>> announcer: building a better bay area for alsafe and secure future, this is abc 7 news. hi, there, i'm kristen sze, welcome to our daily programs, "getting answers." we ask experts everyday your if hes at 3:00 to get answers in realtime. today we'll talk with a local lawmaker celebrating gender equality on this international women's day through what you might find at toy stores. 'll talkbohe just released cdc guidelines for vaccinated people. infection out disease specialist monica gandhi joins us and talk about school reopenings. but speaking of reopening schools, abc 7 is focusing our building a bettor bay area on dressing learning loss. and we're lucky to have state

school superintendent tony thurmened to discuss that and more. superintendent thurmened thanks for joining us. >> thanks, kristen. >> you were very excited last week i saw governor newsom signed the school reopening legislation, contain $6.6 billion to help schools as they reopen. let's dive into the $2 billion part that centsivizes full reopening of elementary and partial for middle and high schools by the end of the month. are you seeing districts jumping to make it happen to grab the carrots? >> i think they're interested. lots of them have questions. we're reaching out to them and holding a big webinar on wednesday to show them how to use the money to pay for the covid testing that we think is the essential piece to getting schools open. >> it's great to have the support because it's new for so many people. when can we expect all teachers wanting the vaccination to be vaccinated? that's part of the reopening for lots -- especially urban districts, including san

francisco. >> you know, the governor announced today more than 200,000 educators in the state have received vaccinations. so we're seeing now that the vaccine dosages are really starting to really accelerate in terms of the availability of doses. so 200,000 in about a week. that means we're really getting faster and closer to getting our educators vaccinated >> what about studentsheeallan' fully answer right now, given that under 16s they haven't done full trials on. but i know college students living in dorms in some other states are getting vaccinated. what's your best guess for time line for california and students getting vaccinations? >> to be honest i haven't heard from many districts this year that talked about getting swraksens to students. it would seem as though that most students will get vaccines after the school year has ended. they're still waiting for more from the cdc on the impacts of the vaccine on young people. for now the focused is on

adults. >> let's now talk about the other $4.6 billion part of the package that the state legislature passed and governor newsom signed for expanded learning opportunities to address, in part, learning loss, which is of course the focused of abc 7 news all this week. tell me how the state will be giving out that money, how exactly will it help improve learning? >> yeah, every school will receive some money based on a formula. it's the local control funding formula framework that we already use that really puts priority on school districts that serve english learners and others who have experienced, you know, disadvantages. our involves, department of education, will allocate the money to those school districts. and they can use it for things like tutors, training for teachers, family support programs, making sure that students have access to computers. the gamut of things, even for staffing for summer school programs to help offset learning gapsro t pandicerti you

one of our rul rdyio athat.he s catch up students in terms of all that they lost by not having in-cla learning? he asked, summer sessions is one possibility. but he asked about longer days? or is it a combination. you know, what do you think, how and see going to look like? >> every school district makes their own decision about their calendar. so they can make decisions about a longerdy day, summer school being more reo robust. but $4.6 billion gives them the money they need to support the planning how to pull that off to pay for the staffing. if you're doing a longer school day that's more staffing costs. right now my office is working with all ever our educator groups, lerpgt groups, advocacy groups to talk about what summer needs to look like. we have to plan that now if we expect it to be a meaningful program come summertime. >> are you devising the curriculum as well?

>> again, it's a local decision on the curriculum. really the things we want to push on is really asking schools to identify who are the staff who are going to work during the summer? if you think about it, there is a lot of educator fatigue. it's been hard to get substitutes, to enthe school year and start the summer and start the school again. it's a herculean order. districts mean to plan now to identify staff, training. will they have after-school program participants and staff working with them. >> right. >> they have to make a lot of decisions right now about staffing and about budgets. >> yeah, my colleague leon melendez has a story coming up at 4:00 today talking about san francisco unify unifieds cta president. and she was saying i'm sure there will be teachers happy, tl tunttandpointthe lle mandating? will there be a test that you guys devise that districts may have to give to students and say, hey, you are not at

