looking? >> well, that was a short report there. that's going to do it for us this morning. >> the "today" show is next. good morning. breaking news. results in. moments ago pfizer announces it's ready to seek fda approval for its vaccine within days. the company saying the vaccine is 95% effective with tens of millions of doses ready for front line workers by the end of the year and in the nick of time. >> this is going to get very bad very quickly if we don't have something done drastically right now. >> this morning the stunning surge of virus cases, hospitalizations and deaths and where authorities are tightening restrictions today. >> terminated.

the president fires one of his own top officials, the man in charge of election security out in an overnight tweet after saying november 3rd was the most secure election in u.s. history. and with the president's legal claims fizzling around the country, the top senate republican vows an orderly transfer of power. >> all of it will happen right on time and we'll swear in the next administration on january 20th. cleared for takeoff. this morning boeing 737 max set to receive the green light to fly again nearly two years after fatal crashes grounded the fleet worldwide. straight head, the changes being made to get them back in the sky. >> panic mode. empty shelves in stores from coast to coast once again as people stock up on essential fly supplies. >> buying up everything hurts everybody. >> why officials say that the supply chain is solid.

>> no parade? new orleans cancels its traditional mardi gras celebration, but there is a way that you can help keep the iconic party going, today, wednesday, november 18th, 2020. from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb on from rockefeller plaza. >> hopefully people will plan some fun parties in their houses. there's something you do down the street, a second line where you take like a kleenex and a napkin, and you can flip it around like that, and you can do that. you can have a second line. >> we can do a second line at home, over zoom. >> we have more a little bit later.

>> but first right to that breaking news. >> just this morning a major milestone in the pandemic could be days away. pfizer now says its vaccine is even more effective than previously thought and in the coming days the company will take the next step towards fda approval. let's get started. stephanie is on the story. good morning. >> reporter: hey, savannah, good morning. this new report contains the data the fda will use to approve the vaccine, and pfizer says there are no more serious safety concerns. if the company gets emergency use authorization by this vaccine it will have 50 million doses by the end of this year and 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021. this morning pfizer says it just days away from submitting its vaccine for emergency use authorization from the fda and that the results from its ongoing phase three trial are even better than what the company reported last week, the vaccine 95% effective and

reports no serious safety risks, though it will continue to monitor recipients for two years and found it's effective across different ages and races. it's also said to be 94% effective in adults over 65, a demographic especially vulnerable to covid. the two-dose vaccine is being called one of the biggest medical breakthroughs in the century. >> when i heard the over 90% efficacy, i felt that i was living a dream. >> earlier this week, moderna also announced promising preliminary results from its vaccine trials. >> as a scientist, as a clinician, i'm thrilled to see vaccines having this kind of efficacy. i really do think this shows that we've got a chance to stop this pandemic. >> reporter: but while the world

is awaiting a vaccine, testing is on the rise. overnight, a test kit to be used at home is the first to be allowed by people to self- self-administer and get results is within 30 minutes. this comes as people wait in long lines to guest tested all across the country, making the need for an accessible vaccine more urgent. >> some believe that front line health care workers could get it as early as next month. but, and this is an important but, wide distribution of the vaccine will take months. as for that at-home test, you will need a prescription to get it and there are questions about how much it will cost and who gets that prescription. >> stephanie goss, thank you. >> and new warnings about what to expect from the virus in coming weeks as cases and deaths and hospitalizations soar

nationwide. nbc's mrgan chesky is live in el paso, texas, with that part of the story. >> reporter: good morning to you. these tents only telling part of the story. nationwide we're seeing numbers go up in all of the wrong states. in el paso, we're a hot spot within a hot spot as the crisis in this city only gets worse. this morning doctor are bracing for yet another pandemic punch. a new white house report obtained by nbc news offering a stark warning, there is now aggressive, unrelenting spread across the country. without evidence of improvement, without further deteeshation, and current efforts are inadequate and must be increased. that blunt assessment comes amid a nationwide surge in new cases

