>> THIS IS A TEST OF THE
CAPTIONING SYSTEM.
[CAPTION TEST]
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2022
>> SO WE TALKED WITH YOU IN 2015
ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE WHEN IT WAS
AT RECORD LEVELS.
TODAY, IN 2022, IT'S MUCH WORSE.
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE GUN VIOLENCE
IN YOUR CITY AS OUT OF CONTROL?
>> GUN VIOLENCE IN MY CITY IS
OUT OF CONTROL, BECAUSE IT'S TO
THE POINT WHERE KIDS ARE GETTING
CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRES JUST
BEING IN THEIR FRONT YARDS.
>> SO AS WE KNOW --
>> GUNFIRE IN DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE
REINFORCES CALLS FOR REFORM.
NEW COVID CASES MOUNT ONCE
AGAIN.
AND THE BABY FORMULA SHORTAGE
REACHES A CRISIS POINT.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
TONIGHT ON "HERE AND NOW,"
RESEARCH ON OPINIONS OF DOCTORS
ON THE DANGER OF BANNING
ABORTION.
HOW PARENTS FIND BABY FORMULA
EVEN WHEN THE SHELVES ARE BARE.
WE HEAR FROM BARRON COUNTY'S
HEALTH OFFICER, WHERE COVID
TRANSMISSION IS NOW IN THE HIGH
CATEGORY, AND SENATOR LA TONYA
JOHNSON RESPONDS TO GUN VIOLENCE
IN MILWAUKEE.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR MAY 20.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM
>> MILWAUKEE KEEPS BREAKING
RECORDS FOR VIOLENT CRIMES, WITH
86 HOMICIDES THIS YEAR SO FAR.
23 MORE THAN THE RECORD SET LAST
YEAR.
MOST OF THESE HOMICIDES CAUSED
BY GUNFIRE.
THEN A WEEK AGO, THREE SHOOTINGS
DOWNTOWN NEAR THE DEER DISTRICT
INCLUDING A MASS SHOOTING THAT
INJURED 21 PEOPLE.
THE MAYOR THERE HAS NOW IMPOSED
A CURFEW FOR PEOPLE UNDER 17
THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND IS
WORKING TOWARD ADDITIONAL
MEASURES.
WE SAT DOWN WITH DEMOCRATIC
STATE SENATOR LATONYA JOHNSON,
WHOSE DISTRICT INCLUDES THE
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT FOR HER
RESPONSE.
SO WE TALKED WITH YOU IN 2015
ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE WHEN IT WAS
AT RECORD LEVELS THEN.
TODAY, IN 2022, IT'S MUCH WORSE.
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE GUN VIOLENCE
IN YOUR CITY AS OUT OF CONTROL?
>> GUN VIOLENCE IN MY CITY IS
OUT OF CONTROL.
BECAUSE IT'S TO THE POINT WHERE
KIDS ARE GETTING CAUGHT IN THE
CROSS FIRES JUST BEING IN THEIR
FRONT YARDS.
>> SO SO AS WE KNOW, A WEEK AGO
THERE WERE THREE SEPARATE
SHOOTINGS IN THE DEER DISTRICT,
THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT,
INCLUDING A MASS SHOOTING.
WHAT WAS YOUR IMMEDIATE REACTION
TO THAT?
>> I WAS SADDENED, I WAS ANGRY,
FRUSTRATED, BECAUSE IT DIDN'T
HAVE TO GET TO THIS POINT.
WE KNOW IN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE JUST
TOO MANY GUNS.
AND WE NEED TO CLOSE THE GUN
LOOPHOLES TO TRY AND GET SOME OF
THESE GUNS OFF THE STREET.
THE REASON WHY I WAS FRUSTRATED
IS BECAUSE EVERY YEAR, THIS
BECOMES A TOPIC, ESPECIALLY FOR
ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO REPRESENT
MILWAUKEE.
AND WE CAN NEVER GET HELP, NEVER
GET HELP.
BUT YOU KNOW, ONCE IT HITS THE
DEER DISTRICT, THEN IT BECOMES
AN ISSUE OF CONCERN DURING
CAMPAIGN TIME.
AND THIS IS AN ISSUE OF CONCERN
EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR THE PEOPLE
WHO LIVE HERE.
>> ONE SPECIFIC THING THAT THE
MAYOR HAS ANNOUNCED THAT HE IS
DOING IS ENFORCING A CITY-WIDE
CURFEW ON YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER THE
AGE OF 17, AND IMPOSING 100 OR
$200 FINES.
