>> thanks for watching this morning. "gma" is coming up next. times we're dealing with. complete shutdown of all sports. how are things faring? what do you see happen in that arena? >> i can't give you a date. good morning, america. the nba wants to come back. we all do. the players do. breaking news for our viewers in but we have to put safety first. west. we can't put anybody at risk. a record 6.6 million americans file unemployment claims, the so once the experts tell us, my most ever. hope is that we'll play games without fans first because worse than experts expected. america needs sports. we want something to cheer for. we want a team to get excited about and want to sit in front we're live with the latest this of our tvs or screens and yell and scream and get excited and so we're going to do our best to come back. i just don't know the date yet morning. as coronavirus cases now top 216,000 here in the u.s., s are or where. >> i know, so many people anticipating that, michael. you've been watching reruns. pressure. >> all these patients here are sitting out in the hallways because we are full. >> i've been watching basketball >> president trump saying the government's stockpile of equipment is almost out and now reruns. you name the player, i think i some hospitals facing oxygen shortages. could throw the stats out you to new york's governor, andrew cuomo, warns the crisis could this point. but want to thank you guys for last for months. bring some comfort to so many >> this could go through the summer. people out there who really do value and look forward to your advice every morning so thank you guys so much. br news,ews has lready >> thank you. >> appreciate it.

keep up the great work. >> you too. >> coming up, cynthia erivo is going to perform live. we'll be right back. learnethe government is e naon re trowing afy. deere to dock. breaking new developments for those two cruise ships stranded at sea with more than 200 sick passengers on board now off the coast of florida. breaking overnight, the mayor of los angeles now urges everyone to wear face coverings in public as the cdc weighs making a new recommendation nationwide. how to make your own, to avoid taking supplies away from those who need them most. as families all across the country face this disease, the emergency hitting close to home. george's wife ali announcing she's tested positive. >> so what started was i had a real tightness in my chest. >> the latest on ali's condition this morning and her message to

the "gma" family. good morning, america. it's great to have you with us on this thursday morning. we have a lot of headlines to get to including one that's affecting the "gma" family. and, george, we are all, all thinking of you, ali and the kids, my friend. >> thank you so much, michael. as i said yesterday, ali started to feel symptoms this week and yesterday afternoon she did find out that she had tested positive for covid. she's resting pretty comfortably right now, but as you all know, it is tough. the symptoms are really tough. she's getting through it. we're taking care of her. she's isolating upstairs but she is so grateful for all the support she has received from all of you and everyone back home and she wants to share a message a little later in the show to talk about what she's been going through and to share her gratitude. >> but, george, how are you doing?

how are you doing with all this? >> okay, you know, we're trying to manage everything. i do motivational speakingld. as you might imagine, i'm most in addition to the substitute teaching. worried also about the girls. i honestly feel that that's my calling-- so far they're fine as well. they started their homeschooling to give back to younger people. i think most adults will start realizing this week and they have really good attitudes, and they know they have to stay away from mom that they don't recall things as quickly as they used to right now. or they don't remember things as vividly as they once did. they do even more facetime than i've been taking prevagen for about three years now. normal with her right now. people say to me periodically, but we're all doing okay and "man, you've got a memory like an elephant." really appreciate all the good it's really, really helped me tremendously. wishes. >> well, hang in there. >> it's going to keep coming. we'll talk a lot more about that. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. ali sharing a very important message with our viewers a little bit later this morning. dr. jen will join us as well. we begin with breaking news for our viewers in the west. a stunning report showing a record shattering 6 pntd 6 million americans filed for unemployment befs. that's double last week's report. rebecca jarvis starts us off

with the latest. >> reporter: good morning george. the most optimistic take away is americans are doing what they've been told. businesses are shuttered. people are staying indoors. more than 6 million people laid off last week. 6.6 million late off in a single week. that's an equivalent of all of houston, all of phoenix, all of philadelphia, all of san jose. every man, woman and child laid off in a single week. this morning a mind boggling report on lay offs. we are back and we are delighted to have tony, emmy, more than 6.6 million americans grammy winner and two-time oscar filing new claims for nominee, cynthia erivo, joining us from atlanta. unemployment insurance last week, the largest number in a you can see her right now on the single week ever. hbo series "the outsider." this morning she's here to two times as many as the week brighten everyone's morning with before. with so many across the country a performance. already struggling and out of work, phone lines and websites first, we got to catch up. to apply for unemployment love you, love you. thank you. insurance are jammed. your posts on instagram, hearing >> this is probably going to be you sing, what is it, cynthia,

about my 30th time calling about music that just soothes our souls especially in a time today. like this? >> welcome to the new york state what do you think that is? department of labor unemployment >> i think there is a vulnerability in music and i insurance. think if it comes from a genuine >> reporter: julianna tried to file for unemployment the day place when people are singing you open yourself up to others and sort of allow people to come after she was laid off. >> i have been trying to file in and for me i feel like music for unemployment for about almost two weeks. >> reporter: as the epicenter of is one of the most amazing ways the coronavirus pandemic new york has seen telephone calls to the department of labor increase to communicate because you can't lie in it. it's really from the heart and from my heart particularly when 16,000%. web traffic up by nearly 900%. i sing. so i think people just get to connect that way. the problems are prevalent it's one language that everybody everywhere. >> i applied for unemployment. understands. i haven't heard back. >> universal language. that is so true. other co-workers the same story. how have you been? how was it for you to be at i guess they're overloaded with home? requests. >> when we were furloughed i immediately filed on their >> it's -- i've been okay. you know, the last year or so website which took days to file. has been very hectic and i've been running around and it's even just to get texas workforc been frantic. so to sort of like -- i'm trying to take this time to rest and to regroup and to read and to commission just to see if we can

get through. create because that's the best >> reporter: economists warn the thing we can do right now, just trying to feed myself and be well. jobs picture will continue to worsen before it gets better. yeah. >> we know the illness and the >> yes, hit that reset button. contagion will get worse. we know the fatalities will get oh, my gosh, national geographic, the movie genius worse. there's also fatalities on the aretha, you're playing aretha economy. we're getting hit on every side. >> reporter: time for many like franklin. now it has to be postponed julianna is running out. because of the coronavirus. what is it like to play the >> i have decided to start queen of soul, aretha franklin? weighing in the possibility to >> it's both daunting and an applying to a local food store. honor. i'm accessing places in my voice i would prefer to stay at home just as we're advised. that i didn't know i had. so i'm having to learn every some of us don't have the luxury day, which is something that -- that's what i love about my of waiting for a check to come work, that nothing is ever old to me. in. i'm definitely one of those people. >> reporter: given today's it's always -- i'm always having numbers we know over the last to relearn and learn new things. two weeks more than 10 million this is incredible to learn about her and really sort of dig into who she was. americans were laid off. it's awesome. even if you look at the data, it's awesome. those unemployment claims, we know that a lot of people as you >> well, it's been postponed, cae of issues with the e to file the production, but i know it's going to be -- the release will

