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when it comes to issues of vaccination or even today as we talk about issues of testing our guest serves as their healthcare reporter. good morning. thanks for joining us. >> how much emphasis in the united states is currently placed on testing? we hear a lot about vaccination but what is the emphasis on testing these days? >> the administration has remained a focus on testing a large amount of the focus in the coming weeks to months can be taken at the point of care but there hasn't been enough supply in recent weeks. >> as far as the biden

administration, using authorities under the productiou act and procurement of nearly 2 billion in rapid point of care for the multiple manufacturers the administration went through a broad industrial capacity for the covid-19 test manufacturing. talk about the tests involved and explain to the administration's plans. >> you mentioned the administration contracts with some of the diagnostic manufacturers point of care tests and then antigen tests. part of the issue is that it would take time for the manufacturers to ramp up the t production so there's a question of if it will be an effective tool in the short term to address the shortage of the point of care tests that can be

taken and have a result within 15 minutes. however the administration has said they anticipate the supply of the tests to double in the coming months. >> how would you rate these tests in terms of accuracy? >> there's a lot of research that has been done. there's multiple tests. some are conducted using technology called pcr, which many people i know are familiar with. the downside is that it will likely take a day or two, perhaps more to get a result back. then you have rapid tests that can be taken at the point of care. there's a little bit of debate over if it catches the point of transmissibility or if you need to have a pcr test to confirm

that you don't have covid. however, the administration put into place policy that basically says you can test yourself, that is used in many cases to tests every few days, rapid point of care tests to get fairly equivalent results. >> when it related to these covid matters if you want to ask questions related to that you can do so on the lines for those in00 the eastern and central tie zones, 748-8001 in the mountain and pacific time zones and if you want to text 748-8003. when it comes to the topic of testing how do schools factor into this? particularly for those going

back to school when it comes to that. >> last spring they put about $10 billion to the individual states and that funding was intended to allow the schools to get the resources necessary to stand up to the covid testing programs. now these schools are being consulted with the cdc and there's a lot of private industry companies that have these types of programs they are trying to put into place. but the uptake isn't as high as the administration wants and envisioned with the idea that you would beon able to do this n a really widespread basis. it hasn't quite come to fruition

however. the private companies tell me that in recent weeks since the schools more and more districts have reached out to them to set up testing programs. >> talking about this very topic we will play a little bit of that exchange and then get your response to it. >> i am troubled by the testing challenges which include some schools not having access to do enough tests right now. especially for those students that are too young to get vaccinated so secretary becerra, i wanted to ask what specific steps as the federal government

taking to ensure tests are accessible and what guidance is being provided so they are being used effectively. >> i want to make sure it's clear there's a supply of test kits available to get to certain places but generally speaking, nationwide there is sufficient total testing capacity and this nincludes the combining of allf the lab-based point of care and over-the-counter testing. president biden announced the use of the act so that we could procure some $2 billion in rapid point of care tests in the at-home covid tests we are going to continue to mobilize and work with our industry partners and

allow for multiple testing manufacturers to expand production and we are actively engaged with states to mitigate supply chain constraints and the expanse to meet the demands but we have seen in the last few months the demand increase month over month some 300 to 650%. that's why you see pockets where people say there's a shortage. there is a sufficient supply it's just getting to the right places and coordinating well. a. >> for that last part, talk about the demand the secretary talkedr about. >> i think you heard a few things from this idea that there's enough lab-based capacity to do the testing

necessary and the point-of-care rapid test. so, a lot of what we've seen in school is the idea that we are going to end up using the lab-based capacities soo that means they might pull student samples together and test that input in the lab and the terms of positive and need to go back and test for the rapid point-of-care tests to ensure people can stay in the classroom. but over the last several weeks to months we've seen concurrently we've seen the testing demand increase

substantially. over the summer months before delta we have seen a rapid expansion in terms of the demand that americans have for that type of testing as the amount of infections have increased. >> joining for this conversation on testing we are taking a look at the issues concerning covid-19. is first from delray beach florida. you are on with our guest. go ahead with youren question or comment. >> i was calling about the movement. about the vaccines and testing first of all let me give advice to my fellow republicans get vaccinated. i am vaccinated. the science is very clear the vaccines are safe and effective.

