e from the government accountability office looks at the federal response to the pandemic. we will take your calls and responses on facebook and twitter. "washington journal" is next. ♪ ist: good morning, it saturday, april 11, 2020. while most americans have been ordered to stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic, essential workers are still on the job from health care, food service, law enforcement, custodial, and other jobs. we want to begin by hearing from essential workers. tell us about your job and what you do to say safe -- stay safe while you do it. for workers in the central and eastern time zones, (202) 748-8000. mountain and pacific time zones, (202) 748-8001.

you can also send us a text this morning, (202) 748-8003. if you do, please include your name and where you are from, and otherwise catch up with us on social media. that is facebook.com/cspan and @cspanwj. a very good saturday morning to you. you can start calling in now if you are an essential worker in this country. as you are calling in, we show you this map from abc news of the 46 states and washington, d.c. that have enacted policies to close nonessential businesses in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. the exact number of essential by.oyees, hard to come there is an estimate from the brookings institution that relied on department of homeland security designations of essential. atut 7 million employees grocery stores, pharmacies, and big-box stores. when it comes to the state of

california, the public policy institute of california estimates that in a typical year, roughly one third to one half of california's labor force is employed in essential operations. the standard definition of "essential" comes from the 2013 essential services act, generally defined as someone who performs work involving the safety of human life and the protection of property, those in the health care industry and law enforcement, food security and food production included under that definition, but as fox news notes in their story, states have been free to add their own designations of what is an essential business in their occupations have been added, including workers that conduct covid-19 research and testing. pharmacy employees necessary for filling prescriptions, workers that the right security at hospitals, mass transit and airport workers, food and agricultural workers have been added.

energy sector employees considered critical to energy and telecommunications and natural gas, mortuary and funeral service workers are considered essential, workers that support national security, commitment to the military, water and wastewater employees, bank employees, vendors that provide essential services like logistics for child care services, hardware stores, the news media, building cleaners and janitors have been added to the list released by states. we want to talk to those folks this morning that are essential employees, what is going on with your job, what are you doing to stay safe? it is (202) 748-8000 if you are an essential employee in the eastern and central time zones, and (202) 748-8001 if you are an essential employee in the mountain or pacific time zones. jim is up first out of grand forks, north dakota. good morning. caller: hey john, how are you doing? host: i'm doing all right.

what kind of work do you do? caller: i picked up the phone and was trying to talk to the screener about it. i think everyone is essential, but i work in one of the agricultural mills. i am a mill worker and work with involvedthe products with what they grow out here. i won't say which middle i work in, but it is a pretty -- which mill i work in, but it is a pretty essential job. host: do you have to go in? caller: yes, just five days a week, but i was talking to my main boss about way back when trump was at one of those trade deals, a japanese trade deal with japan, and the trade deal, the canadian mexican one, and it has been said sometimes with some of your colors that he has not done much for the farmers and stuff, but i talked to truck

drivers, farmers and stuff, and a lot of our product goes to japan and we are booming because what trump has done. we are adding men. i want to say up in north dakota , other than grand forks, which is often described as a city of rivergrad here on the red , we are hardly affected very much. i think there is a total of maybe 200 cases as i read in the paper last week. people are doing what they do all over the country. they are doing a good job here. they are wearing the masks. jim, there are not nonessential closures in north dakota yet, correct? caller: everything seems to be going as it was. the only difference is people are lined up at the restaurants in the drive-through windows and they are still doing business, they are open, and the only thing that is a real drag was the library closing.

i love the local library and i to my library girls and all the people there, i get my movies and my books, and i had the same book now for about a month. i'm really depressed about that. i want to say one thing about the -- i kind of had a feeling -- they talk about disparities, but what about the gender disparity? this is an overwhelmingly male disease. i found out on the internet that 71% of the deaths across the world are men, so i thought that was very interesting that we haven't talked about that. i think things are going to get ,ack to normal here pretty soon and i think the people here are the kind of people that dealt with things like blizzards and floods. norwegian and german culture, they are a very stoic people and handle it like they handled anything. nobody panicking, nobody hoarding. if i was a christian i would say i would pray, but i do not pray

anymore. i am agnostic. but i would say i am thinking about everybody and we hope you make it through. we are going to get through this. host: jim, thanks for the call. the view from grand forks, north dakota. here is the front page of the new york times, president ways setting a schedule to open the setting a weighs schedule to open the economy, and reopening new york could pose unique challenges, vulnerabilities that allowed coronavirus to devastate the densest u.s. area could make it risky for leaders to restart the economy. a lot of debate over that topic yesterday. rex is anin us -- essential employee in ohio. what do you do? caller: i also work in the food industry. host: what has it been like for you? are there new safety measures you have to take and

what you do? wash your hands, basically. some of us have face masks, but we haven't gotten them yet. host: what are the guidelines from your company? caller: mostly they are worried about the people that we work for and work with, as long as we go along with their health guidelines, that is what they are more interested in. call fromks for the ohio. this is tyrone, new york city. what work do you do? ntaer: i am in nta -- an transit worker. i am concerned about a lot of the workers that have passed away. a couple of my coworkers that have either been conflicted with this virus or passed away from it. virus, andy serious we definitely need the help that we got and that we continue to

get. have anitely disadvantage, because it has a and weart on us, definitely have something to contend with here. my main concern also is that we reopen the city and this thing comes back with a vengeance. we don't want it worse than what it is coming you know? -- what it is, you know? that is our concern. we definitely have to be vigilant on eradicating this virus on our -- in our city. we are working hard at it, you know? social distancing is definitely helping. i'm driving a bus and a lot of passengers come through the back of the bus. i know they will not continue that, because we pay in the front of the bus here. they have to come in through the back and we really don't have no interaction with the passengers.

host: that was one of my questions, what is one of the best things a passenger or customer can do for you as you try to do this essential job? it is happening with the loading and through the back of the bus. that definitely helps, because they do not have to come in through the front, they do not have to interact with us on that whole level, and even when they ask us a question, they are at a different -- a distance have six feet.y it is dangerous when it gets too crowded on the bus, because now they are packed in. you've got the problem there, where they are all in fear of someone on the virus on the bus that is closed in with someone else. that is a problem. we are still trying to figure out how to do your -- how to deal with that. host: the first death was reported on march 26, two weeks later the number has climbed to

41 with 1571 positive cases within nta, over 16,000 workers quarantined. what is the process for you? do you have access to testing if you feel like you need it? not at our-- caller: facilities, not at our depots. here in new york, we have to go out -- there is one of ways from here -- a ways from here. i don't know if there is one in the manhattan area, if there is a testing site, but they open up these drive-through testing sites. i have heard of one here in certainly so that is alarming to me, because this is the epicenter. i know they have them at westchester and some other

outskirts of where this thing sprouted up, but i do not know of one -- i think one opened up in brooklyn, which is another little ways from here, and manhattan, i don't know about a drive-through testing site. i really think they should have the testing site on the facilities of the depots, because we have doctors that work the nta, nurses that work the nta. we have people that might be able to do these tests. now they are sending nurses to check out temperature, to see if we have our temperature over 104, they send us home. that does not help the fact that i already traveled there, i'm angled among my coworkers, because i think this -- i mingled among my coworkers, because i think this -- we congregate in a certain place when we report to work.

they tried tot -- downsize it, they tried to alleviate that, but we are still in the same area. i said that to my coworkers yesterday. area, if we are in this we could infect each other. that is why we need to come in and go out. but that is a natural reaction. we have to report. we are still working, we are still doing what we do. wegot so accustomed to when are not feeling well, we still come to work before this. host: do you think that is going to happen anymore in the future, tyrone? going to -- if i don't feel well i don't come to are cases where people still come and if they don't feel well, and now because this virus is very in so many -- varied in so many different ways on the illness -- if you have a runny nose or a cough, i'm not coming in. a fever -- people

are very scared out there. host: tyrone, thanks for what you do in new york. stay safe. our next caller until beaker, kansas. good morning. caller: good morning. i do residential concrete construction. we install new homes for people. we might be twisting in little bit, saying we are essential. it is a new home you are building. it is something you want to have, not an essential need, but we are still working. i'm glad we are still working, because i hear a lot of things through unemployment, getting your money through unemployment, so like the previous caller, same thing with us. we work sometimes in small areas where we are actually setting our walls, we are close to each other. no one is sick yet. they require us to take our temperature ourselves before we come in in the morning. like that fellow said, some people come to work sick. you require people to take their

temperature, they may do it, they may not. they will if they get to it. but here in kansas, we are plugging away, still working. i thought i would call in and give you my experience. host: what is your employer saying to you, harold? are there any new safety precautions you are required to take as you do this work amid coronavirus? caller: we have done a few small things, but probably they were late in the game. some 409 to given clean the truck with, steering wheels, the doors, that kind of thing. we were offered masks, gloves, but that was kind of after someone mentioned it. but that's probably about the extent of our instructions from our employers. again, like i said, personally i am glad i am working and not having to deal with all the

other things and going on with the unemployment problems and that kind of thing. that is the extent of what they have done to keep us safe. host: thanks for the call from kansas this morning. i point to this story in bloomberg, came out on thursday stretch the, office definition of who is essential theworkers take the risk is headline. this is how they begin -- the bearer of this letter, the document said, is providing life-sustaining and essential services -- that depends on how you find essential, a word some businesses are trying to stretch as far as they can. distributed to employees of leslie's full mart -- pool mart, inc. chain sells chemicals that can be used as alternatives to hand sanitizers, and because swimming pools that are not properly cared for can be health

hazards. than 900eslie's more locations have remained open. craft supply chains, hobby lobby and joann stores have maintained their essential -- they are selltial too because they supplies for homemade face masks. gamestop was criticized after claiming that keyboards were essential for people working from home. duke is next out of maine. what kind of work do you do? caller: good morning, c-span. business.aretaking i care take and manage people's summer properties and stuff. i have done this for 55 years. i started it back in junior high school and have been doing it ever since. 99.9% of the time, while i work alone, there is nobody there. a lot of my people are, you know, staying away from their summer homes. those who are very few that are showing up, they are self

quarantining and stuff. we are also a fishing village and have a lot of tourism and stuff there. the fisherman cannot fish, the clam diggers cannot clam and sell their stuff because nobody is buying. the stores and things closed up around here, the schools are closed and things. stores are open while the hours are cut back, so things are quite different. host: duke, you fall under that essential definition because it propertyintenance of and property being one of those things that need to be cared for during times of crisis. is that how you fell under it in your caretaking business? caller: yes. even though the people may not be coming, you still have to watch the properties, you have to maintain the properties and stuff on them. i am in contact with them by telephone and stuff, because -- to let them know how things are

going, because everyone is anxious to get to their places. the majority of them are willing to stay away, they understand, you know? when things can open up and get back to normal, they certainly will show back up again and we will be glad to see them. host: thanks for the view from maine. this is our caller in columbus, georgia. how are you doing today? caller: hey, how are you doing today? host: i well. go ahead? -- i am well. go ahead. i'm calling in regards to what is deemed essential and what is not. host: what do you do, they'll altry?-- d caller: i work at lowe's home improvement. ofwere kept open because appliances, specifically deep freezers and plumbing. is offering paid leave for people -- in my case, i have copd and heart defects

