW IN MANY CASES CLOSE TO A YEAR WITHOUT HAVING CONTACT WITH THEIR LOVED ONES.

SOME RESIDENTS HAVE GONE WITHOUT SEEING THEIR LOVED ONES WITHOUT HAVING TOUCHES WITHOUT HAVING HUGS, WITHOUT HAVING VISITS OF ANY KIND.

THERE HAVE BEEN 2 PANDEMICS GOING ON AT ONE TIME YOU EITHER DIE OF THE PHYSICAL COVID-19 VIRUS ITSELF OR YOU DIE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS.

THE SOCIAL ISOLATION, THE LONELINESS, THE DEPRESSION, THE LOSS OF WILL TO LIVE THAT COVID-19 HAS CAUSED WITH THE LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES.

>> YOU HAD MENTIONED THE STATISTIC ABOUT DEATHS IN NORTH CAROLINA LINKED TO NURSING HOMES.

HOW MUCH HOPE IS THERE IN THE VACCINE TO REVERSE THIS TREND?

>> WE'RE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THE VACCINE WILL START TO ALLEVIATE HOW MUCH DEATH THERE IS RELATED TO THE COVID-19 VIRUS.

OBVIOUSLY RESIDENTS IN NURSING HOMES ARE MOST MEDICALLY FRAGILE.

THEY HAVE COEXISTING CONDITIONS AND SO THEY NEED TO BE PROTECTED FROM THE VIRUS.

SO WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT AS YOU KNOW THE VACCINE ROLLOUT HAS BEEN SLOWER THAN FAMILIES AND RESIDENTS AND ADVOCATES LIKE MYSELF HAD HOPED FOR SO WE'RE STILL WAITING TO SEE THE IMPACT OF THE VACCINE.

>> YEAH TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.

WHAT'S BEEN THE ISSUE WITH THE VACCINE ROLLOUT IN SOME OF THESE FACILITIES?

>> WELL HAVE THEM AND SEVERAL THINGS GOING ON, BUT ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS TO REMEMBER FOR OUR STATE IS THAT WE ARE A VERY LARGE STATE.

WE ARE 100 DIFFERENT COUNTIES AND WE'RE MILEAGE WISE VERY SPREAD OUT FROM THE OUTER BANKS TO OUR BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS AND SO THE CONTRACT FOR NURSING HOMES IS THAT A PHARMACIST FROM EITHER CVS OR WALGREENS HAS TO BE AVAILABLE TO GO INSIDE THE NURSING HOME AND ACTUALLY GIVE THE VACCINATION TO THE RESIDENCS AND SO THERE'S NOT ALWAYS A PHARMACIST AVAILABLE FROM A BRICK AND MORTAR CVS OR WALGREENS THAT CAN TRAVEL AND GO INSIDE ONE OF OUR NURSING HOMES IN ALL OF OUR 100 COUNTIES, AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S SLOWING UP THE PROCESS.

>> AND THERE ARE REPORTS THAT ESTIMATE ABOUT HALF OF LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY STAFF ARE NOT TAKING THE COVID-19 VACCINE.

DOES THAT CONCERN YOU AT ALL?

>> WE'RE DEFINITELY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

WE UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS HESITATION WE UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS THAT FEAR.

AND WHY THERE IS THE HESITATION TO GET THE VACCINE, BUT EVEN THOUGH WE UNDERSTAND THAT, WE'RE VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE BACK WITH THE EPICENTER OF THE INITIAL SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN OUR COUNTRY WHICH WAS FROM THE KIRKLAND WASHINGTON STATE NURSING HOME, THE INVESTIGATION FROM THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE MEDICAID SERVICES FOUND THAT THE INITIAL SOLE CAUSE OF THE SPREAD WAS, ALBEIT UNINTENTIONALLY, STAFF SPREADING IT TO RESIDENTS.

SO THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN GET CONTROL OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE INSIDE OUR NURSING HOMES IS IF STAFF GET VACCINATED.

SO WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT THERE IS THIS TYPE OF HESITATION FROM OUR DIRECT CARE STAFF.