i recommend getting vaccinated. i got pfizer back in april. i'm 28-years-old and my side effects were very mild so please get vaccinated. it's safe, effective and it saves lives. >> i recall a lot of articles coming up saying that depending on the country, 60 to 75% of covid fatalities were men and it seems they have a higher mortality rate and i just wonder if you have any insight into why that is. >> i don't know if i'm knowledgeable in giving a definitive answer.

i can do some research and follow up if there's contact info. >> kentucky, go ahead. >> hello. i would just like to recite a parable that i've heard all my life and it pertains to the covid vaccine. and the elderly gentleman living in a floodplain zone and offers to take him to safety. a manet comes by in the boat and says you need to leave. he says no, no, god will save me. at last a helicopter comes by and he says no, no, god will save me.

then he says i sent you a neighbor, a boat and a helicopter. were you not to be leaving that it was for me? >> the vaccine will save. why are people waiting until they die? >> thanks for the call. you can to see it but the front page of usa today talking about this concept of herd immunity or at least quoting doctors saying it may never happen because they need to be vaccinated. what are people telling you as far as achieving that end is that a reasonable thing to expect? >> on the topic of the vaccination, you have to consider the amount that have been fully vaccinated today. cdc data shows that of the total

population only 55.9% are fully vaccinated so we are quite a way from that. students in the administration are evaluating vaccines for younger children but still to my knowledge pfizer has not submitted for the emergency use authorization although they have submitted clinical trial data. so i think that you really need to consider the authorization and see the widespread uptick to achieve that 90%. the other thing you have to think about is some of the vaccine mandates that we have started to see both from government as well as the private sector. i know that there have been stories about the united

airlines effort to get high vaccination rates. you have to consider how far we need to go to achieve that and that is a little daunting at this point. >> in the early days we saw these testing sites where people could go and get tested. are those still available or what have they been replaced with? >> this is a topic i've done some reporting on. some of the laboratories sent a letter last month. the biden administration says they are trying to expand the number. what we saw was for the summer when the wave of vaccinations was happening they compared it to vaccination centers and the

idea was you would be able to use the public health resources a lot of local departments have on getting people vaccinated as quickly as possible. so there's been a renewed focus that americans can get covid tests in the recent weeks and months. will. >> very nice to speak with both of you. i've personally been involved in the process. i was able to lobby the state department of health and i guess there were a million tests brought over and people here waiting for them but it's subscribed now but most antigen

tests. for me the most important question is i've been communicating with our senator here in hawaii and there is some confusion trying to lobby and get everything streamlined how the government is going to get a skill of supply full of antigen tests in other words if they use it the correct way that the government would be giving certain manufacturers that are

already approved with over the counter approval to produce them at such a low price that they would be the equivalent to ougermany or england which is about 90 cents a test. >> the one thing i will say, a big advocate in these rapid tests he is very much of the view that it could be an effective tool and relying on the administration over the summer the warning letter was

certainly scathing. there were some questions as to the performance of that rapid test in particular. the administration basically said that it would maintain for how accurate you want the rapid test to be. but i know that he has been a big advocate of the standard for getting some of these tests to market. >> we have invited the doctor to be on the program and hopefully can have him on sometime in the future to talk about these issues. a. >> on twitter the viewer says if you go to walmart they are selling rapid tests for seven .dollars apiece. for those who can afford it, can they buy it up and i guess that's going to be an issue with

people relatively low-pricedan r some two buy the tests and leave some for others. >> we've seen limitations on the tests compared to a single point at a time. and that you have these tests made available seven dollars may not be allotted to some individuals to get about 25 million of the rapid point-of-care tests to some of the qualified centers so it can get to those that need the test as well. a.

>> we will go to mark who lives in washington, d.c. a. >> good morning. i enjoy the independence of c-span. we now expect the mainstream media to not mention antibody testing or immunities but we expect more from a c-span guest due to their independence. nih completed a study in january, 2021 on natural immunities and found them to be robust, long-lasting, durable and resistant to variance and even larger studies found the same thing. we have this concern now about officials, nurses, doctors not wanting the vaccination and that's because many of them were

intelligent enough to get the test and understand the value of the immunities. my concern is the purge now across the country of some of the smartest, healthiest and independent thinkers especially from the schools. can you comment on that? >> i would push back a little bit on this. people that were infected to receive their vaccine the other thing i would mention on the topic of antibody tests it hasn't endorsed the tests to make decisions about personal behaviors. so there a are more tests to fid out what is the protection under the default but until that happens i think it's difficult to draw that conclusion until more research is in the public.

