hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the united states, and all around the world. you are watching cnn newsroom, and i'm rosemary church. just ahead, a remarkable moment in this pandemic as the uk becomes the first country in the world to start using pfizer's covid-19 vaccine. cnn is live in multiple locations with the very latest. it's also a key week in the u.s. with the fda meeting thursday to discuss that very same vaccine as president trump gives up to sign an america first covid-19 order later

today. and chuck yager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier has died at the age of 97. a look back at his remarkable life. >> and we begin with a major development in the fight against the coronavirus. the uk has started to administer the first doses of the pfizer bitcoin te biontech vaccine to its first citizens. this 91-year-old grandmother became the first person to get a jab. her name is maggie kenan, and she says she feels privileged to be vaccinated because it means she'll soon be able to spend time with her family. here's how the british health secretary reacted to that moment. >> it's been such a tough year for so many people, and finally, we have our way through it.

our light at the end of the tunnel as so many people are saying. just watching margaret there, it seems so simple having a jab in your arm, but that will protect margaret, and it will protect the people around her. and if we manage to do that in what is going to be one of the biggest programs in nhs history. >> go maggie, making history there, and here in the united states, health officials will meet on thursday to discuss the pfizer vaccine and determine whether it grant an emergency use authorization. if given the green light, the u.s. health secretary says tens of millions of americans could be vaccinated by january 20th. and in the coming hours, the u.s. president is expected to sign an executive order which seeks to prioritize the shipment of a vaccine to americans before any other nation. cnn's covering this story across the uk.

for the latest, cyril vanier is in london, and phil black joins us from edenboro in scotland. great to see you both on a marvelous day. v day in the uk, already people are getting a shot in the arm. we said maggie at 90 take hers also bill shakespeare has taken his. talk about this rollout, how it's going, how it's progressing and the confidence people have in this. >> good morning to you. and i think v day from here on should be known as vaccination day. vaccination rollout has begun in the uk and already we have great news bound to bring a smile to people's faces. margaret kenan, 90 years old, about to turn 91, and this is the best early birthday present that she could think of because it means she's going to be able to spend time with friends and family next year, after spending

this year alone. >> it hasn't sunk in yet. i can't really answer the question yet. it's just really, i don't know what to say, it's just my first is the family really. it's the best thing that's ever happened, and the moment, please offer it. that's all i say, you know. if i can do it, well, so can you. >> reporter: she's got two children, four grandchildren. she won't be immune in time for christmas. there are two jabs, 21 days apart, and according to nhs guidance, it takes 21 days to be fully immunized. she won't be protected until early 2021. she still plans to have a small christmas celebration with only a few people around her. still, though, she has become

the face of this vaccination program, and, you know, there was a poll not so long ago by itn news, cnn's affiliate, 23 o britains were thinking of getting this vaccine, and would accept to receive the vaccine. if you see more margaret kenans, and they're calling on people to get it. they have no side effects. everything's all going well, i think it's reasonable, rosemary, to believe that that number of britains willing to get vaccines. the second patient to get that vaccine at coventry hospital, william shakespeare, if that doesn't put a smile on your face, i don't know what will. >> well done, shakespeare, and if i can do it, so can you, that has to go into some sort of

health ad for the uk, and indeed the world. many thanks, cyril. in edinboro scotland, what's the situation there with vaccines? >> just a short time ago, the video of margaret kenan getting the first vaccination. t it's going to roll out here too. the numbers are small in a global sense. still powerful, 65,000 doses dedicated to scotland initially from 23 vaccination centers. thun this -- this is one of the. get it to those most at risk, most vulnerable. front line medical staff, care workers, residents, and the thinking is if you get it to them in the short-term, most that need protection will have it, and deaths will quickly be prevented. in the slightly longer term, further over the horizon, as the vaccine is rolled out more

widely, well, there lies the possibility for people, families, communities, entire cities of going back to living their lives as they were, or something very close to it. the official message here is that although that is the promise of this mass vaccination program, it is not yet the reality. this is a hugely significant day. a turning point, perhaps the beginning of the end, but it is not yet the end, so the message is for people to very much revel in the hope and the optimism that this hugely significant day represents but use it to inspire further vigilance in their behavior, not complacency in this final stretch. >> it is a shot in the arm both literally and figuratively. cyril vanier, and phil black, thanks to both of you appreciate that. while the expected rollout is providing a ray of hope in the

