What A Day - We'll CDC What Happens

Episode Date: May 21, 2020

The CDC has quietly posted a report with detailed suggestions about how to reopen. We dig into it and how the states might or might not use it.More than 900 children have been deported since March under a new pandemic border policy. Before, children had the opportunity to speak with a social worker or make a plea for asylum. Now, they can deported within hours of arrival in the US. And in headlines: an Ohio county declares racism a public health issue, a QAnon believer scores a Senate nomination in Oregon, and two men are arrested for helping Nissan's ex-CEO escape Japan in a box.

It's Thursday, May 21st. I'm Akilah Hughes. And I'm Gideon Resnick. And this is What A Day, where we are officially unveiling our nickname for President Trump, Mr. Terrible President. Yeah, you know, we're going to keep it simple. We might try something else at some point. But for now, we're just going with Mr. Terrible President. Let's see if he can come back from this one, buddy. I hope not. On today's show, an update on immigration and mental health in the midst of this global

pandemic, then some headlines. But first, the latest. As all 50 states are now in some process of reopening, the CDC has quietly posted a report with detailed suggestions about how to reopen. This comes after the White House had initially shelved the report. So Gideon, get us up to speed. Yeah, so we'll get into what's actually in this report. But the subtle release was also kind of noteworthy as well, right? It's a 60 page document. And it was reportedly just put up over the weekend on the CDC's website, but it certainly did not get tons of attention, at least immediately. Big picture, what the CDC is trying to do here is to give some specific instructions for different

settings that would naturally be reopening, like schools, restaurants, or public transportation. But questions remain about how much these steps and strategies would actually be followed, given that some of the language is not explicitly written as mandatory. It's more like, quote, consider this or, quote, consider that. We've also seen in this broader process of reopening that states are kind of determining what is best for them, and they're already devising their own rules for better or for worse in some cases. So it's unclear how much this will actually be followed. Yeah, okay. So let's get into some of the guidelines in the report.

So pertaining to schools, it recommends that if a person in the building tests positive for COVID-19, they should consider a two to five day dismissal to disinfect the building and work with local health officials on contact tracing. So those actions can be different depending on the amount of community spread. And they also talk about desks being at least six feet apart, daily temperature screenings, and cloth masks for staff. For restaurants and bars, it says face coverings for staff as well should be required, that there needs to be limited seating, at least initially, to allow for social distancing, and that employees who might be at higher risk should have roles that limit interactions with customers. It also suggests for mass transit that routes should be adjusted based on particular levels of COVID-19 spread. So

broadly, the CDC is recommending a lot of precautions here and saying that their guidelines are meant to supplement what various areas might already be doing and not to take the place of them. But confusion might come from the lack of authoritative language and the fact that many places have already reopened. And then the mixed messaging between this and the focus from the White House on getting the economy up and running. Yeah, and we had mentioned that this report was delayed by the White House. They reportedly had a few changes they wanted to see. That's right.

So one of the major things that was taken out was about gatherings at houses of worship. And that is naturally already a contentious subject in certain states. But when you think about it and the way that the CDC is thinking about it, a house of worship is akin to a restaurant, bar, concert venue, movie theater, etc. in terms of larger gatherings at somewhat close contact indoors. And already we've seen a flare up in the federal government versus states on this issue. Just this week, for instance, the Justice Department sent a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom taking issue with his state's reopening plan, which allowed for certain retail and restaurants to open before religious

institutions. But there is reason for concern about these kinds of large gatherings. For instance, two churches in Texas and Georgia had to reclose recently after members and leaders tested positive for COVID-19 after they had reopened. And the CDC also looked at an example of a church in rural Arkansas where 35 of 92 attendees at a service in March tested positive after just two COVID-19 positive people attended. So underscoring the caution some leaders are taking with religious gatherings, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said yesterday that gatherings of up to 10 can resume today if people wear masks and socially distance. Okay, so moving along to our next story, President Trump is threatening Michigan and Nevada due to their efforts to expand absentee and mail-in voting. I mean, what is the deal? What's the problem? Yeah, some Republicans have just become all the more open

about their desire to win elections by making sure fewer people vote. The claims about fraud and the like are the same tired thing Trump has been saying for years, and it's just not true. But let's unpack the withholding funds aspect. So Trump did not specify further what he was talking about. So this could just be an empty threat that was thrown out there. But let's say he is talking about money appropriated to the states for elections. That's already in the process of being distributed. And in fact, some of that money comes from the CARES Act, which Donald J. Trump himself signed into law already. Well, that's assuming he can read, you know, he did sign it. He didn't necessarily read it. We don't know that he went through it. Michigan says that they have the authority to use the election assistance money how they