standard right now. so you must go to summer school? will there be mandatory stuff or voluntary on the student's part. >> my guess is most districts will offer something voluntary. and that's a good thing. but at the same time a challenge. as some of the families and students sneading it the most may not participate. we have not seen a longer school year in the way people are talking about before. we can't expect everybody is lining up ready for it. it takes preparation, outreach to families, a lot of talking about how this can benefit with in extra enrichment. i think a lot of families care about it. but right now we need to do planning and see if families and educators will be ready. right now we are planning phase. >> are you concerned that any o reopen by tonths will offer, for example, not enough hours? right just to say they qualify but really only give for example two hours a kay twice a week on

campus? >> i'm most concerned that being districts or some of them are still in areas that have high rates of covid transmission. and many of them have surveyed families and some families said even with in-person instruction many will not want to come back. it's not unusual to hear that 30% or 40% is the number of families who want to come back. and so, you know -- and so we have to make sure that we support those districts so they can get full funding. but we have to remember we have new variants and have to make sure that this covid testing. i for one believe that the key in all of this is rapid covid tests, the kind giving you results in 15 minutes. only cost $5 a the test. that's the centerpiece of the webinar we are doing for districts. because even with just with the masks and social distant distancing without rapid testing you have no way of to awareness if people are coming to school, covid. >> i think you are absolutely right. there are only a few districts

piloting the antiagain testing. are you confidante kids will be back in the school in the fall and that the default is in-person in the fall? >> you know, every indication we have shows that students will likely be back in the faum. everyone gets it. most of our districts are trying to get schools open by early april, in some cases mid-april. they are phasing in. everyone gets that while we need distance learning to keep students and family safe, that they have had unavoidable impacts on learning and on the mental health of our students. for all those reasons, everything points to the likelihood that schools will be open in person. and plus the research shows that we can be open in person. it's what i think we are all working s.towa >> superintendent thurr mond. the san francisco school board has been in the spalt over a virt of decisions. today a group launched a drive to put a charter amendment on the ballot next year calls for

replacing the electsed board with appointed board, perhaps appointed by the mayor. they say will it make the board more accountable. what are your thoughts? >> first of all, parents have a right to be frustrated anywhere in the state. because this has been difficult. the biggest blame goes to covid itself for putting in a position where we have to do anything otheth-pson instruction. at the end of the day it's up to the voters to make those decisions. i've seen the best of both. i've been in appointed school board member. i've been an elected school board member. there are bifurcates to both. but the benefit of having elected school board members means there is always accountability. if one person gets to appoint the school board members then those individuals often follow what they're told so to speak by those who are appointing them. when the voters hold us accountable, that's who we work for. but i understand why parents would be frustrated and why anyone would seek this. we have to see what the voters decide if this charter amendment qualifies and gets voted on.

>> all right. school superintendent tony thurmond. covered a lot of ground in little time. always appreciative of the time you set aside for us. take care until next time. >> thank you. take care. coming up next we talk reopening skooms with the cdc guidelines issue today and the covid-19 questions with

but i'll try to get to a few of your questions. all right. welcome back. the three ke points for fl plarne they thout masks o distancintwo, ty unvaccinated people from a single household at low risk for

severe covid. again, no masks no distancing. three, they don't have to garn teen or test after known exposure as long as they have no symptoms. joining us now to break down the new guiden. infectious disease specialist dr. monica gandhi. thanks for joining us. >> thank you. >> start by defining what fulw vaccinated means. >> in this case it means you have have both doses of the rmna doses and waited two weeks after the second dose. >> got it. >> okay. >> and johnson & johnson. >> and the johnson & johnson vaccine it's two weeks after the dose, but to be honest, i'd wait a little longer. i'd wait three weeks. >> just to be safe. >> yes. >> today's news from the cdc which groups of people do you think are rejoicing most hearing this news. >> grandparents and grandchildren! because i think what was kind of amazing is there was a real question if they would allow or