u.s., the situation is still dire here right now. the country again reported more than 100,000 hospitalizations on monday setting a new record. hospitals are reaching icu capacity. icu admissions up 69% in the past two weeks, and the governor says medical staffing reinforcements are requests from the federal government. nick watt has more from los angeles. >> the united states just logged more than a million new covid-19 cases in just five days. a comparison, south korea, smaller population, sure, but in five days, they logged fewer than 3,000 new cases. >> pearl harbor day, 2,403 americans were killed. three days last week, we exceeded that. >> the u.s. average daily death toll is higher than it's been since april, and record numbers of americans are now in the

hospital. >> our surge right now is intensifying. it is amplifying. >> post thanksgiving surge hasn't even hit yet, and soon there could be another. but bigger. >> with christmas, it starts southeaster several days before. it goes after christmas, the week after christmas, into new year's, and the new year's holiday, i think it could be more of a challenge than what we saw at thanksgiving. >> reporter: rough for many restaurants in california. >> we know the drill, and it's the only way to survive. >> reporter: much of the state is back to take out only, back to stay-at-home orders. >> they said we feel we need to do this, what do you think. and i said, you know, you really don't have any choice. >> reporter: because icu beds are getting scarce. >> hospitalizations, 72% increase over the last couple of

days. >> reporter: new york reopened some schools. >> the parents were so happy and relieved. >> reporter: hours later a warning from new york's governor. >> if we don't get the rate under control, and you are going to overwhelm your hospitals, we will have to go back to shut down. >> the middle of january can be a really dark too many for us. >> reporter: and not just in new york. >> this surge is different than earlier surges because it's not about ppe. it's not about testing. it's really about health care capacity. certain places are just being overwhelmed. we've got vaccines coming. we want as many people to be alive to get them as possible. >> reporter: an fda committee meets thursday, green light at pfizer vaccine is expected to follow. >> i hope they do it quickly, and the vaccine will be available to our population starting later this week. >> reporter: until the vaccine rolls out, we've got a problem, here in california, for example,

over the past 14 days, hospital and icu admissions are up by about 70%. they're trying to hire more health care workers and the california government has appealed to the federal government asking for reinforcements. nick watt, cnn, los angeles. >> meantime, president-elect joe biden is laser focused on the pandemic making his health team a priority as he announces several key members and then later today, sources say biden is also expected to announce that retired army general lloyd austin will be his nominee for defense secretary. jeff zeleny has more on biden's critical nominations. >> reporter: president-elect joe biden is filling in another piece of his new administration, announcing his health experts who will drive the nation's fight against coronavirus. >> during covid, the last thing we need is to have americans

left biden. >> reporter: bacerra, the california attorney general and former member of congress is not a medical effort but led the charge defending the affordable care act. >> at a time when we're going through this covid-19 pandemic, this is not the time to take away people's health care. >> reporter: the rest of the team, also taking shape. with biden unveiling nominations for surgeon, head of the cdc, and a chief medical adviser on covid-19. that post goes to dr. anthony fauci who's become a household name as the nation's top infectious disease doctor. >> i worked with all of them before. they're excellent choices. >> reporter: dr. vivek murthy will return to the position, a top covid adviser to biden all year. >> we not only can do better, we must do better. >> reporter: dr. rochelle walensky will lead the cdc. >> now is the time to redouble our efforts. >> reporter: their faces became

familiar on cnn during the pandemic. they will be responsible for overseeing the vaccine distribution and trying to bring the deadly virus under control. if confirmed by the senate, bacerra will be the first latino to serve as hhs secretary, a barrier breaking pick for biden. >> we don't talk enough about as a minority, will be important in hhs as we tackle health disparities across the country. >> reporter: president-elect biden is also planning to roll out other cabinet members here this week, including his defense secretary. we're learning that he is tapping former retired army general lloyd austin, the former leader of the central command. he would be the first african-american man to lead the pentagon if announced by the senate. jeff zeleny, cnn, wilmington, delaware. up next, donald trump is making some calls republican election officials in swing states he lost, but some in the