DO YOU THINK THAT WILL WORK?
>> I THINK THAT IT'S A START.
I THINK THAT THE MAYOR IS USING
WHAT HE HAS AT HIS DISPOSAL.
HE CAN'T SIT THERE AND LET THE
CITY CONTINUE TO DECLINE, OR LET
INNOCENT CHILDREN BE KILLED ON
THE STREET.
SO IF HE'S TRYING TO DO
SOMETHING, AND HE'S USING WHAT'S
AVAILABLE, AND THE UNFORTUNATE
THING IS THAT THE POLICE ARE
DOING THEIR JOB.
THEY'RE ARRESTING THESE PEOPLE,
THEY'RE RECOVERING THESE GUNS.
THE MAYOR IS DOING HIS PART.
OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS
DOING THEIR PART WITH WHAT FEW
RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE.
THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO AREN'T DOING
THEIR JOB IS THE STATE
LEGISLATURE.
AND WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO ALLOW
MILWAUKEE TO SHOULDER THIS
BURDEN BY ITSELF.
AND THE ONE THING THAT I REALLY
HATE IS WHEN MY COLLEAGUES TALK
ABOUT THE VIOLENCE, AND THEN
THEY TALK ABOUT POVERTY.
THAT REALLY IRKS ME, BECAUSE
THAT SAYS THAT POOR PEOPLE ARE
VIOLENT, AND THAT'S NOT THE
CASE.
I GREW UP IN LA GRANGE,
TENNESSEE, A THREE-ROOM SHACK,
NO INDOOR PLUMBING, AND I'VE
NEVER BEEN TO JAIL.
YOU KNOW, SO NOT ALL POOR PEOPLE
ARE VIOLENT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE
KNOW.
AND I TRY TO EDUCATE THAT IN THE
CAPITOL.
IN MOST CASES, A LOT OF THESE
PEOPLE ARE VICTIMS JUST LIKE WE
ARE.
THEY'RE TRAPPED IN THE ONLY
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY CAN
AFFORD TO LIVE IN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, VIOLENCE DOES
CAUSE TRAUMA.
AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE FILLED
WITH TRAUMA, THAT TRAUMA IS
GOING TO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT.
AND A LOT OF THAT IS WHAT WE'RE
SEEING WITH THE GUN VIOLENCE.
IT'S TRAUMA.
TRAUMA ON TOP OF TRAUMA.
AND WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB
OF CREATING BETTER ENVIRONMENTS
FOR OUR CHILDREN.
YOU KNOW, OUR KIDS CAN'T GO
OUTSIDE AND PLAY.
WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT FOOD
DESERTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND
THAT'S A HUGE ISSUE, ESPECIALLY
IN TERMS OF OBESITY, BUT WHAT'S
AN EVEN GREATER RISK IS PARENTS
NOT FEELING SAFE ENOUGH TO LET
THEIR KIDS GO OUTSIDE, TO
EXERCISE, TO PLAY.
THAT'S A HUGE ISSUE.
AND THAT'S AFFECTING SO MANY OF
OUR KIDS IN THE CITY.
>> WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO YOUR
CONSTITUENTS AROUND ALL OF THIS?
>> THAT WE ARE TRYING.
I'M TRYING.
THAT AS A BLACK ELECTED, AND I'M
TRYING TO PREVENT MYSELF FROM
CRYING, HAVING WISCONSIN CARRY
THE TITLE OF BEING THE WORST
PLACE IN AMERICA FOR A BLACK
CHILD, THAT HITS HOME, BECAUSE
I'M BLACK.
AND I'M A MOTHER.
HAVING TO ATTEND SO MANY
FUNERALS FOR KIDS, THAT'S
TRAUMA.
HAVING TO GO TO THE CAPITOL YEAR
AFTER YEAR AND BEG FOR HELP,
THAT'S TRAUMA.
AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DO
ANYTHING ABOUT IT, THAT'S
TRAUMA.
BECAUSE AS THE WEATHER GETS
WARMER AND PEOPLE ARE EXCITED
ABOUT GOING OUTSIDE, OUR KIDS
ARE IN THE GREATEST DANGER
BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT ON THE
STREETS.
AND WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.
I HAVE TO GET MY COLLEAGUES TO
CARE.
AND SO MANY TIMES, I'VE BEEN
TOLD, WELL, THIS ISN'T HAPPENING
IN MY DISTRICT SO IT'S NOT MY
ISSUE.
