Prompting the government to take action. Public schools in new york city will close on thursday in an effort to contain soaring numbers of new coronavirus infections. The citys mayor bill de blasio said there would be a halt to in 1st and learning in schools. I do what he calls an abundance of caution. Us Authorities Say boeings, a 737 max airliner will be allowed to fly again. If planes are fitted with new software and pilots are given special training. The jet was grounded after 2 crashes that killed nearly 350 people. Both accidents were caused by faults with the Flight Control system. The 20 month a grounding is the longest in commercial aviation history. This is g. W. News from berlin. Follow us on twitter and instagram ats to w. News or visit our website did a view dot com. Today german lawmakers passed legislation that gives the government more Legal Backing for decisions a bit protecting Public Health in the pandemic. This includes social distancing, rules, facemask requirements, and closing stores. The government enjoys broad support for these coronavirus policies, but there are loud opponents making outrageous claims and saying politicians are using Public Health to disguise the erosion of personal freedoms. Similar they say to hell, the nazi party used the power of parliament to dismantle democracy. Im burnt off in berlin. This is the day to be allowed to oppose the measures even to deny the obvious told us it is and must be possible in a free and open country to fight for the fate. This is about that. Anyone who doesnt understand that, im sorry, must have restrictions on fundamental rights are being passed just because your love doesnt make you right. And it certainly doesnt mean you are in the majority. Also coming up at mass coronavirus testing in liverpool, england. The British Government hopes that it will help stem the virus, but there are warnings. It may have lead to the public, letting down their gore. We need to explain to the public that this is not a possible to misbehave. This part of the jackson hole of white a Public Protection protesters pushed back by police with water cannon steer the Brandenburg Gate here in berlin. People violating the laws and social distancing en masse swearing, accusing police and politicians of using the Coronavirus Crisis to deny them. Of their civil rights, which you our viewers on p. B. S. In the United States and to all of our viewers around the world. Welcome. But we begin the day with a clear and controversial message about the current pandemic and the ones yet to come. Today both houses of the German Parliament passed legislation designed to remove a legal gray area concerning the governments power to protect Public Health. A strong legal underpinning for decisions such as requiring facemasks in public were shutting down businesses. And the legislation was debated today and moved through parliament quickly. The reason lawmakers say the government still has work to do before the current pandemic ends. And they say future governments will need the same Legal Backing if and when another pandemic happens. Here is what the German Health minister yen spahn said today about the legislation. Protection of health is not absolute. But we have decided that Health Protection will have a relatively greater weight in this pandemic. Since we have decided by a large majority in society until youre in parliament that we do not want to accept an overstraining our Health System that we can as absolutely avoid suffering through illness, intensive care being on a ventilator and death with us. We want to reduce the suffering to the best of our abilities. Its one of the more tonight im joined now by andrew goldman. He is a member of the German Parliament for the business friendly f. T. P. Party. He also happens to be a medical doctor by training dr. Allman, its good to have you on the day again, why was this legislation needed decisions by the government, restricting personal freedoms, closing stores, etc . Are they on the verge of being unconstitutional . I wouldnt go that far yet. We need at this debate in the parliament, it was overdue. And this help democracy works in germany. We have legislation power and also the extent of power and we control each other. And thats why it was important that we had the debate. Didnt happen for a very long time in our parliament. And honestly, i do not really see so for the personal freedom is eroded, the major problem is the acceptance of the rulings. And so far, these rulings were done without, without palminteri and power and that was necessary today, even though i do not agree with all the laws that were passed today, the legislation that was passed addresses the current situation, the current pandemic. Do you think that it will make it easier for future governments to react when and if another pandemic occurs . I dont think so because there was this law passed very quickly. This was important. It was passed very quickly. However, we from the opposition. A lot of critics on the law and the free democrats also brought in a new motion with a different law that was more thorough. Only written, clear cut, actually looking at the different stages of a pandemic and how to react to the make. Because the, the situation that were facing here so far is that there is a majority of course accepting those rules. But a lot of those rulings are not very logical and doesnt really make sense. And this has to be debated again and again, of course, im not quite sure if this is going to stand by the constitutional a courts here in germany. So youre saying the legislation passed today may not stand up in its challenge before the Constitutional Court if that theres a possibility that down could happen is nothing thats quite an unconstitutional. But theres a lot of lacking points in the law because the, the government needs to explain their ruling and also has to bring this into the parliament. And so far its just passed a bill and said these are the, the rules that were