Today on AirTalk, we update you on the latest COVID-19 news and answer your questions. Also on the show, LAPD Chief Michel Moore about the latest news concerning his department; check in on how the United States Postal Service is dealing with this holiday season; and more.
COVID-19 AMA: ICU Capacity, Rapid-At-Home Testing, Vaccine Side Effects And More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with UCLA’s Dr. Timothy Brewer.
Topics today include:
Fewer than 100 ICU beds available in L.A. County
300,000 lives lost in the U.S., plus California hits single day death record
When will the vaccine be available for kids?
The FDA
Today, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the first over-the-counter (OTC) fully at-home diagnostic test for #COVID19. The Ellume COVID-19 Home Test is authorized for people 2 years old and up, including those not showing symptoms. https://t.co/fdd2B7fYPE pic.twitter.com/eAHMKcZ4MV
— U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) December 15, 2020a rapid at-home test
Some vaccine trial volunteers have reported tough side effects. What effects can people reasonably expect?
Guest:
Timothy Brewer, M.D., epidemiologist and professor of medicine at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health; has served on the advisory boards of the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention
LAPD Chief Moore: Inspector General Considers Review Of LAPD Discipline Process, LA City Council Budget Plan & More
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore joins Larry Mantle for his monthly check-in on AirTalk. Topics discussed include:
LA City Council approves plan to meet $675M shortfall, shrinks possible LAPD layoffs by more than half
LAPD inspector general mulls broad review of discipline process
Survey finds many Angelenos approve of the LAPD, but also want some funding shifted
Mayor Garcetti calls for “safety of demonstrators and police officers” after protest outside his home
LAPD orders all department gyms to close as employee COVID-19 cases rise
Chief Moore, community activists call for end to uptick in homicides
Proposed bill would change age, education requirements for California police officers
L.A. Police Commission rules officer broke policy with final two shots in Hernandez killing
LAPD officers who opened fire outside Trader Joe's won't be charged in manager's death
Guest:
Michel Moore, Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department; he tweets
Negotiators Near Agreement On COVID-19 Aid Bill, Biden Administration Cabinet Nominations & More
Top congressional leaders are closing in on an agreement on a long-delayed COVID-19 relief package, hoping to seal a deal as early as Wednesday that would extend aid to individuals and businesses and help ship coronavirus vaccines to millions.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a coauthor of a $908 billion bipartisan package, said leadership negotiators are closing in on an agreement that would extend direct payments of $500-$600 to most Americans but would deny Democratic negotiators long-sought aid to state and local governments.
“We made major headway toward hammering out a bipartisan relief package,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
The negotiators are closing in on an agreement around $900 billion, which would include a new round of stimulus checks, enhanced federal unemployment insurance benefits, and other avenues for delivering aid to states, localities, territories and tribes, according to two people familiar with the talks and authorized to characterize them. Their statement said that a GOP-sought provision shielding businesses from COVID-19-related lawsuits would be dropped.
In other political headlines, President-elect Joe Biden nominated his former rival Pete Buttigieg as secretary of transportation on Tuesday and intends to choose former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm as his energy secretary.
Biden also plans to tap Gina McCarthy, a former Environmental Protection Agency chief, for the powerful new position of domestic climate chief to run his ambitious climate plans across the federal government.
All three will be central to Biden’s plan to remake the country’s automobiles and transportation systems to quickly cut climate-damaging petroleum emissions.
Buttigieg would be the first openly gay person confirmed by the Senate to a Cabinet post. At 38, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, would also add a youthful dynamic to an incoming administration that is so far dominated in large part by leaders with decades of Washington experience.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll be discussing the latest in politics, including the relief bill negotiations, the electoral college vote and the latest on Biden’s cabinet picks.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Anna Edgerton, politics editor for Bloomberg; she tweets
Jacqueline Alemany, politics reporter and anchor of the Power Up newsletter at The Washington Post; she tweets
The Perfect Storm For A USPS Nightmare: Explosive Ecommerce Sales, Decreased Holiday Travel And More
Postal Service employees are reporting nationwide mail and package backlogs as they try to weather the peak holiday shipping season. This year has created the perfect storm for delays, according to a recent piece in the Washington Post.
E-commerce sales have exploded over the last year as shoppers order their goods from home. Add that to the fact that many people are nixing holiday travel plans and instead opting to ship gifts to family or loved ones. Add that to the fact that, just like other industries, the postal service has experienced a surge in sick employees. All this and more is contributing to a backlog in postal mail and shipping. At this point, there’s no guarantee your shipments will arrive by Christmas. Some analysts now wonder whether the unprecedented challenges USPS is experiencing will remain well beyond the holidays. Today on AirTalk, we discuss what’s at stake. Do you have questions? Call 866-893-5722.
USPS declined to be interviewed for this segment, but sent AirTalk this statement from Chief Retail and Delivery Officer Kristin Seaver:
“We thank our customers for their continued support, and we are committed to making sure gifts and cards are delivered on time to celebrate the holidays. We also thank our 644,000 employees who are working tirelessly throughout these unique conditions to ensure the delivery of holiday gifts and greetings. We continue to flex our network including making sure the right equipment is available to sort, process and deliver a historic volume of mail and packages this holiday season.”
Guest:
Hannah Denham, business reporter for The Washington Post whose latest piece is “USPS ‘gridlocked’ as historic crush of holiday packages sparks delays;” she tweets
Recording Reveals Tom Cruise Shouting, Cursing At Film Crew For Working Too Close Together
A taped recording reportedly reveals Hollywood actor Tom Cruise shouting and cursing at crew members on the set of Mission: Impossible 7. The outburst comes after workers on set were reportedly standing close together near a computer screen.
In the recording, which was posted by The Sun, Cruise can be heard yelling at crew members that if they do it again they’ll be fired. He can also be heard emphasizing the responsibility the crew has to keep the movie production up and running, and if they don’t, people will lose their jobs and homes.
Today on AirTalk, we listen to the recordings of Cruise reprimanding production workers.We also want to hear from you. Is this something you’ve been reprimanded at work for? What was the experience like? Do you think how Cruise handled the situation was appropriate or inappropriate? Tell us your thoughts by calling 866-893-5722.