and whatnot, so they are offering paid leave to their employees. i really feel bad for the people that still have to be there on for no goodne reason, because it is not an essential service. not in my opinion. lowe's, what is a day like at lowe's and how is it different from before? how do you start and what steps do you have to take to stay safe? caller: first off, there is no provision to employees as far as any type of ppe. people are kind of fending for -- itlves, and i mean it feels like you are on the front line every day, because people are coming in and buying nonessential items in --ticular, you are selling

in my case, i work in the garden center, and people are buying soil and flowers and things of that nature that are completely nonessential, and they come in with their protective gear -- we and it provided any -- seems that there is no reason for us to be out there when we don't need to be, because that inhibits us from slowing the curve in any way, shape or form. just in the past several weeks, i have come into close contact with customers that were coughing and sneezing, and i felt the need to back up as they approached me with questions. it is not a safe environment, i feel. , what that what worked was deemed essential would be reevaluated, because i do not believe working in the garden center at lowe's is essential at this point. if it comes down to appliances and plumbing that deems lowe's

essential, i feel they should be catering to that only and providing free delivery like most of these other places that are trying to, you know, stay afloat during this crisis. i don't believe that people should be putting themselves out there in that way. try, thanks for the call from georgia. legislation on capitol hill being proposed to help those on the front lines, those deemed essential. democrats leading the way with a proposal within the past couple weeks, senate minority leader chuck schumer and other democrats proposing giving doctors, and her sis, and other essential workers such as grocery store clerks up to $25,000 in hazard pay as part of the coronavirus believed bill. the bonus pay, which would amount to a $13 an hour raise, would go to truck drivers and

janitors, who democrats say are essential to keeping the economy running during the crisis. it would start from the public health emergency to the end of the year. a few tweets on that topic from chuck schumer, as he was saying on twitter when he proposed this legislation that doctors and nurses and essential workers are putting their lives on the line every single day in this fight. senate democrats are proposing new program for front-line workers. we are calling it the heroes fund, because that is who it is for. he went on to say that a heroes fund for essential workers should be part of the next phase of the congressional response. no proposal will be complete without addressing the needs of the doctors, nurses, and medical drivers, grocers, transit workers and more, calling them our heroes. a few tweets on the heroes fund that has been talked about out of capitol hill. marie is next in colorado springs. good morning. caller: good morning.

host: good morning, go ahead. caller: we are a tax and accounting office here. we haven't lamented -- i work at home quite a bit, but they have -- i have four off this -- four office workers, and they have a walk-up window. toy have a way for clients come in and sign and wash down the signature boards and the credit cards. most of our clients have opted -- the mail delivery and/or for email delivery and/or -- what am i trying to say -- certified mail with tracking for those that don't have internet. host: marie, how big is the office? how many people? caller: four employees, plus myself. host: where do you go for guidance on safety measures that you are taking?

group, anny sort of industry group that is putting out guidance that you are working with, or is this all something you're trying to figure out on your own? --ler: this is a pretty much this is pre-much something we have try to figure out on our own, the distancing between employees and their offices and the clients having access right merrily just from walking in, because when you walk in the front door, you walk right up to the reception area. that is quite a bit of an exposed area, so we are trying and just general walking in from the street without having masks on or ensuring coverages for hands and things like that. host: marie, thanks for the call from colorado. joel is next from massachusetts. caller: good morning, how are you doing today? host: i'm well -- host: i'm well, go ahead. caller: i am deemed an essential

worker, i am a night editor at a daily newspaper, and this is what we were trained and born to do, bring the story to the people who read our newspaper. it has been kind of scary, because the advertisers who are now not open are not advertising , the staff has been cut, the page count is down. we had a plane crash in our area and it didn't even make the front page, because it is all coronavirus all the time. interesting time to be in the news business. joel, can your reporters go out and do interviews now? how has that had to change? we had aesterday, reporter go out and do a news story. a lot of it has been done electronically, through various platforms, and a lot of telephone calls, which is, you know, the way a lot of newspapers were going anyway. do it has forced us to not

what we normally do. host: joel, as an editor of that paper, do you know about subscriptions amid coronavirus? caller: for a long time we have presence,ng our web and i cannot really tell you because i'm not on the business side, but i think that a lot of people are going to our website because we have made our coronavirus in front of the pay wall, our coronavirus coverage in front of the pay wall, at least breaking news. we have not really seen it, but i want to stress with all your viewers out there that if you appreciate local news, if you junior see your kids' high honor roll or little league scores, subscribe to a newspaper. so many restaurants while becoming back, so a lot of

newspapers will not be coming back. host: do you want to say the name of your newspaper? caller: i work for the salem news out of salem, massachusetts. host: what is the website for the salem news? caller: salemnews.com. host: there is the front page of .com, that's coming online for seniors, the homeless in the massachusetts area. joel, thank you so much for your time as we show your newspaper. caller: thank you for what you do. we appreciate it. is next out of spartanburg, south carolina. what do you do? caller: heating, air-conditioning, ventilation. host: what has that been like for you during coronavirus? caller: on the residential side, around someet people, we have to be in their homes, so we are taking extra precautions.

the company i work for is part of a national network. all last week for an hour each day, we were in conferences with people as far away as british columbia, down in southern california, all trying to put our heads together. the owner of our company, before we go out to a house, puts to send a youtube video to customers, let them know precautions we are taking. my second week into this, we all went on the hunt for bleach at the local department stores so we could put together these, put together a packet of disinfectant bags so we can disinfect our tools. the homeowner -- i am no homeowner, but the owner of the company, his wife made masks for everyone in the

company. a are nice masks, wearing gloves -- taking all the precautions we can to make sure we keep our -- ourselves and more importantly, our clients safe. host: what is one of the best things your clients can do when you come to work and make you both feel safe? caller: that is not a question so much for us, it is a question for them. i just want to make them feel comfortable, give them some certainty that we are doing everything possible to make sure that we keep them safe at this time and are still able to continue to do the work that is needed in their homes. host: wes, thanks for the call from south carolina this morning. plenty of tweets and comments on social media as well as our text messaging service. here is a few of them this morning. i'm retired but we suddenly went back to work with a major grocery chain just before this outbreak. my day is busy trying to keep stock on the shelves. business is flourishing every day here in ohio.

that is bruce. this from susan, saying democrats pushing for this, this ull to this package we can all pay for. i choose the job i have. it is essential. who you work for chooses to pay you more that should be their choice, not the government. that is about the heroes act. benito, don't let them know they can collect more unemployment, they will claim their job is to hazardous. more compensation for hazard pay for those considered essential. here is another proposal out of the brookings institution. cain comer and joseph with their plan on what could be done to help essential workers, what that plan would consist of six -- to provide a would be to provide a $50,000

cash benefit to the spouse of any worker who dies from covid-19 and to enroll any uninsured essential worker and their spouse and children in a new medicare covid program, which would narrowly reimbursed all covid-19 related testing, hospital care, and future vaccinations. essential workers with private insurance would receive federal reimbursement for any similar out-of-pocket expenses. one more from the center for american progress, they have a seven part plan, the liberal think tank saying that the plan should consist of safety standards to protect essential workers from airborne infectious diseases, additional compensation for risk, paid family and medical leave that can be used to care for themselves or families, access to affordable care if they become sick, quality child care so they can go to work, while many schools and centers are closed, strong enforcement of workplace standards and access to unions to help implement

safety precautions and common sense standards among the minimum -- compensation standards above the minimum. those are plans that have been thrown out along with the heroes fund we talked about earlier. the eastr 7:30 on coast. we're talking too essential workers on this saturday morning. we want to hear about your experience during coronavirus. (202) 748-8000 if you are an essential worker in the eastern or central time zones, and (202) 748-8001 if you are an essential worker in the mountain or pacific time zones. patricia, north carolina. you are next. caller: yes. atas doing essential work, [inaudible] i was very worried about working there. yes, good morning. i was doing essential work for a and i was very, worried about working there. there was no six feet distance,

we worked in a small area. employees, wesix were constantly walking past each other. there was no room for distance at all. with the fast food chains being open. i don't really understand it, because you have people that have no choice but to work medical staff on the front lines. people working in pharmacies, bus drivers, grocery to stores -- grocery stores, and many more places. these are places that have no choice but to be open to help us survive. but places like fast food restaurants, i don't understand it. they are making it harder for people to stay home. governors have given their orders for people to stay home

during this crisis. they don't have a cure for this virus. that's why the grocery stores are open, for people to go there .nd shop for food and go home i don't understand why we would put people or whoever is deciding, the people that stay open, fast food chains who put out andt risk, to come cook for other people who have food at home. there are people who have to go to work and who have to eat, but if we are given an order, we need to follow that order. that is the only thing that is going to help us survive this. food chains i believe are at risk. fast food chains are a risk for workers. we have families as well. my daughter is an rn.

she gets up every day and puts her life on the line. i chose to back down from work for a while because if my daughter gets sick, my grandson needs me. i am calling in because it puts us at risk, for those places that do not have to be open, they should be closed, i believe. patricia, thanks for the call from north carolina. tenor is next out of miami, florida. good morning. caller: good morning. how are you this morning? host: good morning, go ahead. caller: i am a delta airline pilot based out of florida, and you would think that pilots would be essential, right? host: i thought they were, tanner. are you not? caller: we are, but there are not many people flying around because of covid-19,

so as of now i am not doing much flying. i wanted to comment about the 2008 iron bowl. to stick to going coronavirus and work during coronavirus -- you mentioned you are a pilot. i wonder what your conversations are like with your crew when you are flying about what precautions you should take? there is a story in the front page of the washington post about flight attendants and fter some ofs a the deaths of their colleagues in the industry. caller: the thing about many of the pilots, they get the urge to take the seatbelt sign off too early. once you reach your cruising altitude, you are nuts posted at the seatbelt sign off until -- not supposed to cut the seatbelt sign off into you reach your cruising altitude, but many

pilots will release it depending on how long the flight may be. host: tanner talking about his experience as a pilot in florida. a little bit more on that story about flight attendants, the story noting that on monday, the transport workers union announced the death of a second flight attendant from covid-19, the first death going back a few weeks to march 23 had been a flight attendant since 1997. ralph,e was paul frishcor and he was 65 years old. a facebook post shared by an airline attendant, summing up where many of them are today. bribery is next out of altoona, wisconsin. good morning. -- gregory is next out of all tuna, wisconsin. good morning.

na, wisconsin. good morning. caller: good morning. a saltwater technician, we going to host: people's homes and businesses. how often are you going into people's homes each day? caller: 20, 25 times a day. you get pretty full of water and the maintenance [inaudible] you are always huffing and puffing, hauling 50 pound bags of salt up and down the stairs. cautious ando be aware of everything going on around you when you are still trying to perform your job. host: did you know you were an essential worker before this all happened? caller: pretty much, yeah. i had a pretty good idea. host: and what sort of guidance is your company giving you?

caller: oh, they provide us with rubber gloves and we have covid-19 masks, but when you are huffing and puffing up and down a flight of stairs 6, 7, 8 times, you get pretty huffy and puffy, and glasses like eyewear, steamed --ll glasses like i wear, they get all steamed up, and you are pulling down your mask to fix them. host: every week, the guidance at my store changes. this week we added masks, which me unfortunately leading to touching my face expert eventually more. frequent handwashing and maintaining as much distance as possible makes me feel more safer than the mask. most customers aren't concerned. another text, do not forget people putting food on our tables, including the undocumented ones. they deserve a big thank you from all of us.