white house realize time is running out. plus, test pilot, chuck yager broke the sound barrier, it was the film "the right stuff" that made him a household name. remembering his life and legacy, that's next. with our highest concentration of prebiotic oat intensely moisturizes over time to improve skin's resilience. aveeno® healthy. it's our nature™. something you wanth to play games with.isn't to improve skin's resilience. hope you got dental. and that's why i love healthmarkets, your insurance marketplace. they guarantee you won't find a lower price anywhere for the plans they offer, so you're not just picking by chance. no copay?... sweet. with health insurance plans constantly changing, having the wrong fit could mean missing benefits or costing you thousands. healthmarkets' fitscore instantly ranks plans both

on and off the government exchange to find one that best fits your insurance needs. in minutes, you can find out if your current plan is the right fit, or if there's another one that can get you more coverage or help save you money. and best of all, their services are completely free. healthmarkets designed its fitscore forever technology to do all the work for you. it continuously scans the market to compare your plan against any new options year after year, so you don't have to stress about picking your health insurance plan. funny, that came up the last time i was at the doctor. it looks like your blood pressure's a little high. and i've also had anxiety, headaches, insomnia, and panic attacks. sounds like you've been shopping for health insurance. healthmarkets has options from both on and off the government exchange. they can find you the right health plan and make sure you get all the subsidies you deserve, without playing games. you might even qualify for free health insurance with no monthly premium.

healthmarkets is the number one ranked health insurance agency in america. having helped enroll people in millions of policies while earning an a-plus customer satisfaction rating from the better business bureau, you can trust healthmarkets. for this free service, go to healthmarkets.com or call right now. call or click now to enroll or see how your plan compares. call the number on your screen, or visit healthmarkets.com stop your cough from interrupting, with dq cough and congestion. it's max strength formula coats your throat and provides powerful relief. new dayquil cough and congestion. the maxcoat daytime power through your cough medicine.

robinwithout the commission fees. so, you can start investing today wherever you are - even hanging with your dog. so, what are you waiting for? download now and get your first stock on us. robinhood.

donald trump is clinging to his false narrative that the u.s. election was rigged. cnn has confirmed that he's called election officials in pennsylvania just like he did in georgia and michigan. cnn's kaitlan collins has the latest on mr. trump's efforts to try and overturn the election results. >> reporter: still fuming about the election, president donald trump compared the u.s. to a third world country as he appeared to acknowledge that his legal efforts to change the results have gone nowhere. >> you know, this was like from a third world nation, and i think the case has been made, and now we find out what we can do about it. >> reporter: but the case hasn't been made. trump and his allies have lost or withdrawn at least 40 court cases since the election. now, sources tell cnn that between those court losses, fast approaching deadlines and his top attorneys being hospitalized with coronavirus, the

president's legal efforts might end soon. >> i think the case has already been made if you look at the polls. >> reporter: there were two more blows to the president's efforts, federal judges in michigan threw out the latest attempt to throw out the result there, calling it nothing but speculation and conjecture. and the state of georgia recertified its results after counting presidential ballots for a third time and affirming joe biden's win once again, despite what president trump claimed during a rally saturday night. >> you know we won georgia, just so you understand. >> reporter: as he awarded the medal of freedom to wrestling legend, dan gable, he attempted to compare their records and wrongly claimed he won two presidential elections. >> you know, in politics, i won two, so i'm 2-0, and that's pretty good too. we'll see how that turns out. >> reporter: trump also provided an update on his personal attorney rudy giuliani's condition after the 76-year-old

was admitted to georgetown university medical center with coronavirus. >> rudy is doing well. i just spoke to him. he's doing very well. no temperature. >> reporter: giuliani has been crisscrossing the country to push trump's baseless claims about the election, and often greeted people with a handshake and no mask. while trump has refused to acknowledge biden's win or call the next president, cnn has learned he's already plotting his next steps, and some staffers are now speculating he may not return to the white house after going to florida for the christmas holidays, though no final decisions have been made, and some sources have speculated that the president will come back to the white house, pointing to how he cancelled his thanksgiving break because he wants to get more things done as he does recognize his time in washington is coming to an end. while we wait to see what decision they make finally about that, we know the president is expected to go to georgia again to campaign for those republicans ahead of that senate runoff in january, though, when the president went on saturday