deem necessary, and they are using it practically to send out applications for people to vote by mail in November. Nevada is sending out vote by mail ballots to all voters for its primary in June. So if Trump actually tries to withhold this money now, it's possible that that could be considered illegal. And at the very least, you would need approval from Congress since the money has already been appropriated. Anyway, and quickly on the vote by mail topic itself, Michigan and Nevada are not alone in

taking steps to expand vote by mail during this pandemic. Even Republican secretaries of state in places like Georgia, Nebraska, West Virginia, and Iowa have all distributed applications to vote by mail. And in fact, Nevada's secretary of state is also a Republican. So there was some speculation that Trump's singling out of those two states, Michigan and Nevada, had to do less with legitimate concerns and more with the fact that there were close margins in those states in 2016. Yeah, I mean, my money's on that. And by the way, all this comes at the same time that Michigan is contending with historic flooding from two breach dams, which has forced thousands to evacuate in the midst of a global pandemic. So, you know, I guess he was too busy to tweet thoughts and prayers for that, but I'm asleep.

Yeah. But outside of Michigan and the Twitter feed from the Oval Office, what else is going on domestically? All right. So something that is incredibly important to me and I think top of mind for a lot of our listeners is mental health. And guidance counselors and mental health experts are now describing the toll the virus and closures are taking on young people's mental health. Even before the pandemic, research had been suggesting that Gen Z and millennials are experiencing higher levels of anxiety and depression as compared to older generations. But now add to that major grief and loss. The kids are not all right. Okay. According to health experts interviewed by the New York Times, school closures have made it hard for students to have the time they need to talk with their peers, teachers, and counselors. And it's leading to a whirlwind of problems for kids.

And the trend is really only getting worse, you know, with addiction and domestic abuse rising, with everyone being home, a lack of options for care and guidance, you know, really could just lead to a rise in suicides. One professional interviewed in that same New York Times article detailed hearing suicidal ideation from children as young as five years old. So it's really devastating. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. That's 1-800-273-TALK. Yeah, it's very important people have the resources they need, especially right now. Sorry to ask you about all of the devastating news, but we got some new reporting on deportations as well. Yeah. So, you know, speaking of hard news about children, more than 900 children have been deported since March under a new pandemic border policy. And this is a major

reversal of years of established practice by Republican and Democratic administrations for dealing with young children who arrive in the U.S. You know, before, those children would at least have the opportunity to speak with a social worker or make a plea for asylum from violence in their home countries. But now they can be deported within hours of arrival or be deported in the middle of the night without their families even being notified. It's just horrifying. On Tuesday, the Trump administration extended this stepped-up border security that allows for the kids to be deported at the border, saying the policy would remain in place indefinitely and be reviewed every 30 days.

Yeah, definitely an important story to follow and one that immigration activists are fighting back against. And we've got one last update on something that we talked about yesterday. Yes. So Apple and Google have now officially released their technology for smartphone pandemic apps. They're calling it an exposure notification system. Apple and Google have now officially released their technology for smartphone pandemic apps. They're calling it an exposure notification system. So basically, it will allow public health authorities to build apps for people to download to their iPhones or Androids. The apps will use Bluetooth technology developed by Apple and Google to detect if you've been around someone else who tests positive for COVID-19. User identity is encrypted, which should allay some privacy concerns. In order for this to work, though, you and the COVID positive person would both need the tracking app.

So the more people who sign up, the more effective it's going to be. The company said they aren't trying to replace contact tracing done by health departments, but they hope that this technology will aid in that effort by allowing tracking apps to run more smoothly and by enabling iPhone and Android devices to detect one another. North Dakota, Alabama and South Carolina all signaled yesterday that they would be using this tech to build their own apps. So that's the latest. Happy Thursday, WOD Squad. It's time to check in on the lighter side of life, so here goes. A baby goat got stolen from a community garden in Baltimore on Monday by two teens for no apparent reason. Thankfully, after what I'm sure was a terrifying 24 hours, he was anonymously returned, and

the owners are really happy. So Giddy, you brought the story to our attention, and in general, you're the one who always brings up animal stories in our news meetings, so what makes a good one? I think a safe return home for a young goat named Ed, by the way, makes for a good story.

You know, I, these are the ones that, like, there's always, like, a simple aspect to it, you know, like a nice narrative arc. Like, there's a llama that exists in the world that might save us all from this horrible pandemic that we're dealing with. There are funny animals doing things in public spaces in California,

like ruining people's gardens. I think for me, I just, I want to see, you know, some activity from these animals out in the world and or them providing us with a potential vaccine. Got it. I mean, I have to ask, like, did you watch Homeward Bound a ton when you were a child? I've definitely seen it a number of times. I wouldn't say, like, a ton. But, you know, that's an inspiration. I feel like you watched animal movies when you were a kid. Who hasn't watched animal movies when they're a kid?

