start of a campaign rally with democratic presidential candidate bernie sanders. he's having a rally in st. louis, missouri, this afternoon. the biggest thing held before the states presidential primary taking place tomorrow. once the rally gets underway we will have live coverage right here on c-span2. >> for more on the coronaviruses bonds would join my chief medical officer for the national association of community health centers. before we talk coronavirus to smite his first what community health centers are, how many there are in the trans? >> guest: community health centers are really the comprehensive care, primary care amatory care centers across united states so there's 1400 organizations each has multiple sites averaged eight to nine comes about 12000 community health center sites around the nation. they're very strategically placed in every state, territory, the district of columbia and also puerto rico.

so we offer comprehensive primary care which include primary care, dental, many of the things that we do. we arere if the connection realy the safety net. with 49% medicaid patients. with 23% uninsured or whether the ones that on the frontlines providing primary care to the really did.they >> host: for those uninsured what happens with those folks,, how much are you paid back? >> guest: it's a great benefit. with great relationship with the bureau primary health care for the admission of the public health 330 grant which include secure and health centers. about 60% of each budget is made of that and what that does is it enables us to daycare people come up with a% have no health insurance company of a sliding fee according to the family size and her annual income and so it slid so when they can afford to come and assist.

>> host: for fun it would do so congress at the present sign a $.3 billion emergency supplemental. what's in there for this community health centers? >> guest: there's $100 million for community health centers and are still working of the details of how that is distributed, dispersed and what is to be used for but i believe it will really be for supplies for personal protective equipment and to support the health centers in the response. >> host: is that enough? >> guest: we can always use more. it's a start and we appreciate by person support as you thought it was unanimously voted in and signed by president trump on friday. we have enjoyed a bipartisan support and we need more. we have a lot of potential which we will get you as we discussed things today. >> host: personal protective equipment, are thel places, pockets where are you running out already in community health centers? >> guest: yes. we had a webinar friday in conjunction with the cdc, 1900 people registered on that. we heard from two health centers

on the west coast, seattle which is the middle of a lot of response and then from oakland. some of them are getting close. they're not completely out. they're running close and so we are seeing that, depending on the community they serve and the population, if there's a lot more people, international people, asian and pacific islanders, they are using their pp up a lot faster so would try to keep track of that. i don't think read a critical level yet but watching it very closely. >> should they be using their ppp already? >> guest: they are trying to follow the cdc guidelines of privileges the n95 masks and all the other equipment. i would say they're doing their best but according to the education we're doing with trying to teach the patients that shall he wrote the challenges. a lot into what they call cohort groups would examine one person will go and examine a group of people rather than a one-on-one situation. they are using less ppe but the cdc is very good at lying at all

these different angles to take g when you have just regular supplies, when you're stressed a little bit and when you're in critical situations. >> host: what do you want to teach the patient's? >> guest: teaching the patient is import and you have heard it all over the news from the cdc and nih, dr. fauci, really to come in at the right time. ifif you can call ahead to discs with your clinician or provider is it necessary to come in. have hadov that exposure histor? maybe you don't know and are we having the race symptoms? are you elderly? do you have underlying conditions? those of the questions that need to be asked but health centers are looking at alternative ways to communicate with patients such as international community health centers in seattle and asian health services, looking towards going towards texting, phone calls, whatever they can do to communicate with patients prior to coming in. >> host: in terms of questions that needed to ask, if need ask

the phone lines are open for you to do so. our guest is dr. ronald yee. let's talk about testing kits but do you have enough? what are they going? >> guest: right now i don't believe, i have not gotten any reports of health centers doing direct testing. as dr. fauci said yesterday, 1.1 1.1 million are supposed to be available as of now -- >> for those who don't know me my name is -- on the state rep of the 78th district. [cheers and applause] i don't know about y'all but on 20 so excited to go vote for bernie sanders. [cheers and applause] let me tell