roxy, san diego -- i work in a call center with lots of employees. desks are spaced apart by six feet, but employees are tethered to their computers. bruce in ohio, saying he went back to work in his grocery business is flourishing. frank in new jersey. good morning, you are next. caller: good morning. thanks for taking my call. i am a security officer, a security guard, and i don't hear anyone really mentioning, you know, them as being essential workers. protection of property being one of those essential tasks as defined by the 2013 essential services act. caller: ok. the: or do you not think general public sees security workers as essential? caller: well, i don't know.

i do security at a trucking operation, and we check trucks , and they carry loads related to the virus, like hand sanitizer's. just the other day, someone broke into a trailer that had hand sanitizer's and they sold that hand sanitizers -- hand and they stole a few boxes. we have to make sure the cargo is secure. host: how many hours are you working a week and are they being cut back at all? caller: no, no. i am actually working overtime, about eight to 10 hours overtime a week. host: obviously overtime pay, but is there any sort of hazard pay right now? caller: there is no hazard pay, but we are equipped with gloves and face masks. we do get the time and a half over time. -- overtime. frank in new jersey.

sean in prince george, virginia. good morning. caller: how are you doing, sir? host: i am doing well. caller: i am a truck driver, and i have been talking to pretty much all the people, the stores i go into to deliver, and so many people are not taking this serious. they don't wear their masks, they don't wear their gloves, it is just amazing. ,o if this really is going on because i hear so many different stories -- some people even think our government is behind this to infiltrate the health , and even install a computer chip in each person. i laughed in this person's face -- you belong in a mental ward. anyway, excuse me. host: sean, what do you do to show you are taking it

seriously, to take it seriously? caller: i definitely where my my gloves.ear i have a homemade mask that is definitely better than these little dr. masks -- little doctor masks they are wearing. host: do you wear it while you are driving? caller: i do. i do not want to catch anything at kill myself, i do not want to bring it home to my girlfriend. , thehen i am out and about people at walmart, the employees are not wearing any protection whatsoever. 75% of the people walking around are just la-dee-da, like nothing is going on. it is amazing. host: what is your plan when you stop to get gas? caller: in terms of what? host: protecting yourself

something every driver has to do. caller: i protect myself every time. host: gloves when you are getting gas, throw them away when you're done. do you go to rest stops? i try to stay in my truck as much as possible. i even told my girlfriend, if she wants me to try to stay out for weeks at a time and not even come home until some of this blows over, that is the precaution i am taking. i do not need to bring anything home to her, you know? host: we have seen people lining up on the sides of highways to have thank you signs for truck youers across this country, are keeping the country connected during this. have you seen any of that? caller: no, no. host: do people say thank you for your work? caller: very few. host: thank you for your work, shawn out of prince george, virginia. edward out of connecticut is next.

good morning. caller: good morning. host: go ahead. caller: hello? are we on? host: what kind of work do you do? yes sir. caller: oh, excellent. i work in the field of medical marijuana, and i work every day to serve patients. host: and medical marijuana in connecticut, and in many states around this country, is considered an essential service, . how have you changed your business? caller: we have to do a lot of things, and it seems like everyone is coming out of the woodwork. you would think it is going to be the apocalypse. people coughing -- you do not know if they have red eyes or are maybe medicated. it is a hairy thing. it is crazy. sometimes you don't know, but people need their medication. opiate, you for an cannot get an opiate for your

back pain, but i think it is good we are doing this to help out everybody. i would like everyone to go and try to get your medical marijuana cards, because you are not going to get anything else. the only relief you will get today is from hemp and cannabis. good morning to you. thank you so much. a few more tweets and comments, this text message -- essential only in a crisis, otherwise expendable. that is anthony. joe saying, let's give the essential workers the same we do our military to compensate u.s. service members who are assigned these high-risk duties. the armed forces usually issues a special payment of $150 per month known as hazardous duty incentive pay. there are other pages that are more than that $150 rate, depending on the job. just a few of the comments from facebook and from our text message service. about 10 minutes left in this segment. we are talking to essential workers, we want to hear about your experience during coronavirus. thomas out of adams, oklahoma. what work do you do? caller: i work at a beef plant.

host: what is less like these days at that plant? -- life like these days at that plant? caller: i'm happy to have a job, but it sometimes it worries me to go -- it sometimes worries me to go to work every day, because i have a family at home. they have given us ppe's, but i feel like the information has not been shared to us to its full capacity. there are cases in the town where the plant is, and i am with howrtain that much people they have employed at this place, at least one of those cases works here or has been here at some point in time. i am also curious, one of my big questions is, what tools are test these usda to products that are leaving the plant, to make sure that we are not infecting these products and

spreading it at a more mass level, because this disease is anywhere from cold and dry climates to hot and humid climates. that's pretty much all i got to say. host: thomas, thanks for your work out of oklahoma. tom is in east brunswick, new jersey. caller: good morning. host: go ahead. caller: i am a letter carrier, a postal letter carrier. on yourat are you doing routes these days, john, to stay safe? caller: [cheers and applause] -- caller: [inaudible] host: hold on. we are losing you for a sec. i want to hear what you do. try again. caller: yes, i am a letter carrier. i am home the last couple of weeks caring for my son, who is andrely mentally retarded handicapped, and my wife is

sick. i'm debating whether or not i should go back to work. we handle mail, we handle packages. host: john, if you do go back, what do you have to do differently? what are they telling you at usps? not much, just deliver the mail. i talked to my original letter carrier, and they are just sending them out to work with no candidates, no no masks hand aids, on. the united states postal service giving congress a dire warning, telling lawmakers in a briefing this week that the agency will run out of cash by the end of september if congress does not step up with financial assistance. are you worried about not only having a job through this, but through the end of the year and beyond the existence of usps? caller: yeah, sure i am.

i am the only one working in my family. my wife stays home with my handicapped son. host: how long can you stay off the job for, john? caller: well, i have a number of sick hours built up over the years, so i can have a few more weeks off. host: do you think you are going to take them? caller: i don't know. i am thinking about going to work monday, but i'm starting to doubt it now. host: what is going to be what decides it for you, john? caller: i don't know. the numbers -- if it is still on the riser are starting to come down a bit. starting tose or come down a bit. host: john, thank you what you do. laura in massachusetts. good morning. caller: good morning. i am semi-fortunate, i work as a medical assistant for a cardiologist and have been able to work. i have been working 40 hours,

but they have cut us back one day, because business obviously has tapered off quite a bit, and we are doing a lot of video calls that have been helpful, making up the difference for patients that can come into the office. but the comments i also wanted inmake, though, i understand the medical field we are doing everything. taking precautions, wearing masks and gloves, and doing the best we can in keeping the .acility clean i keep hearing all these governors saying, everybody stay home, stay home. i'm still getting my bills. i don't know about most of the viewers that are watching this, but i am not getting bills that are saying, stay home and don't worry about paying us for the next couple of months. everybody still wants their money. so staying home and having to choose between working and staying home, for me, it's not a

choice. i'm glad i have my job and i have to work. i don't have a choice. that is all i wanted to say, thank you. host: laura, thanks for the call from massachusetts. the story from today's new york times, looking at one aspect of the health care industry. acrossrses, who travel the border to work in the united states in the nursing industry, focusing on lori dufresne, who windsor,canada, ontario, and commutes to detroit, where she is a nurse there. her experience as a health care worker crossing the border. you can read that story in today's new york times. mary, auburn, washington is next. good morning. hey.r: i wanted people to be a little more considerate and kind to truck drivers. my husband is a truck driver in the seattle area. he does a lot of transport of medical supply, and the issue he

runs into is trying to go to the bathroom. trying to find a place to park his truck so he can go and get something to eat. these truck drivers need a little more kindness and respect, and i just want people to be aware of it. longare working very hard, hours, and when someone is asking you to go to the restroom, you should offer that. that is really all i wanted to say. it's just very disappointing, and in the king county area -- i don't know if it's the culture we have around here, but -- host: what kind of truck does he drive? caller: you know, i'm not really sure. he goes to the port of seattle to pick up [inaudible] host: and you're saying people

do not want him to come inside the facility? caller: no. they are very rude about him using the restroom. he has had to literally -- he has literally had to relieve himself in a water bottle, and i just don't think people are aware of what is going on. there's not a lot of rest areas in the area that he is covering, often soclose it quite they can clean. so it is not always available. host: what are his hours like right now? are they up? hiser: they have reduced hours. he was working 14, 16 hours, now it is sometimes 10, so -- host: what precautions is he taking? what do you want him to do when he is out on the road and when

he comes home? caller: he is always wearing gloves and masks. .e's had to he did have some painters masks that he had in the garage. he is using that now. they are required to wear that all the time, so any changes at but iroughout the day, wish there was a little more kindness shown to truck drivers and when someone is asking to use the restroom, just be a little more considerate and allow our truck drivers to go to the bathroom. a lot of times when you are ,orking that amount of hours you slowly start to run out of the food that you have brought to work with you, and there are not places to park for them to -- everything is drive-through.

host: mary, thanks for the call from washington. the last call in this segment, this is leroy out of union, new jersey. good morning. caller: good morning. good morning. host: go ahead, leroy. what do you do? caller: [inaudible] host: are you with the city? caller: the state. host: the state. what has it been like for you? what precautions are you taking on your bus? they are giving people masks and the gloves. not the best type, but at least we are getting something. is [inaudible] host: i can hear you through the phone, just turned on your television so we can continue our conversation. you say they are giving you masks and gloves. one of the earlier callers worked for the mta in new york, they are new york, only loading passengers on the

back of the bus to try to keep them away from the drivers. is that happening in your area? caller: yes, that's correct. host: when did they start doing that? caller: about two weeks ago. host: did you feel safe? caller: my concern is this -- i get up and go to work very early in the morning. what i am noticing is that the bus is not clean, and sometimes the passengers complain that if i'm coming out this early, why is the bus so dirty? maybe they are sweeping it out, but they are not cleaning it well. toave to bring my own wipes wipe down the steering wheel and any gear that i am touching. but they are not mopping the bus with disinfectant, and i'm hearing passengers complain, why dirty still and not wiped? host: how often are passengers

bringing their own cleaning products onto the bus? we have seen stories of people doing that when they sit down on airplane seats. is that happening on buses as well. caller: i do not know if that has happened. i -- i mentioned it to some of my colleagues, and they are theyg, who work there, and are saying, they do not have enough people to clean the bus at night, so sometimes the bus goes dirty. host: leroy, thanks for the call in new jersey. our last caller in this segment of "the washington journal," but we will revisit that in the last half hour of our program. of next, we will talk with the assistant secretary for aging, lance robertson is his name. we will talk about the resources and programs available for senior citizens and the disabled among the coronavirus crisis, and the later look at how the

virus is impacting the prison system. yesterday from the oval office, president trump wished americans a happy easter. >> good friday, christians. easter sunday, we will celebrate his glorious resurrection. our nation is engaged in a battle with an invisible enemy. our brave doctors, nurses, responders are fighting to save lives, workers are racing to deliver critical medical supplies. our scientists are working around-the-clock to produce lifesaving therapeutics and i think they are doing well. our people are making tremendous sacrifices to end this pandemic. though we will not be able to

gather with one another as we normally would on easter, we can on this sacred time to focus our personal relationship with god, so important. i ask all americans that god will heal our nation to bring comfort to those grieving, to give strength to the doctors, nurses, health care workers to restore health to the sick and renew hope in every person who is suffering. our nation will come through like never before. i thank the families who have prayed for me and for my family and your prayers are felt. i am forever grateful. i would like to thank our great vice president and his wonderful wife, who we all know very well, karen, for the incredible job they do, their service to the country and to god.

