PBS NewsHour; February 19, 2021, 3:00pm-4:00pm PST

- ♪ - Captioning sponsored by - NEWSHOUR PRODUCTIONS, LLC - >> Woodruff: GOOD EVENING. - I'M JUDY WOODRUFF. - ON THE NEWSHOUR TONIGHT: - STATE OF EMERGENCY. - TEXAS CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE - IN THE WAKE OFHE WINTER STORM - AS MILLIONS REMAIN WITHOUT - DRINKING WATER, AND POWER IS - SLOWLY RESTORED. - THEN, GETTING THE VACCINE. - PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS TRY TO - RE-BUILD TRUST AMONG INDIGENOUS - AMERICANS, AS THE COVID - INOCULATION CAMPAIGN - ACCELERATES. - >> WE RECOGNIZE AS NATIVE - PHYSICIANS THE DEGREE OF - DISTRUST IN OUR COMMUNITIES. - HOWEVER,E ARE DYING AT MUCH - HIGHER NUMBERS, SO IN ORDER TO - CONTINUE TO PROTECT OUR - COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE TO TAKE - THIS VACCINE UP. - >> Woodruff: AND, IT'S FRIDAY. - DAVID BROOKS AND JONATHAN - CAPEHART CONSIDER REPUBLICAN - IN-FIGHTING, THE LEGACY OF RUSH

- LIMBAUGH, AND PRESIDENT BIDEN'S - FIRST MONTH IN OFFICE. - ALL THAT AND MORE, ON TONIGHT'S - PBS NEWSHOUR. - >> MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS - NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: - ♪ ♪ ♪ - MOVING OUR ECONOMY FOR 160 - YEARS. - BN, THE ENGINE THAT CONNECTS - US. - >> FIDELITY WEALTH MANAGEMENT. - >> CONSUMER CELLULAR. - >> JOHNSON & JOHNSON.

- >> THE JOHN S. AND JAMES L. - KNIGHT FOUNDATION. - FOSTERING INFORMED AND ENGAGED - COMMUNITIES. - MORE AT KF.org. - >> AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT - OF THESE INSTITUTIONS: - AND FRIENDS OF THE NEWSHOUR. - >> THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE - POIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR - PUBLIC BROADCASTING. - AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS - STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. - THANK YOU. - >> Woodruff: T LIGHTS ARE - BACK ON IN MUCH OF TEXAS - TONIGHT, BUT FOR MILLIONS, THE - WATER ISN'T WORKING. - IT IS THE LATEST CRISIS IN A - GRINDING WEEK OF WINTER STORMS - THAT HAVE NOW CLAIMED AT LEAST - 70 LIVES.

- WE TURN AGAIN TO STEPHANIE SY TO - BEGIN OUR COVERAGE. - >> Sy: AFTER LONG DAYS IN THE - DARK, THE POWER HAS LARGELY BEEN - RESTORED IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS - TEXAS THAT ENDURED BITTER COLD. - >> I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING - TO GO OFF AGAIN, IF IT DOES GO - OFF, I DON'T KNOW. - SO, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY WHEN - THE LIGHTS CAME ON, I HURRIED UP - AND MADE A POT OF SHRIMP GUMBO - AND WARMED UP. - >> Sy: STATE GRID OPERATORS SAID - TODAY THEIR SYSTEM IS FINALLY - BACK TO NORMAL OPERATIONS NEARLY - A WEEK AFTER SOME FOUR MILLION - CUSTOMERS LOST POWER. - THAT NUMBER HAD FALLEN MORE THAN - 90% BY THIS EVENING. - BUT, THERE WAS NO END IN SIGHT - FOR A DEBILITATING WATER CRISIS. - PIPES THAT BURST IN THE FRIGID - TEMPERATURES HAVE LED TO A - SHORTAGE. - SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE, A QUARTER - OF THE STATE'S POPULATIO ARE - NOW HAVING TO BOIL THEIR WATER - BEFORE THEY CONSUME IT. - >> THE TEMPERATURE IN THE HOUSE - WAS 33 DEGREES, AND NOW THE - POWER'S BACK ON SO IT'S WARM, - BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY WATER. - SO WE'RE HERE TO GET WATER. - >> Sy: HOUSTON'S DELMAR STADIUM