be worth the wait with you in it. you're not going to make us wait any longer. system. they haven't been able to get we are so glad you agreed to through on those unemployment insurance websites and through join us and perform one of your the call lines. favorite songs and one of mine we know there are more people too, "somewhere over the rainbow." cynthia, take it away. than thoseeflect looking for help. here's what you need to know. you have to apply for that unemployment insurance in order to get it. ♪ somewhere over the rainbow way unlike the stimulus checks, the up high ♪ $1,200 checks which should be going out in the next coming weeks, you have to go through ♪ there's a land that i heard of the websites, through the phone lines to get it. a lot of states have been once in a lullaby ♪ building up and improving their ♪ somewhere over the rainbow systems in order to make it more accessible for people. they never anticipated such an skies are blue ♪ influx of new people needing that relief so quickly. that's what's really bogged down the system. they are making improvements. the most important thing if you ♪ and the dreams that you dare are unemployed, the insurance is to dream really do com there. be patient. keep those applications coming. finally, you will get those stimulus checks, the $1,200

stimulus check automatically ♪ someday i'll wish upon a star deposited into your bank and wake up where the clouds are account. a lot of people what to know what the new normal looks like far behind me ♪ on the other side. ♪ where troubles melt like lemon when will those jobs come back? the key question is what does drops high above the chimney top the economy look like on the other side of this. a lot of people are in pain that's where you'll find me ♪ right now. they're feeling this right now. there are also a lot of businesses that are rising to ♪ somewhere over the rainbow the occasion, rising to the challenge, doing what they can for their plemployees. bluebirds fly ♪ they plan to hire these people ♪ birds fly over the rainbow why back. traffic might be down in the near term. in the longer term, businesses then, oh, why can't i ♪ believe those employees will come back. george? >> thanks rebecca. ♪ if happy little bluebirds fly this comes as cases of coronavirus climbing over 200,000 in the u.s. hospitals are pushed to the brink. beyond the rainbow why, oh, why can't i ♪

whit johnson starts us off near that field hospital in central park where they're now seeing patients. good morning, whit. ♪ why, oh, why can't i >> reporter: good morning to you. for many new yorkers these are images in the pandemic that will be tough to forget. their beloved central park, the >> ooh. urban escape now being used to treat patients with covid-19. we know of at least nine patients who spent the night here in those white heated tents behind me. that number only expected to beautiful. rise as hospitals run out of space. beautiful. beautiful. beautiful. this morning, the mounting death toll in new york state alone cynthia, thank you. thank you so much. >> thank you. >> thankful thursday. topping 2,200, jumping by more than 650 in just 24 hours. hmm, have a blessed day, everybody. do you hear that? doctors on the frontlines of pandemic warning hospitals are increasingly overwhelmed. >> this is our e.d. you can see all the rooms are filled. usually these halls are very neat and empty and now you can see there's patients everywhere because of this. it makes it very hard to work and we're trying our best to treat everyone we can. >> reporter: in this video provy mt. sinai

dr. matthew bai taking us inside his emergency room showing the overflow of patients, medical workers doing everything they can. >> all these patients here sitting out in the hallways because we are full. all these patients in the hallway have all been seen. even though we're overflowing, they need. >> reporter: first responders also bearing a heavy burden. abc news obtaining this alarming copy of new cardiac emergency guidelines given to public and private ems teams in the new york city area telling crews if they can't get a pulse on their own, they should not transport the patient to the hospital. the state now bracing for the possibility that the fight could continue into summer. >> people say, well, when is it over? two weeks, three weeks, four weeks? this model projects you're going to have a high death rate through july.

if this model is correct, this could go through the summer.nt stockpile of medical equipment available is almost out. >> we're sending it directly to hospitals. we don't want it to come to the stockpile because then we have to take it. >> reporter: according to "the new york times," fema has sent out about 7,000 ventilators across the country but some states like california claiming dozens of those ventilators are arriving broken. the critical machines in short supply are keeping people alive. at new york-presbyterian hospitals nearly 27% of their coronavirus patients are on ventilators. and now a new concern, some hospitals reporting they are facing a shortage of oxygen because covid-19 patients hospitalized in respiratory distress often require supplemental oxygen for breathing support. >> the problem with oxygen at this point with the covid-19 pandemic is that instead of having 20 patients in an icu, hospitals now have 300 patients

all on ventilators that are consuming oxygen 24/7. this is a demand that we've never seen before. throughout the united states or throughout the world. >> reporter: on wednesday, an emergency field hospital with 14 tents and 68 hospital beds in the middle of the city's iconic central park began seeing patients. >> we've responded internationally to ebola. we've been outside of a war zone in iraq. this feels very surreal to be on our own soil to be here in the u.s. to see such a beautiful city impacted by this. but it doesn't change at all the need and our ability to help. >> reporter: the nypd reports about 17% of their uniformed members have called out sick. new york's governor cuomo says in a worst case scenario they can bring in state police and officers from upstate to help fill that void if needed. michael? >> all right, whit, thank you. hopefully seeing those images will let everyone

serious this is and how important it is to stay home and make sure you socially distance yourself from others. now we turn to the new concerns about dr. fauci's safety. this morning, the government pi faces threats. our chief justice correspondent pierre t good morning, pierre. >> reporter: michael, good morning. dr. fauci has been the subject of online conspiracies claiming that he's fear mongering and overstating the threat of coronavirus. one primary complaint that he's intentionally trying to undermine the president, something i'm sure dr. fauci would flatly deny. it's unclear if dr. fauci had any specific death threat, but apparently the u.s. marshals and other security officials have seen enough. the recommendation for his security detail came after a request from the department of health and human services. dr. fauci is going to get it, if he doesn't have it, a security detail of more than a half dozen federal agents. yes, these are the type of people in black suburbans heavily armed. these are crazy times and i'm sure with all the pressure, dr. fauci is under, security is the last thing he needs to worry

about, so these agents are going to do it for him, michael. >> pierre, how fearful is law enforcement? >> reporter: michael, these are >> now yourr surreal times and there's a feeling that unstable people hate-filled people will do crazy iag toeanomecal things. just yesterday they charged a train engineer at the port of los angeles with intentionally derailing a train near the u.s. this is a recommendation from the mayor. it comes the same day the state department of public health navy ship "mercy." announced masks may be helpful he was, quote, suspicious of when combined with other measures. the "mercy" claiming it had an the cdc is reviewing guidelines alternate purpose related to covid-19 for a government for who needs to wear one. takeover. you can't take chances with now we check in with mike people like that out there. michael. with a look at our forecast. >> you definitely can't, pierre. thank you so much. good morning. george? okay, michael. >> good morning. if you run on sunshine, get it today. to a lesser extent tomorrow. thanks. we turn to the cruise ship good days to be outside. nightmare. hundreds of people are trapped stay in your neighborhood. on that, and its sister ship. it's just off the coast of let's talk about what's going on florida waiting for confirmation that they can dock, but even if they do there's no guarantee temperature wise. mid to upper 60s inland. that the passengers will be able to disembark. gio benitez has the latest with that. good morning, gio. close to average. look what happens over the >> reporter: hey, george, good morning. weekend. we go from light to moderate yeah, the cruise line says it rain to stormy conditions. temperatures will drop into the has a plan to get healthy passengers off those ships. >> thanks, mike.