>> AND WHAT WORK STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ENSURE THAT THESE LONG-TERM CAN'T CARE FACILITIES ARE A SAFE PLACE FROM THIS VIRUS.

>> WELL AT FIRST WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AN ADEQUATE DIRECT CARE STAFF IN PLACE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PAID AN ADEQUATE PAY.

MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE NOT RECEIVED HAZARD PAY.

THEY DON'T RECEIVE SICK PAY, THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANYTHING LIKE THAT DURING THIS ENTIRE PANDEMIC.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ADEQUATE PPE WHILE MANY OF US HAVE SEEN THE OUTREACH AND PPE FOR HOSPITALS AND DONATIONS TO HOSPITALS OVER THE LAST YEAR.

THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE NECESSARILY FOR NURSING HOMES, WE NEED TO ENSURE THEY HAVE ADEQUATE PPE, WE ALSO NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE VACCINE IS, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BROUGHT INTO OUR NURSING HOMES AND FOR THOSE RESIDENTS AND STAFF THAT CHOOSE TO HAVE THE VACCINE ARE VACCINATED.

SO I WOULD SAY ADEQUATE AND PROFESSIONAL DIRECT STAFF IN PLACE AND THAT THEY'RE COMPENSATED FOR THE JOBS THAT THEY DO FOR OUR ELDERLY, ADEQUATE PPE AS WELL AS THE VACCINE.

>> LAUREN THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR LENDING YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC.

>> AND THANK YOU DAVID FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED OF RESIDENTS OF LONG-TERM CARE.

>> A LOT OF WORK BEING DONE IN NURSING HOMES, A LOT OF WORK ALSO IN NORTH CAROLINA HOSPITALS AS FRONTLINE WORKERS CONTINUE TO FIGHT THIS VIRUS.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE DEATHS BUT THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN SOME PRETTY INCREDIBLE RECOVERY STORIES.

KELLY MCCULLEN HAS ONE OF THOSE STORIES.

[BELL RINGING] >> IT WAS A NORMAL SUNDAY MORNING IN CHURCH FOR JACQUELINE AND DAVID MCSHAW.

>> WE JUST HAPPENED TO LET OUR GUARD DOWN, DID NOT HAVE A MASK OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.

>> A FEW DAYS LATER, THE OXFORD COUPLE BEGAN NOT FEELING WELL.

JACQUELINE SAYS SHE HAD COLD-LIKE SYMPTOMS BUT DAVID WAS MUCH MORE SICK.

HE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL TO GET A COVID TEST.

THE DOCTORS THERE SEND HIM IMMEDIATELY TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

>> I TELL EVERYBODY IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE WAS STANDING ON MY CHEST AND I COULD NOT BREATHE.

>> DOCTORS TRIED SEVERAL METHODS TO HELP DAVID BREATHE, BUT NONE OF THEM WERE WORKING.

IT REACHED A POINT WHERE EVEN DAVID REALIZED HE WASN'T SURE HOW MANY BREATHS HE HAD LEFT.

>> I WOULD CALL MY WIFE AND I TOLD HER TO MAKE PLANS FOR MY FUNERAL BECAUSE I WAS I WAS GIVING UP.

>> DAVID'S FAMILY ENCOURAGED HIM TO HOLD ON, AS A NURSE CALLED JACQUELINE TO TELL HER THEY'D BE PLACING DAVID ON A VENTILATOR AS A LAST RESORT.

>> AND I TOLD HER YOU DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO MEDICALLY, I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I NEED TO DO SPIRITUALLY AND THAT'S PRAY.

>> AFTER SEVERAL DAYS ON THE VENTILATOR DOCTORS TOOK HIM OFF.

BY THIS POINT, JACQUELINE, WAS COVID FREE, CAN VISIT DAVID.

>> WHEN HE OPENED HIS EYES HE LOOKED AND HE SAW ME AND DIDN'T REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT WAS ME STANDING THERE.

>> I THOUGHT I WAS DREAMING.

WHEN I LOOKED UP AND SAW HER FACE SMILING AND SHE SAID, "YES BABY THIS IS ME, I'M HERE AND IT PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE, I TELL YOU.