it was suppose d to ostensibly e about the campaign, but ended up being about the president and his loss, instead. joining me from los angeles is a political analyst, and author of how trump governs, an assessment and prognosis. always great to have you with us. >> thank you, rosemary. >> so donald trump is still falsely claiming he won the election, but with rudy giuliani now hospitalized with covid-19 and trump running out of legal avenues with his baseless claims of a rigged election, what is the likely next step for the outgoing president with some of his aides speculating that once he goes to florida for the holidays, he may never return to the white house. >> i think with donald trump, it's going to be of the same. he can't admit defeat. rather than the loserin he'll kp fighting a hopeless battle, a

losing battle and it's kind of a soap oprera in washington with the president. it's a bad movie, where there was chaos and madness. that's what trump usually thrives on, but now when he's on the losing end, he's coming up short, and it's embarrassing. it should be embarrassing to him, but he's standing there all alone saying i won, i won. when everyone around him knows he didn't. it's like me saying i just won the george clooney look alike contest, and the president is just embarrassing himself, and one by one, day by day, people are falling along the roadside and losing faith in the president. >> but at the same time in just a few hours, a vaccine skeptic will testify before a senate committee and now we learn that some house gop allies are telling trump not to concede but to press for a floor flight, even after the electoral college affirms biden's win, this as

most republicans refuse to acknowledge biden's win, how big a threat is this to a peaceful transfer of power for this very fragile democracy, given we're already seeing armed protests at the homes of public officials and death threats being sent to election officials. >> fragile democracy, i have never heard that in my lifetime until donald trump. when someone doesn't accept the norms and the rules of the game, when the guardrails start to collapse, it is a fragile democracy, and we have to keep sporting it, and we can't take that for granted. there are a number of tinfoil hat wearing republicans, let's call them what they are, who for some reason want to wait until december 14th when the electoral college vote, and they will vote for joe biden, and they want to take it to the floor of the house and contest it. they can cause some trouble for the sake of trouble, sow chaos and confusion and doubt, and cast shadow on the incoming

legitimacy of joe biden, which is one of their main goals but they're not going to be able to turn this around, and so this is what happened. when donald trump pollutes the bloodstream of our political system, and the republican party has accepted it, they bought it mook line a hook line and sinker, the republican party is no longer acting like a party, they're acting like a circus. >> thank you so much for your analysis ch analysis. appreciate it. >> thank you, rosemary. >> we're keeping an eye on capitol hill, where u.s. lawmakers still haven't delivered on a covid relief bill. the clock is ticking to provide a line line for americans in urgent need of aid right now. first, they have to pass a spending resolution to keep the government from running out of monday this friday. john deaf finger yofterios is l

desperate situation across the u.s. this is a debate that has carried on since september. the two sides closing. >> we hear progress was made over the weekend, rosemary, but we don't see any hard evidence of that. as you're suggesting, now they're in the emergency phase, having to put a stopgap measure to keep the government funded going forward. what's alarming, you see the spike in the cases, california going into lock down, a g7 economy on its own, and many programs, a handful of them that will fade away in the next supple of weeks. the paycheck protection program for small businesses to keep their employees on the rolls. those not finding work, getting benefits and renter protection for those facing eviction, this is part of the package, and down to two people, nancy pelosi, the house speaker, and mitch mcconnell who's the majority leader for the republicans on the senate side. mcconnell said let's stop the games, but many said he hasn't

budged off his original program of a half trillion dollars, and they have been talking for months. let's take a listen. >> republicans and democrats do not need to resolve every one of our differences to get badly needed relief out the door. we just need both sides to finally do what members of congress do when they're serious, when their serious about wanting an outcome. drop the all or nothing tactics, drop the hostage taking and make law in the many places where we have kpcommon ground. >> where is that common ground, though, rosemary, that's the question here. there was a bipartisan bill launched a week ago for just over $900 billion. perhaps this goesis a path way there. those suffering the most, under $20,000 annual income or less.