ago the000 years prophet isaiah wrote "darkness covers the earth but the lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you for the lord will be your everlasting light ." as our nation battles, we reaffirm americans believe in the power of prayer. we give thanks for the majesty of creation and for the gift of eternal life. we place our trust in the hands of almighty god. i would like to wish everyone a very happy easter. >> washington journal continues. host: lance robertson, assistant secretary for aging in the h hs. secretary robinson, we know older adults are most at risk. where have you focus your

efforts as secretary for aging? guest: good morning, great to be with you, happy saturday morning. hhs are one of the operating divisions and very proud to have the mission of caring for older adults and people with disabilities. those are vulnerable and targeted populations with this virus so the work we do has never been more important. is the programming we offer to help people stay safely at home in their community and that work has been compounded with virus impact. we are able to serve them in a variety of ways and we are honored. what theind people administration for community living does. guest: we have three dozen programs, research institute, we offer a number of community support services that offer ways

people can remain healthy and vital in their communities. for us, we are talking things like meals, transportation, legal services, independent living assistance, transition out of facilities. a range of things. thankfully, our website is easy to navigate for those interested in a deep dive. acl.gov. int: can you do those things an age of social distancing? guest: we do. as one would expect, services have been impacted. butal operation has changed we are still doing remarkable work around core programming. meals, good example, so important, older adults and people with disabilities have opportunity to have a balanced meal and we continue through acknowledging safety measures, delivering those meals.

during the course of a normal day, we would serve 900,000 people per day. that was done through a combination of congregate settings, now closed, and home pivoted meals. we have seen a big spike in numbers. we anticipate they will climb. through thengress supplemental packages, support for meal programs, as one example, has jumped and has enabled us to serve folks in their homes. host: tom much money in the cares act is specifically for the elderly population? -- how much money? $955 million on top of the second stimulus, $250 million, specifically for the example, meals, all the $250

million in the second supplemental was directed at meal support. of the $955 million through the cares act, $480 million is directed to supporting meals service. for that one specific program, our largest, a commendable amount of support from congress and the administration. host: special phone lines in the segment with lance robertson, assistant secretary for aging, the line for those 65 and older is (202)-748-8000. we will primarily take your calls from that. all others, (202)-748-8001. go ahead and start calling in. secretary robinson, staying on meals, have you had to hire new employees to deliver meals? are the same people delivering them before this pandemic willing to get in their cars and go around and make deliveries? guest: great question, john. i have to applaud the resiliency

of our country. ebb and flow in terms of volunteers across the country, it varies per region. some of the more heavily impacted regions like new york, how they are able to muster volunteer services needed is slightly different than other parts of the country but overall, we have seen a continued resilience out of people willing to do that volunteer work. all of our meals are delivered by volunteers. these individuals are acknowledging safety precautions. how we deliver meals our in adherence to cdc regulations. we are looking at what makes sense in terms of packaging automobiles. maybe there is a pickup option for some families or seniors. in general, i'm happy to sit across the country, meal service has remained strong, people see the importance of it and i am proud of our network of 20,000

providers who do this each day. host: we talked about that service before. it is not just the meal you're bringing in a usual visit before coronavirus. it was also the interaction, for some of these folks, that may be the only daily interaction they had. you cannot have that anymore, right? is that being cut out? guest: it is not necessarily being cut but we are have to do -- we are having to do it differently. priority one is make sure the food gets to the older adults. we are doing more by phone. wellness checks, reassurance checks, just to make sure people are ok. when a meal is dropped off through a window, they're looking ok, that is excellent and helpful. you're right, we have had to pivot how we normally did the wellness checks, which we believe is just as important as the meal. host: senior citizens, coronavirus, our topic with lance robertson, assistant

secretary for aging. leanne on the line for those 65 and older, buffalo, new york. caller: about these stimulus checks we are supposed to receive in april, i have been trying to find out, hello? host: yes? caller: sorry. i have been trying to find out, if this is added to a senior's income, will they then possibly lose extra help for medicare, which is a form of medicaid that pays for premiums and deductibles? what about food stamps? $1200 would put you over the line by $50 for the year. do you lose that for a year? potentially i could lose $5,000 because i accepted a $1200 stimulus check. thank you. host: lance robertson. guest: great question. the caller represents a lot of

common questions we are getting in the last few days. good news. irs just put together a website, highly informative, i would encourage you to go to irs.gov and you will find a brand-new coronavirus webpage that breaks down info you need to know about the stimulus checks. as example, when they will be sent out, what other qualifications. point, i just glanced at it this morning, but i believe it addresses some of those concerns people have about loss of benefits. the federal government, the president, in approving stimulus checks, would not want to have someone putatively impacted. certain circumstances differ enough, there is not one universal answer but people can rest confidently the stimulus checks are intended to support americans and evaluate the best source of info, irs.

gov/coronavirus. host: howard beach, new york, 65 and older. caller: good morning. i am 78. i qualify as a senior citizen. i am doing fairly well considering. it is difficult getting around. i am not, for the most part, leaving the house. i have my routine in the morning. doing my exercises. trying to stimulate my mind. trying to be active. trying to learn other things, including going back to writing. now because i have excess time. it.me, i'm handling i am concerned for everyone else. my grandchildren, my family. ok.dealing with it mentally there is only one comment i would like to make.

you are working for the most disgusting personality i have ever experienced. the fact that he is president of the u.s., indicates, may a countrythis is what deserves if they elect someone like this. country, thes, a leaders they deserve, well, we have gotten one. host: how long have you been working on aging issues and with seniors? guest: i am so glad bernie is modeling what it takes to be healthy and vibrant. is a role model for others in that respect, thanks for that. my history is along one in terms of being a gerontologist. oklahoma state university, i helped cofound the institute and spent a decade working under

governors of oklahoma in the aging and disability services. having been raised by my grandparents, i have always had an affinity to do what i can do to take care of older adults. host: how long of you been with health and human services? what did you do before? 2017, i started, august, may transition to washington after senate confirmation, just prior, i was in that role i mentioned, working for the governor, someone very supportive of making the transition. for me being a public servant, this was an opportunity to take my work from the state to federal level. hhs.ageing. lance robertson, taking your

questions this morning. dale, jackson, new jersey, 65 and older, go ahead. caller: good morning, mr. robertson and c-span. i am 68. i am also a family caregiver of a loved one that is 88 years old. i am representing a lot of people that are worried about caring for a loved one who may be at high risk. what are you doing for family caregivers, like myself, not only worried about themselves but worried about people they are caring for that may be at high risk for coronavirus? i can tell you clearly you are the target of who we are trying to serve. the role you are playing is so critical, you, yourself,

somewhat compromised but more importantly, you are a caregiver for someone of significant age. your point is a great one. i will try to on package and answer. take care of yourself. it is important caregivers think through, what do i need to do to make sure i am caring for myself? if you failed to do that well, you won't be able to be a good caregiver and you may heighten the risk of the one you're caring for. currently, thanks again to the support of congress and the administration, through the cares funding, we have an additional $100 million we are directing toward programs that support family caregivers. we have half a dozen different services we offer, dale. the biggest one is a respite program -- how do we make sure you are doing ok, have the information and support you need? you can find out more info specifically at our website, a c

cl.gov. i have a toll-free number that is an excellent starting point requestse who has info or needs answers. eldercare locator. 677-1116. either that phone number for the i believe.c.l..gov, is an excellent entry portal you will need for your own well-being as well as the one you're caring for. host: twitter with a comment. "the next biggest issue for people over 55 will be getting a job, if they lost it due to coronavirus." guest: i understand that concern. i cannot completely refute that but i can promise that individual the administration for community living, not a day

goes by we are not advocating heavily for better workforce opportunities for older adults and people with disabilities. we are seeing a response to that pre-covid and we will lean in post covid to make sure those folks, whether older or with a disability are offered that opportunity and i will be honest, i think more places thrive more effectively when they bring such talents on board. host: vermont, christopher, 65 and older. caller: good morning, lance. you know,, i have an unusual situation. i am 66. my wife and i have being helicopter caregivers for my parents in maine, 90 and 88. they recently got on meals on wheels and days ago we got a phone call and they said, well, the person who delivered your meals on tuesday has tested positive for coronavirus.

i'm sorry, we will not be able to give you meals next week. how did that make sense that you cut off 90-year-olds because the person who delivered their meals with gloves and a mask tested positive for coronavirus? thank you very much. guest: i am very sorry to hear that from vermont and certainly acknowledge, i know from spot checks i do every day across most states in this country, that is a rarity. most providers take extreme precautions to make sure deliverers are healthy and not exposing seniors receiving meals. you know, i really hope the state of vermont and the local service provider are working diligently on ways to get around that problem and restart those services. i can say, undoubtedly, every provider is committed to that. i think we all are knowledge they are trying to balance the

necessity of delivery but also the health and well-being of volunteers and staff members preparing those meals. i am very sorry to hear that situation. continue to explore situations like that as a federal partner. that locator number, they can reach out, and my commitment is, we will do all we can to help restore that service and to work with states and local communities to make sure we can get around obstacles, such as the one mentioned. abuse prevention is a big part of your mission. how do you do that now? guest: boy, it sickens me how many folks are ready to hop on situations like this to take advantage of vulnerable people. during the course of a normal day, we do a lot of fraud prevention, abuse, neglect, exploitation work. that is a growing issue in our

society, sadly, older adults and people with disabilities are abused, and neglected and exploded. we are seeing a spike in scams. we are trying to warn everybody, take sensible precautions, certainly do not give info out to folks who show up on your door or call you. a good example, there was a big medicare number scam going on now where they are collecting medicare numbers, then doing false billing. there is a lot of false test kits, different resources people are offering. these perpetrators are so creative and sophisticated, i can understand why somebody might believe it is credible. i would caution people, anytime, any time you are approached about this or that particular deal, validate that and have it checked out. contact local law enforcement. contact the locator number i mentioned. reach out. ask questions. to credible folks, before you

give away info, all of that needs to be protected during this time, not even really during covid, but beyond. people can help us out as a federal partner, just be incredibly cautious about relinquishing personal info that could be used or exploited. host: less than 10 minutes left with lance robertson, assistant secretary for aging, hhs, head of the administration for community living, joining us via zoom. mary, green cove springs, florida. caller: good morning and thank you both for taking my question. actually, i have two. first, i would like to know how the money is being distributed and if it is being distributed equally to each state? my second question is, what is happening to elderly who are

homeless? in green cove springs here, we do not even have a shelter for homeless people. there is elderly homeless people. i want to know how they are being taken care of because i'm very upset over this. there is a lot of seniors out there, 65 and over, that do not have anything. they are out on the streets. i want to know how they are being taken care of. are you looking for these people? and helping them? because i don't want them to die like that. please, i hope you will help them. host: thank you. guest: mary, i hear you loud and clear. good morning down in florida. the stimulus amounts we were talking about now, up to $1.2 billion for the administration for community living, those dollars are dispersed via existing and approved formula.