now hundreds of people are it's time for "live with waiting for approval in kelly and ryan." international waters. this morning, passengers aboard we will be back at 11:00. join us then. two holland america ships off the coast of florida are desperate to dock. >> broward county and the state of florida open up your doors >> announcer: it's "live with kelly and ryan!" and let these poor ships in. we have been through so much. today, award-winning recording >> reporter: florida governor ron desantis saying he will artist, michael buble. and "grey's anatomy" star, kim raver. allow the 49 florida residents on board to debark. and our friend, steve patterson. >> clearly, we're going to be willing to accept any floridians who are on board. my understanding is most of the plus, we continue our passengers are foreign nationals. "live's virtual fitness" with a slide and glide core workout. >> reporter: but more than 250 other americans are on those ships, along with more than a thousand foreign travelers. plus, we will meet another one of our amazing working heroes. 233 people reporting flu-like symptoms, four passengers have all next on "live!" ♪ and now, here are kelly ripa and died including american jeffrey ryan seacrest! haggandor. >> these are human beings. >> reporter: his niece speaking with us overnight. >> kelly: hi. good morning there, sunshine. her widowed aunt still on board. >> she's super isolated. it is april 2nd, 2020. i misunderstood the assignment. you can't properly grieve until you can hug your daughter and i thought we were wearing your son and, you know, start

workout clothes this ek the process. >> reporter: the passengers have been at sea for nearly a month, starting in argentina, and denied entry at every port. now overnight, holland america telling us it's proposed a plan saying, guests fit for travel would transfer straight from the ship to charter flights, but those unfit to travel at this time will continue to isolate on board until recovered. florida officials have not yet approved that plan, but passengers say enough is enough. >> lives are at risk here on the ships. we don't want any more fatalities. >> reporter: and, again, holland america telling us that it plans to keep sick passengers on board isolated in their rooms until they recover, george. >> and, gio, what's the latest on when the ship might be able to dock? >> reporter: so, george, we know that the captain has told passengers to start preparing their luggage. we know that the port has actually scheduled these ships to dock later this afternoon but

we just spoke with the cruise line and they tell us that they are still speaking with officials about this, george. >> okay, gio, thanks very much. back to robin. all right, george. thank you. also this morning, something we wanted to share with everybody. we want to take a moment to honor the life of new orleans jazz musician ellis marsalis jr. who passed away from pneumonia caused by the coronavirus. now, when you think of jazz in new orleans, you think of the marsalis family. ♪ ♪ that is the ellis marsalis quartet performing at the new orleans jazz and heritage festival in 2012. he was a marvelous teacher as well, the first chair of the jazz study program at uno, the university of new orleans, and he was a mentor to harry connick jr. in fact, i remember talking to

harry about him. four of his sons also became musicians including wynton and branford. ellis marsalis was 85 years old. he was a legend, michael, pure and simple. quite a legend. >> absolute legend, robin. our prayers and thoughts are with the marsalis family. also this morning we have much more on george's wife ali. she's going to share her story next. how she knew she had coronavirus. her symptoms and she's going to let us now how she is doing now. but first, let's go home. let's go to ginger who is at home. hey, ginger. >> major -- that's right. this is home. we're all home. rapid city, south dakota, west of there, 11 inches and severe storms possible in south texas tomorrow. let's get to the rainy cities brought to you by walmart.

good morning. i'm abc 7 news meteorologist mike nicco. check out all the sunshine and warmer temperatures on the way. it will be breezy around bodies of water. clear tonight, chilly and wintry weather ts temperatures and storms that could bring hail and snow. today, low to mid 60s except for inland, mid to upper 60s. the low to mid 40s around the bay tonight. two rounds of wet weather this coming up how to make your own face mask. we'll tell you that when we come back. t when we come back.

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now your health, your safety, this is abc 7 news. >> good morning. happy thursday. two hours ago, the labor department said 6.6 million people filed for unemployment last week. that adds up to 10 million in the past two weeks. nurses protesting outside of ucsf children's hospital say they don't have enough protective equipment. the president of the hospital disputes that saying they have enough protective gear for five weeks. today, san francisco will transform a center into a temporary homeless shelter. 400 cots have been laid out

now your accuweather forecast with mike nicco. >> good morning. welcome to thursday. starting off rather chilly thanks to a clear sky and light winds. mid 30s inland to upper 40s. that's mainly around fairfield and san francisco. let's look at those commuting and what to expect. really quiet weather except for north south bridges will have a sharp cross wind as we head into the afternoon and early evening. look what happens this weekend. it's a one on the storm impact scale with light to moderate rain saturday, stormy conditions sunday. temperatures following from near 70 today to mid and upper 50s by sunday. >> thank you, mike. coming up on "gma" as the cdc considers recommending face covering for the public, what you need to know about how to make an effective one at your home. another update in 30 minutes.

find us on our app and abc7news.com. there's the gorgeous day mike was talking about. have a good

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and that's when wendy's makes it. not weeks... or months ago. try your new favorite. order by 10 and we'll even deliver it. ♪ stand up take my people with me ♪ ♪ together we are going to a brand-new home ♪ welcome back to "gma." that's cynthia erivo's showstopping performance of "stand up" from the movie "harriet" at this year's academy awards. she was nominated for best original song and best actress. in our next hour she will join us live and sing one of our favorite songs right here on "gma" that will make everyone's morning brighter. remember, my date at the oscars this year. seems like a lifetime ago but we saw her and, boy, what a performance. good memory. that is ahead. we look forward to hearing from

her and hearing her sing but first the top headlines that we're following right now. cases of coronavirus now topping 200,000 here in the u.s. and hospitals are overwhelmed. at mt. sinai in queens, new york, patients seen on stretchers in the hallway because the e.r. is so full. also this morning, another big health headline, the fda is now requesting the popular heartburn medicine zantac be pulled off shelves due to possible contamination by a cancer causing chemical. and take a look at this photo. sums up what a lot of us are feeling and doing these days. that's how the emergency department team started their morning at jackson south medical center in miami saying a prayer asking for guidance, protection for their patients, for them, for their families and we're wishing the best for everyone on the front lines of this fight. and, george, as i told you

