dan: action tonight after an investigation into destroyed ppe in san mateo. in san mateo. in san mateo. (sound of rain) ♪ ♪ ♪ (phone ringing) ♪ ♪ ♪ (phone ringing) ♪ ♪ ♪ every home should be a haven. ikea.

>> heavy travel restrictions abroad. thinking about traveling to china? think again. >> cloth masks are not as protective. we will tell you why. >> a defiant school districts and students home to learn remotely. what is next? sandhya: i will let you know if the taste of spring will continue through the weekend. >> building a better bay area. this is abc 7 news. ama: taking a live look at sfo where flights have been you and far between. traveling from the u.s. to china could become impossible. the chinese government is blocking flights trying to limit

the spread of covid head of the lunar new year in winter olympics. good evening at thank you for joining us. larry: ryan curry explains the e impact is being felt by bay area businesses. brian: february 1 is the chinese new year which traditionally brings many to the homeland to celebrate. the new year is happening the same week as the winter olympics but what was supposed to be a popular month for tourism and change into a series of lockdowns and travel restrictions to help limit the spread of the omicron variant. >> china is really serious about the omicron. they have olympic games going on. that is why they did not allow the flights going in. >> he says right now, traveling to china from the u.s. is nearly impossible. normally, he says there are eight commercial flights leaving every day. he says now there is only one

and that may soon change to zero. >> only united airlines is going to shanghai. special visas to visit. china's only letting people for business reasons or see loved ones and serious health conditions. it is at the point where he says his business is now losing money. >> we have to pay utility, rent, everything. it is negative income. >> he says anyone traveling to china has the quarantine and no spectators are allowed. it is why he's telling people to delay trips to china. >> i will say wait three months. larry: the cdc updated its mask guidance today, officially saying cloth masks are not as productive as covid-19 as other

masks. tonight, abc 7 news reporter luz pena spoke to a stanford medical professor who has been researching which mask our best. >> the cdc is changing is massive guidelines, recommending kn95 instead of the cloth mask. >> there are two problems with cloth, they have much more structural efficiency. luz: cloth masks do not fit as tight. dr. steven looney studied the effectiveness of masks during the pandemic. >> the issue about a nice kn95 mask is it feels very well around the face so that you don't have like with a cloth mask an easy way in around that can then get into your respiratory system. luz: n95's are designed to filter out 95% of all small particles. according to stanford university medical experts, when tested,

cloth masks only show 25% efficiency. regardless of the new announcement, two years of the pandemic have created new habits. protection of a cloth mask if you still want to wear one. >> if you start with a surgical mask and add a cloth mask on top of it, it will bring the surgical mask in and give you better fitting there. luz: some people are opting to switch masks depending on the setting. >> in the shopping mall or grocery store, i prefer n95. luz: he agrees with that and here is when you should replace one. >> if you are just going out to the store, yeah, you can use the same mask for multiple days. luz: in san francisco, luz pena, abc7 news. larry: this a few things you can

look for on n95 masks. the name or logo of the company should be on the front along with the model number. you should also look for the filter series that notes the efficiency. we've posted a full list of tips on our website. ama: now to tonight other covid headlines. the white house launched its website to distribute free at home rapid tests. every household can order up to four starting wednesday. overwhelming demand is propping santa cruz county to open a new testing site. registration is required. for the second straight day, california's test positivity rate declined, although it is near a record high at 22.9%. the state reported more than 100,000 new cases for the fourth straight day. larry: hayward unified students and staff are due to return for in-person classes next week following a week of distance learning. the school board made the decision only a few hours ago.

amanda del castillo you explains the new safety message they also agreed on. amanda: the community can expect a so-called soft entry as they -- leaders warned against going virtual. when students get back, new safety measures will include shortened school days. this will allow students and staff to access covid-19 testing offered by the district. >> grab and go meals to minimize the lunch interactions. amanda: the board of education met friday to decide if they would extend remote learning and potential funding a loss of two point $5 million each day campuses are closed. >> they were already dealing with fiscal decisions. amanda: michelle smith mcdonald says nearly all other districts in the county have continued to offer in person instruction. >> the state has given schools

