this morning as the death toll in the u.s. approaches 5,000, we'll go to the front lines where caregivers are trying to protect themselves, all while tweeting and comforting the sick and dying. the safety concerns over groceries and deliveries how to avoid bringing the virus into your home along with them the eye-opening report everyone needs see we'll also get a preview of today's unemployment report which could eclipse last week's stunner as we head into your thursday "early today" starts right now. >> thank you for being with us this morning, i'm frances rivera

>> with more than 280 million americans under stay-at-home orders, president trump considers restricting domestic air and rail travel this thursday and here's what you need to know the country now has over 216,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and fast approaching 5,000 lives lost around the world, cases are now edging towards a million as the pandemic cripples the u.s., italy, spain and france. as the pandemic cripples the u.s. italy, spain and france in laeos angeles the mayor is urging citizens to cover their face when they're out in public. top naval officials say thats h. the warship isw members. some newcomers have movered in a heard of wild goats are munching through gardens in the

town and in honor of national burrito day chipotle is givering away burritos to health care workers. florida residents are finally being told to hunker down the da coe thkotadakotas, arc as and iowa must day stat home. nursing home administrators called the move alarming that puts healthy workers at risk >> the officials made the announcement after someone with a confirmed case of covid-19 was at the park in the grand canyon earlier this week. and the wimbledon has been

cancelled for the first time since world war ii zploo as the number of coronavirus cases explodes here in the u.s. a dire new alarm about our dwindling supply of ppe, our capitol hill correspondent is here with us this morning some medical workers are already ratcheting this gear >> exactly they are rationing, they are reusing gear x they're protesting, we saw that in san jose because they simply don't have enough. two urces confirms that the national gowns andy depleted president trump confirmed that saying there's a bidding war going on for the federal government and states as manufacturers increase the prices he talked about price gouging

now trying to buy this stuff so states and the federal government say they don't have the money and president trump says when they do get it they don't want to put it back in the stock pile >> we don't want it to come to the stock pile because we have to take it and bring it to various states and hospitals one of the things and again we ask the state to do this as much as possible. >> you will run out of staff before you will run out of beds and you may run out of equipment before you run out of staff. >> reporter: governor cuomo talking about the situation in new york they've got the nation's most cases. that's definitely one of the biggest hot spots that we're seeing across the country. also on capitol hill there's talk now of a fourth stimulus, a fourth package to try to prop up the economy in the middl there'y

republicannnl. nancy pelosi has already got an outline but mcconnell has said after approving $2 trillion he's worrying about how to pay for it >> thank you so much, tracie not all heroes wear capes. we hear it over and over there's health care workers on the front lines. now they're describing their fear and heart break while they treat the sick and dying >> reporter: we are not okay we are tired and we are scared if i infect my husband or my four-year-old daughter, who i haven't hugged or kissed in weeks now, it will be my fault >> reporter: it is a ruth's irony. the health workers that can't

get to their own family. they have had to become family for their patients hospitals aren't allowing visitors. >> these patients have to die alone and i'm sorry to be so blunt but it is the truth. families are sag to say good-bye via face time we have taken on another role, family member and friend we do our best every day to provide for each of their patients based on their needs but it feels impossible. >> i know you're at home but the doctors, the nurses, the housekeeping the clerks, we are the closest to your family right now and we're going to take care of them. >> reporter: last week an elderly man walked into north shore university hospital. >> we are pretty sure he was having covid i said what can i do, who can i call he said can you call my wife and he was too short of breath to

talk to her and i said what can you tell my wife and he said i want you to tell her that i love her and i hope she's okay and my intern and i walked out of the room and criedk later he died. and then there was the man with dementia and respiratory problems >> the only thing that would calm this person down was stroking his head. immediately calm down so it was the little easy things that made this patient feel better >> i think each one of us breaks down at a different time of day. and just having to be there and not knowing what to say to make it better because right now it's not going to get better. it's going to get worse. >> reporter: christina is an intense ifz care nurse >> i worry about taking this home to my family. >> what have you done to protect your family? >> i left my home, staying at a

hotel. >> her daughter is battling lupus. >> what can you say is the hardest thing over these shifts? >> just seeing the sadness. >> where do you see the sadness? >> i see it on everybody's face. everybody who's walking around is stunned >> i love my job, i love being a nurse and now more than ever we need to come together because we're fighting for people's lives. >> reporter: they appreciate the public support they need more help and they hope someone is listening. >> the global battle against the coronavirus pandemic rages on. the world wide death toll significantly jumped in the pags 24 hours the world health organization estimates that a million people have been infected within days calling the pandemic a real threat to everyone in the plant. this has europe, the recent epicenter of the outbreak is

seeing certain signs that certain countries are seeing plateau. we're live in london this morning. >> reporter: good morning. well, everyday brings more death and more heart breaking stories but some hope as well as in italy there are signs of the pandemic is slowing down there a little bit you mentioned that plateau which itty's epidemic is aproemping where the number of cases remains stable over a period of time where every infected person only infects one other person rather than multiple people. a clear sign that the lockdown in that country is working a lockdown that they intend on keeping in place until at least the 13th after april but the situation in spain is still very dire they're now at 100,000 cases and they had a record number of deaths in one day. 864 people bringing the death toll in spain to almost 9,400.

only second to italy here in the uk there is also another big spike in numbers 563 people died in one day an indication that the situation here is getting worse with almost 2,400 dead. but prince charles who had contracted the coronavirus has now recovered. he released a video message saying that he was one of the lucky ones, because he only had mild symptoms. he also heaped praise on health workers here who are having a very hard time a lack of ppe is a crisis within a crisis here. >> thank you let's turn now to janessa webb who's got a look at your day ahead and how we're doing weather wise good morning >> we're going to see the sunshine out and about across

the northeast. we'll continue to watch the storm system it's a coastal one that's making its way across northern new england and even seeing clear skies for new york city but that potential is really going to be diminished in the next 36 hours. the backside of that storm system is going to make its way back in and then ern from washington, d.c. we'll see some isolated showers from d.c. all the way to philadelphia area also watching these winter weather advisories, winter storm warnings and advisoriew england you're back in the 30s across the dakotas. we're going to see a lot of sunshine for thethe upper midwe.