and hospitalizations and deats s since october. dr. anthony fauci expressing regret for not pushing harder for mass testing earlier. >> i said it, it went earlier and maybe i should have kept pushing the envelope on that. >> reporter: ohio's governor announcing a 21-day curfew starting tomorrow after reporting thousands of new cases. south dakota now the leader in hospitalizations per capita. and the only state without a mask mandate. in the south, arkansas's positivity rate rising. >> it it continues, 10,000 arkansans will die between now and christmas. >> and el paso now has more cases than the dallas and houston areas combined. >> this has been what i would call like a tidal wave that hit. >> ashley bartholomew is one of

the hundreds of news doing best -- of hundreds of nurses doing the best to keep up. hospital, so flooded with record-setting covid admissions, this convention center has been conformed into a field hospital. >> i've seen more death and sickness in the last two weeks that i've ever seen in my entire ten years of being in health care. >> reporter: outside hospital walls, walmart spearheading in pilot program to expand testing in el paso, using drones to deliver at-home covid tests. a big idea taking off to help other hot spots as cases rise. this morning researchers believe for the first time covid immunity could potentially last years. a team of leading scientists studied 185 adults and found in many of them they had enough antibodies to prevent reinfection eight months after they had contracted covid-19,

and this does offer some some hope even though it has not been peer reviewed. but it is offering a lot of hope in the midst of so much loss. >> for more on the surging cases and breaking news, let's turn to dr. ashish jha. pfizer out seeking emergency approval for its vaccine from the fda. you have the doctor's eyes, what do you see? what's giving you hope? >> thanks for having me on. this is really hopeful, great news. both moderna and pfizer at about 95% effectiveness. that's fabulous. it is going to make an enormous difference in the man demic. they have to go through fda approval, we have to look at the full set of data. the challenge now will be getting these vaccines out relatively quickly and relatived effectively across our nation. there's a lot of work to be done to make that happen. >> one other good piece of news from pfizer is it seemed to be

planning the logistics of how to transport its vaccine because it has to be in subzero, super cold temperatures and that was going to be a hurdle did you take comfort that they've seemed to think about this and know how they might handle it? >> yes, pfizer has really done an amazing job on this they've been thinking about these things for months and planning ahead that's going to make a big difference they've got four states and a pilot going and i think we'll see how those states do. and but there is a complexity as you lay out. the vaccine needs to be stored at minus 94 degrees. so that's a huge challenge i'm actually pretty confident we'll be able to overcome that issue. >> i know you and i are almost like a broken record at this point but i read a headline that says pandemic fatigue has set in and america has collectively stopped caring just in time for the holiday season, meaning thanksgiving that's harsh i think people do care but they also want to so their families

what are the implications, though, if americans decide to go with some form of business as usual as the thanksgiving holiday unfolds next week? >> people have to understand we have more virus across america than we've ever had during this pandemic. it's really out of control most of the spread is happening when people don't have symptoms. unless you have every family member getting tested all the time, you have no idea who is many coming to thanksgiving infected and who is going to spread the disease i know this is a really hard time hold off on a big thanksgiving meal, hold off on getting together over the holidays you can do all of that in 2021, much better than for people to get sick and unfortunately die if we don't do those things. >> dr. jha, it's always good to talk to you. thank you very much. >> it is 11 minutes after the hour, and craig is here with the presidential transition.

good morning. >> good morning. overnight president donald trump firing the nation's top cyber security officials who oversaw the security effort and the president called it the most secure in u.s. history while president-elect biden's team is making new calls to share key information with them from the white house. kristen welker has the details on all of it good morning >> reporter: hi, craig good morning to you president donald trump fired that top dhs official overnight on twitter. a source familiar with the matter tells nbc news that's how krebs found out he was fired, from that tweet. so for broader context, who is krebs? well, president donald trump appointed him to keep the election secure. now it seeps he was fired for doing exactly that president donald trump overnight announcing the firing of top dhs cyber security official chris krebs on twitter, claiming without evidence that krebs had put out highly inaccurate information after krebs and other security officials called the november 3rd election the

most secure in american history. krebs also debunked the president's baseless conspiracy theories about fraud, writing in a statement there is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes or was in any way compromised overnight krebs tweeting from his personal account, honored to serve. we did it right. defend today, secure tomorrow. just days before the election, krebs appeared in this video, urging americans to reject disinformation about voting. >> the last line of defense in election security is you, the american voter so be prepared for efforts that call into question the legitimacy of the election >> the firing prompting immediate backlash congressman cedric richmond is said to join the bidened administration responded overnight. >> the president didn't like his answer so he got rid of him.