AND I UNDERSTAND, I PROMISE YOU
THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU
KNOW, THEY ARE LAW-ABIDING
CITIZENS AND THEY DESERVE THE
RIGHT TO HAVE THEIR GUNS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HUNT, THEY
DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR GUNS.
BUT WHAT ABOUT WHEN THOSE GUNS
ARE BEING USED ON YOUR CHILDREN?
IF THIS WAS THEM, WHAT WOULD
THEY DO TO TRY AND SAVE A LIFE?
I DON'T THINK LAW-ABIDING LIFE.
ESPECIALLY SAVING THE LIFE OF
INNOCENT CHILDREN.
THERE'S NO REASON THAT A 2 MONTH
OLD IN THE CITY SHOULD KNOW WHAT
A GUNSHOT FEELS LIKE.
BUT THEY DO.
AND THAT'S TOO MUCH.
IT'S UNACCEPTABLE AND WE HAVE TO
DO BETTER.
>> YOU CAN SEE THE EXTENDED
INTERVIEW AT PBSWISCONSIN.ORG BY
CLICKING ON THE NEWS TAB.
IN OTHER NEWS, AS A BABY FORMULA
SHORTAGE WORSENS, PRESIDENT JOE
BIDEN PUT IN PLACE THE DEFENSE
PRODUCTION ACT.
THAT'S AN EMERGENCY ACTION MEANT
FOR TIMES OF WAR, IN ORDER TO
EXPEDITE SUPPLY CHAINS AND GET
FORMULA BACK ON TO SHELVES.
THE CRISIS FELT ACROSS THE
COUNTRY HAS PARENTS SCRAMBLING,
GOING STORE TO STORE TO FIND
FOOD FOR THEIR BABIES.
WE'RE JOINED BY DR. JASMINE
ZAPATA, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
AND STATE EPIDEMIOLOGIST AT THE
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
SERVICES.
AND DOCTOR, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR
BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO HOW CRITICAL IS THIS
SHORTAGE IN WISCONSIN?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THIS IS A VERY CRITICAL
SITUATION BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY
PARENTS, THERE ARE MANY FAMILIES
WHO INDEED, WHEN THEY GO TO THE
STORES, CAN'T FIND THE FORMULA
THAT THEY NEED FOR THEIR BABIES.
SO THIS IS VERY REAL AND IT'S A
VERY CRITICAL SHORTAGE RIGHT
NOW.
>> AND INDEED, IT EXISTS IN
WISCONSIN AS WELL?
>> YES, MM-HMM.
>> SO WHAT HAVE THE FEDS TOLD
YOU ABOUT HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE
TO RELIEVE THE SHORTAGE WITH
THEIR ACTIONS AND WITH THE
MICHIGAN MANUFACTURING PLANT NOW
BACK IN OPERATION AFTER BEING
CLOSED?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
WE ARE HOPING AND WE'VE HEARD
THAT THEY ARE WORKING AS FAST AS
POSSIBLE AND HOPEFULLY THERE
WILL BE SOME RELIEF VERY SOON
BUT WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN AN EXACT
DAY OR AN EXACT TIME PERIOD
WHERE THE SHELVES WILL BE FULLY
STOCKED AND ALL OF THIS GOES
AWAY.
WE JUST KNOW SOON.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME KEY THINGS
THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE EVEN OVER
THE PAST WEEK THAT GIVE US HOPE.
>> SO THE DHS WEBSITE DOES HAVE
A LIST OF FORMULA ALTERNATIVES
THAT PARENTS CAN TURN TO IF THEY
CAN'T FIND THEIR REGULAR BRAND.
HOW DOES A PARENT ASSESS WHAT
ALTERNATIVES MIGHT WORK FOR
THEIR BABY?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
SO IF YOU'RE A PARENT AND YOU
HAVE -- OR A FAMILY MEMBER AND
YOU HAVE A BABY WHO IS USED TO
TAKING A TYPE OF INFANT FORMULA,
IN GENERAL, YOUR BABY CAN TAKE
ANY OTHER TYPE OF INFANT FORMULA
BRAND.
THERE ARE SOME FAMILIES THAT
JUST HAVE A CERTAIN BRAND THAT
THEIR BABY IS USED TO, SO THE
KEY POINT IS THAT YOU CAN TAKE
ANY OTHER TYPE OF INFANT FORMULA
BRAND.
