With Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine receiving emergency use approval, there is still the hurdle to clear of getting it to the people. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is concerned about whether or not states will be able to effectively distribute the vaccines.
"This is a mammoth undertaking, and I believe that they're going to need some extra help," Smith told Cheddar, about funding needs in a new COVID relief bill.
Under the current strategy, states will receive shipments from the federal government then decide how to administer the vaccines to residents, with frontline and essential workers being at the top of the list.
"We have a big state and large rural communities, and so, one of our big issues is making sure that we get those vaccines, especially the ones that require supercooling," Smith added.
Despite some bipartisan agreements to extend federal aid to states, according to Smith,
"Mitch McConnell has done nothing but pour cold water on this," she said. "The big hold up is that he and others in his party don't want to provide help for states for the additional needs that they have around COVID and insisting on this massive immunity to corporations from any kind of legal liability around COVID."
Continued Testing Roadblocks
As cases surge across the country, Smith said the lack of a national strategy in developing and accessing tests, persists in being an issue that is "stymying our efforts" to beat COVID-19.
"What we are hearing from these testing companies that they are still experiencing shortages around some of the supplies that they need to do the tests, including swabs and reagent, and they are also quite worried about shortages of personal protective equipment, which are so necessary for completing these tests," she said, also noting that paying for the testing has also raised questions.
Smith also pointed out that there were shortfalls in testing children, who may spread the disease.
Continued Quarantines
Minnesotans have been under lockdown order for the past three weeks and could be in for additional quarantine time as Governor Tim Walz is expected to make a decision next week. Smith said while it's hard for residents to be away from family, especially during the holidays, the lockdown, along with mask-wearing, is necessary if we want to have a chance at finally beating the virus.
"Every day, more people are dying from COVID-19 than we lost in 9/11, and unless we are able to turn that tide, we're going to be seeing just a tragic winter. That's over 3,000 souls every day that we are losing," she said.
Following the invasion of Ukraine, a multitude of Western companies have paused doing business with Russia. PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Starbucks are the most recent companies to temporarily cease operations in Russia. Dean of Miami Herbert Business School at the University of Miami, John Quelch, joined Cheddar News to discuss what message this sends to Russia and the Russian consumer. “I would not underestimate the collective strength of all of these multinational companies, essentially coming together to make their collective statement in support of the political statements that have come out of Washington," he said.
The war in Ukraine continues to reveal heartbreaking gut-wrenching stories. The war in itself is not only devastating but also expensive. Experts estimate that Russia is draining nearly $20 million dollars each day to continue occupying and invading Ukraine. All this could force the country to turn to cryptocurrencies. It's a major turn for the country that briefly considered outlined digital assets entirely, but it could also have serious implications for cryptos. Managing Director at Quantum Fintech Group, Harry Yeh, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
President Biden announced a ban on Russian oil and natural gas imports to the U.S. in response to its invasion of Ukraine, a move he warned could lead to an even greater surge in gas prices. The ban is prompting a conversation about the current oil production levels in the U.S. and whether or not the industry can ramp up production to soften the blow to American families at the gas pump. Clark Williams-Derry, Energy Finance Analyst with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, breaks down the state of the U.S. oil industry and how the ban might impact production levels here at home.
PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Starbucks are the latest American food brands to have halted business operations in Russia after having faced scrutiny and criticism for originally failing to do so amid the country's invasion of Ukraine.
As Russia intensifies its war on Ukraine, President Biden announced a ban on oil imported from the aggressor nation. Critics of Russia have said this would be the best way to force Putin to pull back, but curbs on Russian oil exports are expected to send already skyrocketing oil and gas prices even higher, further impacting consumers, businesses, financial markets, and the global economy. Leslie Beyer, CEO of the Energy Workforce and Technology Council, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss. "It's certainly going to increase pricing, but it is the right thing to do," she said. "The industry itself has already pulled out of the significant portion of its operations in Russia."
Sports Betting in the U.S. is booming. According to industry experts, we could see another boom this year as more states move towards statewide legalization of sports wagering. While this comes as huge news for fans, there are some very real concerns as to whether or not sports betting potentially poses a threat to public health. Senior Clinician at the Caron Treatment Centers, Eric Webber, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
The Biden administration has made gender policy a core part of how it governs. The president established the first Gender Policy Council. It's on the same level as the National Security Council, Domestic Policy Council and National Economic Council, putting the interests of women and other underserved groups at the table for the most important policy discussions.
Cheddar News sat down with Jennifer Klein, executive director and co-chair of the White House Gender Policy Council, to discuss the council's work and its significance during Women's History Month.
State Representative Jessica González, Vice Chair of the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus, joins Cheddar News to discuss the latest Texas anti-transgender directive.
The United States Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack joins None of the Above to discuss the newly emerging conflict in Europe, what it means for agriculture in the states, dairy and meat consumption, and how the department is planning to promote climate-smart agriculture.