>> all right thank you so much. all right. we want to share with you this moment wednesday that has touched so many people on nbc news it's a reunion because our correspondent and her young son. >> this happened back in china after a 14-day self-quarantine he's back with her family. she's been on the front lines of covering the coronavirus crisis in japan and the uk. you've seen her reports right here we truly thank you for that and right now she is hanging on to her son, holding on really tight after all of that. >> after a quick break an urgent health warning about a popular heart burn drug. and up nt,ex quarantine those greens, how to protect

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most of us do our best to stay inside, but we still need to go get groceries and still often depend on those amazon deliveries as well so how can you avoid bringing the virus at home via shopping bags and packages >> reporter: from a market in new york city. >> right now we've given masks and gloves to all our employees. over 150 employees >> they walked up to the store and they greeted you and they ear wiping off your hand cart. >> wiping the virus from shopping carts to the checkout counter. health professionals recommend buying two weeks of groceries at a time but what do you do when you get home >> when you go out to get your groceries and you bring them home, try not to bring them into your house until you absolutely need them. >> reporter: he took his advice

online on a video that's gotten wide play. the cdc says the virus can remain air born for two to three hours its can remain on cardboard and plastic and stainless steel for two to three days when you bring groceries inside divide your counter tops into sterile and nonsterile sides then wipe everything off from the plastic bags to milk jugs to hand goods >> i'm going to wipe that down, i'm going to place its on the clean side >> consider putting chips and bread into airtight plastic. wash fruits and vegetables in cold water if you bring home takeout food remove it from packaging and consider microwaving it to kill the virus. >> if you get a package delivery leave it in the garage or

outside for 24 hours and then wipe it down it's unlikely the virus would survive inside the box. >> some people now using a uv light box to sanitize. >> i put my cell phone in, my sunglasses, any card or cash that i've used when i'm out. >> health experts urge americans to get out, keep six feet distance from others >> you see somebody within two feet, back up. and that's what's going to win this thing >> rewriting the rules of social norms and family hygiene nbc news, maryland isn't working at its best? taking metamucil every day can help. metamucil supports your daily digestive health using a special plant-based fiber called psyllium. psyllium works by forming a gel in your digestive system to trap and remove the waste that weighs you down. metamucil's gelling action also helps to lower cholesterol and slows sugar absorption to promote healthy blood sugar levels.

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the second quarter is off to a rocky start. the dow tumbling nearly 1,000 points and wall street is bracing for more turbulence as we await the unemployment numbers today. the cdc is ramping up projeks to as much as 9 million but many projections are in the 4 to 5 million range. and a huge ripple effect across the country. karen, good morning. >> reporter: frances, good morning. it is a crucial reading on the jobs market due out this morning. those jobless claims to cross at 8:30 a.m. eastern time and the market as you mentioned my

economists wracking up those numbers. the worst case scenario is 9 million but that could be the number we see this morning on the back of 3.3 million claims we're expect k those claims to continue to rise this reading is quite important. typically the market looks at the number on payrolls reported out friday but that was before the extreme lockdown measures so this reading extremely crucial in terms of other news we're watching carnival. this is the largest cruise ship operation in the world all those images of being locked down on these ships. it is now cancelling all of its cruses from san francisco for this year but also the itin nar for other cruises back to you in the studio. >> thank you for the update, karen. still aheaden an urgent consumer alert regarding a

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a driver fell ep behind the wheel and crashed. the truck was carrying toilet paper to california. >> that is some precious cargo, even that commercial grade >> people are scrambling to pick that up. desperate despite the coronavirus, the pandemic has forced bureau to make changes but the mission remain it is same >> reporter: covid-19 has not stopped the census >> it is so important that we count everyone that's living in this country >> reporter: but the pandemic has forced the census bureau to change its calendar. >> we did have plans in beginning and in late may to knock on doors of homes that we had not responded. we've pushed that back a little bit. >> reporter: as mandated every ten years the u.s. census bureau

begins a national head count >> we need to count everyone in the household particularly the children >> everyone should receive a form in the mail with three ways to respond by phone, online or by mail. >> all three are in the safety and convenience of your home you can do it any time, anywhere >> census workers will go door to door to households that have not responded. >> there will be no one coming to your community to knock on your door if you can get your community to respond >> it's used in determines hospitals, health care, roads, infrastructure k through the and a multitude of other programs >> it is the most used data in the nation >> cannot stress enough just how important it is to fill that out. there is a guy in missouri who is keeping spirits high with

the power of songs he's providing a little enjoyment for people even at a distance >> thank you for being with us on "early today. i'm frances rivera have a great thursday>> lately, i've discovered that 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. right now -- >> in a few days we will reach 1 million confirmed cases and 50,000 dead. right now the dire warning from the world health organization for all countries battling the coronavirus to do more. back home the debate rages on. should everybody now wear face