THERE ARE JUST A FEW KEY THINGS
THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO WATCH
OUT FOR, AND TO AVOID THAT CAN
BE HARMFUL FOR THE BABY.
SO IT'S OKAY TO SHIFT TO
DIFFERENT BRANDS, BUT THINGS TO
WATCH OUT FOR AND NOT TO DO IS
TO FEED YOUR BABY COW'S MILK OR
EVEN PLANT BASED MILKS,
ESPECIALLY FOR BABIES WHO ARE
UNDER 1 YEAR OF AGE, THAT CAN BE
VERY HARMFUL TO DO, SO AVOID
THAT.
AVOID WATERING DOWN FORMULAS TO
MAKE THEM STRETCH.
THAT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR
BABIES.
AND THEN AVOID HOMEMADE RECIPES.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IF YOU ARE
LOOKING FOR JUST DIFFERENT
BRANDS OF FORMULAS, THAT IS
OKAY.
>> WHAT IF EVEN THE ALTERNATIVES
ARE OUT OF STOCK AND THE SHELVES
ARE SIMPLY BARE, WHAT THEN?
>> THOSE ARE SOME GREAT
QUESTIONS.
IF THE SHELVES ARE BARE, THERE'S
A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT
YOU CAN DO.
YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO RETAILERS
THAT YOU TRUST, REPUTABLE ONLINE
SOURCES.
THERE HAVE BEEN FAMILIES WHO
HAVE FOUND SUCCESS WITH THAT.
ALSO GOING TO LOCAL CHARITIES
AND LOCAL FOOD BANKS, THEY HAVE
BEEN HELPFUL.
ALSO CONTACTING YOUR LOCAL WIK WIC
OFFICE, THEY HAVE BEEN HELPFUL
DIRECTING PEOPLE TO RESOURCES.
ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU'RE IN A
SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN
ABLE TO FEED YOUR BABY AND IT'S
A DIRE SITUATION, CALL YOUR
HEALTHCARE PROVIDER, BECAUSE
YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER CAN
HELP GUIDE YOU THROUGH SOME
THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO, SOME
OPTIONS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
SO TALK TO YOUR BABY'S
HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IF YOU ARE
COMPLETELY OUT AND THEY MIGHT BE
ABLE TO HELP AS WELL.
>> SO WE HEARD FROM A COMMUNITY
CLINIC IN GREEN BAY THAT MOMS
ARE TAKING TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO
ALERT EACH OTHER WHERE TO FIND
FORMULA.
SOMETIMES VISITING MULTIPLE
STORES AND STILL COMING UP
SHORT.
WHAT, AGAIN, IS YOUR ADVICE FOR
PARENTS WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN
THIS REALLY VERY SCARY KIND OF
CIRCUMSTANCE?
>> YES.
IT DEFINITELY CAN BE A SCARY
CIRCUMSTANCE IF YOU'RE LOOKING
ALL OVER AND YOU CAN'T FIND
FORMULA OR FOOD FOR YOUR BABY.
I WOULD SAY THAT THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING TO DO IS TO CALL
YOUR BABY'S HEALTHCARE PROVIDER
TO ALERT THEM OF THE SITUATION.
BEFORE YOU TAKE FORMULA AND
WATER IT DOWN OR MAKE YOUR OWN,
YOU SHOULD CALL YOUR BABY'S
HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BECAUSE THEY
CAN TALK YOU THROUGH SOME
OPTIONS THAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR
BABY AND THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO
HELP YOU AS WELL.
ANOTHER OPTION IS CONTACTING
SOME MILK BANKS, SOME CERTIFIED
MILK BANKS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE
LACTATING AND PRODUCING MILK FOR
THEIR OWN BABIES THAT THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO DONATE
THAT AS WELL, SO THAT'S
SOMETHING AS AN ALTERNATIVE YOU
CAN LOOK TO, AND OF COURSE LOOK
AT THE DHS WEBSITE TO LOOK FOR
SOME RESOURCES.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING
WITH US, DR. JASMINE ZAPATA.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> IN PANDEMIC NEWS, THIS WEEK
THE U.S. MARKED 1 MILLION DEATHS
CAUSED BY COVID-19 SINCE THE
START OF THE OUTBREAK.
NOW COVID-19 CASES ARE ON THE
RISE AGAIN.
18 WISCONSIN COUNTIES ARE NEWLY
DESIGNATED WITH HIGH LEVELS OF
COVID COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION,
ACCORDING TO A NEW ASSESSMENT
TOOL FROM THE CENTERS FOR
DISEASE CONTROL.