>> DAVID STARTED GETTING BETTER AND A FEW DAYS LATER, DOCTORS RELEASED HIM FROM THE HOSPITAL.

HE STILL REQUIRES AN OXYGEN TANK TO HELP HIM BREATHE BUT HE'S USING THE BREATH, HE GOT BACK TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO TAKE THIS VIRUS VERY SERIOUSLY.

>> I'M A LIVING WITNESS THAT THIS COVID IS REAL, AND IT WOULD TAKE YOU OUT OF HERE, BUT WHEN I CAME THROUGH AND SEEN HER FACE ALL I CAN DO INSIDE ME WAS THANK THE GOOD LORD FOR KEEPING ME.

>> I'M JOINED NOW BY DOCTOR BARTON HAYNES DIRECTOR OF THE DUKE HUMAN VACCINE INSTITUTE WHICH HELPED CONTRIBUTE TO THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE, I KNOW DAVID AND JACQUELINE MCSHAW, WHO WE JUST SAW, TELL ME THEY'RE ITCHING TO GET THE VACCINE THEMSELVES AFTER THEIR FAMILY SCARE, BUT OTHERS ARE NOT AS EAGER TO TAKE IT.

DOCTOR HAYNES GONNA A START YOU WITH THE MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION, WITH A QUESTION YOU'RE PROBABLY TIRED OF HEARING BUT MANY ARE STILL WONDERING HOW SAFE IS THIS VACCINE?

>> WELL THE VACCINES THAT ARE APPROVED BY THE FDA ARE SAFE AND ARE AVAILABLE NOW FOR WIDE USE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND ACROSS UNITED STATES.

THERE'S A LOT OF FRUSTRATION THAT THOSE THAT WANT THE VACCINE HAVE TO EITHER STAND IN LINES OR THEY'RE NOT BEING CALLED TO GET THE VACCINE.

BUT WE'RE IN HOPES THAT THE VACCINES WILL BE AVAILABLE QUITE SOON FOR MOST PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> AS I UNDERSTAND THIS VACCINE USED YEARS OF RESEARCH TO DEVELOP AND TEST.

WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH WENT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS VACCINE?

>> WELL THE VACCINES weRE PRODUCED UNDER A FEDERAL PROGRAM CALLED OPERATION WARP SPEED WHICH IMPLIES THAT A LOT OF CORNERS WERE CUT.

BUT ACTUALLY THESE VACCINES PARTICULARLY THE MODERNA AND PFIZER VACCINES THAT ARE GENETIC VACCINES ARE MADE OF MATERIALS CALLED RNAs HAVE BEEN THE PRODUCT OF DEVELOPMENT OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS IN PARTICULAR FOR OTHER VACCINES SUCH AS HIV AND ZICA AND OTHER WORK THAT'S GONE ON.

SO A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE ON THAT LED UP TO THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF THESE VACCINES.

WHERE CORNERS WERE QUOTE UNQUOTE CUT OR THAT THE GOVERNMENT STARTED PAYING FOR THE VACCINES TO BE MADE IN LARGE QUANTITIES A 100 MILLION DOSES LONG BEFORE WE KNEW THAT THE VACCINES WE'RE GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE.

SO THAT WAS REALLY WHAT WAS ADVANCED QUICKLY.

ALL OF THE SAFETY REGULATIONS AND SAFETY TESTS WERE CARRIED OUT AS USUAL FOR VACCINES, TO GUARANTEE THAT THEY WOULD BE SAFE WHEN THEY CAME TO THE PUBLIC.

AND INDEED THEY ARE.

>> AND FOR THOSE WHO DO GET THE VACCINE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

IS THAT A PASSPORT TO NOT WEAR A MASK AND SOCIAL DISTANCE?

>> WELL, THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION AND SO WHAT THE CLINICAL TRIALS SHOWED WAS THAT THE VACCINES PREVENT DISEASE, BUT THE STRANGE THING ABOUT THIS EPIDEMIC AND THE DIFFICULT THING ABOUT THIS EPIDEMIC IS THAT THE VIRUS CAN BE PRODUCED IN PEOPLE IN LARGE QUANTITIES IN PEOPLE WHO ARE ASYMPTOMATIC WHO DON'T HAVE SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE.