yesterday in an email, ali is now on the roberts family prayer chain. please share that with her. >> we can feel it, robin. she was so grateful for that and thank you for everything you guys are doing. as we said yesterday, she did find out she had tested positive for covid. a rough couple of days. she's had the fever. she's had all of the symptoms but she was feeling a little bit better yesterday afternoon and she wanted to share this message with everyone at home. >> first of all, thank you for all your well wishes. i have tested positive for covid-19. you know i'm feverish if i'm allowing myself to go on national television with no make-up on. i wanted to share with you my experience because i think it can be helpful for some people. first of all, i'll tell you right now that my girls are not with me. i'm quarantined in my own room. the only person that comes in is

george. and so what started was i had a real tightness in my chest. i was walking my dog cooper and i just felt very, very winded and i assumed, of course, it was because i never work out and i'm out of shape but it was too heavy for that. and i came home, wasn't feeling great and it wasn't until the fever started that i realized this can't be a common summer cold. i went and got tested and between the time i got tested which was three days ago and now i've had high fevers, sort of 101, 103. i finished watching netflix. achy joints is a big thing. it feels like a really, really horrible flu and. you know, i'm still in it now but i can tell you the things that help. tylenol, chicken soup. i took some hot baths when i had

chills, and i have two dogs that sleep on my bed with me. so anyway, be safe, stay home. >> oh, my goodness. it's so good to see ali and to see her in such good spirits and that sense of humor is still very much intact. how is she doing this morning, george? >> well, i just checked at the last break and she was still asleep which is fantastic because one of the toughest parts, this thing goes at least for her in cycles. and nights can be pretty rough but when i woke up, you know, early this morning, i went in and saw her around 3:00, 3:30 and she was doing okay. and last night her fever was actually down a little bit to 99 which is good. and like so many people, robin, she's also -- she's checking her oxygen every few hours or so and we talked to the doctor about that. there are these little monitors you can put your finger in and it tests how much oxygen your lungs are taking in and so far and that's the most important

sign for her, that has been pretty strong. >> and, george, we know this affects ali, but it affects the entire family. so how are your girls doing? harper and riley and how are you doing, my friend? >> okay, i'm doing fine. you know, so far i feel physically fine. obviously there's several things to do around the house. but the girls, i guess i would say are -- obviously they care about their mom, but are in a pretty healthy state of denial as well. going around doing your work, schoolwork and talking with their friends and checking in on their mom and they're feeling okay so far as well and in pretty good spirits and all pitching in around the house to take care of everything that, you know -- usually she takes care of us 24 hours a day and now we're doing our best to take care of her. >> i just got to send a message to harper and elliott to say be nice to the substitute teacher >> they're doing great.

>> george, now we want to bring in dr. jennifer ashton and, doc, we saw the piece with ali. she talks about her symptoms and how she's feeling and exhibited some symptom we heard about but the symptoms are wide ranging, right? >> they are, michael. but, you know, as we know, ali is a classic woman, so she presented with classic symptoms as we heard from her and george. fever, cough, shortness of breath. but there is such a long list, people can have muscle aches. they can have headache. they can have fatigue. they can have g.i. symptoms even and we're possibly seeing some also complaints of loss of smell or loss of taste. so it's a wide range and as we learned just yesterday, 25% of people who are infected with covid-19 have no symptoms at ali's symptoms are pretty classic. >> yeah. and, jen, you know, you've been

such a big help to us through this and thank you for that and we're trying to follow all the protocols we learned from you and learned from everybody else as ali said. she's upstairs. i'm the only one that goes in and out of that room. the girls are staying away. she hasn't left that room since monday. what else should people know about how to care for their families through this? >> the key, george, is really isolation and you guys are doing it right. we have to remember that everyone in the household who's been exposed should presume that they are infected until they're out of a 14-day window of observation. so really isolate and keeping them out of the kitchen or wiping down surfaces in any common areas is really important. that's really -- that's the key. that's kind of the home version of social distancing when someone in your household gets sick with this. >> and, george, can i ask you something here because you've

said a couple of times that you're the one to go in and check on ali which we would expect. are you wearing gloves, a mask? i mean, what is it and how close do you get to her when you go in and check on her? >> i don't get, you know -- i have to get a little bit close sometimes. we take her temperature and do the oxygen tests and i bring her food. i definitely am being careful and wiping down and wearing the gloves. i have not been wearing a mask and i have to say, robin, i just -- at this point it's just so hard to know. remember so many of us in new york city are already presumed to have had it. >> yeah. >> and, you know, right now i have no symptoms. i haven't had a fever. i haven't had a cough, haven't had the body ache, haven't had the headache but i wonder myself whether i already had maybe a mild version and just didn't even know it. there's no way to know right now. i'm taking care of myself. if i develop symptoms, i'll

obviously go get the test and then figure out. but we're basically acting to the outside world as if we have it and staying inside the house. i'm the only one who goes in and out. somebody does have to take care of her. that's me, but so far i feel fine and am not showing any symptoms. >> well, george, we are glad you're not showing symptom and hope you stay safe and ali fights through it and we want to thank ali. it's enough for her to be fighting her way through it but to share it with us so our viewers at home get a better understanding of how it is. and for you to let us know how it is to take care of someone going through this means a lot to us and our viewers and you're our family, my friend. so we wish everybody the best and also -- >> we thank all of you for all those love and prayers. thank you, guys. >> you got it. also, big thank you to dr. ashton. coming up next, we got a lot of stuff you want to see. they're telling me we have to wrap so we'll be back. there will be parties again soon, and family gatherings. there will be parades and sporting events

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back now with the latest on face masks. overnight the mayor of los angeles recommending everyone there wear a face cover in public that won't compromise medical supplies. as the cdc considers recommending face coverings nationwide. becky worley is in san francisco with a closer look at how to make your own. good morning, becky. >> reporter: good morning, michael. countries further along in the fight like in asia have collectively adopted the practice of wearing masks but we don't want to take precious resources from medical professionals so how do you make

an effective face covering from the materials you already have at home? the conversation in public health this morning -- masks or no masks? >> we've asked the cdc to take another look at whether or not having more people wear masks will prevent transmission of the disease. >> i think there's some rationale that we should utilize them much more than we do at the present time. >> reporter: but can we do that without taxing critical stores of n95 masks needed by medical professionals? >> you are not doing surgery at home or during your shopping. so you don't need these masks. they're harder to fit. they're less comfortable. >> reporter: jeremy howard, a research scientist at the university of san francisco says the rationale for the public wearing the face coveringsu fin making an effective one? the basic pattern is not new. two layers of fabric, three folds, elastic to go around the ears. absent guidance from the cdc i'm

bur two ieeen able t that's usable. you can hand sew one. it just taking a little longer. tah-dah. when it comes to choosing a fabric -- >> there's two things to be aware of when it comes to picking material. the first is breathability and the second is does it stop liquid. >> reporter: a cambridge university study from 2009 tested the efficiency of homemade masks and named dish towels and vacuum bags as usable. and from their analysis there are many fabric types that will work. and if sewing is totally out of the question -- >> we're going to fold this over. >> reporter: in the it's better than nothing category this hair tie and folded cloth option will suffice in a pinch. to make it clear, there is no recommendation so far for ordinary citizens to wear a mask. in fact, the state department of health here in california saying face coverings may increase risk

if users reduce their use of strong defenses like physical distancing and hand washing when they use their face coverings. you do have to wash these. it's an interesting debate, michael. we have instructions for how to make them on our website, goodmorningamerica.com. >> well, thank you for showing us all of that, becky. we appreciate you and coming up here on "gma," we're going to tell you how to pay your bills if money isn't coming in. we have expert advice on what you need to do now. and up next, it is our "play of the day" and all i got to say is watch out, steph curry. he's coming for you. >> let me see it. for you. >> let me see it. finally, organics that work. tested and refined by plant scientists. for twice the results. guaranteed. don't grow a snack, grow a feast. don't grow a flower, grow a million-dollar view. this organic collection of soil and plant food is what you've always wanted. no compromise.