their employment opportunities have dropped 20%. if you look at the job figures from last month, october, we created more than 600,000 jobs, that was down to 245,000 for november and with a case spike, it's going to get much much worse, and why the stimulus bill is needed even for the first hundred days of the biden administration. >> main street is hurting, they need some help. john defterios, joining us live from abu dhabi, thank you. health officials warn the coronavirus pandemic is far from over, ahead, the challenges the country still faces as it rolling out the vaccine. dry, distressed skin that struggles? new aveeno® restorative skin therapy. with our highest concentration of prebiotic oat intensely moisturizes over time to improve skin's resilience. aveeno® healthy. it's our nature™.

they use stamps.com all the services of the post office only cheaper get a 4-week trial plus postage and a digital scale go to stamps.com/tv and never go to the post office again.

a livcustomizeper iquickbooks for me. get a 4-week trial plus postage and a digital scale okay, you're all set up. thanks! that was my business gi, this one's casual. get set up right with a live bookkeeper with intuit quickbooks. you're choosing to get connected to the most to xfinity mobile, reliable network nationwide, now with 5g included. discover how to save up to $400 a year with shared data

starting at $15 a month, or get the lowest price for one line of unlimited. come into your local xfinity store to make the most of your mobile experience. you can shop the latest phones, bring your own device, or trade in for extra savings. stop in or book an appointment to shop safely with peace of mind at your local xfinity store.

back now to our top story this hour, the uk has started to administer the first doses of a coronavirus vaccine to its most vulnerable citizens. across the country, hospitals are offering the pfizer biontech vaccine to people over the age of 80, those who work in in-care homes and health care workers at high risk. british prime minister met with some people who received the jab and spoke about the significance about the rollout. take a listen. >> it was very exciting to talk to lynn about the vaccine she has just taken. she's 81. and very moving to hear her say she's doing it for britain, and that's exactly right because she's protecting herself but also helping to protect the entire country, and across the whole of the uk this morning, that is happening in all

scotland, northern ireland, wales, in england, people are having the vaccine for the first time, and it will gradually make a huge, huge difference. but i stress gradually because, you know, we're not there yet. we haven't defeated this virus yet. >> and dr. peter drawbeck is an infectious disease and global health expert at the university of oxford. he joins me live from england. thank you for being with us on this monumental day. >> great to be here. thanks for having me. >> absolutely. and the world watching as the uk rolls out its covid-19 vaccination. the u.s. will do the same in a matter of days. they're looking for tips. how thrilled are you. >> this is a tremendous day not just for the uk but the world, a historic day, the very beginning of finally beginning to turn the

tide on this pandemic. this is going to be a massive effort, and we have to remember that there are massive production logistical distribution channels to make sure that everyone can actually get this vaccine safely so we do have a long ways to go. i think there are going to be some bumps in the road. we have seen that the number of promised vaccines to the uk this year has had to be cut by manufacturing problems, so you know, it's an important step, but we do have a long ways to go. >> and doctor, we're already learning that the u.s. will not have enough doses in the first shipment of the pfizer vaccine, the health care professionals and the elderly, because according to "the new york times," the trump administration turned down an offer from pfizer for additional shots about six months ago, so how should states decide who gets this vaccine in the first wave because of course the burden will fall on them. >> yeah, what we know about this vaccine is that it's going to save lives.

it showed very strong efficacy in prevents symptomatic infection, preventing serious infection and death. we don't know how well or if the vaccine actually prevents infection, and can prevent therefore transmission. the focus really needs to be on saving lives, and that's why those at highest risk for death like the elderly and those with medical vulnerabilities need to be prioritized along with health workers. in the u.s., our health care system is under such strain right now, and it's not just about lack of ventilators or beds, it's really about shortages of staff, so we need to keep our staff healthy. those have to be the priorities. it's going to require federal coordination to distribute this equitably across the country and across the world. >> and top u.s. infectious disease expert dr. anthony fauci warns the middle of january could be a dark time for the u.s., and this country has not yet seen the full brunt of the thanksgiving surge. more than a million covid cases have already been reported in just five days in the u.s., and