- HOSTED A BOTTLED WATER DRIVE- - THRU DISTRIBUTION TODAY. - >> I'M GOING TO SIT HERE UNTIL-- - I MEAN, I HAVE NO CHOICE. - ALL THE STORES IN MY AREA ARE - OUT OF WATER. - >> S 24-YEAR OLD TRENT HELT - ECHOED THAT EXPERIENCE, SPEAKING - TO US FROM ARLINGTON, OUTSIDE - DALLAS. - A MAIN PIPE BURST HAS CUT OFF - WATER TO HIS RESIDENCE SINCE - MONDAY. - >> IT'S BEEN INTERESTING, TO SAY - THE LEAST. - WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SHOWER, - AND WE HAD TO BUY MULTIPLE PACKS - WATER TO EITHER WASH DISHES - OR TO BATHE WITH. - TO FLUSH THE TOILETS, WE WERE - SCOOPING THE SNOW UP AND WE WERE - BOILING IT TO MELT IT DOWN, AND - THAT'S HOW WE WOULD FLUSH THE - ILETS OUT OUR HOUSE. - >> Sy: MEANWHILE, PRESIDENT - BIDEN PROMISED MAJOR DISASTER - DECLARATION FOR TEXAS TO - EXPEDITE MUCH-NEEDED RESOURCES,

- AND HE PLANS TO VISIT THE STORM- - RAVAGED STATE SOON. - >> IF IN FACT IT IS CONCLUDED - THAT I CAN DO IT WITHOUT - CREATING A BURDEN FOR THE FOLKS - ON THE GROUND WHILE THEY ARE - DEALING WITH THICRISIS, I PLAN - ON GOING. - BUT I'LL KNOW THAT-- WE LL - MAKE THAT DECISION BEGINNING OF - NEXT WEEK. - >> Sy: AS CALLS FOR - ACCOUNTABILITY GROW LOUDER, BILL - MAGNESS, THE PRESIDENT OF ERT, - WHICH MANAGES THE STATE'S POWER - GRID, SAID TODAY HIS AGENCY IS - OPEN TO NEW IDEAS. - >> WE'RE SUBJECT TO POLICYMAKERS - AND LEADERS, AND, YOU KNOW, HOW - THEY WANT US TO OPERATE. - AND IF THEY'RE SEEING THAT - THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY - GOT TO CHANGE, FROM LOOKING AT - THE TOTALITY OF WHAT WE DID, - WE'LL CERTAINLY TRY TO CHANGE IT - OR TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION WE'RE - TOLD TO DO, TO MANAGE THE ISSUES - THAT THEY'RE SEEING. - >> HEY-HEY, HO-HO! - TED CRUZ HAS GOT TO GO! - >> Sy: TEXAS SENATOR TED CRUZ - ALSO FACED CALLS FOR - ACCOUNTABILITY. - PROTESTERS GATHERED OUTSIDE HIS - HOUSTON HOME, AFTER IT WAS

