building a better bay area for a safe and sick to do this is abc 7 news. welcome to our daily program, getting answers asking questions to get answers for you in real time today we have a real life and says he will be joining us to talk about the trappings of royal life. the world watch the bombshell interview with meghan markle when she talked about allegations of racism and struggles with her mental health it left many wondering what life is really like inside of a palace . later in the show we talk with someone who knows firsthand

. this princess it grew up in cambodia group in california and shares her perspective on a combined and powerless life of a royal. first, california today entering a new phase of the vaccine rollout. under this phase, more than 4 million people are now eligible they include and utility workers, janitors and the people the ages 16-64 with disabilities and serious medical conditions the state is not required anyone who is disabled or sick to show proof of their condition in order to get the vaccine joining us now to discuss this is dr. monica gandhi thank you for spending your time with us . >> thank you . >> basketball pace is picking up. more than 100 million doses, 13 1/2% of the adult population and here in california another 4.4 million made eligible.

let's start with whether this eligibility made sense to you . >> i'm super excited about the next batch of eligibility. it looks at people with medical conditions at risk of your disease. we were hoping to get here soon and got here pretty soon. so, this is going to open it up to many more. we see a massive deep recent hospitalizations in the state with eight cases in the city of stamford disco. things are going so well in california with vaccine rollout. i'm very happy about it . >> the fact that you don't have to show proof that the vaccinations light, will there be fraud i did post this question and was told look, we hope people will be honest, if we did require proof it would slow things down which woodward against the greater good, do you agree with that ? >> i do. we keep track of people's ages

in a clear way, but we don't keep track of people's professions or medical conditions. it would slow it down to required proof that let's just hope that people will step aside to let the medical conditions go first but there's going to be people who go in there . >> if you have questions for dr. monica gandhi put them on facebook live and i will try to get to a few of them. we understand that the next group after this one will likely cut e by age 50 to 64, maybe. does this make sense to you and i wonder if you think if you are making the roles you had a priority group working in person with the place with 20 or more people know what you think ? >> you are right. it to go down by age. 50, 40 than 30 it would be even better if the age groups were working outside the home and those could the site.

it's harder to enforce that. so, i'm so hope will that if biden said by may 1 it's going to be a free-for-all's outing in april, like mid-april and going to be good . >> there are people who are already asking, what about teenagers and when using teenagers will get back donated? >> i think in the month of may because right now pfizer is safe to go down to age 16, what it means by safe is that they've studied able of those ages in the trials so, you can are vaccinating 16 and above and that should happen in may . >> i wanted to ask you, tweeted that they are rapidly ending the pandemic. can you give key data for the assessment that may be too optimistic? >> i think it's true and it's happening and where i'm gonna look at is the places that are rolling out vaccines to fast

this is real, the uk in the u.s. the u.s. is catching up, and in those three places, the hospitalizations keep going down fast that the israel ministry of health data from pfizer showed that these facts in real life are 94 percent effect that preventing infection . that's the same lease on the nickel trials. amazing effect's efficacy. we see that in reduced test analyzation. california is doing better, countrywide, reduced cost analyzation >> where they going up? laces were vaccines are not being administered eckley. and have risk factors for infection which would be places in europe . >> reading the numbers go back up and they consider an easter lock down. that's very alarming . >> what is terribly alarming is we have the means to get out of the pandemic should be locking down we should keep restrictions on until we get

through this but not locking down if we don't have the means. so, what five european countries have done this suspended the use of astrazeneca back, even though 17 million will have been given it and there have been 37 cases with last and what you get in the general population. and, this panic and stopping a vaccine rollout these five european countries and reading italy that is slowing them down and they's the hot utilization's come up that in my mind is a big mess take . >> yes, we have more questions but i want more clarification. for folks who haven't heard, yes, some european countries have temporarily pause the use of astrazeneca because there are a few people who resulted in blood loss after they got the vaccine but can i ask you if there is data that is causal , as in opposed to all the

people may be coincidence that people got the vaccine and later got a blood clot? that exactly what you just that is right there's no causality out of 17 million doses, there have been 37 events of clots. they don't seem to be causal they can't link it to the vaccine, and that rate is less than the general nature for the general population. this happened with anaphylaxis with a pfizer and moderna vaccines here a couple of high file healthcare workers got the vaccine they, anaphylaxis and then somehow it the biggest side effect of the vaccine, and then you went on and push through and we see very low rates of anaphylactic you have to push through and when you vaccinate a huge amount of will there will be some incidental things happen and they will

