>> tonight on kqed newsroom, president trump creates a national emergency inesponse to the coronavirus. >> plus markets around the globe have taken hits prompting fears of a recession. we'll hear how businesses are fairing in this crisis. >> and plus the elderly population is in risk of catching and succumbing to covid-19. >> good evening, and welcome to kqed newsroom. the coronavirus has many spooked and concerned. g tonight we're goto do our newsroom to bring you d information about how the virus

is impacting thhealth, onomy and society in unprecedented ways. >> today president trump declared a national emergency to access up to $50 billion in eldisasterf to help combat e spread of the coronavirus. and the world health organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic. more than 130,000 people have untries, and hospitals st 130 co grapple with short blg of masks and testing kits. they're on a surge of trying to contain new cases. thursday, thcalifornia of department of health said gatherings ofle200 peop or more should be postponed or canceled until e end of march. joining me is the officer for the public health department and laura. welcome to you both and what are the main takeaways

that ifrgo president trump's national emergency declaration today was this ideae of early week we could have half a million more testing kits going out arou the country. we have 330 million people in the u.s. so doctor, starting with you, do you think that's going to make a difference? >> i think it will help expand the ability for testing, and it will be other commercialways to increase it as well. and i think we need to prioritize those of higher risk. were your main takeaways from the conference? it seemed more like a pep rally atimes quite frankly. >> yeah. it was one of the more measure trfb things we've seen from donald trump, and i appreciate the q & a at the end where he

was colabing with our governor. that was kind of interesti. and it was this tone of american exceptionalism and sort of placing the blame on other countries and highlightingofhow wonderful a response we've seen here when a lot of the response has also been delayed and criticized for being delayed. >> doctor, the county has been as heart hit as somof the other conties in the bay area. just bring us up to speed on where we are inthe number of cases. >> sure. and i would like to talk about response. we updated our department's response of monitoring this on january 22nd and, you know, gradually escalated to a state declaration of emergency and i declared a local emergency on march 1st because of the workload and travelers coming in from china and moptering them. we've been monitoring the

situation and working on a local public health level active ivly. and now we just had available b for testing as well and more access to lab testing. sewe anticipated more cases just as more labs were able to run. >> and we also heard from the oakland unified school district saying they are canceling clas s for a coupof weeks following a couple of other districts in the state. first of all, i want to ask you ll? ou think it was the right >> so i think it was difficult decisions. and these desions are especially difficult with a lack of hard data. it has been a lot of modeling and talking about flattening the epidemic curve and pandem curve. a lot of it was done in pandem influenza. we'll talk about the differences between the covi 19 virus and the flu virus. so i think we all do need to

continue the weigh the impact of school closuresd they posted a guidance on march 12th from the cdc, it was concerns about possible children in schools cawith s who to my understand having tested negative that caused a cascade of bay area ctschool dist around the bay. osures may not be the most hool effective, and we should folk squs prioritize the mitig iion that have impaour community. >> is it your position that you agree with that? we experiencein ausha, that es this won't actually make a difference? >> wlel, again, the data is minimal. so i support the difficult decisions that these district officials are making ong with the potential health impact, e other demands being made on the administration. i think it's a nice time to plan for the ability of the

longer closures, but i have that it might not have an impact that people think it will, and it is potential downstream impacts. >> and they are widespread impacts from this no doubt. i want to talk to you about them ct on first responders because down in san jose, we're seeing four firefighters have tested positive for the coronavirus. so what's the impact going to look like you think? >> so enthat tuion, they quarannes the fire department. they quarantined 44 different people that worked there. i think we need to think about it but not just firefighters, other first responders and those whose jobs involve going out and being in the community. something we have to think about. we and can't work from home is another concern. >> absolutely. and i think adding to what you were saying about the school closure, a lot has been around as i talk to health folks in

