captioning sponsored by wnet >> hill: on this editino for saturdaymber 28: hospitals bracfor a spike in patients covid cases continue to climb; and stranded for the holidays-- travel restrictions are keeping hundreds of american samoans r frurning to their home. next on pbs newshour weekend. >> pbs newshour weekend is made sue and edgar wachenheim iii. the anderson family fund. bernard and denise schwartz. the cheryl and philip milstein family. barbara hope zuckerberg.

the leonard and norma klorfineda founon. charles rosenblum. we try to live in the moment, to not miss what's right in front of us. at mutual of america, we believe taking care of tomorrow can help you make the most of today. mutual of america financial group, retirement services and investments. s for 25 years, consumer cellular's goal en to provide wirelesservice that helps people communicate and connect. we offer a variety of no-contract plans, and our u.s.-basedustomer service team can help find one that fits you. to learn more, visit www.consumercellular.tv. additional supportas been provided by: and by the corporation for public broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the american peopl and by contributions to your station from viewers lik you. thank you. >> hill: good evening, and thank you for joining us. more than 13 milli people in the united states have now been diagnosed with coronavirus

infections since the pandemic arrived here last winter. while most people experience mild symptoms and recover, hospitalizations are now rising rapidly. the covid tracking project shows record numbers of covid-19 patients being hospitalized,cl e to 90,000 yesterday. in los angeles, officials are warning there may be a shortage of hospital beds if cases continue to increase at the current rate. late yesterday, los gele county issued a new "safer-at- home" order that will begin monday and last three weeks. the new restrictions urge residents to stay home "as much as possible" and to wear face coveringwhen they go out. it bans people from gathering puicly or privately with any not in their households. but there are exceptions for church services and protests,e which sted as constitutionally protected rights.n for moree covid-19 crisis and how one hospital responded

early on, i recently sith dr adam jarrett fowsnj spotlight he's chief medical officer at holy name medical center jn teaneck, nsey, and author of "in the time of covid: one hospit's struggles and triumphs." all right, dr. jarrett, let's talk about "in the time of covid" that you have written, and i want to talk to you about a phrase that you havere. you said after our first confirmed case on march 4 of this year, "when i went home that night, i climbed into bed with my wife, exhausted and for the first time wept, really please tell us why. >> well, i was worried about the patients we were taking care of, and i was worried about our staff. we knew nothing about this disease. we were very concerned that it was incredibly infectious, which it is. but at that time, we were notor confident thatl p.p.e. was going to even protect our staff. we were not confident that we were going to have adequate p.p.e.

i really had visions in my mind at one point of the hospitalaf being so decimated that we were not going to be able to take care of our patients and we'd have patits lined up in hallways, we'd have patients dying, which we did.t think at that moment it was really about a fear that we were not going to be able top keepd that our staff were nogoing to be able to keep up and that piece of people that i lyew and cared for staff were going to potentiet hurt and die. the good news is, we kept adequate amounts of p.but it was a day to day struggle. and we lost over 250 people, patients at holy name, ao we lost sixght people who were part of the hy name community and family. >> hill: doctor, i noticed throughout the book your language is blunt. you are very much to the point. and you say at one point in akrly march, "i made a mistake." what was that mi >> if i remember correctly, that had to do with bringing theaf

medical in the hospital community together so we could learn about this virus. so, i set up a meeting for our and i expected abopeoplerses, to show up, and close to 500 people showed up. now, even at the time of the meeting and even several days n later, i d tnk of that as a mistake. but as we learned about this virus, we realized that our major thing that we can do to protect each other is to socily distance. and i didn do that at that meeting, and i regret that. >> hill: doctor, you also write about having a plan. "we had thought that this would be a short-term problem that we could handle with only six bedse in trgcy department." when did reality tell you otherwise? >> relatively quickly. and i think that, as i personally and holy name in th w entire count lulled by past events in the wor experienced sars, we experienced ebola, and we just thoughte're

not going to have a pandemic. and if we do, we're just notpa going to hndemic. the numbers will be small, and that's literally why we plan fos six pati literally within five days offi out known patient, we knew that we were going to have a bigger problem, and we quickly began to adjust the day to day at the hospital to be prepared for that. the biggest thing we did was build a negative pressure room. veryar on, the c.d.c. was very clear in their guidelines that all testing and all treatment of covid-19 patients pressure rooms because of concern that the virus would aerosolized. we accepted that and knew that that was going to be a potential issue because most hpitals have 10, 12, 15 negative pressure rooms throughout the ndemic. we built over 275 rooms, and we kept our patients in that. >> hill: doctor, rig now in the u.s.a., 257,000 deaths due to covid. aren't those persuasive enough for people to say it's time for to wear a mask?

and if not, what will be persuasive? i hink it is persuasive enough, but obviously there are people out there who do not.i ann't understand that. what i have seen is situations where the disease affes people who i will call anti-m-- as i don't particularly like that term, but i use it in the book, so i'll use it. and i've seen situations where the disease affects people who family, and that so bects their what changes their view. and that's unfortunate andat sad. put on a mask. you're doing yourself a favor. you're dng the people around you a favor. this disease could not be more real, and we have some very basic things that can make aen diff. and it starts with wearing a mask. >> hill: dr. adam jarrett is the chief medical officer of holy name medical center in teaneck, new jersey, has just written a book, "in the time of covid." dr. jarret, thank you so much. >> michael, take care and stay well.