two pathways -- in school instruction or the independent study. amanda: parents reluctant to send students back to school. parents must sign a contract with the district allowing the student to click schoolwork with little supervision. this is different from remote learning where teachers taught a class online. that is no longer an option. friday's meeting brought next reaction. >> what you are talking about is not enough. >> help us out with the kids. it is not good. amanda: the board voted 3-2 in favor of returning in-person. >> it's not perfect, but right now we are also trying to do everything we can to cooperate with the state and our county. larry: now if you want to stay up-to-date on the latest covid headlines, we have more information on our website. go to abc7news.com. ama: this is a three day weekend

for many with the martin luther king jr. holiday on monday. sandhya patel is here with the weekend forecast. sandhya: the weather looks fantastic especially if you are doing outdoor activities. let me show you a life picture right now. this afternoon, it was mild to warm. 10 to three degrees above average. 70 in fairfield. 66 in san jose. mid-60's from san francisco to oakland. offshore wind playing a part in that. as you take a look at what is ahead tomorrow morning, some higher clouds and temperatures will bottom out in the 30's to 50's. as we head towards the afternoon hours, it will be pretty mild. low to mid 60's in many areas as you check out air quality. it will be in the moderate range so you are good to go for any outdoor activities where you can enjoy safely. i will be back with the rest of the holiday forecast. larry: see you in a few minutes.

monday is martin luther king jr. day and bay area leaders are finding a way to honor dr. king's legacy despite the omicron variant. mayor london virtually the 38th annual martin luther king jr. day celebration. >> dr. king once said our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that truly matter. larry: the mayor urged san franciscans to do their best to promote racial equity, inclusion and fairness. she said despite the progress that has been made, it is important not to be complacent. across the bay, the anti-police terror project is hosting events. >> we just realized with the surge of omicron, it was not responsible or safe. larry: the series of events will culminate in a car caravan on mlk day on monday. canceled this year's celebration train which usually runs on mart

of the kingdom -- martin luther king day. those interested in celebrated should participate in virtual events being organized but in northern california dr. martin luther king jr. foundation. ama: a massive fire burning near a warehouse that stores chemicals. the warning to families in the new jersey neighborhood. larry: our story about all that ppe that was left out in the rain gets a big reaction and results. ama: 49ers fans in texas ready and eager for this weekend's wild-card game. celebrations happening at home. larry: first, a look at what's coming up on jimmy kimmel. jimmy: big news. spider-man is here. tobey maguire, andrew garfield. go ahead. [laughter] [applause]

new year, new start. and now comcast business is making it easy to get going with the ready. set. save. sale. get started with fast and reliable internet and voice for $64.99 a month with a 2-year price guarantee. it's easy... with flexible installation and backing from an expert team, 24/7. and for even more value, ask how to get up to a $500 prepaid card. get a great deal for your business with the ready. set. save. sale today. comcast business. powering possibilities.

ama: a massive chemical fire swept through a warehouse in new jersey tonight. 200 firefighters responded to the blaze. the company makes furniture for casinos and bingo halls. it shares the space with a qualco plant that manufactures chlorine for pools. the main plant was not affected by the fire. residents are being told to keep their windows closed and stay inside. larry: a tip that led abc 7 news i.t. reporter dan noris to personal protective equipment san mateo county event center. tonight, he shows you what has happened since his exclusive report. dan: more than 20,000 square feet of boxes soaking in the rain.

personal protective equipment worth more than $10 million. this is your federal tax dollars, hospital gowns, face shields, goggles outside of the san mateo county events center since less some timber. the story broke yesterday is getting reaction across the country. >> it has to be investigated. dan: congresswoman jackie spear came to san diego to talk transportation but we asked about the major ppe mistake she uncovered. she called the troubling but to remember the county has been a leader in drive-through testing, vaccinations and boosters. >> we need to keep in mind that san mateo county has been at the forefront and we have one of the highest levels of vaccination rates in the country. and that is all good news for all of us. dan: our story about the ppe was something the event center ceo did not want you to see. why is all the stuff going to waste? >> can you stop filming? dan: no, i work at channel 7.

