MSNBC "Morning Joe" - Transcript

Interview

MSNBC "Morning Joe" Interview With Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano

Subject: Swine Flu Outbreak Interviewers: Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Nancy Snyderman, M.D.

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MS. BRZEZINSKI: All right. Dr. Nancy Snyderman, if you could stay with us --

DR. SNYDERMAN: Sure.

MS. BRZEZINSKI: We're going to now bring into the conversation the director of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano.

It was a rare Sunday news conference yesterday when the White House declared a public health emergency in the U.S. So to talk about this in a "Morning Joe" exclusive, Secretary Napolitano, thanks very much for joining us.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Madame Secretary, not a lot going on for you over the past few months.

MS. BRZEZINSKI: No. You're just a little bit --

(Cross talk.)

SEC. NAPOLITANO: (Inaudible) -- just hangin' out.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: All right. Let's talk about, really, your greatest challenge. That is, it seems we have to balance not panicking Americans, but at the same time understanding that if this gets out, it really could spread into a pandemic.

How are you balancing those two competing concerns?

SEC. NAPOLITANO: I think the best way is to be very open in our communications.

We are going to be communicating daily with the press, giving the press the updates so that the American people have accurate information. We're going to be posting information, particularly on the CDC Web Site.

I think, in this case, as people know more about this flu, they know what to look for and they know -- and I want to repeat that message -- if they are sick, if they believe they have the flu, stay home.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: I need to go home. (Laughter.)

MS. BRZEZINSKI: Yeah. Oh, boy. Here we go. Now he's going to get all the symptoms. (Laughter.) (Inaudible.)

If you look at what's happening in Mexico, for example, where everyone's wearing masks, they're wearing them to church, they're not showing up at soccer games. I mean, this is fear sweeping the country, but also a real serious situation where they've had many, many deaths so far.

How would you characterize them? What kinds of steps should be taken here in the U.S., given that we've seen this, right? Correct? -- in a number of different states so far.

SEC. NAPOLITANO: Yes. We've had confirmed cases in five states, and now that doctors are looking, I suspect today we'll see more states join that line.

But it's all about preparation. It's about moving medications to where they need to be, opening up the stockpile. It's about alerting the public health community. It's really -- it feels like we're at the beginning of what could be a marathon.

MS. BRZEZINSKI: Oh. What is the medication situation with this? Do we have enough to deal with it?

SEC. NAPOLITANO: We have a stockpile of 50 million courses of antivirals -- Tamiflu, Relenza -- right now. And many states also have their own stockpile.

So yes, we have a lot of antivirals on hand, and the manufacturer now is going to ramp up to fill market demand, if we need it.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Dr. Nancy Snyderman, do you have a question?

DR. SNYDERMAN: Yes, sir. I watched the secretary yesterday during the press conference, and I have to laud her. I thought it was a brilliant effort on the part of the government to bring scientists and the Homeland Security secretary together to really talk openly about borders and what people should do.

Because Mexico has taken a hit financially because of people concerned about traveling there. This is a second economic hit for them. I --

The one question I would like to know is when will we put out a travel advisory to Mexico, and will that come from the State Department or from the CDC, or are we going to sit for a few days to sort of see how to advise the American public on where and how to travel?

SEC. NAPOLITANO: Right. The travel advisory is the State Department, and they are looking at that -- it may be as early as today -- but that's within their purview.

But today for sure we will be handing people at the land ports a health advisory, as well as at the airports so people know what to look for.

MS. BRZEZINSKI: And clearly --

DR. SNYDERMAN: And I saw that card yesterday. The card is up on the CDC Web site, and it's worthwhile for everyone to go. I think the CDC Web site right now, CDC.gov, is the best place for concrete information so you really know what we're dealing with.

SEC. NAPOLITANO: That's right. And they're updating it basically every hour, so it is very accurate.

MS. BRZEZINSKI: And in terms of what we're dealing with, clearly, medical experts are looking at this and how quickly this spreads. What are -- you've declared an emergency here.