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♪ so darling, darling ♪ so darling, darling back now with our "play of the day." oh, this is sweet amber's favorite song, "stand by me." well, that's exactly what steph and ayesha curry's 1-year-old son is doing, helping them get through quarantine with some entertainment. take a look at this video and what steph said. >> let me see it. >> one, oh, that was one? do the sit-ups. do the sit-ups. >> steph and canon trying to show us up being the hardest worker in the room. that's a different kind of sit-up. they said the form is a little bit questionable but they're going to take it. #throughthistogether.

>> it is a great lesson. your kids see you doing something, they want to be like you and i think steph better work out. kid looks like he's in shape. he's ready. >> he's ready. he's ready. >> kind of a burpee there more than a push-up. >> you know what, i was going to say that, george. it did look a little more like a burpee. maybe he is ahead of the game a little bit. coming up we got "deals & steals." how you can help small businesses and get a great bargain at the same time. come on back. can make a big dif. that's why it's our pleasure to come to you. with delivery right to your door. order through the chick-fil-a app where possible, or our delivery partners, doordash, uber eats and grubhub. we can't wait to serve you. now, more than ever, the little things make a big difference. like contactless payment through the chick-fil-a app. place a mobile order and pay ahead of your visit. then pick up in the drive-thru or curbside where available. in the meantime, let's all take good care of each other.

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12-year-old libba and annie who is 8 and this new student who has been reallydistracting. lulu! lulu the dog taking part in that. we thought it was so sweet to share. let's check that severe storm forecast i needed to get to you. that cold front will sink all the way down to south texas so if you're in san antonio, austin, all the way to the mexican border tomorrow, got to watch for that. coming up here on "gma," the sharks are back and they're answering more of your finance questions during all of this difficult tile. we've got a special edit

safety, this is abc 7 news. >> good morning. it's 7:56. we do have good news for pg & e customers. you will get a break on your bill. all utility customers will receive the climate credit this april. that will reduce your bill between $27 to $62 depending whether you use natural gas, electric or both. if you are having trouble paying your bill because of covid-19, you can work out a payment plan. pg & e stopped diskeconnecting r non-payment. head over to mike nicco. looks like a bright and sunny day. >> it is. look at this picture from the golden gate bridge. if you are heading outdoors, a little breezy around our water. allergies are going to be hard to overcome. temperatures from the low to upper 60s. we do have a one on the storm impact scale this weekend. stormy conditions sunday.

coming up on "gma" deals and steals. another abc 7 news update in 30. you can find us on

good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. breaking news for our viewers in the west. a record 6.6 million americans file unemployment claims, the most ever. doubling last week's history making numbers. worse than experts predicted. we're live with the latest this morning. coronavirus emergency. as cases now top 216,000 here in the u.s., hospitals buckling under pressure. >> all these patients here are sitting out in the hallways be >> the president says the government's stockpile of equipment is almost out and now some hospitals facing oxygen shortages. new york's governor andrew cuomo warns the crisis could last for months. >> this could go through the mfort," and that field hospital in central park already seeing patients, trying to relieve the burden. making ends meet. we've got our personal finance

experts here answering your questions, how to deal with debt, look for a job and prioritize the money that you do have. ♪ ring my bell call her the quarantine queen. ina garten sending the internet into overdrive with this. >> during a crisis, you know, cocktail hour can be almost any hour. >> all the details on her cocktail hour at any hour as we say good morning, america. ♪ ring my bell delicious. >> good morning, america. cocktail hour, any hour, robin and george. >> whoo! >> it is great to have everybody with us on this thursday morning, friday eve as we like to call it as well. and we've got a brand-new edition of "binge this" to share with you. full of movies, tv shows and music recommendations for you to check out hopefully over the weekend. >> looking forward to that coming up, michael. also ahead, so many people have personal finance questions coming out of this crisis so the sharks are going to be back. they have helpful advice this

morning. >> that's going to be very helpful. first we want to get the latest on the coronavirus outbreak. cases topping 200,000 here in the u.s. new york hit especially hard. the u.s. navy ship "comfort" and that field hospital in central park now both seeing patients. whit johnson has the latest and we'll say good morning again to whit. good morning. >> reporter: robin, good morning to you. the first nine patients spent the night in those white heated tents behind me here in central park. this makeshift facility has 68 beds ready to go and we're seeing more scenes just like this across the country. temporary hospitals eager to meet an urgent need. this morning, the mounting death toll in new york state alone topping 2,200. jumping by more than 650 in just 24 hours. doctors on the front lines of the pandemic warning hospitals u n see all the ros are lmed.urd

edthe halls are very tyat a a ye because of this, makes it very hard to work and we're trying our best to treat everyone that we can. >> reporter: in this video provided by mt. sinai queens dr. matthew bai taking us inside his emergency room showing the overflow of patients, medical workers doing everything they can. >> all these patients here sitting out in the hallways because we are full. all these patients in the hallway have all been seen, even though we're overflowing. we're trying our best to still provide them care which we are doing. you can see here that the patients have oxygen tanks that they need. >> reporter: first responders also bearing a heavy burden. abc news obtaining this alarming copy of new cardiac emergency guidelines given to ems teams in the new york city area telling crews if they can't get a pulse on their own they should not

transport the patient to the hospital. there is a significant development regarding testing now in the new york area. several locations on long island are the first in the nation to roll out new test kits that claim to get results in less than 15 minutes. george? >> oh, boy, that would be great. okay, whit, thanks very much. we're going to turn now to the economic impact. so much of the country is shut down right now and with millions laid off the new report on weekly unemployment claims is out this morning after last week's record job loss of 3.3 million. rebecca jarvis tracking it all. good morning, rebecca. >> reporter: good morning, george. these are staggering numbers. more than 6.6 million americans laid off last week. that's the equivalent of every man woman and child in houston, phoenix, philadelphia and san jose losing their job.

this morning the report on lay off s. more than 6.6 million american it is filing new claims for unemployment insurance last week, the largest number in a single week ever and two times as many as the week before. with so many across the country already struggling and out of work, phone lines and websites to apply for unemployment insurance are jammed. >> i've applied for unemployment. i haven't heard back. >> when we were furloughed, i immediately filed on their website which took days to file. >> reporter: as the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, new york has seen telephone calls to the department of labor increase 16,000%. web traffic up by nearly 900%. >> this is probably going to be about my 30th time calling. >> reporter: the problems are prevalent everywhere. economists warn the jobs picture will continue to worsen before it gets better.