push through somebody's not . >> but meantime in the u.s. it's still going through the fda process. >> i want ask, can vaccinated people's will come to variance? and, some of these be more contagious? >> i do think it's possible for some. in a way, if you get to the back in fast enough can prove it. in the uk it was the very definition of where it was found and because they were moving so fast the vaccination, still really low in numbers in terms of cost of the libations and decreasing cases. 80 percent of the virus and then just on march 11 pfizer

released data that this 80 percent of the strains being the variant, they still saw very plummeting cases in half the libations. so, if you get the vaccine out fast enough, the variant is immaterial it's a race and we have to move fast. don't go away, we come back we talk about's ring break

welcome back a we are here with ucsf specialist dr. monica gandhi. i want to ask you, spring break is starting vacations and there are disturbing images we seen of young people not adhering to any sort of safety article as

they party. what are your thoughts as you look at that at a time when we are trying to keep eating the pandemic and pushing out numbers and driving up vaccinations? >> you are right, we want to maintain restrictions as we get out the back nation because it's a race. we want less will circulating in more vaccinations coming. on the other hand, those who were vaccinated to goes fellow vaccinated parents or family members which is what the cdc allowed they said travel but they said yes, you can see other vaccinated people those two things are hard to hold. so i would say travel judiciously, travel if vaccinated and see other back needed people at low risk. let's not go crazy yet that -- >> we are also at a time when were trying to open up schools. we are quite behind in california are we like the last date or something

>> were the last day in the entire 50s dates in terms of the number of california children that portion in person learning. we are 12 or 13% kids in person learning in this date at the very bottom yes, 50 state. >> the vast majority and-schools . >> and often yes, exactly many are in-schools is which is starting to open public schools . we are really behind. >> dr. fallat -- dr. fauci just said it's possible to summer school so and desks three beat up heart it's situational but the cdc may revise soon you welcome that in what do you think? >> yes, i very much welcome that, there were two papers last , but one important one from the homes of massachusetts that said that 3 feet is as good as 6 feet in terms of distancing in schools that's been a sticking point. was a well-done study on

infectious diseases and that pushes a lot to do rita six feet but not over 6 feet hopefully when the cdc says it to which i hope they do, that helps they come to it . >> is your own experience, the mitigation measures that you took, suggest that schools reopen now in full? >> yes, really good example is word 86 medical clinic, we chose not to do a lot of telehealth, we couldn't call for homeless or medically vulnerable, digital divide, they had no phone we all masked and state away from each other 3 feet and opened windows in our building and not a single one of us got covid. our patients date safe and we got to do in person care. that was a good example for me that we can do it, even in rickety buildings with the windows open we can do it and we can keep people safe .

>> were just about out of time but i want to squeeze in the question because i see so many comments from the singers that on traceback. what you say to those who are vaccine hesitant? >> i would say that i understand how they happen really fast and were developed fast but we are in 2020 we have greater knowledge he. you can certainly wait and see your friends and family get vaccinated, or wait to assure yourself of safety, but they are safe in effect. this is the way to get out of the pandemic. >> dr. martha gandhi, thank you so much for your time with great insight is always you against them. coming up next, real life princess to talk abou

>> to seconds. reverberations continue from here to the uk after meghan markle's bombshell interview with oprah last sunday about her suffering in the royal family. she should the extent to which pallet officials controlled or

even when i had to do with her mental health. joining us today is someone who went through her own struggles with royalty and chose to walk away from it. soma norodom of cambodia, the book, royal rabble, thank you for joining us princss >> thank you for having us . >> you come to us from atlanta where you live and work as a marketing professional. you grew up in california went to fresno state, how did a cambodian princess and the living a wonderfully american normal life ? >> we were the first group of refugees coming out from the vietnam war. since my father was helping in the u.s. air force, the first group of refugees in 1975 happened to be us. so we were settled here in southern california. i grew up in long beach i went to school in ontario and i grew up as a normal american girl,

learning english, cheerleading, dancing. you name it. and it wasn't until 2010 that i was able to go back to my own homeland because my father passed away and we wanted to fulfill his wish. that's when i went back to cambodia and claimed my title is the princess of cambodia . >> that was's dying wish and he wanted you to go back and claim your birthright ? >> cambodia is described as a relatively authoritarian coalition democracy. so on paper it's a multiparty democracy but in reality one party essentially rules. do i have that right? >> that is correct. cambodia says they are democratic country but it's actually the person in control is a prime minister . >> the monarchy . >> just like the uk, the government controls the monarchy

in the uk and cambodia. >> meghan and harry walked away and some people are stunned because everything is wonderful. and people tell us, on the outside, what is it really like to be a royal with palace officials . >> to be for a royal family member job and you take the role as princess and you must follow the protocols, rules and regulations and a lot of things can be done like comment to the media, saying things, you are pretty much controlled.