i need to ask questions. the county manager told me he didn't know they were sitting out there for months. >> it is clearly a mistake by the county. i'm ultimately responsible for the county so i take full response ability. dan: today he has learned event center staff moved all that ppe outside to accommodate the software as a service annual conference september 27 through the 29th. he does not know why the supplies were not moved back inside but he's hiring an independent investigator to look into it and calling in the marines. >> so, every single piece is being inspected. right now, we are running over 90% we are finding still in perfect condition. dan: james brown of the wine country marines is organizing an distribution. he says the rain damage to the exterior boxes, but the plastic bag inside saved many of the items. the veterans advocacy group

will be giving it away to follow five groups on january 25 by appointment only. >> we don't want anyone to take this and put it on ebay because that is in essence money laundering. you are taking federal taxpayer purchased products and turning it into cash for you. what we do want to do is get this in the hands of any organization that serves the community. if you are out there serving the homeless or doing a food kitchen or a shelter, if you are treating patients, any of that. dan: groups with a legitimate mission can find more details on the wine country marine website. dan noyes, abc 7 news. larry: his story started with a tip from a viewer. you can contact dan yourself. if you would like to see a story investigated, go to abc7news.com or c all th -- call them. ama: san franciscans will start receiving ballots in the next weeks for february special election.

they will vote on whether to recall three school board members. some residents will vote in the primary. early voting starts tuesday or voters can return their ballots by mail. election day is february 15. >> you are the third longest running contestant in jeopardy history. larry: tonight, oaklands amy schneider overtook one of jeopardy's greatest champions. she won her 33rd consecutive game, putting are ahead of james on the number three spot for the all-time consecutive wins list. ken jennings holds the all-time consecutive victory record with a streak of 74 games. that may never catch him. matt is in second place with 38 games. tonight, schneider increased her total winnings to $1 million. we're very precise. makes me feel like i probably should have studied more years ago. ama: maybe just a little.

we can study the weather. i hope there's not a quiz after. sandhya: pay attention. if we have time, we will. let's take a look at the sunset from tonight. it was absolutely gorgeous from the emeryville camera. sunsetting at 5:13. the extra color is due to the cirrus clouds and the haze. pay attention, guys. here's a look at the air quality. good to moderate air quality. greens across the entire region earlier today but you clearly notice the air quality is starting to decline. here's a look at the forecast. the next four days will be moderate. still safe enough for you to be outside as long as you don't have any respiratory issues or sensitivity. live doppler 7 tracking a lot of clouds right now. we do have some fog. concord and fairfield recording

three mile visibility so watch out. we get some of that fog from the central valley. watching this area of low pressure pumping the high clouds. radar returns off the southern california coast. if you are traveling down south for the holiday weekend, there will be some showers you encounter between tomorrow morning and tomorrow ever -- afternoon and another wave on monday. temperature is right now with a gusty offshore winds, you will notice the coast is in the 50's. pretty mild. that is what's holding the temperatures up along the coastline. most of even the 40's and 50's. a live look from the emeryville camera. patchy fog overnight. hilltop winds will ease. we're looking at a dry pattern to continue well into next week. tomorrow morning's temperatures will be in the 30's. north and east bay. along the coast, 40's and 50's. watch out for that fog.

afternoon highs, 63 in the south bay. on the peninsula, low 60's from palo alto to half moon bay. hazy son at times due to the high clouds. san francisco, 61. 64 in santa rosa. about 62 in sonoma. nice day in the east bay. head inland, 62 in concord. 60 degrees in livermore. it will be nice enough for the beach. take a look at the beach forecast. mild weather, low uv index. 60 at ocean beach. 62 for half moon bay and santa cruz. ring chances below average for much of the east coast and the west coast. this is state to 14 day outlook. part of the following week. drive for the holiday weekend, mild weather on the accuweather 7 day. low to mid 60's. enjoy this weather. hopefully the rain comes back

end of january into february but it is dry all the way through friday. quiz time. larry: cirrus clouds, no rain for the next week or two weeks. sandhya: funny how they finally pay attention. larry: do it in five seconds al - hi mommy! - hi honey! oh i missed you! you just want to video call the kids. ok. ♪ hush little baby...♪ ♪...don't say a word...♪ but if slow upload speeds turn your goodnight call into an accidental horror movie...

can you hear me? shut it down. just remember. you're not a bad mom. you just need better internet. at&t fiber delivers faster upload speeds for more reliable video calls. get at&t fiber, plans starting at $35 a month for a year. limited availability in select areas. call 877.only.att. princess cruises was born right here in california. for over 55 years, we've been helping californians make the most of their precious vacation time. and right about now, we could all use a real vacation. so forget the road trips and rentals

and sail with princess right from san francisco to the glaciers of alaska, the beautiful tropics of hawaii, the beaches of mexico or along the california coast. sail conveniently from sf from just $79 per day. book now at princess.com.