absolutely, every state anticipates the amount they will get and are working diligently to get those dollars, once they receive it from us as the federal partner, down to the local community providers to make sure services continue to be delivered. everyone, from the local to state to federal levels, are grateful to the congress and administration for those additional dollars because they translate directly into services. a common example is meals. florida, to show you the spike, during a normal day, non-covid today, we would serve 45,000 meals in the state of florida. now, i was talking to the state director there a couple days ago. in miami-dade county, they served 77,000 meals. you can see a real spike. it is so essential we make sure people are fed. dollars arethose quickly being used effectively. it is an honor to do so. about the homeless population, we are working quite diligently

with partners across federal government, not within our specific responsibility, but i can tell you hhs, administration of children and family spearheads the federal government, one of their primary initiatives around homelessness. the lighthouse is very involved as well. -- white house is very involved as well. i wish that were an issue we could eradicate tomorrow. the federal government is working diligently on that, mary, i hear you, we do not want ls to homeless individua suffer in an unnecessary way. i can commit that the federal government remains committed to helping the homeless situation. the president has worked with, for example, california, to address the higher homeless population numbers, in a proactive way to resolve those issues. hopefully prevent them for tomorrow. host: west liberty, kentucky,

cindy, 65 and older. caller: good morning. my husband is 67. i. am 65 . we are scared to go to the grocery store. he has copd. i am diabetic and have heart problems. i am the one that goes to store on senior day. no one wears masks. how do you get these home delivery meals? how do you qualify? guest: cindy, thank you for being cautious for your health and the sake of your husband. i am sure you wear masks when you go out. hopefully we minimize how many times you have to go out. if you will reach out to that eldercare locator number, 1-8 00-677-1116. that number covers the entire nation, every county, every part of the u.s. when you make that call, they will connect you to the local

service provider who can sign you up for home delivered meals. they may be able to assist you if you need help with, as example, registering for home delivery from local grocery store or a big box store or walmart. that is becoming more popular and common, it is a safer measure for older adults. that may be something you could also explore, both through the help of the locator. anything you can do to limit the number of times you have to walk out that door, that is a good thing. host: when it comes to meals on wheels, home food delivery, what do you have to show to qualify? guest: according to the law, there is no income requirement. it is simply the age requirement. as long as you qualify and you are the proper age, that is excellent. i can tell you we are seeing a lot of flexibility because of the virus to make sure people are fed.

certainly, how we as a federal government report out on who gets meals, that will remain important, but i think at the top of the list is making sure folks who are vulnerable at any age are receiving a meal. we have seen a lot of that flexibility, particularly in the cares act language. i would encourage any listener, of any age, whether for themselves or for someone they know, reach out to that eldercare locator number or go on our website at acl.gov. all of that is clearly explained. when it comes to meals, the eligibility requirement is simple. host: what is the age requirement? guest: 60 and older for meals. for grandchildren, 55 and older. i would jump on there. it is clearly spelled out. you don't need to worry about any income requirement, which often is the case with federally

supported programs. host: scott, arlington, virginia, all others. caller: good morning, mr. secretary. i want to thank you for your public service. i am a little older than you but one question i have is, what are you doing to work with private sector? guest: i cannot thank you enough for that. i am a partnership guy. honestly, everything we are doing, everything we hope to do if we continue to serve a large and growing number of older americans is going to be through partnerships. for us, i could spend a lot of time breaking down some of those public-private partnerships. the administration is supportive of that. through the meals program, the ofmon example, we have a lot private-sector sector partners who have stepped up to help with production, delivery, folks

really feeling the gap, and it is that private sector commitment i believe in all fairness, has really made the difference. within the construct that we support the federal government, we see such a norm is jump in demand. the only way that is ever going to be properly filled his through the arrangements we are making with private sector partners. those are growing, even beyond meals. the technology assistance we're getting from companies to address social isolation for older adults. i could go on with examples. the restaurant industry, meals, they have stepped up. lots of good examples across the country of private sector partners who are saying, how can we help? we are so grateful for that. dakota,an out of south 65 and older. caller: good morning, thank you for letting me speak. i just logged on recently. i wondered if, this pandemic

going on, if the state services for, like, or whatever they call it can be given to all elderly straight woross our -- we have t counties doing it. there are some knowledgeable the meals on wheels because they .ive 100 feet from the line it and they are not eligible for service. i am wondering if the government could override those boundaries and let everybody be eligible? host: thank you for the call. mr. robertson? guest: we are as flexible as we have ever been in the way any

sort of service delivery, and certainly a response like this, you're talking about the formula of services being locally executed. we have been encouraging state and local partners to be flexible and find creative ways to make sure a person does not go without a meal. -- wee lots of examples have been addressing that episodically across the country. given the flexibility in the cares act and the posture we are in, this is a highly flexible time. we want to make sure people are fed and taking care of. once this coronavirus is gone, thankfully we can circle back and talk about lessons learned and put in place measures that make even more sense moving forward for delivery of services. host: lance robertson is the assistant secretary at health and human services for aging. we appreciate your time. guest: thank you, john.

it has been a pleasure. host: up next, the brennan center's lauren-brooke eisen will join us on the increasing coronavirus cases in u.s. prisons and later, christopher , will talk in response to the virus. yesterday during a press briefing, vermont regulation commissioner talked about when .hey could see a peak in cases [video clip] this situation is very fluid. the assumptions that underlie our models change regularly in the quality of our this situatia continues to evolve. thursday onelast model was updated to include actual data from over 40 countries and that will be continued to be refined over the days ahead. last thursday we indicated our early analysis pointed to some glimmers of hope.

mobility data indicated vermont was closely following social distancing orders and our growth rate showed signs of slowing. hope, those glimmers of shining little brighter. vermont has seen its seven-day average growth rate fall from 15% to approximately 9% this week. days it the number of has taken for our confirmed case is to double continues to lengthen. initially doubling at a rate of every three days and slowing from every 5.5 days and out slowing -- now slowing to 7.5 days. we ran the model yesterday and have updated forecasts i will now detail. slide as indicated on five, we continue to follow a positive trend below both our worst and even best case

scenarios as of late march. the data now more clearly points to the fact the sacrifices vermonters are making, and continue to make, are positively impacting our covid-19 experience. a recent forecast indicates we are trending toward a milder experience in april than initially anticipated with the new confirmed cases still expected to peak over the next 2-4 weeks. that althoughear we are anticipating in milder experience, current thatasts still indicates almost 5000 will still be positive. the worst is still ahead of us. announcer: washington journal continues. host: lauren-brooke eisen is at

the brennan center where she leads the organization efforts to end mass incarceration. what are the latest numbers of coronavirus cases and deaths amongst the more than 2 million americans who are incarcerated in state, federal, and local prisons? 1300: there are about confirmed cases behind bars across the united states. the cook county jail in chicago, illinois is the largest known source of covid-19 infection. detainees least 51 and 150 staff members have tested positive just in that one jail. people78 incarcerated officers,rrectional and medical officers at rikers island have also tested positive.

we are seeing this disease spread very quickly behind bars. jails and prisons, as many know, our petri dishes for the transmission of covid-19. host: social distancing being described as the best way to combat coronavirus. can one social distance behind bars? guest: it is virtually impossible to do all of those we are doing in the community. trying to reduce the contagion of this disease. many of us are washing our hands for 20 seconds or 30 seconds. we are keeping six feet apart from our neighbors on the street. we are, if we are lucky enough to have masks, walking around with masks. but soap, hand sanitizer, behind bars individuals are nked, dormitory style rooms, sharing toilets,

sinks that have 20 or 30 beds. impossible and in some jails and prisons, specifically alabama and mississippi, the hygiene conditions are very lacking. in fact, and mississippi health department report from this past summer found dozens of broken sinks, toilets, soap dispensers with no soap. you can imagine it is virtually impossible for those behind bars to protect themselves from covid-19. host: talking about coronavirus in the prison system, a special line this morning for those who have family members in the prison system -- (202-748-8002). eastern or central time zone, (202-748-8000). mountain or pacific, (202-748-8001). you can start calling in for lauren-brooke eisen of the

brennan center. you talked about the cook county jail system and new york specifically. what is being done to help combat infections and keep the prisoner safe? guest: the brennan center for justice has called on governors of all states to use their power and executive authority to release vulnerable people behind bars who do not pose a public safety risk. we know that about 40% of people behind bars in the unitedbars wc safety risk. states suffer from some kind of medical condition such as asthma or diabetes which makes them very vulnerable not only to getting sick but from dying of covid-19 because they are so vulnerable. they have these underlying health conditions. what is happening in new york city, in chicago, is that the public health officials and medical teams that work in these deals are doing the best they can -- jails are doing the best

they can to quarantine those who are sick. however, it is very difficult. jails and prisons are not places where you can protect easily those who are sick from something like covid-19. the medical staff at these facilities are doing the best they can but they do not even have the personal protective equipment they need. the correction officers do not have personal protective equipment to make sure they need to make sure they are safe. this is a problem not only for those incarcerated but for those who work in these facilities. host: we have numbers on this at this point on how many have been released? guest: we have some numbers. we are starting to see some releases. we are seeing some governors who are taking this seriously, who are looking at their executive authority. pennsylvania use

executive authority and ask people be released early. in california, the governor has ordered 3500 people be released from prisons across the state. governor cuomo has promised to release almost 1100 people in prison for a technical violation , was with public defenders, and they are not saying that is happening. somebody in new york city died jailweek and he was in because of a technical violation of his parole. we have to work with our jails,rs, directors of to make sure more people are released from our prison systems. those who are elderly, sick, contractingwho are

covid-19 behind bars. we are going to see this get worse in our jails and prisons and what is happening in new york city and cook county certainly illustrate how dangerous this can be for those in close confinement. we have seen it in nursing homes, cruise ships, we are starting to see it in jails and prisons. host: you said you want people who do not pose a public safety risk to be released. how do you determine whether they pose a safety risk when they get to the outside? guest: the brennan center for justice issued a report a couple years ago where we found 39% in our state and local prisons did not need to be there when it comes to public safety. that is a very conservative estimate and that does not include people who are in jail. so many of the people in our jails are simply there because they are too poor to pay bail. these are not people who are a danger to society.

these are people who cannot pay bail or bond. there stuck behind, bars pretrial, waiting for a court date. do notmajority simply have to be there when it comes to public safety. we know that so many of the people in our state prisons and federal prisons are 60 or older and there is so much research indicating those behind bars who are 60 years or older when released have incredibly low rate. we are not talking about a safety threat but a death sentence for those sitting behind bars who do not need to be there. they are sitting ducks for this coronavirus. host: let's chat with a few colors. this is bill out of pennsylvania. caller: good morning. happy easter and thank you for taking my call. they were note if

a threat to society, they would not be in prison in the first place. i think it is another chance for liberals to seize the opportunity -- prisons are pretty much quarantined in the first place. you can limit visitors, check the officers coming in, they are probably safer than the rest of -- public and i feel like california wants to release people, they want to take our second amendment away and tell us we are safe. worryingtired of them more about people who break the law than americans who follow the law and do the right thing. we are just getting real tired of as americans. host: lauren-brooke eisen. guest: the united states leads the world as the number one incarcerated. we have less than 5% of the global population yet we have nearly 25% of the world's

prisoners across 6000 prisons and jails in the united states. correctional facilities are crowded, unsanitary, right now a handful of states and prisons in the federal system -- [no audio] this was a very specific policy decision to rack up 2.2 million people and with the brennan center have done research for many years all across the country looking at who is incarcerated. the brennan center published a report a couple years ago finding incarceration does not make us safer.