the surge is intensified, so what do people need to be doing right now to ensure they stay safe while they wait for the vaccine? >> the vaccine is a reason for optimism, it's not going to meaningfully change most of our lives for a matter of months and it's not going to turn the tide for several months. what we need to remember now is we're in an incredibly dangerous moment, and so all of the things we have been hearing about, the importance of masking, social distancing, not making unnecessary trips out, of avoiding family gatherings where households are mixed are more important today and through this holiday season than they have ever been before. we can't let our guard down because there are so many preventible deaths happening every day. >> that's very important advice. dr. peter drawbeck, thank you for joining us. we appreciate it. >> thank you. many in europe sure to be

watching the vaccine rollout today. the need has never been greater. countries like germany face new restriction during the holiday season. fred pleitgen joining us with the latest from berlin. talk to us about what the situation is across germany. >> reporter: hi there, rosemary, and it's a situation where we have been talking about germany for the past kucouple of months and how germany has done well getting through the pandemic so far. the death toll hasn't been as high as many cases, and it really seems as though, right now for the second wave of coronavirus infections that the measures that have been put in place by angela merkel's government simply aren't working as well as some of the things in other countries have done to try and get out or break that second wave if you will. in fact, today, the german version of the centers for disease control, came out and said that the number of

coronavirus infections per 100,000 inhabitants has hit a record high at 147.2 per 100,000, and just to give you a reference, angela merkel said it needs to be at 50 per 100,000 for germany to think about easing restrictions that are in place. of course, like all other countries here on the continent and presumably the united states as well, what germany is working towards is christmas. they want to see whether people can have at least a semblance of christmas. they had said we want to ease restrictions around christmas, but there are already a lot of politicians and also state governors here in this country are saying if things continue the way that they are, those easings simply are not going to happen. in fact, tougher restrictions could be in place. they could see, for instance, the closure of stores, and also, for instance, for school holidays to be extended. rosemary. >> it's so tough because germany did such a great job in the initial stages. it's hard to see this happen.

frederik pleitgen, joining us live from berlin. in the u.s., it's shaping up to be a crucial week. president donald trump is expected to sign an executive order today. officials say it will prioritize vaccine shipments to americans before other countries. but it's not clear how exactly it will do that. our pete muntean takes a look at some of the distribution challenges facing the u.s. >> it is widely agreed upon, front line health care workers and those living in long-term care facilities should get vaccinated initially, but what's so interesting is we're learning from states they may not get enough vaccine to cover the top tier right off the bat. now they will have to prioritize within that subset the conditions are really stark in a place like california which we're learning will only get enough vaccine to cover roughly

one in every ten front line health care workers right away. it is a rollout, and what remains to be seen is whether or not this will be smooth and quick or slow and rocky. states insist that they will keep vaccinating that top tier as they get more vaccine shipments in, but it is a process. transporting the vaccine will also be tricky. american airlines says it has a plan in place to begin transporting the vaccine within 24 hours of emergency fda authorization. the challenge here is keeping the vaccine cold, in some cases, super super cold. we know that the pfizer vaccine needs to be negative 100 degrees fahrenheit as it is being transported. airlines insist they are up for the challenge, and they have special equipment in place. it is airlines that could be transporting the vaccine the furthest. pete muntean, cnn, washington. nicolas maduro says venezuela's health care system is winning the war against the

pandemic. that's not what cnn first down caracas. >> the reason i'm holding up this light here is because there is no electricity in this hospital. >> coming up, cnn's exclusive report from inside two venezuelan hospitals. 60 smart b. now temperature balancing, so you can sleep better together. it's our cyber week special, save up to $1,000 on the new sleep number 360 smart bed and adjustable base. plus, 0% interest for 36 months. ends monday. get their dishes as clean as possible.olks ask me how to i tell them, try cascade platinum plus the power of oxi. it breaks down food soils to clean up to 99% of visible and invisible food residue

for a hygienic clean you can see and feel. cascade + the power of oxi. robinwithout the commission fees. so, you can start investing today wherever you are -

even hanging with your dog. so, what are you waiting for? download now and get your first stock on us. robinhood. ♪ hark for the pets, ♪sweet little pets, ♪ ♪ cute faces say, "spoil us away" ♪ ♪ spoil time is here, perking their ears, ♪ ♪ lapping their tongues, old and the young ♪ ♪ bark, squawk, meow, that's how they sing. ♪ ♪ with joyful ring, so much spoiling. ♪ ♪ oh how they zoom, all through the room. ♪ ♪ so many tails! wag-ging of tails! ♪ ♪ merry, merry, merry, merry, spoiling ♪ ♪ merry, merry, merry, merry, spoiling ♪ ♪ hark for the pets, sweet little pets, ♪ ♪ cute faces say, "spoil us away" ♪ see every yikes...... and even every awwwwwwww... wait, where was i? introducing self protection from xfinity. designed to put you in control.