WHAT WE WHAT WE KNOW FROM THE VACCINE TRIALS IS THAT THE VACCINES WERE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE FOR MODERNA AND PFIZER VACCINES, 95% EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING DISEASE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THAT IT PREVENTS INFECTION AND PARTICULARLY ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTION WITH SHEDDING OF THE VIRUS SO THAT THE VIRUS CAN BE COMMUNICATED TO OTHERS.

SO NO, ONCE WE GET VACCINATED WE STILL NEED TO WEAR MASKS, WE STILL NEED TO SOCIAL DISTANCE UNTIL THE STUDIES ARE DONE AND THEY'RE BEING DONE THIS SPRING, AND WE SHOULD KNOW BY THE END OF THE SPRING, WHETHER THE VACCINES ALSO PREVENT AGAINST INFECTION AND PREVENT AGAINST ASYMPTOMATIC SPREAD.

IT TURNS OUT THAT WELL OVER 50% OF THE SPREAD OF THIS EPIDEMIC HAS BEEN BY PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW THEY'RE INFECTED BUT ARE SHEDDING THE VIRUS.

>> AND DOCTOR HAYNES REAL BRIEFLY, WHAT IS THE NEXT GENERATION OF VACCINES LOOK LIKE AND WHAT ROLE IS DUKE PLAYING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE VACCINES?

>> WELL THE ROLE THAT THE DUKE HUMAN VACCINE INSTITUTE IS PLAYING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINES IS IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF VACCINES AND THERE ARE SEVERAL BIG QUESTIONS, THE FIRST BIG QUESTION IS HOW LONG ARE THE VACCINES GOING TO LAST?

SO ONE THING WE'RE WORKING ON ARE VACCINES THAT INDUCE DURABLE PROTECTIVE IMMUNE RESPONSES SO THAT OF THE POPULATION DOESN'T HAVE TO BE VACCINATED QUITE SO OFTEN.

SECONDLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT'S CALLED ESCAPE MUTANTS.

THIS IS AN RNA VIRUS, AND THAT JUST MEANS THAT THIS IS A KIND OF VIRUS CAN CHANGE OVER TIME AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME CHANGES IN THE VIRUS OVER TIME FORTUNATELY IT'S NOT MUTATING VERY FAST, BUT IT IS MUTATING AND IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS RECENTLY UP OF STRAINS THAT ARE MORE INFECTIOUS OVER IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND ALSO IN SOUTH AFRICA.

SO WE'RE LOOKING VERY HARD AT THOSE MUTATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE VACCINES THAT SHOULD THESE MUTATIONS OF VIRUSES HAS BECOME AVAILABLE IN OUR POPULATION AND BE RESISTANT TO THE IMMUNITY THAT THE CURRENT VACCINES INDUCE THAT WE'LL HAVE VACCINES THAT CAN BE USED AGAINST THESE VIRUSES VERY QUICKLY.

>> DOCTOR HAYNES THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS FRONT, AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> MY PLEASURE.

THANK YOU.

>> WE OFTEN MARVEL AT HOW QUICKLY THE CORONAVIRUS VACCINE WAS DEVELOPED.

THAT WAS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY CLINICAL TRIALS, SOME OF THEM TAKING PLACE RIGHT HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA.

EVAN HOWELL GIVES US AN INSIDE LOOK TO THESE TRIALS AND WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE FUTURE.

>> AND THEY'RE LIKE, "HUH?

YOU DID WHAT NOW?"

>> CASEY RIMLAND WAS ENTERING HER 4TH YEAR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL WHEN THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC BEGAN.

SHE DECIDED SHE'D HELP FIGHT THE VIRUS.

>> YOU KNEW ALL OF YOUR COLLEAGUES AND YOUR TEACHERS ARE IN THE HOSPITAL.

I MEAN ESSENTIALLY TREATING PATIENTS WITH COVID AND LIKE YOU'RE SITTING ON YOUR COUCH LIKE LEARNING HOW TO CROCHET.