are livingn 2020 we in the safest times in the united states. in 1991 inmes peaked the united states. today, we have incredibly safe communities with very low crime rates except for a couple of pockets across the country. we know that incarceration does make people more criminally and client. they are separated from families , cannot get a job, and communities have been devastated. it increases intergenerational poverty. it is a failed social policy and what is happening right now in our jails and prisons, with so many people testing positive, shows is what a failed policy it was. host: to florida, this is james

on the line for those who have a family member in the prison system. us?s, are you with we will go to cheryl in provo, utah on the same line. caller: good morning. can you hear me? host: yes. caller: i am calling to validate what your guest is saying. my son has been exposed to the andnavirus by his roommate even though they moved his --ake out, it creates because they cannot move about even though he is in a halfway house, they are locked down. they have to associate with all of these other people who have been infected with coronavirus. host: has there been any discussion in utah about allowing those folks to leave

the halfway houses early or come home and be with family? caller: i watched the news all the time and i have not seen one thing said about it. i am going to be calling the governor's office and seeing if i can suggest to them -- there is a place my son could come out and we would bond him or whatever it would take to be able to leave the environment. i want to say one other thing if it's all right? host: go ahead. caller: they are prisoners, they cannot get a job, and yet they are requiring they pay for their go anddy so they can it's $200 for each test. a polygraph or whatever it is and they want to cause -- the

prisoners would have to pay for it to prove they are innocent. that they were not involved in other crimes. here he is, he is not able to him, and they are requiring to go in debt for a test they proveo prove, so he can he has not committed crimes in other situations. i am thinking, our system is wrong. what we have got as a punishment system instead of a correction. host: thank you for sharing. guest: i think what you're caller said is important. we have a punishment system, not a correction system. we know that in many prisons across the country, there is very little opportunity to participate and access education, higher learning, postsecondary education.

a lot of these programs cost incarcerated people money. they are expensive and if one of the purposes of punishment israel billing presentation, we are utterly failing -- punishment is rehabilitation, we are utterly failing. accounts are relevant to this discussion. they are advocating that states and countries waive medical co-pays. $5 or more just to see a doctor. waived medicale o-pays not just for those who have respiratory illness, but those who have to see their doctor. we are glad to see that but we

have to do more. on waivingust focus medical fees. we have got to get more of these people out of our jails and prisons. in situations where we have so many jails, so many prisons, that are filled with people living in the same cells -- in alabama, the prisons are at capacity and beyond capacity. these are not safe conditions. why we need those correctional officials to waive medical co-pays -- you have to pay for hygiene products behind bars -- but we need to not only focus on improving the conditions behind bars but we have got to get thousands out. center.org if you want to check out their website. lauren-brooke eisen serves as the program director. taking your phone calls for the next 10 minutes.

tyrone is on the line for those who have a family member in the prison system out of texas. good morning. caller: good morning. host: go ahead with your question or comment. caller: are they going to release them out here? host: are they going to let them out? guest: we see progress already. the governor of colorado signed an executive order that places a moratorium on new prison intakes. we have seen a number of states provide similar guidance to their judges, judiciary, to their court. for those people who have already been sentenced but have not started to serve their sentence behind bars, we are encouraging states -- and we see some progress -- that those people do not need to start their sentence and have a public health courts behind -- health

crisis behind bars. jerseyvania and new invoke executive power to establish processes that would offer some individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes a temporary reprieve of their sentences but placing them under house arrest. in kentucky, the governor recently signed an executive order that would release nearly 900 people detained in state prisons and just this past week, ohio's governor is recommending almost 140 people incarcerated in minimum security prisons be released by the end of the week. this is not enough. we need every governor in every state in the united states to use their executive authority, to use their clemency powers, to release more people. for example, in alabama, nobody has tested positive yet that we

isons yetlabama pr there was a leaked memo that there could be a health disaster and we know the parole board is not doing as much as it can to ensure people are released from prison. we need parole boards across the country to work with the department of corrections, to work with other stakeholders, government officials, to engage in remote parole hearings that we can release more people from prison who should not be there who are vulnerable. host: how do believe the leadership has been from attorney general barr? guest: the attorney general is looking at releasing an increasing number of individuals to home confinement, focusing on individuals with underlying health problems, who are elderly

but not enough has been done. the brennan center is working on a letter right now to send to the attorney general where we are going to ask the attorney general to release more people from federal prison in addition to providing guidance to the states. the attorney general is in a unique position where they can their colleagues letters asking they do more. that they not only improve conditions behind bars but relax medical co-pays, and sure -- ensure protective equipment is given to correctional staff and the attorney general can do more to lead the country. lead not only at the federal bureau of prisons level but the state level. prioritizestates to releasing individuals who do not need to be there.

host: linda has a family member in the prison system out of marysville, tennessee. good morning. caller: good morning. host: go ahead, linda. caller: i don't know if i have a question or comment but where my son is being held, it is a privately owned facility. being givenare not the ppe but it has been donated tennesseeepartment corrections. they are not be given to the inmates. are being given to the ceos. masksmates are making from t-shirts and being written up and fined hundreds of dollars for making their own ppe. i mean, there is undocumented cases but as of yesterday, two of the prisons in tennessee had

the national guard mandating testing only for the staff. they sat them in line for hours outside, tested them, and released them back into the shift they had to work instead of waiting. is really nothat doing what they need to be doing down here. host: thank you for the call. lauren-brooke eisen. guest: your caller mentioned incarcerated people do not have personal protective equipment and that is the case across the country. there is a shortage of masks, gowns, hand sanitizer, and it is not only incarcerated people behind bars. in many jurisdictions the correction officers do not have access to this equipment. change in our

country but we are seeing first responders, doctors, nurses do not have access to personal protective book women. what we are seeing -- personal protective equipment. what we are seeing is we do not have the infrastructure to protect us from a infectious disease whether it is behind bars, and hospitals across the country. related to that, we have started to see at least a dozen states their, and requiring, incarcerated population to make personal protective equipment behind bars. in texas where incarcerated peoples earn no money, they are making gowns for first responders. in 11 or 12 other states, individuals are required to make masks, gowns, other personal protective equipment. in new york, incarcerated

workers are making hand sanitizer. the irony is that in new york state, and a lot of states across the country, hand sanitizer is contraband. individuals behind bars are not allowed access because of the high alcohol content. what is happening truly illustrates that mass incarceration is a failed social policy at so many levels. for years at the brennan center, ourave advocated to reduce correctional system. i hope this will bring about a rethinking about who we can keep away. host: time for maybe one more call. this is naomi in spring hill, florida for those with family members in the prison system. go ahead. caller: hi. host: what is your question? --ler: my son was released

andas in missouri prison they moved into the kansas prison. but hefinally released wanted to come down here to florida to live with me. not -- they made a that he wassons why violent -- he is not a bit violent. he was so young when they put him in prison. i wonder why he cannot come to florida and be here with me so i can help it.

host: thank you for the call. i will give you the final minute or so. hear: i couldn't quite everything she said but i think she was talking about a loved one who is not violent to release more vulnerable people who do not need to be behind bars. we really hope that once this public health crisis is over, we will truly change how we approach punishment, incarceration, rehabilitation and our country. country. many of them will likely get

sick and die of covid-19 and our governors and our state departments of correction need to work together and do more to release thousands of people behind bars who are there today who can be saved from contracting covid-19 if we act quickly. the justice program director, we appreciate your time this morning. up next, we will be joined by christopher currie of the government accountability office. we will talk about the government's preparedness and response to coronavirus. virginia governor ralph northam spoke yesterday -- using -- hospital ceos are telling me that what they

expect to need the most is ppe and more staff to take care of people and support the medical professions. our volunteer medical reserve signedas 13,000 people up to volunteer. about half of those people have medical training. we will work with our colleges and medical schools to reach out to students, especially those who are enrolled in health and medical degree programs. training is also available for virginians who want to learn basic medical skills to volunteer. current health professionals who can alsoet more skills get that training. nurses, nurseging practitioners, and nursing students to apply. thatdoctor myself, i know

nurses are the lifeblood of any medical setting. we also need nonmedical volunteers for support roles in logistics, committee case and, technology, and other areas. helplcome everyone who can this is a chance for virginians to come together and do good for community. vamolunteer, please visit rc.org. org.se visit vamrc. on behalf of virginia, we thank you. >> c-span has round-the-clock coverage of the federalist bronze to the coronavirus pandemic and it is all available on demand at c-span.org/coronavirus. house briefings, updates from governors and state officials, track the spread throughout the u.s. and the world with interactive maps,

watch on-demand, anytime unfiltered at c-span.org/coronavirus. washington journal continues. chriswe are joined by currie. same days ago, on the coronavirus was declared a pandemic, you are on capitol hill testifying about preparedness for bio defense. guest: what we were talking about, we issued a report back in february. we started over a year ago. looking at the administration 2018 bio defense strategy. what we found in that report is the strategy [indiscernible] to coordinate the fragmented

effort, there are over two dozen es.sidentially appointed -- it was a pretty well put together effort but there were another of challenges we saw. one of those things was setting priorities across all of the different agencies with their different budgets. frankly, we are seeing a lot of these challenges come to fruition out.

or the descendent of a european. back in 2007, we issued a report that hhs needed to better clarify their roles for what is going to happen in the case of a large domestic pandemic. the one we are seeing now. fast forward to today, a month ago, we are seeing some of these questions about who was responsible for what, what mechanisms do we need to set up. try to better coordinate. is challenge we saw in this .he sustainability we still heard from the agency said it would be very difficult to provide that umbrella view of bio defense and make decisions

across agencies. they cannot tell each other what to do or spend their money. host: is the white house coronavirus task force part of that mechanism? has becometask force the mechanism for response and that is an important distinction because the strategy is not a response plan. the time to develop a response plan is not during the response. in 2005, the government developed a pandemic response plan after the other outbreaks. the strategy is more of the day-to-day operational guide and how we approached bio defense and general. how do we plan for these things and dedicate resources so we are ready when something that this happens. joining us in this segment

of washington journal if you want to join the conversations. the phone lines are split up regionally. chris currie, as folks are calling in, you say we have been harping on this for decades. what is the government accountability office for those who don't know? for congress and we are known as congressional watchdog. we provide oversight over federal programs and spending. we cover the entire federal government, including agencies that have primary responsibilities for bio defense. we have been looking at this from numerous angles so at the highest level, the federal wide by defense planning and strategy that i talked about. even within the individual agencies, what with the department of homeland security do? what would hhs do?