- REVEALED HE'D FLOWN TO CANCUN AS - THE STATE WAS REELING FROM THE - STORM. - HE FLEW BACK THURSDAY. - >> IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A MISTAKE, - AND IN HINDSIGHT, I WOULDN'T - HAVE DONE IT. - I WAS TRYING TO BE A DAD. - >> Sy: ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE - SOUTH, WATER ISSUES ARE ALSO - PLAGUING OTHER STATES THAT WERE - HIT BY WINTRY WEATHER. - IN MISSISSIPPI, NEARLY ALL OF - THE 161,000 PEOPLE IN THE CITY - OF JACKSON WERE WITHOUT WATER - TODAY. - AND IN TENNESSEE, THE MEMPHIS - INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS FORCED - TO CANCEL ALL ITS FLIGHTS - BECAUSE OF LOW WATER PRESSURE. - WE HEAD BACK TO TEXAS NOW, WHERE - THE WATER OUTAGES ARE SEVERELY - IMPACTING OPERATIONS AT - HOSPITALS ALREADY STRESSED BY - THE PANDEMIC. - JOINING ME NOW IS DR. ESMAEIL - PORSA, PRESIDENT AND C.E.O. OF - HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM IN THE - HOUSTON AREA. - MANY OF ITS PATIENTS ARE - UNINSURED AND UNDER-SERVED. - DR. PORSA, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. - UNDERSTAND ONE OF YOUR HOSPITALS

- THIS WEEK WAS SO DESPERATE FOR - WATERS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD - TO BE CALLED. - WHERE THEY THEN DISTRIBUTED - WATER DIRECTLY FROM A HYDRANT. - WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW ARE THINGS - NOW? - >> THANK YOU FIRST OF ALLOR - HAVING ME AND I WANT TO START AS - ALWAYS WITH THANKING ALL THE - HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. - AND NURSES AND EVERYBODY ELSE - TAKING CARE OF OUR PATIENTS AT - OUR HOSPITALS. - YOU'RE CORRECT. - A COUPLE OF NIGHTS AGO, AROUND - 1:00 IN THE MORNING I WAS - NOTIFIED THAT THE WATER PRESSURE - INSIDE OF A WATER TOWERSHAT - SUPPLIES WATER TO THE HOSPITAL - IN ADDITION TO OUR HVAC SYSTEM - THAT CONTROLS THE HUMIDITY AND - THE TEMPERATURE OF OUR HOSPITAL - WAS RAPIDLY RUNNING OUT OF - WATER. - IT WAS A DESPERATE SITUATION. - I WAS TOLD THAT WITHIN A FEW - HOURS IF THEY COULD NOT - REPLENISH THE WATER TO OUR WATER - TOWER THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY - HAVE TO EVACUATE THE PATIENTS - OUT OFT HOSPITAL. - SO I -- OUT OF THE HOSPITAL. - THE CITY WAS GREAT, TO SEND A - FIRE TRUCK TO THE HOSPITAL.

- THEY WERE ABLE AS YOU MENTIONED - ABLE TO CONNECT THE FIRE HYDRANT - USING A HOSE TO THE WATER TOWER - AND SLOWLY BRING THE WATER UP. - THE WATER HYDRANT UNFORTUNATELY, - WAS FACING THE SAME ISSUE AS THE - REST OF THE SYSTEMS HERE IN - HOUSTON, TEXAS. - THE WATER PRESSURE WAS EXTREMELY - LOW. - BUT IT WAS ENOUGH TO BUY US - TIME, SO THAT DURING THE DAY WE - WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY PURCHASE - SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF - WATER THAT WAS DELIVERED TOUS - THROUGH TRUCKS TO MAIAIN OUR - OPERATIONS. - AND AS THE TEMPERATURES ROSE AND - AS THE WATER PRESSURES IMPROVED - WE WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY MAKE, - WE ARE HOLDING STEADY RIGHT NOW, - THE ISSUE IS NO LONGER THE - WATER. - THE ISSUE IS THE PEOPLE COMING - TO OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS, OURS, IN - ADDITION TO OTHER HOSPITALS IN - THIS AREA, BECAUSE URGENT CARE - CLINICS ARE SHUTTLE DOWN. - THE MAIN ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS IS - OUR DIALYSIS PATIENTS. - HAVING HISTORIC NUMBER OF