at least recommend that grandparents go into homes where there are unvaccinated grandchildren. and since it's such a low risk for clirn for severe covid-19, thank heavens. and because we are having increasing data that you can't pass it on if you've been vaccinated that data has come out since the vaccine trials. >> you cannot pass it on. >> you cannot pass it on. that data on decreasing transmission after you've had the vaccine has been increasing. we've gotten like seven papers or so since the trials came out. all that put fogt. they are like, wow, low risk for one in the household. let's let the vaccinated person visit if there is a low risk unvaccinated person in the household. >> you just ansr they can get covid if they've gotten both doses. there is a chance but it's a tiny, tiny chance. >> tiny chance. i think what in reflects is risk versus benefit analysis. these vaccines are amazing

appear yes nothing is every 100%. but neither is loneliness and everything else accompanying this. and so it's a real attempt to say we get it. the risk is so low, let's visit. >> got if. so it sounds like you are saying the three key points we mentioned for loosening restriction foss for the vaccinated makes sense but the cdc mentions keeping up protection resist for people, wearing masks in people. . or visiting a household with higher risk. or avoid medium to large gatherings and avoid travel. what do you think of those. >> start with the last one. the travel frankly doesn't plak sense. injury that's changing pretty soon because you are so safe after you've been vaccinated. and sometimes you have to travel to get there to beo, to go see the unvaccined gra child. --s e one that's the most controversial. second one, medium to large gatherings? what does that mean?

there wasn't a number put on it. and theoretically, if you're all vaccinate it likely doesn't matter how many people are in a room. but that -- that let's the hedging of bets. and then the first one that you don't see someone when -- who is unvaccinated who a high risk. that's because of the theoretical small chance you could be carrying it. a lot of data showing us that transmission is reduced. but i think it's fair right now. the reason i think that's fair is you don't ever want to, you know, be- give someone who has comorbidities on older age that they could get it. i think that one of all three is very fair. >> do you think the cdc putting out the loanings of restrictions is also trying to krennivize people who are eligible to get the vaccine? >> yes, you know, i think they got a lot of pressure. because in europe there is all the health officials on go boards and pointing to their arm

i'm going to see my dad. i'm having the family gathering when i get vaccinated that was happening in the uk. there was a lot more positive messaging in that continent essentially. and i think they're getting a lot of pressure, let's do some positive messaging so that people will get the vaccine. if we say flog is changing after vaccination people are like, i don't want to get it. i thought that was wise of them. >> i want to talk to you about some of the reopenings we are seeing in skra. ball parks and amusement parks can reopen starting april if their county is is in the red tier. do you have any concerns or worries there? what do you think? >> so that -- it's clearly with restrictions. i think that's what's important. what i mean by that is outdoor spaces were always more safe. and if you maintain distancing and masking and lower capacity, lower, reduced capacity i think it's going to be safe. why do i think california did that?

again, we're trying to say we're going to gradual i ayely ease s comes in. that incentivizes people. i was in favor of that. >> as schools reopen more -- although you probably heard in san francisco they're doing a phase thing taking them through all of april. what do you think they need to keep in mind and remember as they reopen? >> you know, the thing about school openings is that we had a lot of data even from the cdc that you could do it even with higher community prevailens than we have now and keep teachers safe. the best standard is the wisconsin study. zero teachers got it with all the safeties in place. but i think teacher want to feel safe and getting vaccinated is great. and that's hap now. wh treopen, the cdc guidelines will have complications. meaning the teachers in break together all vaccinated they can

sit together and eat together for example. what the distancing guidelines are going to be in those settings, where all the teachers are vaccinated i think we'll see that next from the cdc but more relaxed because children by definition are lower risk for contracting covid-19. >> okay. >> and getting severe outcomes. >> daniel wants to know, do you see theater shows and audiences coming back in the fall? >> i think not yet. but fall, i love it. like let's do a fall season. i think it all depends on of course our vaccine rollout but with president biden committing every american having access to the vaccine if they want it, by the end of may, give them all by the beginning of june, you get three to four weeks the second dose. yes, we can get herd immunity and full-on opening and normal sbi by fall and i'm actually anticipating it. >> and here is another question from a viewer who wants to know know, right now we're talking about moderna, pfizer and johnson & johnson. but more may be coming online,