american people at some point, my republicans, no matter where you are, at some point stand up against just flat outright lies. >> nebraska's republican senator ben sass saying he obviously should not be firing it comes as pressure is mounting for president donald trump to stop blocking and concede to president-elect biden. biden met to highlight the lack of government cooperation in his transition. the top three medical organizations warning the trump administration that data and information about covid need to be shared to save countless lives. also tuesday senate majority leader mitch mcconnell signaling for the first time he's preparing for it >> we're going to have an orderly transfer from this administration to the next one all it have will happen right on time and we'll swear in the next administration on january 20th >> reporter: now for his part,

president-elect biden is forging ahead with his transition today. he will hold a virtual town hall with front line health care workers. craig. >> meanwhile overnight in michigan there seems to be this back and forth over certifying election results in a major county what can you tell us about that? >> it was a dramatic night in michigan here's what happened. two republican county officials in michigan's largest county, which includes detroit, refused to certify the election results in that county two republican county officials, and that prompted a backlash from voters who accused those officials of essentially trying to disenfranchise them the republican officials reversed course by the end of the night, just a short time after their initial move so those results are going to be certified. they are going to move forward but president donald trump was watching all of this he was tweeting. he called the stalemate a, quote, beautiful thing

michigan's secretary of state, a democrat, though, said there were no irregularities and no evidence of widespread fraud, and so debunking the original reason that the officials were blocking the certification in the first place. bottom line here, craig, even if that stalemate had continued in that county, it's very unlikely it would have reversed the results of michigan, a state that president-elect biden won by more than 148,000 votes, craig. >> kristen welker there for us thank you. >> meantime president donald trump is moving ahead with an order for u.s. troop withdrawals in both iraq and afghanistan, one of his original campaign promises but now some are questioning the timing nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engel has the very latest. good morning >> reporter: good morning, hoda. questioning the timing andice ao wisdom of the move, they are calling it diplomatic

malpractice, and nato is saying that leaving afghanistan in particular too early or in an uncoordinated way could allow that country to become a springboard for terrorism. president donald trump's newly reshaped pentagon announced it's drastically scaling back troop levels in afghan stand and iraq. on the outgoing president's orders. >> president donald trump ran on a promise to put a stop to america's endless wars >> reporter: troops will go down to 2,500 by mid january. for afghanistan, that's nearly a cut in half. just after the announcement, rockets crashed into baghdad's green zone the shiite militias that fire them clearly wanting to show they're victorious, that they're responsible for driving the draw down it's clear because in afghanistan the same thing is happening. the taliban are claiming victory, too, that they forced a pull-out

>> it's highly irresponsible for a sitting president in the waning days of an administration to take such dramatic steps and actions. >> the withdrawals have been criticized even by some of president donald trump's allies. >> a precipitous drawdown in either afghanistan or iraq would be a mistake >> reporter: it's also exactly what president donald trump swore he'd never do. >> i've said it many times, how counterproductive it is for the united states to announce in advance the dates we intend to begin or end military options. i'm not like other administrations where they say we're going to do this in four weeks. >> former u.s. military officials tell me this is all about legacy building for president donald trump and they say that is no way to manage issues of war and peace. hoda >> richard engel in london, thank you.

>> it is 7:18 and a first check of the weather with dylan. she is in for al. hi. >> good morning. we are starting with wind chills of 4 in binghamton, new york burlington, vermont feels like 12 high temperatures will feel like 12 because we're going to headache on to the wind. temperatures will feel in the 20s to lower 30s washington, d.c. will feel slightly warmer but much cooler than you'd expect this time of year tomorrow we're still going to see those cold temperatures but the wind is going to die down and we will have a windchill in the teens and the 20s in the morning and by the afternoon the temperatures will feel warmer by 20s in the new york and binghamton and we won't have to deal with the brutal windchills.

