Anheuser-Busch Joins Other Alcohol Companies in Producing Hand Sanitizer.
TAPPER: Many businesses are stepping up to help fill the shortage of medical supplies, including Anheuser-Busch which you probably bet know for Budweiser Beer. But the company is now using its production lines to make hand sanitizer. The company also announced today it is working with the sports partners to set up temporary blood drive centers in arenas and stadiums. Joining me to discuss, Cesar Vargas, he's the Chief External Affairs Officer for Anheuser-Busch coming to us live from his home it looks like. Cesar, thanks so much for joining us. Can you explain to us how you were able to rework the system to make hand sanitizer and how you're going to distribute it?</s>CESAR VARGAS, CHIEF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS OFFICER, ANHEUSER-BUSCH (via Cisco Webex): Absolutely. Thanks for having me, Jake. The first thing I'd say is this, look, we're all facing this enormous public health challenge and we're all in this together, including Anheuser-Busch. We're focused on a few key areas, the first is taking care of our employees. We're going to make sure they have the support and resources to stay safe and health. We're also going to keep providing some joy and some comfort and some normalcy to people at a time when it's desperately needed through our brands and our products. And then the last piece is what you mentioned, we want to make sure that we're stepping up to help serve and support our communities in need. So, we have some unique capabilities, some relationships and some reach that we like to leverage at times like this when our communities need us. So, on the manufacturing side of things we announced a couple of days ago that we're going to be producing and bottling hand sanitizer at several of our breweries. We're going to be sending that hand sanitizer first of all to our own employees, make sure they have the supplies they need, but then we're partnering with the Red Cross and we're going to be donating that hand sanitizer through the Red Cross to the communities that need it most. Then the other announcement that you mentioned today is about really redirecting some of our sports and entertainment investments that really help the Red Cross as well as those on the front line in the battle against COVID-19. So that includes a $5 million donation to the Red Cross. It includes working with our partners, all of the major sports leagues and some of the sports teams individually so we can donate stadiums and other venues that the Red Cross can use for blood drives. The Red Cross told us that they've had to cancel somewhere about 7,000 blood drives as a result of COVID-19. So, it's a real need on their behalf. And then we're going to open up our own facilities. We have tour centers in our breweries in Merrimack, New Hampshire and St. Louis, Missouri, finally we're going to donate some media time to the Red Cross so they can run public service announcements to bring some awareness of this issue and inform people on how to donate blood.</s>TAPPER: So that all sounds very laudable. Let me ask you, when we talk about Anheuser-Busch, obviously, we're not just talking about the production and bottling of beer. We're also talking about partnerships to get your products into stores. These are jobs that require people to show up to work. How are you protecting these employees and are you committing to not laying anybody off and to providing paid medical leave to anybody who needs it?</s>VARGAS: Well, I said earlier that the very first thing we're focused on is our people and making sure they've got the support they need at a very challenging time for our industry and for our country. And that will always be our primary focus. The situation is very fluid. We're challenged like many other industries and companies, as the external environment continues to change. What I can tell you is that we have most of our people working from home. We did that well before the government required us to do that. But of course, now that's in line with government guidance in most of the United States. Then we do have some people who are essential to our operations, whether that be in our breweries, and those people that are transporting beer to our retailers. And those people are continuing to be onsite. But there we've put in place a number of precautionary and preparatory measures. We've above and beyond even what the CDC recommends, to make sure when they do come to work, they're operating in the safest environment possible. And of course, our operations are expressly permitted to continue across the country. I think you've seen that governments are trying to make sure that people continue to have access to basic goods and services and so we are trying to make sure that we keep our products on the shelves as well.</s>TAPPER: So, Congress is obviously working on finalizing this proposed $2 trillion economic stimulus package. Will Anheuser-Busch seek to benefit from that? Do you need some of the aid from the federal government?</s>VARGAS: Well, we're like a lot of other companies, a lot of other industries. We're in a very difficult environment. A lot of pressure on us. And look, there's 2 million people across the U.S. that rely on the beer industry in some way, shape, or form, for their livelihoods. So, it's an important industry, more important employers. And so the work that the government is doing to make sure that there is the right amount of support for people that are directly impacted and for those companies that are trying to maintain a steady workforce, that's very, very important. So, we're going to work with government as best we can. But that really doesn't change our focus around our people, around providing some comfort and some joy to our consumers. And then also stepping up and helping our communities where they need us.</s>TAPPER: Have any of your employees tested positive that you know of?</s>VARGAS: We're part of the community, Jake, you know, just like everybody else. So, of course, we're not immune from that.</s>TAPPER: So, yes?</s>VARGAS: I think we're relatively lucky to say that we've had very few employees directly impacted. And we have some amazing people internally that are doing all the right things, working in conjunction with local health departments. We put the right protocols in place to give them support they need. I'm also pleased to say that those that were impacted are all on the road to recovery if not fully recovered. So, we're doing OK. But of course, we're impacted just like everybody else.</s>TAPPER: OK. Well, I hope you commit to paid sick leave for anybody who needs it. I appreciate your time, Cesar Vargas, and thanks to Anheuser-Busch for the steps you're taking.</s>VARGAS: Thank so much, Jake.</s>TAPPER: While social distancing may mean no parties, no pinatas, communities across the country are finding ways to make sure that their loved ones still get to celebrate. Albeit while keeping a safe six-foot distance. In Missouri, Beckett Carr rang in his fourth birthday, with a parade of well wishers from his neighborhood, Becket is battling leukemia. And is of course then one of the most vulnerable to infection. In Rhode Island, 92-year-old Alfred Vecoli was also treated to a surprise birthday parade. He says he was overwhelmed by the gesture and is lucky to have family and friends. Americans trying to pull together and make the best of all of this. Today more stunning numbers across the country, 11 states now reporting 100 new cases each. That's just today. We're going to check in with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on that and more. We're going to squeeze in one more quick break. Stay with us.