♪ >> brennan: welcome back to "face the nation." robert garrett is the c.e.o. of hackensack meridian health, the largest health network in new jersey. his group will receive the pfizer vaccine tomorrow and will begin vaccinating health care workers on tuesday. he joins us from hackensack. good morning to you. >> good morning, margaret. thank you for having me. >> brennan: well, thank you for joining us. i know new jersey has been hit very hard by covid-19. the governor this morning said the next number of weeks are going to be hell. that was his quote. how is your medical staff holding up. what is i.c.u. capacity like? >> so far, margaret, they're holding up well. it has been a long haul since the covid-19 pandemic hit us in march. as we speak this morning, we're taking care of about

900 covid-19 patients. we've seen over 22,000 patients since the beginning of the pandemic. just to put it into perspective, in the middle of april, when we were at peak, there were nearly 3,000 covid-19 patients that we were treating. we actually -- actually, that number decreased to about 50 at the end of the summer, and we've seen a steady increase to 900. our i.c.u. capacity is getting stretched. we still have some capacity and medical surgical capacity. our biggest challenge now, margaret, is staffing because during the first surge we were able to source staff from literally around the nation. but as you've been reporting, there is a surge all over the country now, so it is much more difficult to supplement our regular staff with additional staff. >> brennan: and what is access like to some of the therapeutic drugs that have been developed since the spring? >> the access has steadily improved. we've been doing clinical

trials since the beginning of the pandemic. but rem remdesivir is more readily available, and therapeutics are readily available. that has really helped us in the second wave, the second surge. and there are younger people that are hospitallized, buhospitalized, e recovering. we've been able to prevent more people from going on ventilators. but we also have more tools in the tool chest with these therapeutics. they are definitely helping. >> brennan: one tool you'll be receiving in the next 24 hours or so are these vaccine doses, and frontline health care workers, as you know, are going to be able to receive it. i'm wondering, though, how do you actually execute that in your hospital? you're describing a surge of patients. your doctors are working around the clock. can you take them off the clock to give them a

vaccine? >> well, first of all, let me just say we are really excited about making history here as we start to vaccinate the american people. i truly believe this is going to be the beginning of the end of this terrible pandemic. we've been planning for the vaccine arrival and distribution literally for months. we have a vaccine coordinator and a team that has been appointed. they have been working out logistics, including obtaining the ultra cold freezers, working atf

as well as nursing students from various nursing schools. and also our front shrine team members, they've been through so much, and yet they are willing -- and this really inspires me -- they're willing to come in on their day off to help vaccinate their colleagues. so we have a good team of vaccinateds that will start. we're going to start by vaccinating team members that interact directly with patients. that will include doctors, nurses, respiratory they ther piststherapists. and we expect, based on the supply, that we hopefully -- hopefully those frontline team members that i speak about, hopefully we'll be able to vaccine night all of them over the next three to four weeks. >> brennan: i know you also operate long-term care facilities, nursing homes. c.v.s. says they were told not to begin vaccination until december 21st, and

the health and human secretary head told us that was all a big misunderstanding. what is c.v.s. telling you? >> c.v.s. is telling us they will start to vaccine night their long-term health december 21st. that's the latest information i have. they will start on the 21st. >> derek: d >> brennan: do you have any idea why it will take that long, given that the elderly are so vulnerable? >> i don't because the c.d.c. has clearly said that the first group that should receive vaccine are frontline health care workers and long-term care residents. i just assumed that would start at the same time. >> brennan: all right. thank you very much. and good luck to all of your staff in the weeks ahead. we want to go to