>> CASEY VOLUNTEERED FOR THE PFIZER VACCINE CLINICAL TRIAL.

HER HUSBAND, AARON SIGNED UP WITH HER.

HE'S VISITED THE VACCINE CLINIC 3 TIMES IN RECENT MONTHS, AND HE HAS A FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENT SOON.

>> EVEN GETTING THEIR YOU KNOW, IS BASICALLY 45 MINUTES EACH WAY AND THEN THE APPOINTMENT WAS ABOUT 3 HOURS, THEY DREW BLOOD THERE, YOU HAD TO TAKE A COVID TEST AND THEN THEY ACTUALLY GAVE YOU THE DOSE, THEN YOU HAD TO WAIT FOR IT TO WARM UP, I SUPPOSE, AND THEN AFTER WE HAD TO SIT THERE AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

>> GETTING VOLUNTEERS HAS NOT HAS NOT BEEN A PROBLEM.

[SQUEAKING] >> CHIP WALTER LEADS THE PFIZER VACCINE TRIALS OF THE DUKE HUMAN VACCINE INSTITUTE.

WALTER SAYS ABOUT 40,000 PEOPLE ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE VACCINE TRIALS COVERING PFIZER IN ADDITION TO ASTRAZENECA AND OTHER DRUG COMPANIES.

IN TOTAL 5 MAJOR VACCINE TRIALS ARE UNDERWAY IN THE TRIAL.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SEVERITY AND SERIOUSNESS OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE NUMBER OF DEATHS AND MORTALITY IN THIS COUNTRY, I THINK IT'S A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE REALLY ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER AND JOIN A STUDY TO KIND OF HELP PREVENT COVID INFECTION.

>> CASEY AND AARON SAY PARTICIPATING IN THE CLINICAL TRIALS WAS AN EASY DECISION.

>> AS A MEDICAL STUDENT, I FELT LIKE I COULD UNDERSTAND KIND OF THE DATA AND THE SCIENCE FOR LIKE THE PHASE, ONE AND 2 TRIALS THAT I'D SEEN COMING OUT AND IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS SAFE ENOUGH.

>> CHIP WALTERS SAYS THE GREATEST PUBLIC CHALLENGE ISN'T CONVINCING PEOPLE TO TAKE THE COVID-19 VACCINES, IT'S GETTING THE VACCINE TO THE PEOPLE.

>> CLEARLY RIGHT NOW THAT THE ISSUE IS GETTING INTO THE ARMS WE HAVE ENOUGH VACCINE.

I THINK MORE WILL BE MANUFACTURED.

BUT IN ORDER TO VACCINATE A LARGE ENOUGH PORTION OF THE POPULATION WE'RE REALLY GOING TO PROBABLY NEED MULTIPLE VACCINES AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE SO MANY DIFFERENT VACCINES BEING EVALUATED.

>> OKAY.

THAT'S IT.

>> AARON COHEN SAYS THE VACCINE GIVE MY MINOR FEVER AND SOME CHILLS.

HIS WIFE CASEY RECEIVED A PLACEBO, BUT IS NOW VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19.

CASEY SAYS SHE SAW ENOUGH FROM THE HOSPITAL THAT HELPING VACCINES GAIN APPROVAL IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.

>> I DON'T WANT MY FAMILY MEMBERS OR ANYONE THAT I KNOW OR LOVE TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT AND UNFORTUNATELY MANY PEOPLE RIGHT NOW ARE HAVING THAT HAPPEN.

SO IF THIS WAS MY WAY TO HELP NOT ONLY MY FUTURE PATIENTS BUT ALSO OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

>> AND JOINING US NOW IS DOCTOR CINDY GAY.

DOCTOR GAY, WE JUST HEARD ABOUT THE PFIZER TRIAL, YOU OVERSAW THE MODERNA CLINICAL TRIAL AT UNC CHAPEL HILL.

WAS IT DIFFICULT TO GET PARTICIPANTS TO SIGN UP FOR THIS TRIAL OR DID YOU FIND THAT PEOPLE WERE PRETTY EAGER TO HELP?