that is a look at the weather across the country, and we will get to the local broadcast in the next 30 seconds. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we take a look at storm ranger, our mobile doppler radar is still showing lingering showers this morning for parts of the east bay and the south bay where we still have some light rain coming down am we're going to be tracking that for today with very cool temperatures over the next several days. in fact, as the rain moves out we'll be left with sunshine through the rest of the forecast and that sunny weather may continue even into early next

week with morning temperatures in the upper 30s. >> and that's your latest forecast back to you guys >> thank you coming up, breaking news on boeing's grounded 737 planes and the changes being made to improve the safety for passengers >> and a familiar sight at the beginning of the pandemic, store

and and the thanksgiving questions we're all wrestling with how do you have a conversation with family members who disagree over what to do. that's next after your local news the buzz of the clippers... in his expert hands. how he remembers exactly how much to take off the top.

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decreased white blood cells; compulsive behaviors; dizziness; seizures; trouble swallowing may occur. now when i say "good times," i mean it. ask your doctor about adding rexulti. now our savings card offers benefits for rexulti and your generic antidepressant. good morning. it is 7:26. i'm laura garcia. here's today's top stories including a new development in the race for a covid vaccine. good morning, i'm scott mcgrew. pfizer today said it had finished its clinical trials in the vaccine you heard so much about and they hope to have 50 million doses available by the end of the year. it now goes to the government for approval. the first meeting about that will be december 8th. >> reporter: i'm kris sanchez in san jose where my hood has been off and on this morning and could make for a sloppy drive to work if you are not working from

home. the rain should taper off through the morning, meteorologist kari hall tells me. tomorrow no rain but definitely watch out for some fog. well, let's check in with the source herself right here right now. we are seeing some of that rain still lingering on storm ranger as we've seen a lot of it moving through parts of the peninsula as well as the south bay. roads are still wet for you as you head out. we will be clearing out later today and it will be a cool one with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s. now that the cold front has moved on through 61 in livermore and 59 in santa rosa. as we go through the forecast we are going to see a lot more sunshine, a drying trend under way and it's going to be cool with highs in the 60s. we could see the morning lows dropping down to the mid-30s. we'll see that into the start of the weekend as well as rain moving out but we may be able to squeeze a few more rain drops out, laura? all right. it is nice to see the rain. thanks so much, kari.

thank you for joining us as well. another local news update is coming up in half an hour. hope to see you then. try to stay dry. today's ways of working may work differently tomorrow. but you can work out anything with comcast business.

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how about a big oh >> oh! back at 7:30 this wednesday morning. you are looking at the baby giant panda, gigantic panda, born earlier this year at the zoo. as we watch the snugglers go, you are going to name that little guy if you want to be soothed, just hit that right now and watch it. >> the baby panda is what america needs right now. >> our executive producer, libby, is like i'm busy, i'm

watching the panda right now >> let's get to the headlines this morning. we are learning that a major milestone in the pandemic could be near. pfizer is announcing that it is ready to seek fda approval for its vaccine within days. the company saying its vaccine is 95% effective and some other good news, too, the fda has approved emergency use for the first covid-19 test that can be conducted entirely at home, including results the kit allows users to self-administer a national swab -- self-administered nasal swab test and wait for the results that come within 30 minutes. the test is intended to cost less than $50. >> the governor of nevada has declared a state of emergency after a major fire tore through several neighborhoods in reno tuesday. the fire has destroyed at least a dozen homes and burned over 1,200 acres.

about 500 structures are still threatened firefighters from california were called in to help local crews. >> all right determined that mardi gras will go on in february but major, major adjustments are being made for the pandemic now, the city has cancelled 2021 mardi gras parades, so no parades. bourbon street will remain open with covid guidelines in place for people walking, and the mayor of new orleans is asking the public for ideas to keep the party going, and people are being asked to submit plans for celebrations to prevent that, quote, unstructured crowds of strangers, and that is kind of hard to do in that time of year, and maybe there is a way to figure it out. the holiday is the city's biggest tourism draw, and it is a real economic blow to that city when something happens to mardi gras, but trying to be socially distant on bourbon street is a tough task. >> yeah.