what would the u.s. department of agriculture? -- agriculture do? host: what was it about the coronavirus that beat the defense strategy? nearly half a million americans have been diagnosed with it. guest: that is a good question. it beat -- the strategy was developed as a day-to-day coordination plant. we wanted to see this to have happened about 10-15 years ago when we were first calling for the strategy and for the agencies and the white house to get serious about working together and planning to identify the gaps. not just the gaps but doing to create resources where the gaps exist. that strategy was just implemented once the outbreak happened. he did not have enough time to

sink down into the -- it did not have enough time to sink down into the larger enterprise to make an impact. the court and always a good thing. -- the coordination is always a good thing. one of the things we see in the world of disasters or emergencies is -- can you hear it now -- you go back and look for past exercises. you can find tons of documentation that tells you the types of scenarios that will happen for a domestic infectious disease. you can find a number of the gaps we are looking at today. testing, lack of a vaccine, confusion among states about how to get resources from the federal government. is thatsee in this often times, those exercises and

those after action reviews are done but rarely is there specific follow-up to make sure we actually address them. host: these stay-at-home orders that have been issued coming from state governors, does it make more sense to do a national stay-at-home order? the way that it has worked has worked well? -- for mostnk disasters like this, the decision-making in our country, we have a federal system. everything starts at the local level and works its way up. system where the federal government automatically tells states and localities what to do. our system is working as it was designed to work. the inconsistency across jurisdictions is a huge concern in a case like this where -- especially early on in the event where you still had domestic travel going on and people were

moving between states. decision fortough state and local entities to make. because it has a huge impact on their local economy and their local tax revenue, so they have to make those decisions carefully. host: let's chat with a few callers. tom from new york. caller: i appreciate you taking the time. i know you are talking about things we are going to do in reaction but to be proactive, has anybody thought about all these ideas you are talking about to prevent it from coming in? why don't we do something that puts it in the other countries? talking -- bailing out the airplanes and ocean liners and things like that. thenot set up along with systems in order to get into the country? set up a pandemic. if you have to screen them for their police background, do it

all over there. america never likes to fight a war on its own property. i am just throwing it out there. you have the access to spread this around. why not set up places in the other countries? they could set it up here, too. this way we would all be protected. if god forbid something like this happened, we could stop it right there. if you want to come into swabca, let me swap you -- you. there.uld stop it right host: that is tom out on long island. guest: tom's point is great. what he is talking about is bio surveillance which is a big word for trying to find the outbreaks as soon as they happen wherever they happen. the u.s. does have infrastructure around the world,

the cdc, the department of homeland security, to screen for these types of things. he makes a great point. there is going to be a look at our overseas approach to surveillance and travel before people get on a plane and come to the u.s. host: on twitter, michael has a comment. the world health organization is supposedly the organization that coordinates information on the disease. host: that's true. organization,th its goal is to provide information to all countries and allow countries to make those decisions themselves. it does not have the authority to make countries do anything. the idea is that the countries can gather the information. the truth is, every country

makes its own decision based on its own specific type of government and culture. the world health organization is in that information role, he is correct, but it does not translate to specific country by country action. host: this is kim from nashville. caller: i just wanted to make a comment. there agencies like fema -- , they do nots fema pay the money after the disaster. the government pays that. i feel like it should be coming up with plans. the politician asked, how does that how much does fema make? how much do we pay fema? there should be more oversight.

i just had surgery and i cannot breathe well and i am having a hard time talking. host: we will take the point. chris currie. i am glad u.s. the question about fema. they have a huge role. it is the first time they have ever been in this position and providing disaster response. the way they work, they provide assistance to people and jurisdictions that are hit by disaster, like a hurricane or earthquake. in this case, they are in the lead role for responding to a 50 state pandemic and trying to figure out how to help people in each of those states. her point is a great point. host: beaver falls, pennsylvania. this is tony. caller: good morning, c-span. i want to ask the gentleman, why did he lie about the crimson contagion exercise that took

place a couple of years ago? he stated it took place a couple of years ago when it took place last year between january and august. it mirrors what is going on today ironically. there was another exercise that took place year in october called event 201 and johns hopkins led that exercise. hopkins is thens same entity that is providing statsdeath stats and the of the people who have the so-called coronavirus. host: why do you call it a so-called coronavirus? caller: i need c-span to stop asking a revolution -- stop

asking irrelevant questions. about theion is callers, not the irrelevant questions. host: the crimson contagion was done over a year ago and it lasted -- things do not happen in one day. they report out on these later. he makes a point about the andrtance of exercises after action reviews after exercises. theof the things we find in world of emergency management, often times, these after action reviews -- they identify gaps, what resources are lacking, and e.ere the problems will li the challenge we see, once those are done and everybody goes back to their normal life, the after actions are not tangibly followed up on.

there is not accountability across the federal government. it is fragmented. or addressing each agency. this is something we will have to get better at as we are learning from this event. and as we prepare for the next resurgence of this, we will have to hold agencies accountable for taking specific steps for addressing these gaps. host: paul out of sarasota, good morning. caller: i am the head of the largest airline passenger organization and we have been concerned that the federal government, which solely controls air travel, has not required the airlines and airports to comply with the cdc guidelines. things like social distancing, masking, testing or screening of passengers. i would like to ask the guest, what, if anything, they have

done to ensure when these things hit, that air travel is not the main spreader of the virus. clearly, that has not happened. we listen to president trump, he says it is completely voluntary to comply with these guidelines. i completely agree with you about air travel. in 2015, we issued a very specific report to the faa and the department of transportation very concerned about the lack of a pandemic plan for the airline industry specifically. that was five years ago. we made a number of recommendations to better plan for this and address it. the reason for that is exactly what the caller just said. in our modern world, unlike 1918 with the spanish flu, we have --ays anticipated that this

how uncontrollable this is going to spread because of international and domestic air travel. it is a great point and it is something, i think, it has been lacking in the area of planning and something we need to get a better hold on. host: there has been a lot of focus on the white house pandemic response team and what happened to it back in 2018. can you tell that story? guest: i want to go back even further. one of the things we pointed out and other folks have pointed out always been have about a lack of leadership level. recommended, we there should be a focal point at the national level.

at the time, it was given to the national security council. the bipartisan commission on bio defense recommended five years ago that it be the vice president. i am aware of the pandemic office that was disbanded. away thathat pulls central oversight over all those agencies is not a good idea. it is part of the national bio defense strategy that was issued in 2018, several high-level coordination mechanisms were -- omb,d and people nsc, all of those agencies were part of the committee and that was supposed to be the day-to-day coordination and communication mechanism for bio defense. that is sustainable across the ministrations regardless of the white -- across administrations

regardless of the white house and what they decide to at the national security level. ost: less than 10 minutes left with chris currie. calls on the preparedness and response to bio defense strategies and specifically to the coronavirus. lisa in california. good morning. caller: good morning. pandemic plan of 2017 and it would have been wonderful if we would have been going by that. it says we should have been practicing social distancing ahead of time. we should have put that in place the moment they found out about it. we should have been doing it. about the private totor businesses to be ready

help the supplies. it talked about the stockpile and how it is supposed to help the states. i do not understand why we bother to update it in 2017 if we were not to do anything with it. guest: it is a great point. i have looked at that plan. erie, almost e some of the recommendations that are in there. it is a great point that we had some of these plans on the shelf. to some extent, the plans are being executed as they were written. but i think what has been lacking and partly this may be a communication issue by the federal government and state and local governments, but what has

-- what is difficult in this is communication. this does not happen often like natural disasters have become. people are very accustomed to in they listen to forecasts and evacuations when it comes to hurricanes. the last pandemic we had in this country was 2009 and that was h1n1. h1n1 did not have the effects this one did. population is not used to hearing some of the terminology like social distancing and stay-at-home orders and things like that. we have to get much better at that. now that this has happened, we will get much better at planning for this and there will be more resources. charleston, west virginia,

good morning. -- i thinkm calling the president and the team are doing a good job. they are doing an excellent job. what disappoints me is when they say the death toll does not look like it is going to be as high as reported, they act like they are sad because it is lower. i think they have done a good job. a lot of people are upset over the daily news conference. i think it is wonderful. when we had the other virus, h1n1, i cannot remember the president coming on tv and trying to reassure the people. i think they are doing a wonderful job. that is my comment. y'all have a wonderful day. host: want to take us back to h1n1? guest: it is a great analogy

because it was our last pandemic. we had some things in between like ebola and zika but those were largely offshore threats. it,, 90 million people got 20090 people died from until 2010. not a an influenza and novel coronavirus. iat is interesting and when go back, we issued a report on everything that happened during the h1n1, we found was at the beginning of that, a lot of the pandemic plans are being used now, similar structures were beginning to be put in place. very quickly, it ramped down. the mortality rate was not going to be as high. it was not making people quite as sick either.

pieces of the scary pandemic plan that were already there did not go into effect. one of the things we reported in 2011 after we studied the situation, it was a very big scare but we cannot become complacent because it was not as bad as we thought. some of the pieces of the plan that were not executed, such as this issue of what happens when we need something from the stockpile distributed. we still need to plan for the really bad scenario. host: time for one more call. this is bill in albany, new york. caller: good morning. my question is regarding prescription drugs. i understand china makes 90% of preachers to -- prescription generic drugs.

that is a great question. i know this is something that are looking at. many countries overseas make different chemicals that are drugs. prescription this reliance on foreign countries for our medical and prescription supplies and vaccines is a huge area of concern particularly when there is a worldwide run on those drugs. it will be a major concern if and when we have a vaccine for this or antiviral drug, will we have enough of that drug to treat our own people? host: chris currie works with the gao unpreparedness issues. always appreciate your time. thank you so much for it this

morning. about 30 minutes left in washington journal. we are going to return to the question we began our program with. talking to essential workers only, asking about your experience during coronavirus. workerare an essential zonee eastern/central time -- if you are an essential worker pacific timeain/ zone -- tonight -- >> what happens to me have ,utbreaks of contagious disease we wait until people get sick and we hope we can throw sufficient vaccines and drugs that it to make it go away.

>> when i talk about ebola, somehow very quickly the animal connection comes into play. bats.toes, you spread out the chain of transmission. >> there is nothing that -- about this virus that suggests anything other than a natural mutation and is a reminder that we don't need all kinds of theories of biological warfare to explain something that is natural. it should be a wake-up call to all of us that it should be taken very seriously. netflixy at 9:00, director of inclusion michelle king with her book. >> we are often in denial about the challenges women face at work. there is a belief that everybody

is the same because everyone is treated in the same way. people have different experiences. with that kind of logic, we are not only denying the difference but we are denying inequality. >> watch authors discussing tonight at 11:00. >> washington journal continues. minutes, the last 30 returning to this question for essential workers only. we want to hear about your experience, how your job has changed in the age of coronavirus. if you are an essential worker in the eastern or central time suits -- -- or central time zones. how manye wondering essential workers there are out there, exact estimates are hard to come by. one estimate puts it between 49

million and 62 million workers, according to an estimate from the brookings institution that relied on the department of homeland security designation of what is essential. amid the pandemic, states have made their own requirements about what constitutes an essential worker. we want to hear from you. if you are an essential worker, give us a call and tell us your story. and from new jersey, europe first -- dan from new jersey, you are up first. honest withe very you, it is just incredible the poor general procedure we have. if you go in shopping center, you will see everybody is wearing a mask but their hair is uncovered. the mask is only to protect others. these airborne viruses that

get into their hair when they are outside or a crowded store, that will be shed at home. children and parents can be very badly affected. none of these companies do anything about that. host: what do you do? caller: i wear a hood with plastic over it. problem that is most important, there are a lot of patients who are disabled and they receive home care on three cycles a day and when the home positive,e proof there is nothing done for those patients. they cannot get out of there nothing the agencies do about testing his people. the states do nothing. the counties do nothing. no one has been able to sanely discuss the transmission of the

virus through vegetables and fruits. mexico forcome from the one-time they get a salary and they will say, i don't feel well. they are never being tested, they will do the work. say,nly thing the states the farm owners should tell them you cannot work if you are sick. you have to test these people. this country is doomed by this virus because we do not test people at the inflection point. useful,testing to be you have to think -- vote early and vote often. that is what you should do with this virus. test early before they are positive, catch it when they turn positive, and you will know the factors that lead with the

know the factors that will lead to the virus. instead, you have the orange orangutan for three hours -- driver i am a truck currently on the job. host: are you on the road right now? caller: yes, sir. i have got you on my headset. i am on my way to make a delivery in illinois. eight hours. i typically do 10 or 11 hours. host: what do you do when you have to make a stop? caller: i have masks and gloves. the gentleman was talking about a hair covering. i wear a hat. i keep my hands clean. the typical wash and try not to touch too many things. host: we had a truck driver: earlier today.