other countries and i think what is essential? what is that term essential? is itessential that we close out schools. it seems hard to be the odd man out. it disrupts and takes people off the workfoe and ople who have to take care of their own children at home. >> you spent a loof time qualing up hospitals and talking to officials around the ea. where are their concerns right now? what's top of the mind for them? >> well, a lot were concerned about testing skits d still not having infer even though that number, the amount we can process day has moved to the thousands here in california with the collaboration of the public health department and pr ate entities. and that's great to increase that number. l it's stnot enough though. they're concerned about personal protective equipment, specifically, you know, space d see that, you know, e, buwe

potentially, wel have even hotels be repurposed if need be. and then they taalso ed about being just really nimble and creative. >> doctor, i want to ask you on that note do you feel that the county, can you assure resides there that e county is ready when it comes to the number of bins available, the number of res pirators in case these several cases blossom into many more? >> we've been rking closely. we have a disaster health coalition. we work closely with the oviders, and i think everyone needs to dust offer their pandemic plans d work on surge planning. different systems are thinking about as you mentioned ultimate care sites or setting tents see the out-patient. it spreads with disease and seeing potential of people coming in. i think we are ready and the helpful about the various states of members of the jury, we can utilize through the

emgency eration center and regional and state resource esday request resources. we are hit hard right now in the bay area. i think we'll ebe ly situation. so we can request resources from the other part the state or country. >> so give us a reity check. how bad do you think it will get? >> well, we are as the world health organization said, we're in a pan deming, and want people take it seriously. ov 85% of people will have a mild illness. and the most vulnerable is critically ill or hospitalized, anthe mortality is related highly to those with health conditions and elderly. we are to protect oumost vulnerable. >> with things changing so very quickly, what advice do you have to the blic? how do we keep all of the news? >> i think check in ona few

trusted reliable resources from time to time but don't consume the fire hose and really take care of one another and make su those vulnerable people are getting taken care of. >> all right. it's so good to have both of you here. >> thank you. >> thank you wednesday night president trump delivered a primetime noaddress to ce a 30-day ban on nearly all travelers from eure to halt the spread of the coronavirus inthe u.s. he also said he would urge ngress to pass a pay roll tax cut and speak financial cted tance for workers af by the virus. me anwhile stock markets to reboundey after suffering their most single worst day in over 30 years. they have been particularly hard hit as they cael conferences and mandate working remotely. >> right now is the ceo of the coffee house.

and the public policy director at the assistance chamber of commer. welcome to you both. >> thanks for having us. >> let's start with you. you've been in business 60 years and 65 employees. how have you isbeen fairing week? >> it's been very rough to put it lightly. we sehave immediate cancellation in all of theicatoring we were going to be doingfor the next month. our downtown location at 181 fremont, near the new transbay daterminal seen wednit was 50 decree in sales and today been 70% and declare in the downtown location. we do a ntdecent amf business with offices and our office orders have completely stopped. even the apartment at the sciences has closed. we've definitely seen a

humongous impact. >> and you had to adjust. what changes ve you made to the way your employees work so far? >> the first thing we did was implement safety protocols in the cafe, sohat we can continue operating as a business. so we are doing everything in to-go cups to reduce the amount of handling of customer cups and for here cups. we moved all the cream and sugar to the burista side, so the buristas thare only one touching it. and we're trying to keep our community safe on that end. and reacting to the drop in sales, we had to cut ours dramatically. i'trying hard not to let anyone off, so we've been couraging people to go on partial unemployment, so they still get their benefit because all of our employees have healthcare and pay it off. so trying to keep them employed

and benefits having safety net, it's really, really hard. >> and right, you're at the chamber of commerce, and it's a whole slew of business groups calling fosan francisco to make accommodations. walk us through those. >> yeah. last week we realized 's it's no loer to tell them to visit the small businesses. we need them to ep up especially with the issue of cash flow. we have those with 60, 70% of drop in revenue so we called for three firm things. one, the firmment of business taxes until later in the year. the second, a waver of all fees, so store front fees, sidewalk, banner and sign fees. just waive them for small bu nesses in restaurants and the third is to expand