>> IT REALLY WASN'T THAT DIFFICULT.

I THINK PEOPLE WERE VERY INTERESTED AND LIKE MANY OF US LOOKING FOR SOME HOPE TO GET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS.

SO WE REALLY, WE COULD HAVE ENROLLED A LOT MORE IF WE HAD MORE TIME BEFORE THE TARGET ENROLLMENT WAS MET SO WE WERE REALLY PLEASED.

>> WHAT WERE SOME OF THE ROADBLOCKS ARE DIFFICULTIES TO THIS TRIAL.

WHAT KEPT YOU UP KEPT YOU UP AT NIGHT?

>> REALLY THE BIGGEST ROADBLOCK WAS JUST GETTING EVERYTHING IN PLACE AND THE SORT OF RAPID PACE WITH WHICH WE WANTED TO GET THINGS MOVING AND WITH THE OBVIOUS REASON THAT YOU KNOW THE SOONER WE HAVE MORE VACCINES, THE SOONER PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY GET VACCINATED AND MORE WIDELY SO REALLY IT WAS JUST ABOUT PROBLEM SOLVING LIKE HOW DO WE SORT OF DO THINGS A BIT QUICKER IN THE SENSE OF JUST GETTING THINGS IN PLACE.

WE DID HAVE TO BRING ON ADDITIONAL STAFF SO IT'S REALLY JUST A LITTLE BIT JUST THE LOGISTICS OF IT THAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING.

>> AND TAKE ME BACK TO THE DAY WHEN YOU FOUND OUT THIS VACCINE WAS SO EFFECTIVE?

WHAT WAS GOING TO YOUR MIND?

WAS THAT A SURPRISE?

>> IT WAS.

I WOULD SAY IT WAS A TREMENDOUS RELIEF, IT WAS IN THE MEDICAL FIELD A HOMERUN A COUPLE TIMES IN A ROW, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US WERE EXPECTING IT TO BE THAT GREAT.

FOR MANY MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE REALLY BEEN WORKING LONG HOURS 6, 7, DAYS A WEEK.

JUST TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE VACCINE NOT THAT GOOD IT WAS JUST TREMENDOUS.

I JUST CAN'T SAY HOW EXCITED WE ALL ARE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SAFETY DATA.

WHAT KIND OF SIDE EFFECTS IF ANY DID TRIAL PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCE?

>> THE SIDE EFFECTS THAT WE'RE SEEING BOTH WITH THE PFIZER AND MODERNA REALLY ARE SIDE EFFECTS THAT WE SEE WITH ANY VACCINE, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE LICENSED THAT WE'VE BEEN USING.

IN FACT A LOT OF THE SYMPTOMS REALLY ARE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM TELLING YOU THAT THE VACCINE IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WHICH IS RESPONDING TO THE VACCINE AND STARTING TO PRODUCE ANTIBODIES.

I WOULD SAY WITH THE PFIZER MODERNA SOME OF THE SORT OF COMMON SYMPTOMS WE SEE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FREQUENT THEY MIGHT BE FOR EXAMPLE, A LITTLE BIT MORE SEVERE THAN WHAT I THINK MOST PEOPLE MIGHT EXPERIENCE WITH FLU.

BUT THEY'RE NOT WORRISOME, THEY'RE NOT UNEXPECTED.

AND WHEN YOU SORT OF WEIGH THE RISK VERSUS BENEFIT OF THE VACCINE VERSUS THE RISK OF GETTING COVID OR EVEN SEVERE COVID, I THINK A DAY OR 2 OF SOME OF THESE MOSTLY MILD SYMPTOMS ARE DEFINITELY WORTH IT.

>> AND WE SAW SOME SETBACKS WITH SOME OF THE OTHER VACCINE TRIALS, HOW BIG OF A DEAL IS IT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP TWO DIFFERENT VACCINES WITH SUCH A HIGH EFFICACY RATE?