-- call in earlier today. she said her husband has a hard time finding a place to go to the bathroom or get food. called.that is why i i was trying to back her plate. everybody is essential. truck drivers are essential whatever weneed need to supply. endorse what she said. i would like to ask you and askan, i would like to please let us use the restroom. we are human beings. hold us ingoing to our tracks for six or eight hours, everybody is a human. do understand what i am saying?

i just want to say we are all out here doing the best that we can with the best we got and we will keep it up. truck drivers are going to do their best to do what we can and i think we should ask america, in general, please let us use the restroom once in a while. host: thank you for what you do. richard out of new hampshire. i load those tracks and where i work, we do allow the drivers to use the restrooms. absolutely. host: richard, what is that interaction like? everybody is in this together? or are people scared of each other? warehouse.ork in a we ship specialty foods during peak season. all of a sudden, we are in massive demand right now. everyone at work is being really

good. there was always going to be interaction but we do our best. with the truck drivers, they have all been really good. i is kind of tough because have to hand them paperwork but everyone is understanding everyone keeps their space. more often than not, they stay in their trucks. that is pretty good. we are doing very good in new hampshire. i was at the grocery store yesterday and everyone, lines up and down the aisles, and everyone keeps their distance. host: everybody has heard the term essential workers. did you think of yourself as an essential worker before the coronavirus? caller: i knew it would pick up a little bit but i did not realize it was going to explode. we are more essential than i imagined. host: thank you, sir.

a few comments. coffee drinker writing on twitter, i work for a food and drink vending company. still delivering. i feel left out when i see things like bonuses for people doing what i do. including from that graphic you just showed of pelosi. this is john smith this morning. i work in the coal business and clean the things i am in contact with. we all need to get back to work and go back to her normal life gradually before this economy goes bust and that would cause far more deaths and suffering than any disease. and another one from sandy. work on getting the computers distributed to the kids and look

forward to working each week. anna is an essential worker in raleigh, north carolina. i am a cashier and have done tasks like that. retail grocery store. i can say with confidence there needs to be more of an emphasis on employees being able to stay home when they are sick because there are a lot of employees in grocery who need that hourly rage -- hourly wage for that date and there are some policies in place but with some grocery test positive can for coronavirus, you get to still get paid. accessible.ot 100%

and i don't think that rule should be exclusive to coronavirus. if someone has the seasonal flu, they should be able to have leave. if someone has strep throat, if someone has any type of sickness, for their well-being and their families well-being and for the customer's well-being, that is something that is essential. it is unfortunate that it has taken a pandemic to shed light on the need for paid sick leave for hourly workers. that this will create a big shift in the retail industry and in public health that paid sick leave is not a luxury. host: what is one thing that customers can do to help you feel safer as you do your job? caller: please do not hand the

cashier your used napkin. go throw it in the trashcan yourself. host: people try to hand you a mask? caller: if they ate their ice cream, can you throw this out for me? it would be helpful if people could do that. common sense stuff, simple stuff, please cover your mouth when you cough. things like that. give the customer in front of you some space. things like that. -- the cdc and presidential guidance, stand six feet from each other. i know grocery delivery is really backlogged at the moment and i know it can be difficult to get a grocery delivery slot,

but it's possible. if you can get something delivered, if you are sick and you could possibly do delivery or pickup, please do that rather than coming into the store. host: tom, harrisburg, pennsylvania. caller: good morning. i deliver groceries. people should get delivery people -- i am getting ready to go out today and it will be crowded. everyone congregating in the same area. i don't think the american people are doing a good job. people are out not getting essential items. they are getting doughnuts or whatever. people have to be smarter. host: what precautions do you take? will you be wearing gloves? caller: i don't wear a mask.

[inaudible] int: that is tom pennsylvania. next caller is from arkansas. caller: good morning. how are you doing today? , we areany i work for -- we havecompanies -- we areng essential. i have respect for the truck drivers because we have trucks lined up and they have been out there waiting for 12 hours. they have been doing a really good job. when we first come into work, we

take temperatures. we have enough gloves and respirators. we have the full respirators. we are based out of california but our company is down here in arkansas. all the raw materials for hand sanitizers. .ost: new folks coming in have these folks lost jobs in other places? there is no testing. when we come in, we get a temperature check. have a 100.4, you cannot go inside the plant. i have a newfound respect for

truck drivers. we send the stuff all over the country. we set up a whole new system. the stuff to make hand sanitizer, we set that up in less than four days. we are in arkansas but the company is based in modesto, california. all the front line workers, the truck drivers, the support , some people are coming together and it is a good thing. intry to do our little part a town of about 12,000 people. we cannot find enough qualified employees. i want to come back to a story we talked about earlier. the effort to move additional

funding for the paycheck protection program for small businesses, the popular program. here's the latest. democrats say they hope to reach a deal with republicans next week over a package of emergency coronavirus aid, which president he was open to a broader democratic proposal and subsequent legislation. nancy pelosi and chuck schumer said they spoke with steven mnuchin on friday and agreed to continue negotiations. that hit a speed bump back on thursday when they rejected each other's plans. this is the latest from the republican leaders on capitol hill. a letter they put out and this is a tweet by craig kaplan pointing us to this letter saying from mitch mcconnell and kevin mccarthy that their

efforts to add more funding to the small business relief program "we will continue to seek a funding increase. we hope our democratic colleagues familiarize themselves with the data before the program runs dry." . letter released by the republican -- that letter released by the republican leaders on capitol hill. next caller, arkansas. caller: how are you doing this morning? host: i am doing all right. .aller: i deliver products one of the biggest issues we are having, we are on the border between arkansas and louisiana. we are out delivering products people arethe buying

doing, we are not able to get enough products. while we are in the stores stocking, people have no respect for the amount of space they should keep between us. you have to put your equipment and between you because they will reach over you and grab the is none because there on the shelf. they will run all over you. to get those products. host: what sort of guidance have you gotten from your boss? what sort of precautions are they saying you should be taking? wearr: we are required to masks. we deal with so many different retailers. each retailer has different procedures.

some stores, we have to go in through some way. we go in at a certain time. lot of restrictions being placed on different retailers. one of the bigger opportunities smallerd, for our accounts, most of the stores have the restrooms shut down. you are working out there 12, 14, 16 hours a day, there is nowhere to go to the restroom. literally. we are carrying a gallon of milk jug bottles with us to go to the restroom. we do not have the ability to wash our hands. i wash and sanitize after every stop and we do not have any opportunity to use the restrooms and wash our hands. we carry around bottles of water and soap. host: is it over time at this point? caller: i am self-employed.

my time is my time. to give you information, we are arehort on product that we already getting half of what we order. we are taking a big financial cut to keep producing these products. we have to work the same amount of time for half the pay. host: elaine is next from st. louis, missouri. what kind of work are you in? caller: i am a small business landlady and i still have to go out to meet the plumber and electrician and even the yard cut theetermine how to grass the season and i have to

understand the tenants that are workersloyed, casino and they miscalculated the inflow of their taxes so they did not include their tips and they are on eligible for unemployment -- they are not eligible for unemployment insurance. i am so stressed out. i also believe that reporters and journalists like you are essential workers. when i listen to trump rambling news conferences, if it was not for c-span, i would not have accurate information. being a landlady, small business, it is so stressful hearing the stories from these underemployed victims. host: what is happening with

your rents at those properties this month and next? caller: they did not pay them. i have mortgages myself and i am on a fixed income. i do not know what to do. i don't have a business plan. formal.t i am not eligible for anything. pray. have to hope and host: thank you for the call from missouri. stephen, wisconsin. caller: thank you for taking my call. my occupation is a flight attendant. march 28.ight was i do feel that i am in good ialth and i do not believe

have contracted this virus. i decided to take a furlough for a couple of months. the company put together a package for us. it was not a golden package but my reason was not because of the health issues. it was just because there were no flights. the flights i had been taking before were very limited and most of the people on the plane were national guard or law enforcement or doctors. very few personal preference flights. host: there is a front-page story in today's washington post . danger and anxiety in the skies is the headline. one of the pullout quotes is from of facebook post shared by an airline attendant saying -- this is what it reads, some of

us are stuck between thankful we still have jobs to go to and terrified that we still have jobs to go to. what is your reaction? caller: from my point of view, i was not terrified. i was concerned about it like i always have been. we work in close quarters. your first responder, if there is an issue with somebody on the aircraft and you have to assist them, that does involve bodily contact. i feel i have been prepared and i do take care of myself but there is always a chance. a couple of things i would like , one thingquest especially that would help when you are on an aircraft. a lot of people will grab you walking down the aisle. there is a little button above where you sit, there is a call button, it is best to just hit

the call button instead of grabbing the flight attendants. that would help alleviate some of the spreading. host: anything else? caller: one of the things i have seen also is people with protective gear, i will see people put on gloves, take gloves, but they are not doing it correctly. maybe if they could go online and learn how to don protective equipment, it would help. it negates the fact of putting on gloves if you don't know how to take them off correctly. host: stay safe. josh is next in annapolis, maryland. caller: good morning. host: what do you do? caller: i worked for fedex. host: what kind of precautions are you taking? caller: gloves, a face mask. we are not giving customers the

pads to sign right now. deliver a lot to government buildings. teleworkingple are so they have cut my hours a lot. my customers are fine with it. i have no issues using a bathroom or anything like that. there is a lot going on. host: what are those interactions with your customers like? caller: they are more appreciative. some are little cautious but i would say they are more appreciative, offering gloves and stuff, even though we already have them. little things like that. host: what is one of those run-ins that you can tell us about? what is the most memorable? caller: i'm sorry? host: what is one of the interactions you have had with

customers that you will remember? just -- host: i think we lost josh. appreciate his work, the work of all the essential employees we talk to today. that will do it for us this morning on the washington journal. we will be back here tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. eastern, 4:00 a.m. pacific. in the meantime, have a safe saturday. >> c-span has around the clock coverage of the federal response

to the coronavirus endemic, and it is available on demand at c-span.org/coronavirus. track the spread throughout the u.s. and world with interactive maps. unfiltered atd, c-span.org/coronavirus. >> monday night, a special evening addition of "washington journal on the white house response to the coronavirus. dr. michael fay, director of the atectious diseases division the university of alabama school of medicine on the national fight against coronavirus and his own experience contracting and recovering from the disease.

join us on "washington journal" primetime monday night, 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. illinois governor jb pritzker gave an update on how his state is dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. this is about an hour. >> good afternoon and thank you for joining today's public update. i am here with dr. horace smith, , dr.tor and a doctor suzette mckinney, executive director of the illinois medical district and the operations