>> we know the illness will get worse. we also know the fatalities will get worse. there's also fatalities in the economy. it's on all sides. we're getting hit on every side. >> reporter: today's report means that the total number of americans laid off from their jobs in just the last two weeks is nearly 10 million. you still need to file for unemployment insurance even though the systems are having issues. the states tell me they're working on improving so you can get that money. michael? >> will require a lot of patience. thank you for that, coming up, facing bills head on. expert advice on how to deal with the financial issues so many are facing right now. plus, small business "deals & steals." bargains that will make you happy and help keep these companies going. and the sensational tony, grammy and emmy winner, cynthia erivo will perform live. we'll be back with more "gma."

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♪ ♪ good morning, good morning welcome back to "gma" and it's great to have amy joining us here in the studio. welcome, amy. >> happy to be here. >> we're happy you're here, of course, and, robin, someone wonderful is joining us from his kitchen tomorrow. >> oh, yes, you know him well. our resident chef michael symon will get us ready for the weekend with a friday food fix for you and your entire family, but now, let's get some "pop news." i know, lara, you have been busy in your kitchen. when i talked to you the other night, you were making beyond

beyond burgers or something. what's on the menu? >> yeah, i did beyond burgers. i have a recipe you are going to love. you guys, i found this on "the new york times," spiced chickpea stew with coconut and turmeric. i made it last night. i'm feeling like a chef these days. i just want to say that. i'll share it with you all. speaking of chefs, wait for pod three. wait for pod three. we'll begin "pop news" with a story about two of the greatest performers in the world. we are talking billy joel, we are talking dolly parton, both of them stepping up in a big way to make massive contributions to help end this pandemic. joel's foundation just announced it will make a series of donations starting with $500,000 to buy personal protective equipment for health care workers on the frontline in new york state, including billy's native long island. thank you, billy. and dolly, donating $1 million

specifically to find a cure for coronavirus taking to instagram to reveal the news. she explained, her dear friend is a doctor at vanderbilt university in her hometown of nashville. he is involved in the research and she writes, quote, i'm making a donation to vanderbilt towards that research. i'm also encouraging people who can afford it to make donations as well. and, guys, dolly is also giving a gift to kids during this unsettling time starting tonight. the queen of country will be reading children's books on her youtube channel to engage with kids before bedtime. listen up. >> hello, i'm dolly parton, the book lady from the imagination library. i want to you join me april the 2nd when i start "good night with dolly." i'm going to be reading some stories from the imagination library. >> all rightthanyou much, dolly. we have seen many of dolly's books being distributed around the world. she has given i think 135 million books and counting. she says this bedtime story idea

is something she's been wanting to do for quite a while. never felt quite right. she says, i think it's pretty clear that now is the time. guys, you can catch dolly's new series for free starting tonight at 7:00 p.m. eastern on the imagination library's youtube channel. we have seen so many tributes to the doctors and the nurses working around the clock to help patients afflicted with coronavirus. so it was really special to see some of those doctors and nurses giving a little tribute to the unsung heroes, if you will. the folks that clean the hospitals, they say often without a lot of recognition. take a look. [ applause ] so sweet. the standing ovation at a hospital in barcelona. the staff there saying they wanted to applaud all hospital cleaning crews everywhere for their commitment to this crisis. that touching video resonating

all over the world. 14 million views and counting, just a great reminder to give thanks to the unsung heroes whose jobs are a critical piece in this difficult puzzle. and as i alluded to, everybody, somebody else lifting spirits in these sort of dark days is ina garten. super chef, my cookbook queen, lifting spirits with spirits, i dare say. writing on her instagram page, it's always cocktail hour in a crisis and showing fans how to make a supersize version of her signature cosmo. you guys, yeah, that is a pitcher you're seeing. >> oh my gosh. >> this pitcher could serve ten people. if you want to write down the recipe, robin roberts, amy, michael, america, two cups vodka, one cup cointreau, there you go, one cup cranberry juice cocktail, a half a cup of freshly squeezed lime juice,

pour it into a giant tumbler suggests ina, shake and serve with a side of sage, ina garten wisdom. listen up. >> the last detail is really important, a good martini glass. i'm going to show you the one i like. i would say in these times this is really important. so just pour it right in, oh, doesn't that look fabulous? stay safe, have a very good time and don't forget the cocktails. mm-mm. >> go, ina. >> oh, my goodness. >> the normally reserved chef is getting 2 million views so far and counting. by the way, she posted that at 9:00 a.m. which made me feel like, you know, when in rome. >> two cups of vodka? >> oh, lara. >> i want to point out, i want to point out, i want to point out that is bottles of gatorade, america, before you write me. that was just in the spirit of ina garten.

back to you all in the studio. >> you know how many people are going, that was for ten. do i have to share it with nine other people? you know how many are thinking that. >> a lot of people self-quarantining so maybe not. >> right, right. can i tell you guys, people have noticed that's a wine cooler right behind me, but it does not -- not in use during 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. right behind me there so people, yeah. >> that happens at 9:01, robin. we know. >> no, no. all right, everybody. let's move onto our "gma" cover story. with the economy struggling under the weight of the et, anre finding it home finances in ordfinance exr ra js now frhville with their advice. to . davego to have you back. been awhile since we have had you on "gma."

>> good to see you, my friend. >> great to see you. really need you right now because with these unemployment, record unemployment numbers that are coming out and people are just really feeling at their wit's end. rachel, let me start with you. your key piece of advice, don't make decisions based on fear. is that it? >> that's right. yes, fear is a very top emotion right now for a lot of people but you don't want to make your decisions based on fear. fear is a terrible financial adviser. we make terrible decisions with our money when we're panicked or drunk. it goes back to the last segment. do not make financial decisions when you're panicked. >> and, dave, this is something that you have said, i've heard you say this over and over again no matter -- especially in a time like this. you need to prioritize. how do you go about doing that? >> yeah, you have to and to what rachel is saying, we have to calm down a little bit. i know it's scary. i know people are afraid of the virus and afraid of the job loss and economic implications. robin, you know, i was on this