BARRON COUNTY IN NORTHERN
WISCONSIN IS ONE OF THESE.
WE CHECK IN WITH BARRON COUNTY
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER LAURA
SAUVE.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO THE STATE REPORTS THAT
COVID CASES HAVE GONE UP AT
LEAST 50% IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
WHAT KIND OF INCREASES ARE YOU
SEEING IN YOUR COUNTY?
>> WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING IN THE
LAST FOUR WEEKS A FAIRLY STEADY
RATE OF CASES.
WE'VE BEEN IN THE HIGH RISK
RANGE ON AND OFF FOR FOUR WEEKS
AS WELL.
>> SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BARRON
COUNTY TO YOUR UNDERSTANDING?
>> SO WE'RE NOT SEEING ONE LARGE
OUTBREAK THAT'S SPURRING THIS.
WE'RE REALLY SEEING, WHEN WE
TALK TO PEOPLE, THAT IT STILL IS
SPREAD MOSTLY WITHIN A FAMILY
UNIT OR WITHIN SOCIAL SETTINGS,
PEOPLE GOING TO AN EVENT AND NOW
WE'RE SEEING A COUPLE OF PEOPLE
COMING DOWN WITH THIS AND THEN
SPREADING TO OTHER PEOPLE WITHIN
THEIR SOCIAL CIRCLE.
>> SO HOW CONCERNING IS THIS TO
YOU AS THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER
THERE?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE
ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT ANYTHING
THAT'S GOING TO MAKE PEOPLE ILL.
ESPECIALLY THE REASON THAT WE'RE
IN HIGH RISK IS BECAUSE WE ARE
SEEING MORE HOSPITALIZATIONS,
AND THE CDC'S NEW DESIGNATION
TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE NUMBER OF
CASES AS WELL AS HOW MANY PEOPLE
ARE BEING HOSPITALIZED AND HOW
MANY AVAILABLE HOSPITAL BEDS WE
HAVE.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS CONCERNED JUST
LIKE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE
PANDEMIC, WHERE WE WANTED TO
SLOW THE CURVE AND PROTECT OUR
HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, WE'RE REALLY
LOOKING TO PROTECT OUR MEDICAL
SYSTEM SO THAT, IF I GET IN A
CAR ACCIDENT OR HAVE A HEART
ATTACK, I CAN STILL GET THE
QUALITY CARE WE'RE USED TO.
>> HAVE YOU SEEN ANY DISCERNIBLE
CHANGE IN PREVENTIVE BEHAVIOR,
LIKE INDOOR MASK WEARING AS
RECOMMENDED BY STATE HEALTH
OFFICIALS AMONG THE PUBLIC THERE
IN RESPONSE TO THIS?
>> I WOULD SAY WE DON'T SEE A
LOT OF MASK WEARING IN OUR RURAL
COMMUNITIES AS A WHOLE.
THAT IS THE ONE THING THAT HELPS
PROTECT US AND OUR NEIGHBORS
THAT WE WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE
TO CONTINUE TO DO, ESPECIALLY
WHEN WE'RE IN THIS RED HIGH RISK
TIME.
>> DO YOU SUSPECT THAT THE
NUMBERS IN YOUR COUNTY AND
ELSEWHERE ARE ACTUALLY HIGHER
BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE TEST
POSITIVE WITH THESE HOME TESTS?
>> OH, YES.
WE BELIEVE THAT OUR NUMBERS ARE
A VAST UNDERCOUNT OF THE NUMBER
OF POSITIVE TESTS AND POSITIVE
CASES THAT ARE ACTUALLY
CIRCULATING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY
AT THIS TIME.
>> DID PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS
LIKE YOURSELF THINK THAT WE
WOULD BE IN THIS PLACE AGAIN AT
THIS TIME?
IT KIND OF SEEMED LIKE WE HAD A
HANDLE ON THIS.
>> RATE.
I THINK THE AMOUNT OF HOPE WE
HAD IN EARLY 2021, WHEN THE NEW
VACCINES WERE COMING OUT AND WE
WERE SO HOPEFUL THAT WE WERE
GOING TO SEE THE ENDS OF THIS
THROUGH VACCINATION EFFORTS, I
THINK IT'S BEEN SOUL CRUSHING,
TO BE HONEST, THAT THAT DIDN'T
COME ABOUT.