>> we have more breaking news on a story we've been covering two years here >> the boeing is giving the green light for the 737 to fly again. this is after two fatal flights. the faa took a lot longer than anyone expected, tom, in recertifying this plane. >> yeah, absolutely. let's remember this plane has been grounded since march of 2019 following those two fatal crashes overseas it's taken that long for boeing to come up with a safety fix and for the faa to review and approve them now you could be on a max by the end of the year. no modern aircraft has ever been grounded for so long 800 planes worldwide, as boeing has worked to reengineer its 737 max following fatal crashes in indonesia and ethiopia that killed 346 people.

they named several factors, faulty engine software problems, and pilot errors, and boeing made multiple design areas and faa failed to oversee design and manufacturing after the faa chief test flew a new max months ago, and it is simulati yulatinh every pilot. it must now convince the public that the max is safe to fly. and in tulsa, we talked about him before required fas masks. a lot of families will be reluctant to fly on it befo.

>> my family will fly on it before any other family does. >> reporter: your family does? >> absolutely. we'll have no problem getting it back to service. >> reporter: it will fly between miami and new york united and southwest expected to start flying the max early next year but many families who lost loved ones insist the max is not ready to fly >> samuel would have been planning to come to be with us at thanksgiving, and we obviously won't be able to >> reporter: michael, who lost his daughter in the ethiopian crash doesn't believe that the max is safe. >> we are thinking that anyone who is booking a plane really needs to avoid a boeing 737 max 8 and try to find another flight. >> but after a 20-month grounding, the max is about to start flying once again. boeing has repeatedly said that this is not a day to celebrate, but to remember all of the lives lost and all of the families impacted by this crash, and boeing says that a lot more work needs to be done before the plane is in fact flying. >> absolutely that is where the

focus should be, and what happens, tom, if a passenger turns up s at the airport and s that it is the max and doesn't want to fly because of the history. >> reporter: the airlines said they will tell you you're booking on a max you have the option then to change flights if you show up at the airport, you can change your flight, no penalty at all the airlines would like to start flying the max the pandemic has slowed down their business dramatically, the max offers fuel efficiency and more passengers. and more room for passengers. they're struggling to improve their efficiency but all of them have said first their pilots will go through simulator training and they'll make sure all of those fixes are applied that the faa is requiring. >> thanks, appreciate it >> when we come back on this wednesday morning, take a look. these are not images from the start of the pandemic, these are

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we are back. it's 7:41 now. "in depth" today, if you're feeling deja vu, you're not alone. >> once again, store shelves are starting to look bare and just

like the early days of the pandemic, people are starting to stock up fearing more shutdowns and restrictions. >> but unlike march, retailers say they're more prepared this time around. hey, sam good morning >> reporter: tell me if this sounds a little bit familiar, paper towels, disinfectants, toilet paper, and all of those essentials in high demand to the point where major grocery chains are like publix are restricting the amount you can buy. in pennsylvania, this store aisle without a single product to sell. reminiscent of the pandemic's early days, though scenes like these are sporadic with shoppers trying to take it in stride. >> i think we're going to be buying normally. certainly worried about it

people are very reactive >> not this time around. there's enough this time around. >> reporter: a lot as changed since the spring when nervous americans were snapping up necessities in a free for all. these days manufacturers are churning out more products and many retailers are capping how much you can buy of high-demand items. >> there is plenty of supply if everyone will remain calm and shop for what they need for the next week or two, not the next six months, i think everythingg will be find. will be find >> reporter: leslie sarinsen's group points out that shoppers may not find the brand they are looking for, but the stores have acceptable alternatives. >> if it does not have the acceptable percentage of disinfectant like clorox, i am still going to buy it. >> reporter: clorox is laser focused to meet the demand and adding a second line next week,

but it is not just the wipes that people are scooping up. >> we're not in that unabated demand yet but who knows what the next weeks will hold for us. >> reporter: over the last four weeks, toilet paper orders have jumped up over 200%, and household cleaners up over 322%, and disinfectants over 400% increase in a week. >> 400% increase in a week, and that type of rise in a single category is not normal. >> of all items likely to hit a shortage, it's paper towels. it's tight year round. it is tight year-round, guys. >> and sam, people are worried about getting what they need, paper towels and do you have any tips >> yes, the experts say to create a list ahead of time of