show with you in 2008 when we were telling people, it's going to be okay, and, you know, back with y2k, or the terrorist attacks on 9/11, it's going to be okay. hear that loud and clear. this too shall pass. i know it's scary. if you lost your job -- and lots of folks have particularly in the hospitality world and the huge numbers of layoffs that are out there, stop doing anything except your four walls. take care of food first. utilities second. your sheller shelter meaning your rent or mortgage third. food, shelter, clothing transportation and utilities. if your credit gets dinged because you don't pay some credit card but you feed your family, that was the right priority. >> and, rachel, what else can we cut to save and cover those four walls your dad talked about? >> yeah, for sure, there is industries that are lowering people's bills. so call your cable company, insurance, cell phone, if you

have subscriptions, cut those. really you want to focus on your needs, not your wants and those needs are the four walls and robin, i always encourage people to budget. be very, very intentional with where every single dollar is going, and once you live on a budget and you're intentional with every dollar, some people say they feel like they got a raise. so you might find extra cash you've been spending and didn't realize it. >> and what about paying debt, dave? this is something you're always talking about. what is the rule of thumb here, even in these times? >> we've got a group of folks that are doing fine. their income is fine, anyway and their house is stable and they were working to get out of debt. you would stay with it but if you think your income, not because of vague worries, but literally you're about to get laid off or running a small business and you are shut down right now, then again, you would stop paying extra on anything, and just pile up cash. that's all you want to do. and, robin, you know, we're going to get through this. just buckle down here.

put the plywood on your house so to speak and let's go through this hurricane together, and you'll come out the other side of it, and it will be a distant memory and you'll tell your grandkids about this some day, and this was the time that you changed your habits, you know? your producers told me i could say that we've got financial university where we've taught over 10 million people and making it available free right now for 14 days. and if you can control the controllables meaning you do what you can do, that helps to dissipate the fear and so jump on daveramsey.com and we'll allow you to go through our gold standard class and personal finance completely free for 14 days. you're at home anyway. might as well be watching that. >> oh, my goodness. you two are quite a duo. well, dave, rachel, thank you very much for your generosity with what you just said there. and, yes, this too shall pass. now would be good but this too shall pass. you take care. i hope we can check in with you again. all right. take care. >> thank you, my friend.

>> thanks, robin. >> all righty, let's get down to ginger who is there at home. ginger? i know this too shall pass and the pictures of you and little man lucas have been helping me out. hopefully this video will help all of you. in new rochelle, new york there's a 3-year-old named reagan, and she started her very on takeout imaginary restaurant. it's just mom made an order she was a little confused by. watch. >> what would you like? >> a pound cake. >> pound cake? a pound cake? okay. >> reagan had never heard of pound cake. we thought her reaction was so sweet. there have been so many great videos coming in. we really encourage you to post one on my facebook page, send it to my dms and my instagram and that way w good morning. i'm abc 7 news meteorologist mike nicco. check out all the sunshine and warmer temperatures on the way. it will be breezy around bodies of water.

clear tonight, chilly and wintry weather this weekend. temperatures and storms that could bring hail and snow. today, low to mid 60s except for inland, mid to upper 60s. the low to mid 40s around the bay tonight. two rounds of wet weather thisca well, we might not have a ca pound cake but we have small business "deals & steals" and we have tory johnson here to help with some special savings. tory, i know you have six great companies to feature this morning. all offering some incredible deals so tell us all about them. >> reporter: and i want to let you know that all of these companies are focussed on preserving jobs and they are hopeful today is going to bring some relief. so first up one of our favorites is nest. they've got home and body fragrances. they are giving us-s theel all-time. grapefruit, bamboo, ocean mist and we've got all their

e dy whe f towett, and everythihalf.it all. next one of my favorite companies is called bella tunno and it is run by a small group of moms and women who are focused on helping to combat childhood hunger. for every product they sell, they donate a meal to feeding america. they're coming up to almost 4 million meals donated. so when you buy, they're just unbelievably fun. it's all food grade silicone. there are bowls, plates, teethers, spoon sets. you will not only bring joy to your own family but also be able to donate a meal to a child in need. all of this is slashed in half and it starts at $5. another one that i like. grip stick, a family owned company in ohio. solutis.urooeshness first is their food grade

silicone storage bags. they are freezer, dishwasher and microwave safe and then their classic grip sticks. it's those little sticks that will help seal any bag for freshness. so whether it is chips, cereal, dog food, you will be able to keep your food fresher longer. everything is slashed in half, and so these sets start at $8. next up, any sharp. any sharp is an awesome company. it is trying to ensure that its employees keep their jobs. their knife sharpener will turn any dull knife razor sharp in just seconds. they also have a product called smart scissors that will cut anything. cardboard, those hard to open plastic packages. all of the products from this company are functional and great. they are slashed in half and they too startt . then let's move on to a great company called the shroom company. it's a team of six that is trying to help all of us avoid

plumbing disasters in the tub and in the kitchen. they've got one product that is for the bathtub that fits inside the drain to prevent hair from clogging a drain. and then their sink one for the kitchen will collect food particles while washing dishes without stopping the flow of water. smart, awesome. slashed in half $13 a set and finally from fresh wave, odor removing products. all of these products will remove any household odor without masking it. this is an awesome product. it starts at just $4. it is all slashed in half and it is planet friendly which i love because it's plant-based. so we've got a lot of great ones. >> all right, thanks, tory. we'll be right back.

now your health, your safety, this is abc 7 news. >> good morning. the city of san francisco is launching a new effort to help the most vulnerable communities during the covid-19 pandemic. that includes seniors. the mayor announced a volunteer network to assist people w assiw errands. the program hopes to provide a sense of community for those who are living in isolation and can't leave their house. apply on the website. apply on the website. mikecalifornia phones offers free specialized phones... like cordless phones, - (phone ringing) - big button, and volume-enhanced phones. get details on this state program. call or visit

and accessoriesphones for your mobile phone. like this device to increase volume on your cell phone.

- ( phone ringing ) - get details on this state program call or visit now your accuweather forecast with mike nicco. >> good morning. happy thursday to you. here is a look at the bay bridge toll play saturdza. dry weather if you have to be out and about. winter returns with light to moderate rain saturday. thunderstorms with small hail and a snow level down to 3 stsh3,500 feet. enjoy the sunshine the next few days. another update in 30 minutes. find the latest on our app and on abc7news.com. the news continues right now with "good morning america."

♪ and welcome back to "gma." it's 8:30 here on thursday morning. we're going to focus on the economic impact again. we have the breaking news on the jobs front. the numbers are stunning. over the last week 6.6 million people filed state unemployment claims. that is double the number who filed the claims last week which was 3.3 million. eight times the previous record. now two straight weeks of job loss totaling nearly 10 million americans have filed for unemployment claims in the last two weeks. the impact being felt all across the country right now as we're basically shut down by the

coronavirus crisis. we'll be tracking this all day long on abc news live. we'll athis moment is for our families and our communities. that is why our state is responding at every level of government to slow the spread of covid-19, while ensuring our most vulnerable californians have what they need. but we can each do our part. and it starts by staying home. i know this is a big sacrifice for so many, but staying home saves lives.