unemployment insurance for those who have short hours due to the coronavirus. and this is a way interest them to de out this wave speak and the issue of debt is so important for small businesses, like yours especially. we were talking about how the small business administration is offering loans to people like you. how helpful is that? >> it's a good start. it's a good start. low interest loans are a good start, but it not solving the problem. it's like taking the cash flow and spreading it t over the relief to small interest a loaners. >> i see how it seems like a quick fix solution. there are so many meaningful ways that the government could leave. if you did all of e fees that storefront business husband to pay. all businesses in the city

without having an application or loan or carry debt for the future, those are the things that the governmentshould look forward to. >> and thfact of the matter is that a lot of businesses are lev rnld all ght, right? >> yea these had series of ryhipe debt. it is expensive to do business in the city. they did what made sense. they took ondebt, so they could higher up and scale to a point of profit. >> when did this become real for you a business? >> last week we had one of our fica ons inside of an office. it baimz real to me when that office closed and at was and it's like the office is .

closed. yocan't come to work tomorrow. luckily it was small and only a handful of employees. we were able to move them and co odate them. and when the work order hit, almost every tech company, we had ved employees om one location to the other, and that location saw 50% immediate reduction, and it's getting worse. >> have youench thseen ag like this >> i mean, the is the fires of 2017 and there we saw probably a 30% drop over the board in cafe sales. but that's nothing compared to this. there's no wind in sight. when the rain came and air cleared, eryone went back about their normal daily routine. and we're not going to see that

this time and i think when we talk about having a black swan moment, this is what a black swan means. we have companies enquurnlg to go out for coffee and a section built e.on lunch serv service that no erloxists. and we don't know what the ng longstanrelation shpship will be. >> what is the impact at macro level? >> it's at the very least is 10s of millions of dollar. it's hard to put a number because the scales widen every day. we told you it was millions of dollars. we pua hard number on it, and we put a ban on large gatherings. the warriors game got canceled

and lebron vaimz james game got canceled. >> what could help you the most? >> i think tax defirfment is a complete tax relief from city taxes right now. i mean, the unsecured property tais coming up. unsecured property tax, people oechb it exiss, not a lot. >> the city places coming that -- if youflipped it upside down, every would fall out. any unsecured property in your building, you have to pay an anal fee. restaurants in particular. we have hundreds of thousands of lls in our restaurant. and that uchb secured property

tax is a huge burden every year. that's coming due. i think the city wanted to make an impact specifically on restthrants. would be a great place to start. >> is this city for just pzs that did 5 $5 miion of gross revenue or below. that would immediately be a 50 $50 million stimulus into our local economy. and when we talk about the impact it s on e city budget, those are what we llect on an annual basis, come from small businesses. the city has things like rainy day fund. i think this is the definition of a rainy day. >> we haven't talked about being canceled. you ntioned events. what is your understanding of the impact as coit inues to snowball? >> i don't think we ever think about what kind scof e these tech conferences are and how much they give ec thomy. we have printing content at the chamber whic60 to 70%

disappear because all of the printing of the brochures and painting and what's sad if you're a printing company, you ordered it a ye in advance you spent 00$100for inventory. we see that for it workers. t nk you for walking us through this. lauren is the ceo of the chamber of commerce. >> thanks for having us. >> this week the maerjt soregz and system of living released information on how to protect from the coronavirus. the assisted homes and facility, in washington e st at least 22 people lichcked have died. canceling activities can crease thsocial isolation

or depression that some seniors already feel. joining me now is patrick. he's the found and director of the center of early suicide prevention on the institution for aging. welcome. thank you. >> and you have been working for the last several deckates how to help the elder lay avoid social isolation. you set up things like the work? hat line how >> it was created as a way to reduce loneliness and social isolation particularly among older people or younger disabled what we felt and believed at the time has to do with connections and what institute on aging. and i personally, as well professionally believe that connections to others is what lnds us e. so that was really the goal and friendship line is both accredited crisis hotline but also a warm line, so that old people don't have to be in a