what you want to buy, and call the stores to see what you have, and partner up with the friends, and don't horde, because that is the mistake that we saw that happened when it first happened. >> hard to resist, but it is good advice. >> how about we shift gears and a check of the weather as folks are looking forward to next week and the holiday. >> we will see a warmup, but before it gets here, we will see cold air and snow. we will have see the great lakes and lake-effect snow, and we have snow falling in albany and in new york city, we saw a couple of flakes because of the lake-effect snow. we have a bigger storm system in the pacific northwest, and rain h on the coast, and higher elevations a 6 to 12 inches of snow, and cold fronts bringing in the moisture. so we will see a round of snow out that way. this is an estimate of the thanksgiving week next week, and lot of people considering the thanksgiving in the garage or

outside, we are looking at warmer than average around the country, and well across the good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we are still going to see some very light, spotty rain lingering for today. overall we'll be drying out and the cool temperatures left behind. also expect a lot of clouds as we go throughout the day before this system brings us some drier air. high temperatures today in the upper 50s and low 60s. as we go through the forecast we're going to see some sunshine returning and highs only reaching into the low 60s. you'll notice those morning temperatures will dip back into the mid-30s by the weekend. >> a >> and that's your latest forecast savannah >> dylan, thank you. just ahead, breaching the thanksgiving divide. how do you have that talk with canceling the event with the loved ones who really want to come over?

vicky nguyen will guide us through that delicate conversation first, these messages. get everything on your list, worry-free with contactless shopping at target. from same day delivery to free drive up. quick and easy contactless shopping all season at target. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (people greeting one another)

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we're back. carson joins us. we're back carson joins us. another opportunity to exercise your civic duty to vote. >> we can help name the national fluffiest new addition >> we are. back on august 31st, the national zoo welcomed this little guy, the giant panda cub. sticking with tradition, this little baby has remained nameless so the zoo now asking for the public to help choose its name >> are you ready fu zai, prosperous boy; xiao qiju, little miracle; xing fu, happy and prosperous; and zai zai, mandarin nickname for a boy. the zoo and its chinese partners saying these names reflect all the joy he has brought to so many in extraordinary circumstances. >> is this live?

>> i don't know but yes. celebrate the conservation of the great panda species. we're asking you to head to today.com to find out the way in, you can vote for your favorite name, can you vote once per day now through friday >> can we see the names one more time >> we'll have the winning names and will reveal it on monday >> that baby panda is about nine pounds right now, on its way to 350 pounds >> do you remember when it was the size of a stick of butter? >> if you're going to get it a onesie -- >> you have a quick popstart >> people revealed its sexiest man, michael b. jordan and we're going to talk about the latest results that the nation is just continuallyis is

excited over our sidesgiving bracket, and how have some of these sides gone in the bracket. we will tell you. of inflammatin that contributes to both joint and skin symptoms. it's proven to help relieve pain, stop further irreversible joint damage, and clear skin in many adults. humira is the number one prescribed biologic for psoriatic arthritis. avo: humira can lower your ability to fight infections. serious and sometimes fatal infections, including tuberculosis, and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. man 3 vo: ask your rheumatologist about humira. woman 4 vo: go to humira.com to see proof in action.

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a very good morning to you. it is 7:56. i'm laura garcia. here is a look at what's happening now. >> reporter: i'm bob redell. a recent study in the "nature" journal covid-19 infections have been linked to public places. restaurants are riskiest because they're more crowded and people stay longer. the study found them three times more risky as fitness centers. >> reporter: i'm cierra johnson. big news coming out of lucira health. they've received the green light from the fda to move forward with their rapid covid at-home test. this test will require a prescription, is expected to cost $50 and be available by the spring. it uses a nose swab and a

portable device to let you know if you're covid positive or not. kari has a quick look at our forecast this morning. and we're still tracking some rain as we take a look at it on storm ranger showing the rain in the south and east bay but some spotty showers throughout the rest of the morning especially in the north bay. the rest of the bay area will be drying out. we are still going to be left with cool temperatures and clouds as our highs will reach into the low 60s. san francisco will have upper 50s today. the fog returning and dry weather throughout the rest of the forecast. laura? all right. sounds good. we're going to have another local news update in half an hour or so. in the meantime have a great morning.