former f.d.a. commissioner scott gottlieb, and he joins us from west port, connecticut. good morning to you. >> doctor: good morning. >> brennan: i want to start on the big picture. you forecasted last week we're not going to see peak hospitalizations for at least six weeks. the c.d.c. director put a more dire timeline on that, saying 60 to 90 days, and we'll have more deaths than on 9/11 or pearl harbor. how do you save lives at this point? >> doctor: the pressure is going to be on the health care system. they're not going to see peaks burdened on hospital resources probably until mid-january or late january. you're seeing some hopeful signs around the nation in terms of a slowing of new cases in the west and midwest. but you're seeing an acceleration in the east coast and the west country. so the entire country is not going through this pandemic at the same time. new york and california, califoa were a little later to

have acceleration in cases, so they'll be later to peak. sometimes there is a slowing of cases in the parts of the country that were hit first, particularly the midwest and the west. cases are likely to continue to increase into early january. we're likely to see a peak at some point in january. but the burden on the hospital system will continue for another three weeks past that. >> brennan: you heard mr. garrett say that the nursing homes he operates have been told by c.v.s. they can't begin vaccinations until december 21st. health and human services secretary says they're wrong. does it make any sense to you as to why they would be asked to delay vaccinating the most vulnerable? >> doctor: well, the current guidance by c.d.c. to the two pharmacies going into the nursing homes is that they can't begin until 12/21, giving the vaccinations. they're going to spend this week getting the consent in places.

the bulk of those vaccinations, right now, according to the c.d.c. guidance is that they can't begin until 12/21. they'll work at getting the consensus from the individual patients and their family members. once they start, they'll start with the skilled nursing facilities first. it will take them three weeks to work through all of the pharmacies. they'll get the skilled nursing facilities done probably in the first week, but it will take three weeks total to get through those nursing homes. there is about 45,000 in the country, so this is a big undertaking. >> brennan: i understand that it is a big undertaking, but there are vaccine doses being made available before that. it seems like a costly delay -- >> doctor: it is a very costly delay. there are 50,000 new infections in nursing homes. 20% of people in the nursing homes will succumb to death. i think the critical issue is that the consents

weren't in place. you have to consent the patients. >> brennan: why? >> doctor: because they didn't do it in advance. they could have cleared a fact sheet with the f.d.a., maybe provided a limited use to get that information cleared. that wasn't done. we are where we are right now, but that needs to be done this week. in some cases, they'll have to go to family members because they'll be dealing with patients, unfortunately, who don't have capacity to give consent themselves. not an easy task, but probably something that should have been done in advance. >> brennan: it is good news that the vaccine is out there, but now getting it out to the people is a really complicated part. and that is being left up to the states to figure out. i know you talked to governors. what are the biggest choke points? >> doctor: well, the last mild problem is really the complexity here. people talk about the cold chain, but the logistics in this country is very

good. pfizer is keep these vaccines properly stored in a box up to 10 days and can be refilled with dry ice, and you can keep it up to 30 days with dry ice. the issue is the last mile. dealing with trying to get into the community to get these vaccines distributed. initially they'll be distributing to hospitals, health care workers and nursing holes. thahomes.once they go into the community and start trying to vaccinate, for example, elderly individuals, they're going to have a challenge getting into those parts of the country, especially in disadvantaged communities. when you look at what is happening with the antibody drugs, some states aren't distributing them very evenly. some states aren't distributing their available supplies because they've had challenges getting those systems up and running. >> brennan: the health and human services secretary said those criticisms from governors were all just a matter of politics.

but you're describing real problems. >> doctor: well, look, i think it is happening on a bipartisan basis. i talked to republican governors and democratic governors, and they have challenges on the ground, especially after they get past this month. this month is a little easier task -- it is still a challenge, but going into the hospitals and nursing homes, they have big institutions they can work with, the big pharms pharmacies and the hospitals themselves. once they go no the into the communities, that will be the big challenge. i'm not sure they're prepared to do that. >> brennan: you've been on the record saying that pfizer did indeed offer "operation warped speed" the option to buy more vaccine after thee knew it was affective and they've seen the data. i wonder what you think of the overall supply question right now, and whether there is adequate