suicidal crisis to call us. >> that connection is so important. we actually have thnumber on your screen. it's 1-800-971-0016. patrick, how are you seeing that line ing used right now? >> right now a lot of people are calling us. at will be many more calls, and it's put aglittle stres on our resources which is a concern. and whatthey're mostly talking y, their worried about heir what going to happen to them, partico arly those e really any number of social interactions they can count on. so they really depend on us, and we're just noticing how scared and fearful people are. >> is there a particular call thatomes to mind in terms of oftoring insight how people are reacting to the korean

virus. >> well, one that's stuck in my mind is from an older woman who is very isolated. and when she hears things about minimizing, you know, social contact, that has made her very upset because she saidi cannot bear being in my apartment by myself all day long. i have to get out. to go mato thet. i go to a senior citizen and r aces where otpeople are, and to be tweeld to keep this social distancing thing has really made her mad and dismassed. she said i don't care if i get the coronavirus. it is better than being stuck in my apartment by myself. you know, loneliness and social isolation is a very serious concern for people. you know, and so we've felt that kind oferg >> so you're seeing defiance in cases like hers.

what do you see to meone like that we can first of all, we validate their feelings especially me bein72 that i can understand what she's saying, that to be alone, not have other people and at one point she did in her life, but she doesn't have that anymore because of death or . geographical chang and so she's mad, and i think she els very discounted, that we don't say in our narrative that comes from the a me news papers, hey, we are paying particular attention to this high group risk of people th are older than the dults. >> when i hear this sear as of cancellation that we see in places like seenious citizens and assisted filling society. we're talking about economic rescission but not social recession. this is a real, real concern that the kidnaps of these

restrictions are going to have a negative impact on older people are already lonely or isolate. >> and as a senior citizen, how are you doing? >> not so great. >> not so great? >> anasthe for that is, you know, experience what some of these concerns are. i live elalone as and even though i have people in my lito obviously, but think about, you know, if i would get the virus and i ha an underlying health issue, d to be quaurnt said in my apartmet could be very fohard me. i am out all the time. i mean, i'm never at home. so thatwould be difficult, and i shared that with older people who live alone. >> does it help that you ar also watching out for other people, or does that create additional strelsh for you. >> it really lepz because service is what do. what i'm concerned about sthoge having to move from face-to- face contact with people to

telephone, and i'm a little arnshtious about tha >> so what can each of us do to support the elderly seenious citizens in our communities and own families? >> i think we have to know who our neighbors are. i think we have become very distance society that we don't has lived the building for who 30 years is. we could slip a note under the door and feeling ois lateed. here's a phone number you can . ca we could say to someone in the grocery store they look lonely or isolated. we could just say hello to them and allow a conversation to happen. >> i think what we have done, you know, unfortunately, is to have, again, distance from older people due to ageism and, you know, other issues that we just don't connect anymore, and

that worries me significantly >> all right. so pick up the phone, say hello, all great advice. patrick, thank you. >> thank you. >> and if you're 60 or older or an adult living with n disuble, you treech the line at 1- 800-979-0016. you can find more coverage online or in the box. thanks for joining us and good night.

captioning sponsored by wnet >> sreenivasan: on this edition for sunday, march 15: the latest on the coronavirus outbreak. what to know about "socialng dista" and how the coronavirus are is shaping the political playing field. next on "pbs newshour weekend." >> pbs newshour weekend is made possible by: .bernard and irene schwar sue and edgar wachenheim iii.nd the cherylhilip milstein family. rosalind p. lter. barbara hope zuckerberg. charles rosenblum. we try to live in the moment, to notiss what's right in front of us. m