. will get into the control park, you've also been bullied. that's part of a royal, i saw a disturbing line you were on along with princess or prince andrew's daughters . >> yes, if you're part of the royal family, you really don't want >> i was able to work and go out and speak and represent who i am and the differences i wasn't able to take the money from the government. that money is called stipend .

>> which meghan and harry gave it up also, right? >> is part of releasing the control and cutting the strings . another thing that people are stunned by his palace officials who seem to dismiss megan's mental health struggles. that didn't surprise you did it? >> we all go through this, especially a public figure and the prime minister called me out, smeared my name all over the media. you go through a state of depression and you have suicidal thoughts, but what meghan markle went through, i understand that but people need to take it seriously because she's now a public figure like you mentioned, the cyber bullying is real. you can think about kids are going through it the they are being bullied online, and they go through depression and suicide, that's a big issue and people need to address that

>> you know, you are the one that pointed it out so i hope it's okay that i mentioned that the list you were on online with eugenia and beatrice was the world's ugliest princesses to which i can't even believe it, is so shocking and mean you are beautiful and your beautiful and the photos and i can imagine that. that archie would be subjected to that . >> yes, like i said, every family goes through issues and drama. but the royal family, you know, you are in the spotlight and considered a public figure, people have the right to write about you it might not be the truth, but you have to deal with that have to have a thick skin and if you can't handle it you need to leave. i think megan couldn't deal with it and that's why she

tried to make sure, harry was of course on her side but she left the palace and leave the control factor. so, now they are able to do what they want to do but they have to make their own money and survive. they will not be financially compensated by the royal family which is controlled by the government . >> that's what you are doing because you are mark king working as a marketing professional, you are also an author. but i want to ask you, because we have fewer questions. would this mean that you will rule one day since you took the title of princess back? >> no. if you are a princess, and hopefully [ inaudible ], they can't take the title away. they can take the financial aspect. they can take that part, i'm a working princess so i don't need the financial backing from the government or the family . >> correct . >> now i did see the pictures of you with other princesses and royalty by your side. did anyone else make the same choice as you are are you the

only royal rabble is your book title suggests? >> today rabble means kind of a bad thing but to me i was actually just standing up for my rights because as a journalist i was expressing freedom of the press and freedom of speech which was what was written about in the article. so my issue was that i a say a anything or comment, they just want to be in private and be a good princess on fulfill your duties and be compensated, and have no forms or issues with the government. in my case it's a different situation. i guess i'm the only rob rabble in the family . >> we have only like 40 seconds left but i want to ask you, even though we don't have royal patronage and is and you're not in cambodia, but you certainly have started a foundation, what

are some of the causes that you working on now? >> i'm able to use my title, and, as a royal you can use the title to benefit yourself others. in my case i always believed to help others and i have a lot of charity organizations that i'm involved in and they asked me to be on the board like the foundation for kids with hiv. i raised money and awareness and i'm very dedicated to education, so any institution that calls me to do speaking engagements i will do a book signing and the proceeds go to the institution. i do believe that education is the way out and that's how i grew up in the u.s., as a refugee . >> well, i just want to share viewer comments. dena says you're very down to earth. and someone else says she seems very down to earth for a princess of. people have these ideas of what royalty is. but, do you feel like as you watch meghan and harry now and

archie that they're going to have the kind of life that they want here in the u.s.? >> i feel that in there case they're still going to be exposed and have stories with the u.s. media talking about them. it's a final way to have some privacy but they have to make money, and the way to make money is i think they sign like million-dollar contracts with netflix. so, they are going to be out in public in the u.s., but i think that feels more comfortable in the u.s. and doesn't have to deal with the royal protocol. but you can choose that, you just have to make your money . >> i choose to be free from it but i make my own money . >>

>> thank you so much for joining us today on this interactive show getting answers. today we discussed the new tonight, several developing stories as we come on the air. the major new arrests in the riots at the capitol. two suspects now charged with assaulting capital police officer brian sicknick who died after the january 6th riot. federal prosecutors say the suspect used toxic chemicals on the officer and others, too. an image showing officer sicknick doubled over. and word of another suspect tonight arrested for allegedly attacking an officer, stealing his badge and then burying it in his backyard. pierre thomas standing by with late reporting. the coronavirus here in the u.s. authorities now pointing to what they believe are worrisome crowds, from texas to

e cdc director today urging caution, saying, quote, we're just starting to turn the corner. and pointing to the covid resurgence and new