WERE HOWEVER, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
GETTING VACCINATED AND SOME OF
THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD
PREVIOUS INFECTIONS ARE NOT
GETTING, USUALLY, AS SERIOUS OF
INFECTIONS THIS TIME AROUND.
SO WE STILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO
GET VACCINATED.
>> BECAUSE I NOTE THAT BARRON
COUNTY HAS A FULLY VACCINATED
AND BOOSTED RATE OF 29%.
THAT SEEMS LOW TO ME.
WHAT'S YOUR COMMENT ON THAT?
>> WE ARE SEEING ABOUT HALF OF
OUR POPULATION WHO HAVE HAD THE
INITIAL DOSE OF THE VACCINES,
AND WE ARE ACTIVELY AT PUBLIC
HEALTH AND OUR HEALTHCARE
PARTNERS ARE ACTIVELY OFFERING
THE BOOSTERS AND ENCOURAGING
PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
HERE AT PUBLIC HEALTH, WE'RE
GOING INTO OUR LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITIES TO MAKE SURE ALL OF
OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS
ARE FULLY VACCINATED AND HAVE
HAD THEIR FIRST AND SECOND
BOOSTERS.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST CONTINUE TO
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE AND MAKE THE
VACCINE AS AVAILABLE AS POSSIBLE
FOR PEOPLE.
>> YOU SPOKE TO HOSPITALIZATIONS
AND HOW THAT HAS LED TO THE HIGH
KIND OF CATEGORY IN YOUR COUNTY.
IS THERE A DANGER AT THIS TIME
THAT THOSE HOSPITALS ARE KIND OF
REACHING ANY KIND OF CAPACITY?
>> I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT.
HOWEVER, I HAVE SEEN IT AS
NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN, OUR
HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY RESPONSE
COALITION PUTS OUT A REPORT ON A
WEEKLY BASIS, AND THERE ARE SOME
CONCERNS THAT SOME OF OUR HIGHER
LEVEL CARE FACILITIES, WHERE WE
MIGHT TRANSFER SOMEONE WHO MIGHT
BE MORE SEVERELY ILL, ARE SEEING
LIMITED SPACE AGAIN, SO THAT
ABILITY TO TRANSFER TO THE MORE
SERIOUSLY ILL PEOPLE MIGHT BE
MORE LIMITED.
I WOULD HATE TO GIVE YOU THE
WRONG INFORMATION ABOUT OUR
SPECIFIC HEALTHCARE ENTITIES.
BUT THAT'S WHAT I KNOW ON A
REGIONAL BASIS RIGHT NOW.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK
AND YOUR TIME TALKING WITH US ON
THIS, LAURA SAUVE.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALSO THIS WEEK, THE LEAKED
SUPREME COURT DRAFT OPINION TO
OVERTURN ROE V. WADE CONTINUES
TO PLAY OUT AS A POLITICAL
BATTLE.
THIS WEEK, REPUBLICAN SCOTT
FITZGERALD FROM THE FIFTH
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT GAVE
REMARKS DURING A HOUSE JEW JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE MEETING ON ABORTION
CARE ACCESS.
>> I BELIEVE EVERY HUMAN LIFE IS
PRECIOUS AND SHOULD BE PROTECTED
AT EVERY STAGE.
IF THE LEAKED SUPREME COURT
OPINION ENDS UP BEING THE FINAL
PRODUCT AND OVERTURNS ROE VERSUS
WADE, IT WOULD BE A FANTASTIC
VICTORY FOR LIFE AND FOR THE
BABIES.
THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT HAS BEEN
DECADES WORKING ON THIS
MOVEMENT.
>> FOR HIS PART, DEMOCRATIC
GOVERNOR TONY EVERS SPOKE AT A
RALLY IN SUPPORT OF ABORTION
OPTIONS AT THE STATE CAPITOL.
>> THE DECISION BY THE SUPREME
COURT TO OVERTURN ROE AND
DECADES OF WELL ESTABLISHED
PRECEDENT WILL HAVE A DISASTROUS
CONSEQUENCE FOR FOLKS IN EVERY
CORNER OF OUR COUNTRY AND OUR
STATE, AND THAT INCLUDES SO MANY
WISCONSIN WOMEN AND THEIR
FAMILIES, AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT
THIS IMPACTS -- THE IMPACTS OF
THIS DECISION WILL ESPECIALLY BE
BORNE BY LOW INCOME FOLKS AND
WISCONSINITES OF COLOR ALSO.