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i think i'll take two. for the love! oh. we're going to go to our series "binge this." we've got a little extra time at home, we're giving you our picks for tv shows, movie,

more to keep you entertained. of course, i'll kick things off with something everyone can use. a good laugh and call them one of the great, don cheadle himself. take a look. >> good morning, "gma." welcome to my living room. i know you guys are looking for great things to binge. check out my show, "black monday" this weekend on showtime following "homeland." myself and regina king with paul shear, casey wilson, horatio sands, we have great guest stars. kim moreno will pop in. it's a lot of fun. don't let the title throw you. i know we're going through tricky times right now but this is just the thing the doctor ordered to get you through this weekend. so appreciate you. good to see you guys. what's up, michael? y'all take care. sunday, sunday, "black monday." >> all right, i appreciate you, don. i loved season one. cannot wait for season two. amy, what do you think? >> i love the shoutout you got. i love "homeland." this is perfect. you can laugh after you're

scared to death. i'm looking for a good binge, so i'll check it out. >> good. we need to you check it out. "homeland," my favorite too. nexup, a drama for our drama lovers. a lot of good shows out there now. robin, you have a great one to binge. >> everything. >> may i present miss charlotte hayward. >> enchanted to make your acquaintance. >> no doubt they've sent you here to find yourself a fortune. >> did you hear what i was saying? "sanditon." >> no, we didn't hear you. >> okay, all right. hey, i'm working from home here, people. i'm doing the best we can. i don't have -- you should see the crew i have working with me but it's called "sanditon." another great, pbs, masterpiece. jane austen, it was her last piece of work that she never

really finished. the cast is brilliant, powerful women and they are the fans of the show are very passionate. trying to get a season two. only one season, eight episodes but it is so worth it. excellent. >> i love the accents. "sanditon." "sanditon." i think that's how you say it. >> pbs. >> you just sold me on that. a lot of people, they're turning to throwback movies for comfort right now. i couldn't believe this. it's been 25 years since "tommy boy." one of my favorite "snl" duo david spade and chris farley gave us so many classic moments like one of our favorite jokes, fat guy in a little coat. remember that. ♪ in a little coat ♪ in a little coat >> you don't have to listen to me. david spade can tell you all about it. take a look. >> fat guy in a little coat. >> i want to thank you for talking about the anniversary of "tommy boy."

obviously one of the favorite things i did in my whole life. i got a front row seat to that guy. that's an old picture from my wall with rock. i'm here in the lights out bunker. probably an "snl" after party, i'm thinking. appreciate it. i think about him every day. it was a great time in my life. i got lucky to be a front row seat in that movie. watched one of the funniest guys ever. that was the fat guy, i was a little coat and great memories. >> we got a front row seat to watch both of you do what you do best which is make us laugh. so a big thank you to our guy, david spade who said he's in the lights out bunker. see david's show "lights out" on twitter, instagram, facebook and youtube channel. and next up, if you're looking for a family movie night this weekend, then break out the popcorn and head on an adventure with the movie "onward" coming to disney plus this friday which will be tomorrow with chris pratt and tom holland starring as teenage elf brothers on a magical quest to reconnect with

their late father. and finally, with so many hours at home, now is the time to really commit to a show. commitment no matter how long the show is. lara, have you a pick. let's hear it. >> yeah, michael. i have rediscovered "grey's anatomy." it's still airing on abc, season 15. i think the finale is coming up on april 16th but, guys, 16 seasons, that's 362 episodes. i promise you you will not run out. you will laugh. you will cry. we love ellen and the team and i just love this show. my daughter started watching it and i rediscovered it. a side bar, robin you mentioned your crew. i want to show you, get over here, i want to show you the rdbend the scenes right here. robin, look who is here. you got to bend down. you got to bend down. look who is here. running the cameras, everybody. >> rick!

rick, yay! look this way, rick. >> welcome to the show, rick. i got to say, i see amy shaking her head. i know my daughter sofia loves "grey's anatomy." it's her favorite show. i think she's probably going in the loop on that two times through. so much to choose from. amy, cannot leave you out. what are you going to binge? >> i will binge the third season of "ozark." i watched the first two. it just dropped. this weekend i'm going to be in ozark, missouri. >> i'll be with you. we can compare notes. >> now, it is time for the "gma" pollen count. hey, ginger. >> yes, by the way we've been deep in disney plus. we watched "honey, i shrunk the kids." let's get that report. we have to dive right into the update from courtney. she gave us a new one from seven lakes, north carolina, yes, that's pollen. please do share your pollen photos with me so we can get them out to the world. the tree pollen is high from the

desert there through dallas over to the southeast including south carolina and the overall pollen has moved even farther north. that peak, that high area right up through central new york. all right. that's the big picture. good morning. i'm abc 7 news meteorologist mike nicco. one of our warmest and brightest days with low 60s to upper 60s from the coast to inland. check out the wintry weather this weekend. temperatures in >> don't go anywhere. we will be right back. >> "gma's" pollen report is sponsored by the makers of zyrtec. while keeping safe and staying in, we can still go out! -sort of. so while you're discovering new things to do in the box,

we'll be here for you... at the drive-thru, on the mobile app, and with delivery.

while keeping safe and staying in, we can still go out! -sort of. so while you're discovering new things to do in the box, we'll be here for you... at the drive-thru, on the mobile app, and with delivery. back now on "gma." those record unemployment claims just in. 6.6 million americans filing for benefits last week. we want to bring in "shark tank's" mark cuban and barbara

corcoran for their reaction to the startling numbers. good morning, mark. let's start with you. what is your reaction to these jobless -- >> it's bad. i mean and the sad part i think it's going to get worse. we still don't know what the impact of the payroll protection plan is going to be or the bailouts or loans and companies are still trying to hold on waiting for help. 6.6 is awful, but i think it's going to get worse. >> barbara, what's your reaction? >> i agree with mark. it's going to get worse before it gets better. many more layoffs coming. everyone i speak to are cutting back. no one knows how long the pandemic is going to last. it's impossible for anyone to tell what the full impact is going to be. we'll have to wait and see. he urot of people advice in a time like this. so it is time for ask the sharks. we'll start with the question from emily in buffalo who is thinking about her financial future. so let's take a look. >> hey, sharks, with all that's going on right now i can't help but notice my retirement fund has taken a hit.

should i still contribute or is there a better way for me to grow my wealth until the economy gets back on track? >> so, mark, what would be your advice for emily in buffalo? >> stay strong, emily. don't sell. i mean continue to contribute to your 401(k). when stocks are down, you want to continue to add in and keep on buying. it will come back. i'm 100% certain of that. i can't tell you the exact date. it might be a year, might be three years. if you continue to contribute, at some point in the future, you'll be glad you did. meershould edo you think emily the money down the line it's subject to income tax plus a 10% penalty and even if you just borrow against the money for only 60 days on your 401(k), re