I just, like, I preferred the not live action or, like, the ones that weren't, like, Babe. Like, I wasn't into that. I don't remember Babe that much, but I do remember being entranced by airbud and the scary clown guy the guy in like the clown outfit at the beginning who like doesn't he like let airbud go i absolutely don't know i have no sense of what airbud is about except for like a dog on a basketball team which seems like imagine if you tried out for that basketball team and they were like airbud is actually gonna be on the team instead of you. I mean, they would be making a good point because he's a versatile player who can,

you know, occupy a number of positions and plays good offense and defense. So I would I would respect their decision. Zero percent. I would sue the school. I feel like this is outrageous. I'm not worse than a dog, even if this dog is dunking. I don't care. OK, so you don't like Air Bud, but what's been your favorite animal story of late? You know, honestly, I like all of the animal stories about people's dogs and cats clearly being tired of their owners being home, so they start breaking stuff on purpose.

I think that initially they were probably like, yes, all the time together. And now they're like, we actually had interior lives when you left. And so it's time to break everything you hold dear. And I think that that's, you know, a cautionary tale. It is, seriously. Well, just like that. We checked our temperatures. Please bring your favorite stories about animals to our attention.

We're on Twitter all day. So just, you know, tweet it at us and we will check in with you all tomorrow. Let's wrap up with some headlines. Headlines. A massive cyclone made landfall on the coast of India and Bangladesh yesterday. The cyclone was predicted to be one of the most powerful cyclones the region has seen in decades. Emergency efforts in the countries were a lot more complicated because of COVID-19. Three million people were evacuated in the last couple of days, but there were limits to where they could go.

There were fewer shelters because many were converted to quarantine centers, and the ones that were open were most likely already packed with people. Around a million Rohingya refugees in camps along the Bangladeshi border are also facing risks without any available evacuation shelters. Wow, that's devastating. A county in Ohio officially declared that racism is a public health issue. Every other county, state, and municipality take note. The new resolution was passed in Franklin County, where the public health agency acknowledged that racism and segregation have, state, and municipality, take note. The new resolution was passed in Franklin County, where the public health agency acknowledged that racism and segregation have, quote, exacerbated a health divide resulting in Black Ohioans having lower life expectancies than white

Ohioans. Wow. Even though the declaration was long in the works before the pandemic, officials say it's relevant now more than ever. I agree. Black residents make up only 23% of the county, though they account for a disproportionately higher rate of deaths from the virus. Commissioners say they hope the resolution will be the first steps in reforming the entire health system to help everyone equally. In a story that could spell deep trouble for the deep state, a follower of the QAnon conspiracy theory has won the Republican Party's nomination for Senate in Oregon. Joe Ray Perkins received just under half the vote in a four-way primary race this Tuesday.

Here she is giving her victory speech in a since-deleted Twitter video. Where we go one, we go all. I stand with President Trump. I stand with Q and the team. Thank you, Anons, and thank you, Patriots, and together we can save our world. Wow. I have stepped inside my most estranged aunt's text messages, and I do not like it there.

For those of you living in a blissful ignorance of Q, the theory basically says Trump is fighting a secret war against a cabal of child-eating pedophile Democrats. Perkins is the first known Senate candidate to support QAnon. Congratulations. But there are at least five more Q-aligned candidates who will be on the federal ballot this fall. That means this fringe movement could start tilting mainstream. Yet, meanwhile, my airtight Illuminati Young Sheldon theory gets absolutely zero traction. You know, I've been trying to push it. No one's biting. I think you got to make it

someone maybe a little more relevant. Okay, well, two men have been arrested in Massachusetts for allegedly helping ex-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn escape Japan last year to avoid facing trial for financial charges. The men are Michael Taylor, a former Green Beret, and his son, Peter. Michael has arranged numerous high-stakes overseas rescue operations in the past, and seems like, without my having seen him, the type of dad I would be very terrified of. The Taylors reportedly hid their fugitive executive friend in a large box to smuggle him onto a bullet train in Osaka, then flew with him to Lebanon. That's Ghosn's home country, and the Japanese government can't really touch him there because Lebanon and Japan don't have an extradition treaty.

The U.S. and Japan do have an extradition treaty, though. That means the tailors could very well end up in Tokyo to face charges. So it's time for Ghosn to ask himself a question. Are you a fake friend or will you return the favor by traveling across the world to hide your ride or dies in a box? Come on, Carlos. Easy answer. Yeah, what are you about, man? And those are the headlines. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe, leave a review, hide us in a box to escape the law, and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just the gorgeous and historic Hollywood sign like me, What A Day is also a nightly newsletter.

Check it out and subscribe at crooked.com slash subscribe. I'm Akilah Hughes. I'm Gideon Resnick. And please don't be fooled by Young Sheldon. I don't trust him. He's well connected and has many secrets. Beware. What a day is a product of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Charlotte Landis.

Sonia Tunn is our assistant producer. Our head writer is John Milstein, and our senior producer is Katie Long. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard andishaka.