- DIALYSIS PATIENTS COMING TO THE - EMERGENCY ROOM SEEKING - TREATMENT. - BECAUSE PRIVATE DIALYSIS CENTERS - HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR THE ENTIRE - WEEK. - >>Sy: SO EVEN BEFORE THIS - WEEK, HOSPITALS WERE ALREADY - DEALING WITH A SURGE OF COVID - PATIENTS IN MANY CASES. - ARE YOU AT CAPACITY AT THIS - FOIBT? - ROUGH -- POINT? - ARE YOU HAVING TO TURN AWAY ANY - OF THESE DIALYSIS PATIENTS - COMING IN OR ANYONE ELSE? - >> WELL, WE ARE AT CAPACITY. - WE HAVE BEEN AT CAPACITY. - AS YOU MENTIONED AT THE - BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION, - WE ARE THE SAFETY NET HOSPITAL - FOR HARRIS COUNTY, THE LARGEST - COUNTY AND MOST POPULACE COUNTY - IN TEXAS. - WE HAVE BEEN AT CAPACITY FOR - ALMOST THE BEGINNING OF THE - PANHANDLE, BEEN AT CAPACITY. - THE SITUATION HASN'T DONE ANY - BETTER. - WHAT HAS HAPPENED ACTUALLY SINCE - THE START OF LAST WEEK OR THIS - WEEK, THE PATIENTS READY TO BE - DISCHARGED CAN BE DISCHARGED - HOME BECAUSE THEY ALSO LACK

- POWER AND WATER. - SO WE HAVE OUR INPATIENT UNITS - GETTING BACKED UP MORE THAN THEY - HAVE BEEN. - WE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 100% - CAPACITY FOR A FEW DAYS NOW. - BUT TO YOUR QUESTION, WHY WE DO - NOT TURN ANYBODY AWAY, WE HAVE - NOT HAD TO TURN ANYBODY AWAY. - WE HAVE MORE THAN 20 OR 30 NOW - PATIENTS WAITING FOR DIALYSIS - TREATMENT IN OUR EMERGENCY - ROOMS. - UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE ONLY ABLE - TO PROVIDE SO MANY SERVICES AS - YOU MAY KNOW, DIALYSIS IS NOT A - QUICK THING. - IT TAKES AT LEAST FOUR HOURS FOR - EACH TREATMENT. - AND WE ONLY HAVE SO MANY - MACHINES, AND TO MAKE THE MATTER - EVEN MORE DIRE, IS THE STAFFING. - OUR STAFF ARE NOT IMMUNE TO - EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WENT ON IN - THE COMMUNITY. - SO THEY HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. - LOSS OF WATER, LOSS OF - ELECTRICITY, BUSTED PIPES, - DAMAGED CEILINGS. - SO IT'S ALL ADDING UP TO BECOME - THE PERFECT STORM IN AN ALREADY - REALLY BAD SITUATION.

- >>Sy: WELL, DR. PORSA, WE - CERTAINLY ARE GLAD THAT YOU HAVE - AT LEAST THE WATER YOU NEED FOR - RIGHT NOW AND THAT THE - TEMPERATURES ARE WARMING UP. - WE WISH YOU THE BEST, TO YOU AND - YOUR STAFF. - DR. ESMAEIL PORSA, PRESIDENT AND - CEO OF THE HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM - JOINING US FROM NEAR HOUSTON. - THANK YOU. - >> THANK YOU. - >> Woodruff: IN THE DAY'S OTHER - NEWS, THE WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMED - THAT THE ARCTIC STORM HAS SET - BACK COVID VACCINE SHIPMENTS. - EXTREME CONDITIONS DELAYED - DELIVERY OF SIX MILLION DOSES, - AND CLOSED VACCINATION SITES IN - SOME PLACES. - BUT IN A VIRTUAL BRIEFING, - PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER ANDY - SLAVITT SAID HE IS CONFIDENT OF - CATCHING UP. - >> NOW AS WEATHER CONDITIONS - IMPROVE, WE'RE ALREADY WORKING - TO CLEAR THIS BACKLOG. - 1.4 MILLION DOSES ARE ALREADY IN - TRANSIT TODAY, AND WE ANTICIPATE