>> so we are seeing several states issue vaccine mandates and if a person has been vaccine and, they go in for additional testing, and particularly the supply of the tests. >> can you repeat one more time. >> we are seeing certain vaccine mandates and if you don't get a vaccine you are required to get a test. is that going to affect the supply testing for people? >> that's an excellent question to require the vaccination i believe it is going to be the lead testing of those employees. so obviously that's going to have more testing into the

system like the secretary mentioned on the hill, there is a lot of capacity to conduct that type of testing but as we have been talking about at length, they are pretty crunched for supply. until the manufacturing. >> for the vaccinations of k-12 students the topic of testing also coming up in the conversation has a portion of that. let me ask about the new announcement from the governor in california mandate for students to get the vaccine and there's no out, he's not allowing testing as an

alternative. should testing be an alternative for those who don't want their kids to take this vaccine? >> i'm in favor of these kinds of mandates. to get into the schools and different types of vaccines, measles, mumps, rubella and others. when people treat this as novel and terrible, it isn't a requirement to come to school to be vaccinated with certain vaccines isn't something new. it's been around for a long time. what do you say to those that say that it's a new vaccine they areth reluctant for their youngr

children and maybe they feel the other vaccines are required and they are hesitant, how do you reassure them? >> a couple of things. our food and drug administration before they allow something to be given to anyone, it has to be proven to be safe and effective. they are very meticulous in their examination of the data and i in addition, this vaccine has been given to hundreds of millions of people. so, when you say it's a new when you have a new vaccine that's been given to ten, 15, 20,000, 100,000 people, you are talking about hundreds of millions of people throughout the world so although it is new, there's a lot of experience in this vaccine. >> let's hear from mike in dubuque iowa.

>> the other caller referred to c-span is independent, they are left-wing liberal -- >> i will stop you there because we are not and you are on to talk withwe our guests so let'so ahead. >> let's call this the chinese virus because that's what it is -- >> we will go on to wendy in roseville. good morning. >> hello, how are you doing. i have had my second vaccination in may and i registered for the booster but they haven't given a date yet. we have to be tested again before we have our vaccination? and what other things do we have to do? >> there's no need to be tested

before receiving a sister dose. joe is in riverdale. good morning. >> caller: thank you for taking my call. the issue shouldn't be mandated. when there's serious issues like this we have a roundtable. i haven't seen the opposition for the other side of that meaning that there are alternatives. over 14,000 people have died after taking the vaccine. you have the tax renewal, you

have venezuela helping its citizensim increase their immune system to live a more healthy life. >> now that you are on do you want to ask the guest a question? >> why hasn't there been the argument on both sides and whenu you are truthful and acknowledge over 14 have been reported from nurses, medical facilities, hospitals to the cdc, it is not the end all be all. >> vers is a data system that any member of the public can

submit data from their own experience. the cdc lands very strongly that one shouldn't take away conclusions. they do an investigation every time one of them are submitted that one has to remember that people die of any number of things on a daily basis. there is no evidence that that has been made public that the vaccines have been directly tied to those deaths. >> good morning. how are you doing, bill.

>> caller: my niece got the vaccine september 1st. september 4th, she died. coincidence, i don't know. i just don't trust it. >> guest: i'm so sorry for your loss. there hasn't been evidence made public with incidences of adverse effects like deaths from the vaccine. i would encourage you to get vaccinated. it's beenic made available to protect against hospitalization

and death especially two weeks after the first dose and then johnson & johnson as well in the weeks after. >> host: back in september we sold the biden administration go before cameras to make their big push as far as an effort to work against covid.st what have we seen in the weeks since then? >> guest: we've seen an uptick in the vaccinations that have occurred and also in the recent weeks we have seen the campaigns kick off. the past few weeks have delivered to people who already had completed that initial series. i don't know if that answers the question. >> thank you for not only the question but being our guest.

he iss with politico and serves as a healthcare reporter. you can find his work on politico.com. thanks for the question. >> thanks for having me.

>> protecting children while online. facebook's global safety director told senators her company takes the privacy, safety and well-being of all of those who use facebook very seriously especially those who use their services and that they plan to identify where they can improve. the subcommittee chair blumenthal of connecticut said facebook routinely puts profits ahead of kids online safety. this hearing is about two hours and 25 minutes.