supply to meet that target that you heard the h.h.s. secretary say, 100 million people vaccine nighte vaccinatey february. >> doctor: i can't speak for the supply beyond pfizer. pfizer has manufactured most of the doses they'll deliver in december. they'll deliver 20 million in the united states. most of those doses have been manufactured at this point. they've committed to deliver up to 100 million doses by the end of the first quarter of next year. i believe they'll hit that target. i'm pretty confident the company is going to hit that target. beyond that, pfizer hasn't secured an agreement with the u.s., and i can't speak to the other manufacturers. >> brennan: the secretary has said they've been talking since october about buying the supply that still exists on pfizer's shelves, so to speak, in terms of what they could do this year. do you understand what the secretary was talking about in regard to exports

and supplying the vaccine outside the u.s.? the president continues to say americans need to get it first. >> doctor: well, look, the federal government has all kinds of authorities they can try to invoke. i'm not sure what they're prepared to do. this is a global supply chain. there are vaccines being shipped into the u.s., and vaccines being shipped out of the u.s. there are ingredients being shipped into the u.s. globally. i'm not sure they want to step in and try to disrupt the global supply chain, when we're dependent on other nations as well. it remains to be seen what they're willing to do. they had an opportunity, and have an opportunity, at least with respect to pfizer, to contract for more. i'm sure we would like to work with the federal government, the u.s. government, and so the company stands ready. >> brennan: all right. dr. gottlieb, good to talk to you again today. we'll be right back.

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ready to juvéderm it? correct age-related volume loss in cheeks with juvéderm voluma xc, add fullness to lips with juvéderm ultra xc and smooth moderate to severe lines around the nose and mouth with juvéderm xc. tell your doctor if you have a history of scarring or are taking medicines that decrease the body's immune response or that can prolong bleeding. common side effects include injection-site redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, firmness, lumps, bumps, bruising, discoloration or itching. as with all fillers, there is a rare risk of unintentional injection into a blood vessel, which can cause vision abnormalities, blindness, stroke, temporary scabs or scarring. ( ♪ ) juvéderm it. talk to your doctor about the juvéderm collection of fillers. >> brennan: in october, we spoke with voters around the country ahead of election day. and we wanted to check

back in with some of them about their willingness to get the coronavirus vaccine. now that the f.d.a. is endorsing the vaccine, does that make you more willing now to take it? >> no. >> brennan: why? >> no. it is too rushed. it is too rushed. there are just too many question marks still for me. how affective it is going to be, how long it will actually protect you. and i'm afraid it is going to give people a false sense of security. the social distancing, i think will stop. we'll think we're protected. >> brennan: mildred, you were reluctant before to take the vaccine. given where we are now, have you changed your mind? >> i haven't changed my mind. my biggest concern is how, you know, money has entered the equation. will we have money from the pharmaceutical companies, and politics -- this is a scary scenario for me.

i have concern. it's not really fear; it's concern and cautiousness. i'm very caution. >> brennan: and, laurie, you had said because of underlying health conditions for you, you were extra interested in the availability of this vaccine, and you would definitely take it. >> yes. i have so many more concerns about what would happen if i contracted the virus than what might happen from a vaccine. >> brennan: j.r., you were also hesitant. you didn't necessarily trust that the government would be giving you something that is safe. do you still feel that way? >> of course i still feel that way. i don't know what is in the drug. >> brennan: what would change your mind? >> i will go and talk to my doctor in january. last year, in december, i was very sick, my wife was very sick, and my oldest son was very sick. on christmas day, we

couldn't even have christmas together. and so i went to the doctor like two days after christmas, and they say you don't have the flu. they tested for that. you don't have bronchitis, which we get every year. they tested for that. since we have spoken, i went back to talk to my doctor in late october, and they said, i believe you had the coronavirus but we just didn't know what it was. so let's take a test. we took the test and have antibodies for it. >> brennan: wow! >> would i take the vaccine? yes, eventually i would take it, but not right away, no. >> brennan: you were more than willing to take the vaccine even though you weren't necessarily living in fear of this virus. you said you would still be willing to take it? >> i'm actually going to continue to rely on my own