>> hill: in iran today, groups of dem killing of a prominent nuclear scientist who american and israeli intelligence suspect led iran's secret nuclear weapons programs. standing outside the country's ministry of foreign affairs and burned american and israeli flags and called for iran to exit the 2015 nuclear deal.id prt trump withdrew the united states from the agreement in 2018. the scientist, mohsen fakhrizadeh, died in a hospital yesterday from injuries sustained after several gunmen president hassan r today blamed israel for the attack, upand he along with iran'sme leader are calling for retaation for the killing. ethiopia's prime minister claimed today that his government is now in control of the capital of the region of

tigray. in a tweet, prime minister abiy ahmed said the city of mekelle is "under command of the national defense forces." tens of thousands ofefugees have fled to neighboring sudan have warned of a humanitarianls crisis. the military conflict in ethiop began more than three weeks ago between the federal government and tigray's ruling party, which dominated the country until abiy took power two years ago. tony hsieh, the former c.e.o. op who hped build the online shoe and clothing retail into a $1 billion company, has died. for 20 years, hsieh led the online retail giant, headquartered in las v nevada. he ran the company based on the philosophy "happy employees lead to happy customers." hsieh retired earlier this year from zappos but continued to be part of the effort to revitalize downtown las vas. nevada governor steve sisolakto tweetey: "tony hsieh played a pivotal role in helping transform downtown las vegas."

hsieh was surrounded by icmily in conne when he died after being injured in a house fire, acesrding to a sprson for his company. tony hsieh was 46 years old. for more national and international news, www.pbs.org/newshour. >> hill: whilehe covid-19 pandemic has touched nearly every country in the world and all 50 united states, one u.s. territory has zero reported cases the coronavirus. american samoa shut downts borders and haltedll incoming commercial flights in march. but shutting down its borders has come at a cost: hundreds of american and are stranded across the u.s. newshour weekend's laura fong has more. >> and every time, theys ask what-- what time are you going to come back home? when are you going tme back home? >> reporter: fiti aina is 2,600 miles away fs home,aii,

his wife danielle and their six kids, who are in acan samoa. his youngest, jolizabeth, just turned a year old last week. >> my younst, she started walking. it's so hard. i'm not there next to them. >> i-- i told my kids, you know, just pray on it. pray on it. >> reporter: his wife danielle works as a sixth grade teacher. it's not going to be the same. like, there's always that piece missing. we need to put that piece back in place. that's our only wish-- not only me, but my kids, too is to haor him home, have him home the holidays. >> reporter: the aina familyan live in ameramoa, a u.s. territory with about 55,000 residents and a fi-hour flight from honolulu. in march, american samoa halted all incoming commercial flights due to the covid-19 pandemic. since then, with no commercial flights available, governor lolo

matalasi moliga has allowed two chartered flights to leave the island f those in need of medical treatment, as american samoa has limited medical resours. fiti aina needed gallbladder surgery, and when he got on one of those flights in july, he was told it was a one-way ticket. >> it was a sacrifice that i hah to make whenrd there's a-- a one-way ticket. but i was on a plane and praying that-- one day that they're going to have a-- a flight to go back home, you know? >> reporter: four months later, he still doesn't know when he can returnome. >> it's going to get to that point when, like, getting crushed down, and 'sur hope-- ot there anymore. >> reporter: now, fiti aina isn one oftimated 562 american samoa residents trying to geun back from thed states. the majority are stranded in hawaii, washington state,

california and utah. would you say that most of those folks want to go home in the next few weeks? or, if there was alight in the next few weeks, they would be wanting to get on that flight? >> oh, gosh. not most, all. if there was, like, a flight tomorrow, they would do whatever they can to-- to get home. >> reporter: eileen tyrell is president of tagata tutu faatasr alliance of an samoa. in samoan, it means "people standing together." the alliance is pressing for the american samoa government to srepatriate its residents >> it has become tuticssible. platform. it has become an informational hub. >> reporter: tyrell gan organizing the group when her mother, maraia malae leiato, beme stranded earlier this year while visiting tyrell in n shington state. while many amerimoan residents are u.s. nationals--an meaning theyork and visit the u.s. easily-- some are visiting on visitor visas, like

her mother. tyrell estimates as many as 100 american samoa residents are visas, with a costly fee to renew. >> a lot of themad already paid out of pocket because theya weaid. they were very afraid of havingr ice come ahem, and they've had to scramble to pay for the $455 extension visa fe >> reporter: on friday nights, the alliance holds a weekly op"wellness check-in" for to connect and share their stories. >> we're all going through the same thing. we're stranded here, and we miss home. >> people, they go through depression.th go through grief. they go-- you know, it's a matter of how they process, you know, and what they're able to process. it has been an emotional journey, financial strain for the families.