What are the concerns about how quickly this could get out of control and, if so, are the stockpiles enough to deal with it?

SEC. NAPOLITANO: I believe we have adequate stockpiles, yes. But again, we don't -- we're dealing with some unknowns here. So everything we're doing now is in preparation.

This may not erupt into a full-fledge, high-level pandemic, or it may. So it's all about preparation and -- not fear, just being ready, taking steps and keeping the American people informed about what we're doing.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Talk about just historically. You, just by -- through coincidence, you read a book on the 1918 pandemic, which --

SEC. NAPOLITANO: Yes, there's a --

(Cross talk.)

MR. SCARBOROUGH: And to let people know just how dangerous this can be -- not to scare them, but just to let them know -- more Americans died in that pandemic than died in World War II.

SEC. NAPOLITANO: Yes.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: It got out of control very quickly, and it affected people, younger people --

SEC. NAPOLITANO: Right.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: -- like, 20 to 40 (years). That's happening here, too, isn't it?

SEC. NAPOLITANO: That's one of the things that we are concerned about, is the patient population that's actually getting this flu. It's not the very young or the very old, which is typical.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Who usually are impacted by flus. (Cross talk.)

SEC. NAPOLITANO: Yeah. It's otherwise healthy, young adults. So -- in Mexico, anyway.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Right.

SEC. NAPOLITANO: So again, we have a lot more medicine available, a lot more science available than they had in 1918. We have a lot more techniques that have been developed in order to deal with flu.

But again, it's all about preparation, being ready. The states have been preparing for avian flu for a long time --

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Right.

SEC. NAPOLITANO: -- so everybody has an avian flu plan. I think we ought to dust them off and just insert the word swine for avian, and we'll be -- (cross talk).

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Yeah.

MS. BRZEZINSKI: So the message to the American public, especially -- I would think, as parents or anybody who -- the young person in the age range that we're talking about -- is how to handle --

If you feel like you might be dealing with a cold or something that could escalate into a flu, how do you deal with it? Do you panic and run to the hospital?

SEC. NAPOLITANO: Oh, that's absolutely the wrong thing. We don't want to flood our ERs with what we call the worried well.

MS. BRZEZINSKI: Yes.

SEC. NAPOLITANO: If you have symptoms, particularly a fever and a very heavy respiratory cough, those are signs, obviously, that you should call your doctor. And particularly if you've been traveling, look at your own travel history, or in a state where there's already exposure.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Dr. Nancy talked about how you're selfish if you go to work sick today. Do you agree with that?

(Laughter.)

SEC. NAPOLITANO: Well, I -- for you, or for everybody? (Laughter.)

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Well, I have to come.

DR. SNYDERMAN: Well, you know what? The reality is I --

(Cross talk.)

MR. SCARBOROUGH: If I didn't go to work when I was sick, with two kids -- (laughter) -- we just pass it around.

But do you agree with Dr. Snyderman?

(Cross talk.)

DR. SNYDERMAN: But you know what? The reality, Joe, is I have to protect Mika. So if you're that sick, you have to go home now. (Laughter.)

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Well, she obviously -- Mika has obviously -- your resistance must be very high, because we've been coughing in my house since September.

MS. BRZEZINSKI: I know. And I haven't been sick once.

SEC. NAPOLITANO: Well, that's great. But hey, in this environment, particularly if you're already in a state where we know we have confirmed cases, or you have any travel history to Mexico, and you develop the symptoms of flu, stay home.

MS. BRZEZINSKI: All right. Well, it's a fine balance.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Well, I don't think my five-year-old has gone to Mexico, so I think we're okay.

MS. BRZEZINSKI: Okay. All right. It's a fine balance. We thank you for coming in and communicating with the American people about this.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Thank you.

SEC. NAPOLITANO: You bet.

MR. SCARBOROUGH: Good luck.

MS. BRZEZINSKI: Secretary Janet Napolitano.

END.

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