- THAT ALL THE BACKLOG DOSES WILL - BE DELIVERED WITHIN THE NEXT - WEEK, WITH MOST BEING DELIVERED - WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. - CTURFACI TODAY INL ENT BIDEN - $4 BILLION TO HELP BUY VACCINES - FOR POOR COUNTRIES. - THE UNITED STATES IS ONCE AGAIN - PART OF THE PARIS CLIMATE - ACCORD. - THAT BECAME OFFICIAL TODAY, - FOLLOWING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER BY - PRESIDENT BIDEN. - HIS ADMINISTRATION HAS PROMISED - TO SET A NEW TARGET FOR CUTTING - GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. - PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK THE U.S. - OUT OF THE PARIS ACCORD LAST - FALL. - IN ANOTHER BREAK WITH TRUMP - POLICY, THE U.S. HAS BEGUN - ALLOWING IN THE FIRST OF - THOUSANDS OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS - FROM MEXICO. - THEY HAD BEEN WAITING THERE FOR - MONTHS-- OR EVEN YEARS-- WHILE - THEIR CASES ARE DECIDED. - THE POLICY CHANGE AFFECTS SOME - 25,000 MIGRANTS.

- INITIALLY, A FEW HUNDRED A DAY - ARE BEING PROCESSED. - PRESIDENT BIDEN APPEALED TO THE - WORLD'S DEMOCRACIES TODAY TO - TACKLE NEW CHALLENGES, OR RISK - BECOMING RELICS. - HE ADDRESSED THE MUNICH SECURITY - CONFERENCE VIA VIDEO LINK, AND - CALLED FOR ACTION ON ECONOMIC - TROUBLES AND THE PANDEMIC. - HE ALSO PLEDGED A NEW AMERICAN - APPROACH TO NATO, IN HIS FIRST - MAJOR GLOBAL APPEARANCE SINCE - TAKINGFFICE. - >> I KNOW THE PAST FEW YEARS - HAVE STRAINED AND TESTED OUR - TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONSHIP, BUT - THE UNITED STATES IS - DETERMINED... DETERMINED-- TO - RE-ENGAGE WITH EUROPE, TO - CONSULT WITH YOU, TO EARN BACK - OUR POSITION OF TRUSTED - LEADERSHIP. - >> Woodruff: THE PRESIDENT - CHARGED THAT RUSSIA IS WORKING - TO UNDERMINE NATO, AND THAT - CHINA IS USING COERCION AND - ECONOMIC ABUSES TO GAIN - DOMINANCE. - THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS - ALLEGING A BROADER CONSPIRACY - AMONG THE FAR-RIGHT OATH-KEEPERS - MILITIA IN THE STORMING OF THE

- U.S. CAPITOL. - SIX MORE PEOPLE WERE INDICTED - TODAY. - THEY ALLEGEDLY PLOTTED TO USE - MILITARY-STYLE TACTICS IN A BID - TO BLOCK CONGRESS FROM - CERTIFYING PRESIDENT BIDEN'S - ELECTION. - THE U.S. CAPITOL POLICE FORCE - HAS SUSPENDED SIX OFFICERS IN - THE WAKE OF THE DEADLY JANUARY 6 - CAPITOL ATTACK. - TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT SAYS THEY - ARE AMONG 35 OFFICERS BEING - INVESTIGATED FOR HOW THEY - RESPONDED TO THE ASSAULT BY - EXTREMIST TRUMP SUPPORTERS. - SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEOS APPEAR TO - SHOW SOME OFFICERS ESCORTING - RIOTERS INTO THE CAPITOL. - RIDE-SHARING GIANT UBER HAS LOST - A MAJOR COURT FIGHT IN BRITAIN. - THE COUNTRY'S SUPREME COURT - RULED TODAY THAT UBER DRIVERS - ARE, IN FACT, WORKERS, ENTITLED - TO MINIMUM WAGE AND BENEFITS, - RATHER THAN INDEPENDENT - CONTRACTORS. - LAST YEAR, UBER DEATED AN - ATTEMPT IN CALIFORNIA TO TREAT - DRIVERS AS FULL-FLEDGED - EMPLOYEES. - AND ON WALL STREET TODAY, STOCKS - BARELY BUDGED. - THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE

- GAINED JUST ONE POINT TO CLOSE - AT 31,494. - THE NASDAQ ROSE NINE POINTS, AND - THE S&P 500 LOST SEVEN POINTS. - STILL TO COME ON THE NEWSHOUR: - HEALTH OFFICIALS TRY TO RE-BUILD - TRUST OF VACCINES AMONG - INDIGENOUS AMERICANS. - THE U.S. MILITARY GRAPPLES WITH - SEXUAL ASSAULT AMONG SOLDIERS. - DAVID BROOKS AND JONATHAN - CAPEHART ON REPUBLICAN DIVIDES - AND PRESIDENT BIDEN'S FIRST - MONTH IN OFFICE. - PLUS, MUCH MORE. - >> Woodruff: NATIVE AMERICANS - HAVE BEEN AMONG THE HARDEST-HIT - BY COVID-19, BUT, A HISTORY OF - MEDICAL MISTREATMENT LED SOME - INDIGENOUS LEADERS TO BRACE FOR

- CHALLENGES IN VACCINATING THEIR - COMMUNITIES. - SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT FRED DE - SAM LAZARO REPORTS ON THOSE - EFFORTS. - >> Reporter: ON A FRIGID MORNING - IN MINNEAPOLIS, A SIGN OF - PROGRESS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST - COVID-19. - INSIDE A FORMER DOLLAR TREE - STORE, RESIDENTS WAITED FOR - DOSES OF THE MODERNA CORONAVIRUS - VACCINE. - THE EFFORT WAS RUN BY THE NATIVE - AMERICAN COMMUNITY CLINIC, WHICH - SERVES THOUSANDS OF INDIGENOUS - PEOPLE IN THE AREA. - ALTHOUGH NATIVE LANDS ARE - PREDOMINANTLY IN VERY REMOTE - SETTINGS, THE MAJORITY OF NATIVE - PEOPLES IN THE UNITED STATES - ACTUALLY LIVE IN CITIES. - THIS SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS - NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ONE OF THE - DENSEST URBAN NATIVE - POPULATIONS, AND THERE'S A - CONCERTED EFFORT TO VACCINATE - THE ELDERLY. - PEOPLE LIKE 67-YEAR-OLD ELSIE - BUDREAU, AN ENROLLED MEMBER OF - THE LEECH LAKE BAND OF OJIBWE. - SHE'S SPENT MOST OF HER LIFE - GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN

- MINNEAPOLIS AND THE RESERVATION - IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA. - UNTIL THE PANDEMIC HIT, THAT IS. - >> EVERYBODY'S KIND OF KEEPING - TO THEMSELVES, WHICH IS VERY - HARD BECAUSE, IN THE NATIVE - COMMUNITY, YOU-- YOU SHARE A LOT - WITH YOUR FAMILY, AND THAT - HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO HAPPEN. - >> Reporter: SO, WHEN BUDREAU - FOUND OUT SHE COULD GET THE - VACCINE, SHE LEAPT AT THE - OPPORTUNITY. - >> I'M, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, - KIND OF SCARED OF IT, BUT, I-- - MY OWN COMMON SENSE TELLS ME - THAT IT'S SAFE TO GET IT AND - IT'S GOING TO HELP END THE - PANDEMIC. - >> Reporter: NATIONWIDE, - INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HAVE - EXPERIENCED THE HIGHEST DEATH - RATE FROM COVID-19, NEARLY TWICE - THE RATE OF WHITE AMERICANS. - THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE NATIVE - PEOPLE HAVE HIGHER INCIDENCE OF - DIABETES, HEART DISEASE AND - ASTHMA-- CONDITIONS RELATED TO - POVERTY, THAT CAN EXACERBATE A - CORONAVIRUS INFECTION. - ANTONY STATELY IS THE EXECUTIVE - DIRECTOR OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN - COMMUNITY CLINIC, OR "NACC." - >> ESTABLISHING HERD IMMUNITY,