going to do period. And that is not good enough. And then we have to be more precise in those laws. Could you tell me what is the one thing about this legislation that needs to be changed . What would you change . Well, 1st of all i would, i would really change what has to be done in a different situation. Dependent. He starts off, or you have to prevent an infection, and these are, of course, those rules that we know about this physical distancing wearing mask in the public, especially in Public Transportation or in buildings, buildings. Then the next step is when the endemic is quickly rising. This number of infections are increasingly very strongly then stronger measures have to be made. And this is, that is whats missing in this legislation that the connection between what is happening and what has to be done is not there just says if theres a pandemic situation, these are the things that we have to do. And that is not clear cut enough before we run out of time, dr. Allman, let me get your reaction to the news that pfizer and by on tech have successfully ended the late stage trials for their corona virus vaccine. I mean, thats wonderful news, isnt it . Oh, this is really wonderful news today, the press release by be on tech and pfizer is very promising. I was still skeptical a week ago when we werent so sure if the effect of that vaccine goes through all h. Groups. This was in the press release today that it goes through the age groups, the effectiveness of the vaccine of 95 percent. Now im awaiting the primary publication of that data. And secondly, i do hope its not only put into the f. D. A. Filing. Its also put in the enough filing here for europe, so that we might have a new vaccine by march of next year. Yeah, im going to ask you about that. Pfizer says that it plans to ask the f. D. A. In the u. S. For emergency approval. As soon as this week, when do you expect the request for approval here in europe . When is that request going to come . Well, i hope as soon as possible, of course, because we are in a similar situation as in north america. And the company here in germany cooperation with pfizer in the us. And i do hope i asked the company today. I didnt get any information about from them so far if theyre going to file student here in europe, because the filing situation is pretty much similar between the u. S. And in europe. Ok, dr. Andrew allman member of the German Parliament. Dr. Almost, we appreciate your time and your insights tonight. Thank you. Thank you for having me again. Well, in the us, the food and Drug Administration has given merges the approval to the 1st rapid coronavirus tests that can be done at home after a simple nasal swab. The result, positive or negative, appears in about 30 minutes. This test does require a doctors prescription, but it bypasses the lengthy process of waiting for results from a lab. But this is good news against a global backdrop of restrictions and lockdowns. Here in europe, there is a patchwork of National Responses to the corona virus. Now this map shows all of the countries that have imposed a partial or total nationwide lockdown as it stands tonight, there are 70 countries with a go from austria, which began a total lockdown on tuesday. Youve got germany, which is in the middle of a 4 week partial lockdown stores, schools are open, restaurants, bars and gyms are closed. The World Health Organization says that more than half of new infections reported worldwide last week came from europe. And the situation is worse in the United States. What we see here are the states that have issued a stay at home order, similar to european lockdowns. And as you see here, new mexico is the only state that does that. Theyre supposed to be color coded and you, mexico is the only state that is telling people that they have to stay home. Other states are advising that they do that, which is california. You see there kentucky and then in the northeast we have the states of massachusetts and rhode island, where the days best news in the pandemic is a transatlantic story. The u. S. Pharmaceutical giant pfizer and germanys buy on tech have announced that they are corona virus vaccine has passed all safety tests and trials. Biotechs c. E. O. Says regulators in europe and the u. S. Could approve the vaccine as early as december safety. And that its so far in the case that they feel is there a total of 8, that could happen that we get an auto because they should until mid of these tend to have to provide 1st millions of those as an experienced to the region. Get an approval on all right for more now on the latest in the coded vaccine raise, im joined by amish dogs and hes a senior scholar and Johns Hopkins center for public, for health security. Its good to have you on the program. The pfizer biotech vaccine, it has taken just 10 months to develop, which is a remarkably short time. How can we be sure that its safe . We can be sure that it is safe because weve seen in animal data, weve seen phase one in face 2, and now face 3 days, you have to remember that speed, its just exene was made, had to do with the fact that it was using a new technology an m. R. I. , any vaccine platform, and thats where we cut this feet out and wasnt that the safety was at there were corners cut in phase one or 2 trials. We will have to follow people once they are vaccinated. 