>> WELL, IT'S TREMENDOUS, I WOULD SAY, AND TO SOME DEGREE SOME OF THE PAUSES FOR EXAMPLE ON THE OTHER 2 STUDIES, FOR US AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO WORK ON CLINICAL TRIALS AND THIS IS SORT OF WHAT WE DO ALL THE TIME FOR US THOSE WERE INDICATIONS THAT ALL OF OUR SAFETY SORT OF PROCEDURES ARE IN PLACE MEANING THAT OFTEN TIMES IF YOU HAVE AND EVENT YOU WANT TO STOP AND PAUSE AND EVALUATE IT AND DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S RELATED TO THE TREATMENT OR COULD IT JUST BE LIFE HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME THAT SOMEONE'S ENROLLED ON A CLINICAL TRIAL.

SO FOR US, I WOULD SAY THEY WERE SORT OF HICCUPS IF YOU WILL OR PAUSE BUT THEY WERE ALL THE MECHANISMS WE HAVE A PLACE FOR TRYING TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE ON THE STUDY IS WORKING REALLY WELL, AND THE STUDIES WERE ABLE TO RESUME SO WE'RE ANTICIPATING SOME HOPEFULLY PROMISING DATA FROM THOSE STUDIES SOON.

>> DOCTOR GAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THESE VACCINE TRIALS.

>> THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING IT.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OBSTACLES WITH THE VACCINE ROLLOUT.

ONE CHALLENGE IS COMBATING VACCINE MISTRUST IN MINORITY COMMUNITIES.

WE FEATURE THE ADVANCED CENTER FOR COVID-19 RELATED DISPARITIES AT NC CENTRAL ALSO KNOWN AS ACCORD, AND HOW THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH THE STATE TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT COVID-19 VACCINES TO HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.

>> THE NCCU ACCORD PROGRAM ACTUALLY WAS FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH TO ACTUALLY DO TESTING AS WELL AS GATHER INFORMATION FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AREAS TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR CONCERNS.

>> I HEAR THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS TRUSTING THAT, NOT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GET IT RIGHT AWAY.

>> THERE'S MISTRUST OF THE VACCINE WITHIN MANY POPULATIONS.

AND A LOT OF IT IS RELATED TO HISTORICAL MEDICAL ABUSE QUITE HONESTLY THAT'S OCCURRED.

>> EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THIS COMMUNITY HEALTH PROBLEM, PEOPLE STILL NEED TO WORK, PEOPLE STILL NEED TO DO ACTIVITIES.

I MEAN AS THEY TELL ME, THEIR BILLS DON'T WAIT.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A BETTER ALIGNMENT WITH THE QUESTIONS SO THAT WE COULD BE ABLE TO COMPLIMENT THE WORK THAT WE'D ALREADY DONE IN UTILIZING INTERNET SURVEYS AND TELEPHONE SURVEYS TO REALLY REACH PEOPLE THAT ACCORD HAS BEEN ABLE TO REACH THAT DON'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS THAT DON'T HAVE PHONES.

>> SOME OF OUR FOLKS DON'T HAVE DOCUMENTS AND SO THEY DON'T HAVE A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER SO THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.

>> THEY ARE OVER REPRESENTED IN SOME OF THE FRONT LINE IN THE CENTRAL INDUSTRIES THAT PUT THEM AT GREATEST RISK FOR EXPOSURE TO COVID-19.

THE OTHER THING WE FOUND IS BECAUSE OF UNDERLYING CHRONIC CONDITIONS OR ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, THEY'VE ALSO BEEN MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE IMPACT.

>> HOPEFULLY LITTLE BY LITTLE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE THAT THE VACCINATION WORKS.

WE HAVE LEARNED OUR LESSONS IN MANY CASES.

I DEFINITELY SEE A CHANGE OF BEHAVIOR IN THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED DIRECTLY THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC INCLUDING PEOPLE DYING.

>> THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK.

HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT WEEK ON COVID: UNCOVERED.

>> THANK YOU DAVID.

THIS CORONAVIRUS SITUATION CHANGES ALMOST DAILY, AND WE NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON.

SO NEXT WEEK, WE'RE GOING TO ONCE AGAIN TALK TO DOCTOR MANDY COHEN OF DHHS AND FIND OUT THE LATEST ON THE CORONAVIRUS.

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