>> i kind of view dallas as enemy territory. larry: 49ers faithful ready to take over dallas for the matchup against the cowboys. a group of fans bleed red and gold and they live in north texas. the dfw niner empires says their members are snatching up tickets. >> it's time to get tickets, planning for a party. >> i sweet talked my wife into letting me buy tickets. larry: it is the faithful with a twang. they say they are ready to make dallas feel like a home game. several bay area landmarks will be eliminated in red and gold tomorrow night ahead of sunday's game. that will include sfo, san francisco, san jose city halls. red and gold. i'm in for dan. chris alvarez handling sports. warriors breaking out of a slump and the niners preparing for that showdown. chris: coming up in sports, less than 48 hours until kickoff in

dallas. and the warriors run over the bulls. steph

(sound of rain) ♪ ♪ ♪ (phone ringing) ♪ ♪ ♪ (phone ringing) ♪ ♪ ♪ every home should be a haven.

ikea. from one moment to the next, our kids become the most important part of our lives. and even though the years pass, that never changes. we never stop worrying about them. that's why it's important to have health insurance. with covered california, we got a plan we could afford. it includes free preventive care, like cholesterol and blood-pressure checkups. because even though they grow up, they'll always be your baby. covered california. this way to health insurance. enrollment ends january 31st. go to coveredca.com.

>> abc 7 sports sponsored by river rock casino. chris: 41 to go entering friday night's game against chicago. warriors halfway through their season. golden state looking to break out of a slump. that kid is living the dream. iguodala had four steals. behind the back pass to damion lee. even andre, impressive himself. the rookie jonathan kuminga. the steal and then the showtime. kuminga had 12 in the first

half. milwaukee scored 77 on the dubs in the first half. stephen curry makes it 78 for golden state and the half for friday. they keep it going. kuminga baseline. game-high 25 off the bench for the kid. dubs win. steve kerr smiling through the mask post game. >> that orange the orange ring. it saytayed in the net. that's what happened. chris: steve kerr is funny. the stanford women taking on colorado. the only undefeated team in division i men or women. the hoop and the flex. cardinal fight back. brink giving stanford the lead for the good. two huge threes to stretch out the lead. cardinal win. they have won eight of nine.

49ers and cowboys play on the wildcard sunday afternoon. trent williams and deebo samuel named to the first team all-pro team. while individual accolades are nice, deebo has one goal -- winning the super bowl. >> one of the things we talked about, pro bowl, all pro, we have one goal left and that is trying to get the ring. not everybody you see on this team will be part of the team. take that into consideration. put it out there for each other and give it your all. chris: spo

chase first banking. a debit card for kids, and a set of tools to help them learn good money habits. by creating allowances and assigning chores, they can practice earning every day. with a debit card just for them, they'll learn smart spending firsthand, while you monitor and set account alerts.

and using their own chase mobile app, they can set big savings goals. all with no monthly service fee. chase first banking. - [announcer] the more we learn about covid-19, the more questions we have. the biggest question now, what's next? what will covid bring in six months, a year? if you're feeling anxious about the future, you're not alone. calhope offers free covid-19 emotional support.

call 833-317-4673, or live chat at calhope.org today.

ama: thank you for watching. larry: the weekend is here. yes! jimmy kimmel live is >> lou: from hollywood, it's "jimmy kimmel live!" tonight -- the cast of "spider-man: no way home," tom holland, zendaya, benedict cumberbatch, and jacob batalon, plus music from black pumas. and now, jimmy kimmel! [ cheers and applause ] ♪ >> jimmy: hi, welcome. very nice. hi, guys. well, that's very nice. i'm jimmy, i'm the host. thanks for watching and thanks for coming. yep [ cheers and applause ] thanks for all the clapping. let me tell you something. you picked an amazing night to be with us. as we welcome the cast of "spider-man: no way home." [ cheers and applause ]

i am much more excited about