with real-time notifications and a week of uninterrupted recording. all powered by reliable, secure wifi from xfinity. gotta respect his determination. it's easy and affordable to get started. get self protection for $10 a month. government mismanagement have crippled the health care system. the government says fewer than 1,000 people have died from covid-19, but doctors tell cnn the situation is much worse than the official account. cnn's isa soares got exclusive access to two of venezuela's largest hospitals. her report reveals the nation's shocking state of health care.

>> reporter: in public hospital in caracas, remnants of this once wealthy nation lie strewn on the dirt floor, its shackle wards showing what the venezuela government doesn't want us to see. here covid-19 has unmasked venezuela's open wounds, and practically every floor of the hospital is empty, tells me this hospital worker who prefers to remain anonymous. it's a risk only a few dare to take, this is the covid-19 ward. only this part of it is functional. the rest is completely run down after years of mismanagement, so it's no surprise many would rather face the pandemic outside of these walls choosing instead their homes over these decrepit

rooms where darkness has literally taken over. >> this is the intensive neonatal ward and the reason i'm holding up this light right here is because there is no electricity in this hospital. have a look around. bare bones. and what i have been told by doctors, this is a situation day in, day out. even in the morgue, death comes with shortages, there's no pathologist here, and with limits electricity, the stench is unbearable. imagine having to face a pandemic in these conditions. it's why doctors like gustavo are no longer afraid to speak up out. i have friends.

in venezuela, he tells me, there are only as many as recognized covid cases as the regime wants. with testing lumtimited to thre government controlled labs, it's impossible to paint an accurate picture. with regards to covid, he says, we don't know where we are. the government, however, claims the pandemic is under control. saying its strategy has worked. a government minder shows us inside a hotel where suspected infected patients are kept in quarantine for up to 21 days. it's a lock down strategy employed by china, which is the government of nicolas maduro has been keen to extol. dr. rodriguez shares a similar pride. venezuelans have shown an immunity to the virus. the families of those who have died on the front lines may see it differently. 272 health care workers have lost their lives in venezuela as

of november 30th. at hospitals in caracas, you can see why, they are overworked and not protected. it's one nurse for this whole area here. this is evident all around. and as i walk this ward, i stop to speak to a patient's daughter. she tells me her frail 69-year-old father is here because of mall nourishment, the same malady we have seen across venezuela. his immune system is compromised, yet he shares this ward with a covid patient. his daughter tells me he needs iron supplements that the hospital says they simply don't have. >> this is what they have to

work with here, nurses and doctors, syringes, it's astounding. they've got nothing. >> there's a vast emptiness all around, and a sense of disillusionment and surrender. painful no doubt for those who saw this once oil rich country as one of the wealthiest of north america, now teetering on the brink of survival. >> cnn reached out to the venezuelan government to comment on what is seen. to date, we have yet to receive a response. in southeastern india, a mystery illness has sent more than 500 people to the hospital and left at least one dead. and it is not covid-19. patients have been suffering seizures and nausea, and losing consciousness. authorities are now testing food, water and blood to try and learn more about this.

and still ahead here on cnn newsroom. from world war ii ace to shattering the sound barrier, chuck yeager was the pilot with the right stuff, and we look back at his life and legacy. never run dry of killer attitude. good moves. or hydration. neutrogena® hydro boost. the number 1 hyaluronic acid moisturizer instantly delivers 2 times the hydration. and keeps hydrating all day long. running dry of supple, bouncy skin. never! hydro boost. pair with new serum for 4 times the hydrating power. neutrogena®

even in the middle of a pandemic, those monoliths we have been hearing about certainly get around, and yes, there's another one, this time in britain, off england's south coast. similar structures have recently appeared in a romanian forest on a california mountain top, and in the u.s. state of utah, as you can see here. they don't hang around long, often disappearing shortly after they've arrived. i'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation, right? a u.s. air force officer often referred to as the fastest man alive has died at the age of 97. chuck yeager became a household name with the book and movie "the right stuff" the world war ii flying legend died on monday.