3 years, like we do with all the axioms. But in the middle of a pandemic, were going to get an emergency use authorization based on the safety data that we have so far. And it does look good and you think we have to continue to follow, as i said, to make sure nothing late longer term occurs. But i do think everything is it is pointing the right way when it comes to this vaccine amiss. Are you concerned that there are no long term observations with this vaccine . Im not concerned in the sense that any time we have a vaccine it gets approved and then we follow people out in what are called phase for trials. So when the h. P. V. Vaccine was that was approved, we didnt have 2 or 3 or 4 years of safety data, but we followed people even after it was approved. And it ended up being say, i dont have a major concern most the vaccines that make it this far dont usually have long term consequences. I think its important to study that. But to me, i dont think theres going to be a signal yet. I think that in the middle of a pandemic, you also have to weigh the risk in the benefit. And i do think that the vaccines, the way were seeing them now, are really, its the benefits outweigh any risk that, that we have with not having a long term data. Do you plan to get the vaccine . I do plan to get the vaccine. As soon as im in an eligible group, i am a Health Care Worker and take care of covert patients now. So i may be in the 1st priority group, so i will gladly get this vaccine. We know pfizer in biotech say the vaccine is 95 percent effective and i know that they were static about that number. 95 percent. Why is that number so impressive . The number so impressive because we never thought that a 1st generation vaccine using a new technology would reach those types of that level of protection from symptomatic over. We were looking at 5060 percent. Thats what we would have been happy with. But this even really hit it out of the ballpark. 90 percent really made people take a step back and understand that this technology does have a lot of promise, not just for cove it, but for future Infectious Disease vaccines as well. We know that vaccine denial is likely to be an issue of blood signs of the atlantic. There will definitely be some safety concerns among the public. How many people will need to be vaccinated to ensure herd immunity and to stop this pandemic . Its likely going to be maybe 7080 percent of the population. If you assume that everybody has the same risk of, of transmitting the infection. It may also the fact that were not 1st looking at herd immunity or were looking to try and decrease the virulence of this infection to be able to stop people from needing to be hospitalized. So we may be able to give our hospitals breathing room before we get near that herd immunity threshold. So its important to remember that this vaccine because it is so effective, is likely to really be able to take the pressure off of hospitals and take the pressure off i. C. U. Beds and ventilators. And thats really whats driving a lot of the Public Health concern about this virus thats whats lacking. The curve is about is about keeping it below hospital capacity. How do you think governments and Public Health officials should deal with this vaccine skepticism that we, that we see we have to really be as transparent as possible about the process that led to the development of these vaccines. What the Clinical Trials show in terms of both the safety and the efficacy, try to be able to answer any question that may come up. Tell people what we know, what we dont know and really detail them on all of the benefits that this vaccine may provide. And help them make this risk benefit calculation. We have to be proactive. We cannot be reactive because the anti vaccine groups will already be going after this vaccine prior to its prior to its arrival. You know, in, from expecting to level 2, expecting too much from these vaccines are what you take a listen to what mark ryan said today hes with the World Health Organization. Take a listen through some people think the vaccine will be in a sense the solution, the unicorn, weve all been chasing. Its not having vaccines, its going to give us a huge chance. But if we add vaccines and forget the other, things does not go to 0 a measure. Are you concerned that once the 1st vaccine injection is given . Are you concerned that will see people do drop social distancing, stop wearing face masks, and let down their guard. Were already seeing people let down their guard, and i do think that there is that danger. You have to remember that the vaccine isnt going to be a magic bullet unless its coupled with a lot of other things in till we get across a herd immunity threshold. And its going to take a process of years to get the world vaccinated. So koven 1000. 00 is not going to go right to a sleazy roque. We will still need to think about what measures we need to do to keep ourselves safe, especially for those who arent able to get the vaccine or who are the vaccine doesnt work for a number, not everybodys going to be in a priority. So this is going to be important that we have to get through this process by a lot, by using a lot of common sense things youve been doing from the beginning, wearing a mask social distancing washing your hands a lot. All of thats going to continue for some time, even when the vaccine is available. Let me ask you, before we run out of time, did the German Health minister says they could get vaccines will not be compulsory. Do you think thats an sensible policy . Its going to be hard to make a vaccine compulsory when its only if im a available on an emergency use basis. I think once you see full license york and a much more robust safety profile, then i think you can see, youll see schools, for example, or employers making these vaccines a requirement as a condition of entry. But i think in the early rollout of this vaccine, its likely going to be just something is highly encouraged, but not something that we will. You have a basis for mandy, because of the, because of the lack of all of the long term safety data, which we wont have for a couple of years. And which will then will lead to the full licensure of the x. E. Amission gone to the Johns Hopkins center for security missions. Good to have you on the show. We appreciate your time in your valuable insights tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Well, a city that has tested all of its residents that describes the northwest english city of liverpool. It has become the 1st city in the u. K. To carry out mass testing of the entire population around 100000 people have been screen