- GETTING 70% TO 80% OF OUR - POPULATION VACCINATED, IS GOING - TO BE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT - MANY COMMUNITIES ARE LOSING - THEIR ELDERS. - THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HOLD - THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR CULTURE, IN - OUR LANGUAGE, THINGS THAT ARE - REALLY IMPORTANT TO US, THAT ARE - AS IMPORTANT TO OUR HEALTH AND - WELL-BEING AS IS MEDICINE, AS IS - FOOD, AS IS WATER AND ALL THOSE - OTHER THINGS. - >> Reporter: STATELY HAS TRIED - TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE - VACCINE ON A NATIVE AMERICAN - RADIO SHOW. - IT'S PERSONAL FOR STATELY, WHO - WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID. - >> THE FIRST NIGHT I GOT THERE, - I JUST CRIED BECAUSE IT SORT OF - HIT ME LIKE A TON OF BRICKS. - I HAD TO SAY GOODBYE TO MY - CHILDREN. - I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS GOING TO - GET HOME. - >> Reporter: AT THE END OF - DECEMBER, NACC HELD A SMALL - CEREMONY WHEN IT VACCINATED ITS - FIRST GROUP OF COMMUNITY ELDERS, - HOPING TO "INFUSE THE MEDICINE - WITH GOOD SPIRIT" AND PROTECT - THEIR PEOPLE. - BUT FOR STATELY, THE VACCINATION

- PUSH COMES WITH A CHALLENGE. - >> NATIVE PEOPLE, WE HAVE THIS - LONG HISTORY OF, YOU KNOW, NOT - BEING VERY TREATED VERY - THE MEDICAL ESTABLIST - E RESECH COMMUNITY. - YOU - COUPLE OF HUNDRED YEARS, OF - BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE BEING, - YOU KNOW, TREATED AS GUINEA PIGS - IN SCIENCE AND IN MEDICAL - RESEARCH SPECIFICALLY. - >> Reporter: THAT DESCRIBES - STATELY'S COUSIN, ROXANNE - FLAMMOND, WHO STOPPED BY FOR A - VISIT. - >> I'M GOING TO PHOENIX. - I'M GOING TO WEAR TWO MASKS AND - A SHIELD. - >> SO YOU DON'T THINK YOU MIGHT - WANT TO TAKE THE VACCINE BEFORE - YOU GO? - >> NO, NO, THAT'S NOT GOING TO - HAPPEN. - >> Reporter: FLAMMOND, WHO'S 67 - AND HAS UNDERLYING HEALTH - CONDITIONS, IS CONCERNED ABOUT - HAVING AN ALLERGIC REACTION TO - THE SHOT, A SIDE EFFECT SEEN IN - A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF - CASES WITH THE PFIZER AND - MODERNA VACCINES. - >> IN THE BEGINNING, I HAD - CONSPIRACY THEORIES, YOU KNOW, - AND I SAID, I'M GOING TO WAIT - UNTIL EVERYBODY, TO SEE WHAT - EVERYBODY ELSE DOES.

- AND IF THEY'RE DROPPING LIKE - FLIES, I'M NOT GETTING I YOU - KNOW, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT, - YOU KNOW, OUR-- HISTORICALLY, - YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT - REALLY TREATED OUR-- OUR PEOPLE, - YOU KNOW, FAIRLY. - >> THAT'S TRUE. - THAT'S TRUE. - >> Reporter: IN THE 1970s, THE - FEDERAL INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE - STERILIZED THOUSANDS OF - INDIGENOUS WOMEN WITHOUT THEIR - PERMISSION, OR AER COERCING - THEM - ROXANNE FLAMMOND SAYS SHE WAS - ONE OF THOSE WOMEN.