>> ONE REETCHER WANTS TO KNOW
HOW WISCONSIN DOCTORS FELT ABOUT
ABORTION.
TWO SURVEYS OF PHYSICIANS
CONDUCTED BY THE UW
COLLABORATIVE FOR REPRODUCTIVE
EQUITY SHOW THAT THE
OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF WISCONSIN
DOCTORS FAVOR ABORTION AS PART
OF THE WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE.
WE TURN TO THE COLLABORATIVE'S
DIRECTOR, JENNY HIGGINS,
PROFESSOR OF OBSTETRICS AND
GYNECOLOGY AND GENDER AND WOMEN
STUDIES.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME AND
PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE.
I APPRECIATE IT.
>> SO WHY DID YOU CONDUCT THIS
SURVEY OF UW SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
PUBLIC HEALTH PHYSICIANS?
>> WE SOMETIMES HAVE THIS SENSE
BECAUSE OF THE WAY ABORTION IS
COVERED IN THE MEDIA THAT THERE
IS A 50/50 BREAK DOWN OF PEOPLE
WHO FEEL SUPPORTIVE OF OR ARE
AGAINST ABORTION, AND SEEMING
IMPORTANCE TO DOCUMENT THE
PRECISE NUMBER OF PHYSICIANS IN
PARTICULAR WHO FELT SUPPORTIVE
OF ABORTION OR CONCERNED ABOUT
ABORTION RESTRICTIONS IN PART
BECAUSE AS PHYSICIANS, THEY'RE
THE BEST PEOPLE TO BE IN A
POSITION TO MAKE THE
EVIDENCE-BASED DECISIONS ABOUT
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE.
>> SO WHAT DID THE SURVEY FIND
THEN?
>> WE FOUND OVERWHELMINGLY THAT
PHYSICIANS NOT ONLY ARE
SUPPORTIVE OF ABORTION, BUT THAT
THEY THINK THAT WOMEN'S HEALTH
IN WISCONSIN WILL GET WORSE IF
ROE V. WADE IS OVERTURNED.
SO 91% OF OVER 900 PHYSICIANS WE
SURVEYED SAID THAT WOMEN'S
HEALTH IN OUR STATE WOULD GET
WORSE IF ABORTION WERE TO BECOME
ILLEGAL.
OVER 90% OF PHYSICIANS ALSO
EXPRESSED AT LEAST SOME LEVEL OF
CONCERN ABOUT LEGISLATIVE
INTERFERENCE AND THE
DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP.
>> FIRST, HOW WOULD IT GET WORSE
FOR WOMEN?
>> WELL, WE DIDN'T ASK THAT IN
THAT PARTICULAR STUDY.
IN ANOTHER STUDY, WE INTERVIEWED
ABOUT 23 HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
WHO ARE MORE SPECIFICALLY
INVOLVED IN REPRODUCTIVE
HEALTHCARE AND ABORTION CARE, SO
NOT A GENERAL POPULATION OF
PHYSICIANS BUT THIS WAS NOW A
MORE SPECIALIZED POPULATION OF
PHYSICIANS, AND WE ASKED THEM
SOME OF THEIR FEELINGS ABOUT
WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN AS A RESULT IF
ROE IS OVERTURNED.
THEY DESCRIBED A NUMBER OF
CONCERNS THEY HAD ABOUT THAT,
ONE BEING BOTH SHORT AND LONG
TERM NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING, SO AS AN
EXAMPLE, CARRYING A PREGNANCY TO
TERM AND GIVING BIRTH IS
INHERENTLY MUCH MORE RISKY THAN
GETTING A FIRST TRIMESTER
ABORTION, SO JUST BY BEING
FORCED TO HAVE PREGNANCIES AND
GIVE BIRTH THAT PEOPLE WEREN'T
EXPECTING TO, THEIR RATE OF
MATERNAL MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY
CAN GO UP.
ALSO THE EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL
CONSEQUENCES OF NOT BEING ABLE
TO OBTAIN ABORTIONS, PHYSICIANS
IN OUR SURVEY REPORTED THAT
PEOPLE WOULDN'T DO AS WELL IF
THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO -- THEY AND
THEIR CHILDREN WOULDN'T DO AS
WELL IF THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO
RECEIVE THE ABORTIONS THEY
WANTED TO HAVE.
>> SO WHAT WOULD LEGISLATIVE
INTERFERENCE LOOK LIKE?
>> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND
THAT QUESTION WAS WRITTEN IN A
VERY BROAD WAY.
WE WERE INTERESTED IN -- WE
WANTED TO SEE A LITTLE BIT AS
DID PHYSICIANS FEEL SOMEHOW
DIFFERENTLY ABOUT ABORTION
RELATED INTERFERENCE VERSUS
OTHER TYPES OF LEGISLATIVE
INTERFERENCE, BUT I THINK WHAT I
TOOK AWAY FROM THAT FINDING WAS
THAT IN GENERAL, AT LEAST THE
PHYSICIANS WE SURVEYED, THERE
WAS A SENSE OF IF -- THAT WE AS
PHYSICIANS OR I AS A PHYSICIAN
AM IN THE BEST PLACE TO MAKE
DECISIONS ABOUT HEALTHCARE OR
HOW HEALTHCARE SERVICES SHOULD
OCCUR AS OPPOSED TO PEOPLE WHO
DON'T HAVE THAT BACKGROUND.
BUT MOSTLY I THINK IT'S JUST AN
INDICATION THAT PHYSICIANS IN
OUR STATE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE
ENSURING THAT HEALTHCARE
PROGRAMS OCCUR IN A CERTAIN WAY.
>> DOES THERE EXIST A STIGMA
AROUND THE PROCEDURE, EVEN FOR
PHYSICIANS WHO SUPPORT IT
MEDICALLY?
>> YEAH, THERE'S TREMENDOUS
STIGMA AROUND THE PROCEDURE, AND
WE FOUND THIS IN OUR SURVEY AS
WELL, SO ONE WAY IT'S MANIFESTED
IS THAT WHILE, ON AVERAGE,
PEOPLE IN OUR SURVEY WERE
INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE OF
ABORTION, THEY PERCEIVED THEIR
PEERS TO BE LESS SUPPORTIVE ON
AVERAGE, RIGHT?
IN PART BECAUSE ABORTION IS
STIGMATIZED.
SO EVERYONE FEELS AS IF EVERYONE
ELSE IS A LITTLE LESS SUPPORTIVE
THAN THEY ARE, WHEN IN FACT THE
NORM IS TO BE QUITE SUPPORTIVE.
THEY ALSO -- A SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER OF PHYSICIANS IN OUR
SURVEY SAID THAT THEY WORRIED
ABOUT ALIENATING THEIR PEERS OR
THEIR PATIENTS IF THEY WERE TO
TAKE A PUBLIC STANCE ABOUT
ABORTION.
AGAIN, SUGGESTING THAT THERE'S
SOME SOCIAL STIGMA SURROUNDING
THIS TOPIC.
>> VERY, VERY COMPLICATED STUFF.
JENNY HIGGINS, THANKS VERY MUCH.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
>> TAKE CARE.
>> THE BOARD OF REGENTS THIS
WEEK NAMED THE NEW CHANCELLOR OF
UW-MADISON.
JENNIFER MNOOKIN WILL TAKE THE
HELM OF THE FLAGSHIP CAMPUS IN
AUGUST.
SHE'S CURRENTLY DEAN OF THE UCLA
LAW SCHOOL.
NO SOONER HAD SHE BEEN NAMED
THAN LEGISLATIVE REPUBLICANS
TORCHED HER HIRE.
STEVE NASS, VICE CHAIR OF THE
SENATE UNIVERSITIES COMMITTEE
CALLED IT QUOTE RIDICULOUS.
SAYING JENNIFER MNOOOKIN HAS A
VERY CLEAR HISTORY OF ADVOCATING
FOR THE FORCED INDOCTRINATION OF
COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH CRITICAL
RACE THEORY.
>> WHEN I GET TO MADISON, I'D
LOOFLOVE TO TALK IN GREAT DETAIL
ABOUT CRITICAL RACE THEORY.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES ON IT, AND IT'S
BECOME SOMETHING THAT WHEN
PEOPLE ENGAGE WITH, I'M NOT EVEN
SURE THEY'RE TALKING AT ALL
ABOUT THE SAME THING.
>> BY WAY OF DISCLOSURE, PBS
WISCONSIN IS PART OF UW-MADISON.
FOR MORE ON THIS AND OTHER
ISSUES FACING WISCONSIN, VISIT
OUR WEBSITE AT PBSWISCONSIN.ORG
AND THEN CLICK ON THE NEWS TAB.
THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
WISCONSIN.