immune system. i firmly believe in taking control of your own health. i have been very ill. i live with a disease now that i will always have. and keeping yourself healthy and free of pre-existing conditions is probably the best possible thing you can do. >> brennan: laurie, you were a biden supporter. walter, you supported president trump. you are the only two that say you trust the government and trust this process and would go ahead with the vaccine. >> who said i trusted the government. i'm from the government. listen, i don't know enough about the vaccine contents. i do realize they had this understudy a long time before the pandemic struck. if you're going to trust anything, trust the fact that the pharmaceutical companies want to make money. they sure don't want to be

set back. and what a disaster would happen if these things came to market and were at best not functional and worst, harmful. >> it is not necessarily the government that i trust -- early scientists and epidemiologists -- i have a pre-existing condition that i was born with. i have a lot of living to do. and if there is anything that can help me get back to my normal life, which i miss very much, i'm going to do it. >> i have severe asthma, and my ltngs are at 50% of their capacity without medication, and i can't do anything about that except take medication. >> statistically, it is black and brown americans who are getting hit the hardest by the covid infection. there is concern that

black america, in particular, won't be willing to take it. >> i don't think we're not going to be willing. i think it is more like we're going to be reluctant and want to take the time to make sure that the side effects and everything is okay. >> brennan: so you want to wait. jill,for you -- and i know you've already said as a health care worker, you would arguably be one of the first in line, but your skeptical of this? >> i love the job that i have. if it is required for me to keep that job to have the vaccine, it's done. i'll roll up my sleeve tomorrow. would it willingly do it? no. but if it is what it would take, of course i will. because there are some things that are mandatory for us and we don't have a choice as health care workers. you do what you have to do. but i wouldn't stand in line just to volunteer for

it, absolutely not. >> brennan: and we'll be right back.

>> brennan: president trump continues to contest the election, despite losing the popular vote, the electoral vote, and

approximately 50 court challenges in almost six weeks. tomorrow the electoral college meets to cast their ballots. and the last step is for congress to finalize that result on january 6th. cbs news elections and surveys director anthony salvanto has some insights as to why trump supporters want the president to keep fighting to overturn the election. so, anthony, every state has certified the election results. every vote has been counted, some recounted. what do some republicans continue to insist on overturning the results? >> good morning, margaret. so a majority of the voters describe the election now one month on as over and settled, time to move on. but eight in 10 donald trump voters say it should still be contested. now, what is that? a similar majority of voters call joe biden the legitimate winner, but

eight in 10 donald trump voters say they do not see him as such. now, why is that? it is more than just a typical frustration after an election loss from partisans. donald trump's voters take his word that he has evidence of irregularities, evidence of fraud in the election casting that doubt on the process, not just the outcome. and so looking ahead to that electoral college vote that you mentioned, once they do vote for joe biden, it is half of donald trump voters who say the president should still, after that, not concede. margaret? >> brennan: and anthony, we should note that no evidence of widespread fraud has been shown to date, and the trump campaign has been unable to substantiate its claims. good to see you. we'll be right back. d about the applied digital skills courses, i'm thinking i can become more marketable.

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>> brennan: that's it for us today. thank you for watching. until next week, for "face the nation," i'm margaret brennan. ♪ captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org ♪

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♪ ♪ help is on the way. in america's pandemic fight pfizer's vaccine rolls out in massive emotionalization. by trucks and plains. almost 3 million doses to all 50 states. the first shots expected today. frontline workers and seniors, first in line. but demand dwarves supply. >> why the decision to not be more aggressive? >> we are being very aggressive. we are shipping all that we have. >> as covid rages accu s across. >> why teenagers may control who controls the senate. >>