going to cover me for the new variants? >> okay, this is a great question. basically my answer is yes. why? two reasons. one is that -- it was this amazing paper last week and that just said the t-cells. because you develop antibodies and t-cells with the vaccine. the t-cell response from the moderna, pfizer and presumably johnson & johnson cover all variants. t-cells not the antibodies then the paper in the new england journal that got released that even the antibodies help you cover maybe a little bit less but likely not enough to stop the variant from -- variant variant from giving you troubles. even the antibody response is good with the rmna vaccines. so i actually think the immunity you get from vaccines against the variants is looking better and better. the t-cell paper is my favorite in the world. i wrote it to dr. fauci last

week. >> we're almost out of time. but none of is binding what the cdc said today on individuals or state public health officers, right, felon of this binding. >> they are not a mandating organization. otherwise when they said schools would be safe to open maybe more schools would have opened. they're not a mandating organization. this is glideens and everybody has to take the guidance. >> we'll see if people do. dr. monica gandhi thank you for speaking with us today. >> thanks. coming up next, folks, highlighting international women's day and looking at what the state is doing for gender

welcome back. it is international women's day. and we want to know what the state is doing to further gender equality. joining us to talk more about this and more is democratic sem rebel i member evan ks for joining us.

welcome to the show. >> thaumg so much, kristen. and happy international's way. i'm a proud feminist myself even though not female. but it's important that we demonstrate our alliship and solidarity. >> i appreciate that. you introduced a bill with a female assembly woman, cosponsors, a couple weeks ago. with regard to toys and not having that gender differentiation when you walk in the store. tell us about it. i know a key change has been made. a stipulation was amended. tell us about it. >> yeah, thanks so much, kristen. this is a co-authorship with assembly wom kristina garcia. who is chairing the women's caucus and myself as chair of the lgbtq caucus. this is to ensure we don't separate the boys or girls toy sections but we just have it as a kids section with respect to toys. we know that a number of businesses are already doing this like target in 2015.

we as a state are trying to catch up. it goes to the notion that why is it a dinosaur or periodic table is in the boys section? or yellow -- the young boy may want to be a nurse feels stigma or some specific bias that that is not appropriate for them. and it's important that we create an inclusive environment for all children. >> why is this important to you? do you have personal experience that motivated you to work on this? >> yeah, i had a staff member who was shopping with her daughter. and her daughter, said, mom, why do i need to go to the boys section to find dinosaurs isn't it okay for me to be a scientist? it was such a stark contrast to where we want to go as the state of california backup we're talking about a previous law passed requiring women on corporate boards. we passed laws to make sure there is gender pay equity as well as the elimination of the

pink tax, that products should not be marked up for womens products. >> yes, the -he ps the tampons and all that, right. what about diapers? >> well, this bill is pe specifically just the toys and kids section. but i think that's fundamentally the conversation. how do we eliminate the stigma, especially with the cyber bullying young children are subjected to each day. we want to let kids be kids. >> i know diapers wasn't part of th assemblyman, lowe. that's the next thing. i wonder, what about the argument that not having the pink section or the doll section makes shopping a little less efficient or time-consuming? >> sure if you go to your local target or wal-mart, this is what they do already. this bill would only apply to businesses 500 or more employees. with 50 oh or more employees. we see industry doing this

already. as i mentioned we're a little late to the game. this happened about six years ago when private industries were doing this -- retailers were doing this already. we're trying to play catch-up. >> will it make an impact then it only applies to the largest retailers with over 500 employees and some companies adopted that or is it an important distinction to make. >> i think it's more than just symbolic. it's codifying the spirit of the law law and especially on international women's day about how we can provide as much opportunity across the spectrums. and while this have limited and while this have limited impact in retail we who

today. all full of good information.

and thank you so much for joining us for today's interactive show, "getting answers." we'll be every weekday at 3:00 on air and live stream answering tonight, several developing stories as we come on the air. for the first time, the cdc out n gui toni vaccinated can now do. the cdc saying two weeks after being fully vaccinated, people can gather indoors in small groups without masks or social distancing. and if grandparents are vaccinated, they can visit and hug family members who are not vaccinated, as long as no one is high risk. what the cdc is still saying tonight about travel, about masks and social distancing even if you are vaccinated. dr. jha standing by tonight with your questions answered. meantime, millions waiting for economic help. president biden's $1.9 trillion sete nowho cldteachasses the