cnn's john berman has more on yeager's life and legacy. >> general charles m. chuck yeager was the very embodiment of the right stuff. he will forever be known as the first man to break the sound barrier. born in 1923 in rural west virginia, yeager said he was not a born pilot. >> i didn't know anything about flying because i had never been in an airplane in my life. >> reporter: his first airplane ride didn't go so well. >> i puked all over my airplane. i said, man, you've made a big mistake. >> pressing on he took advantage of an army program that allowed enlisted men to become pilot sg. >> march 4th, 1944, on my 8th

mission, i shot 809 with a mustang, next day i got shot at. >> reporter: when the war ended, yeager returned to california to marry his sweetheart, he later became a research pilot at edwards air force base making dangerous test flights, civilian pilots couldn't or wouldn't do. >> it's like combat. you know, you either get killed or you don't. well, if you have no control over it, don't worry about it. >> reporter: that's how he found himself 45,000 feet above rogers dry lake in california on october 14th, 1947. breaking the sound barrier, a feat many believed could not be done. >> i don't look at things, you know, as being scary or not, you either do or you don't, and if you live, you've done your job. >> reporter: yeager returned to combat flying and retired from active duty in 1975 as brigadier

general. the general, as he preferred to be called became a household name in the '80s with the book and movie, the right stuff. >> do you like watching someone else play you? >> sam shepherd did an excellent job. >> reporter: through it all, he remained airborne, in 2012 at the controls of a borrowed air force f 15, an 89-year-old chuck yeager broke the sound barrier again, 65 years to the minute after his first sonic boom. yeager's logbook documented more than 10,000 flight hours over 60 years in 350 different kinds of planes around the world. always a pilot with the right stuff. >> a life well lived there. and thank you so much for your company. i'm rosemary church. "early start" is up next. you're watching cnn. have yourselves a wonderful day. when we started our business we were paying an arm and a leg for postage.

i remember setting up shipstation. one or two clicks and everything was up and running. i was printing out labels and saving money. shipstation saves us so much time. it makes it really easy and seamless. pick an order, print everything you need, slap the label onto the box, and it's ready to go. our costs for shipping were cut in half. just like that. shipstation. the #1 choice of online sellers. go to shipstation.com/tv and get 2 months free. latonight, silence it with newd byzzzquil night pain. shipstation. the #1 choice of online sellers. because pain should never get in the way of a restful night's sleep. new zzzquil night pain. silence pain, sleep soundly. save for being a new customer, for adding drivewise, and for driving safely. whatever you drive, start driving down the cost of insurance. ♪ stget their dishes as clean as possible.olks ask me how to i tell them, try cascade platinum plus the power of oxi.

it breaks down food soils to clean up to 99% of visible and invisible food residue for a hygienic clean you can see and feel. cascade + the power of oxi. robinwithout the commission fees. so, you can start investing today wherever you are - even hanging with your dog. so, what are you waiting for? download now and get your first stock on us. robinhood.

you're choosing to get connected to the most to xfinity mobile, reliable network nationwide, now with 5g included. discover how to save up to $400 a year with shared data starting at $15 a month, or get the lowest price for one line of unlimited. come into your local xfinity store to make the most of your mobile experience. you can shop the latest phones, bring your own device, or trade in for extra savings. stop in or book an appointment to shop safely

with peace of mind at your local xfinity store. welcome to our viewers in the united states and around the world. this is "early start." i'm boris sanchez in for christine romans. >> great to have you, boris. >> thank you so much, laura, great to see you. >> great to see you. i'm laura jarrett, it's tuesday, december 8th. 5:00 a.m. in new york. and while vaccine history is made overseas this morning, the u.s. remains gripped by a staggering number of people dying every single day. this is erica bacerra, a 38-year-old mom from detroit by way of los angeles. she was eight months pregnant when she was diagnosed with coronavirus three weeks ago. she wasn't getting any better so doctors induced labor and on november