>> reporter: there is also the fear of getting the coronavirus accord the pacific islander covid-19 response team, native hawaiian and pacific islanders contract the virus at disproportionately high rates in states where data is collected by race. in hawaii, pacific islanders-- including samoans-- are the most likely to be hospitalized or die from the coronavirus, morerahan any otheal or ethnic group. and is that concern of some of that they could ged in there, waiting process? >> that's a concern for everybody, evy single person.ge my b, biggest fear is that someone of the stranded get the virus and die. will samoans-- pacific islanders, in general-- they live in multigenerational homes because, you know, family is such a huge thing for them. >> reporter: while fiti aina was waiting in hawaii to go home, he

found out that he has an enlarged heart, putting him at high risk for complications if he contracts covid-19. >> it's hard for me to-- to go find a job. if i am going to get the virus, it's the end ge for me. >> reporter: back in american samoa, a covid-19 task force a the local health department have outlined a four-stage repatriation plan, including a ten-day quarantine in honolulu fore the flight home and a 14-day quarantine after arrival. earlier this month, the governor approved a provisional date for january 19 for theirst repatriation flight. aina doesn't know if will be on that flit or if it will be delayed, but, for him and his family, it could not come soon enough. hill: we are continuing our

series, "turning points," stories produced, directed and told by indigenous pple from yellowknife in canada's northwest territories. it's part of an "empowerment journalism" prect inrs partnep with the global reporting center >> yes, good morning. my mom needs an appointment to see her doctor. she's getting old. she's 95. she needs somebody there. i'll visit her, do laundry for her, cook for her. okay, i'm going to make some bannock. well, we're still working out a t of things, but it's a lot better than 30 years ago, yeah. afgot out of residential school, i-- i was any at my

mom for a long time.la i said-- i them, i guess. seven years old, i don't know why they send me there. they were all strangers to me-- nuns with l black, dressed in blk. i lost my language, my culture. yeah, i lost-- i really lost myself. ju measure my flour. when i was 13, 14, i wasn't getting no support from my parents, too, so i-- i ran away. i was homeless for a long time. i wah people drink. i ought they-- they had fu i had older friends, you know? they went parties, so i went that's how i started drinking.

i used to go to jail, used to go to drunk tank, used to go on-- on the street like on a schedule, you know, many times because of alcohol and unhealthy relationship with that person i was with. i had my children were taken away.wa homeless for a long time. i didn't know how to be a pare. i had to learn. learn pretty fast to be a mom. okay. uptried many times to sobe i went for treatment in the lasn 20 years, yo. i went for treatment.er it norked because i didn't want it to work. it's not easy to cnge, you know. sober up, you know. years to it's not easy to sober up, you know.

and i did it.do anybody could t. i don't know. thathould be done. oh, yeah! right on. it's hot! ooh. okay, that's done. but eventually, i forgave my mom. i'm closer to her now. today, i-- i'm having a better relationship with her. she tells me all stories aboutas her when sheoung, and-- and she taught me how to sew. yeah, i pass it on to girls. i got three daughters. and my oldest daughter, shewi loves now. she does some bead work now.at he's doing some bead work, you know, it makes me so proud. at least i taught them something, you know.so a leasthing, you know, i taught them. and she loves it. ( laughs )

every time i-- i pick a bead, you know, it's keeping away from my addiction. i'll go further away from my addiction, and i go closer to my mom. yeah, that's-- that's-- i guess that's theay i like to think about it now. yeah. >> hill: finally tonight, at a ceremony in saint peter's balica at the vatican toda pope francis elevated 13 new cardinal the highest rank in the roman catholic church. the 13 include washington, d.c.'s wilton gregory, the can-olic church's first afri american cardinal. wilton, who is 72, was one o several new cardinals who were quarantined for about ten days

usahead of the ceremony beof coronavirus concerns. that's all for this edition of pbs newshour weekend. for the latest news updates sit www.pbs.org/newshour. i'm michael hill. thks for watching. have a good night. pt ning sponsored by wnet captioned by media access groupt wgbh accessh.org

>> pbs newshour weekend is made possible by: sue and edgar wachenheim iii. the anderson family fund. bernard and denise schwartz. the cheryl and philip milstein family. barbara hope zuckerberg. the leonard and norma klorne foundation. charles rosenblum. we try to live in the moment, to not miss what's right in front of us. at mutual of ameri, we believe taking care of tomorrow can help you make the most of today. mutual of america financialou retirement services and investments. additional support has been provided by: consumer cellular. and by: and by the corporation for public broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the d by contributions to your

pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. you're watching pbs. [announcer]: this program was ma possible in part by

contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. hat makes humans human.: the n it's central to everything about us. the ability to learn things new, to perience new things. it's all between my ears. [bd]: e brain is our command center and it's imbued with an incredible gift. it can change its structure and function through a process called neuroplasticity. [moffett]: we used to think that the brain was set up the way it was set up. e but it turns out, th brain can adapt also. and if it's given a different set of circumstances, it'll ange.