it's 8:00 on coming up, promising progress and pfizer reveals it is days the away from seeking approval and the vaccine is more effective than previously thought with cases on the rise, what could this mean on the fight against the disease and we are live with everything that you need to know. plus, talking turkey as the families face the tough decisions of getting tot on this holiday and how you can handle the difficult conversation and just ahead of what you can say to break the ice.

and it is official, michael b. jordan is named the people's sexiest man alive and what the actor is saying about the crowning moment, and who may be the most excited about the title. >> this is one to have a special place for. >> and today is wednesday, november 18th, 2020. from south carolina, today is -- >> my 18th birthday. yay! >> from michigan. >> celebrating harper's 2nd birthday on "today." i'm ruben. >> i'm rena, and we from san antonio, texas. >> and we are celebrating our third anniversary on "today." >> hello, we are just engaged and celebrating on "today." >> how cute. >> and did you see that? that is adorable. welcome back to "today," and i love our viewers it is wednesday morning and glad

you are with us. >> we are glad that you just woke up, and we do start at 7:00, so you can set the dvr >> well, you say that. >> in case you didn't know. 7:00. and by the way, everybody is focused on thanksgiving, and eight days away and not to frighten you, but tomorrow, we will help you plan, if your family can't be together in one house, vicki nguyen is going to help us to celebrate virtually and walk us through how to use that technology and creative ways to use that technology. >> she has good ideas to use the best of things. and we will get to the medical breakthrough that could not come at a better time. pfizer is saying that the coronavirus vaccine is working better than previously thought, and ready for fda approval. and stephanie gosk is going to tell us how soon it could be available. stephanie, good morning. >> good morning, savannah, and if the authorization comes

through, it could be available very soon. if it is approved it is going to be available in the coming days. it is tested from demographics and across ages, and they are saying it is more effective than originally thought, and 95% effective and no serious safety concerns with the vaccinek so far, and though they will continue to monitor participants for two years. now if they get the authorization, the company says 15 million doses available by the end of this year, and 1.3 million doses available by the end of 2021. the first people to get it, and they could get it as early as next month are the critical front line health care workers, but wide distribution will take many months, and it will be infrastructure challenges as well, and this vaccine needs to be kept at temperatures well below freezing. colder even than the arctic.

news on the testing front, and the authorization has been granted for at a-home test to get results in 30 minutes, and you will need a prescription, but it is unclear who is going to be eligible for the prescriptions and how much it is going to cost. >> bravo to you, because it is cold out there and hard to move your lips when it is that coldch. >> it is freezing. >> thank you, honey. appreciate it. >> and now the late toast thest election. senator lindsey graham is saying that he said that some of the ball lots be thrown out. we go to you garrett haake. >> now, some of the officials are facing pressure and questions from the top ally of the president. >> reporter: this morning, explosive questions to the georgia recount.

>> it is inaccurate to say there is widespread voter fraud. >> mr. grahlindsey graham was defiant when he was asked about asking secretary reffensberger to throw votes out. when a vote is made, the signature is compared to the vote that is already in the system, and once separated, the secrecy of the voter's choice is separated, and it is not compared again, and graham said

that could have implied that could have given a chance for fraud. >> i thought that he meant that would have given a chance for us to count them again. >> and that is the question of the vote counting process. >> why is the secretary of state counting the senator from south carolina anyway? >> because the balance of to senate hangs in the balance. >> reporter: president-elect biden currently leads by 13,000 votes. senator graham said that he called two states where president-elect biden is leading and the president has started some sort of legal action. >> thank you. we have a boost, and you are going to love it it is the cutest thing that you will love today. watch how quickly a baby goes from confused to delighted when

her dad finds a creative way to use a pillow. >> wake up little butterfly, it is time to go pollinate. butterfly in the sky. butterfly go fly. >> oh, my gosh. >> can you get it, he is singing the hit song from the old rainbow reading tv show. what a cute little butterfly. >> look at her with the little legs. >> so happy. >> i may be watching that on the loop all day, because that is so cute. >> good wednesday loop. thank you for that. >> and we will come back to dive into the holiday debate that so many of you are involved in your house, should you get together for thanksgiving. >> it is a heart breaker for some families and how do you the conversation with parents and grandparents in the mix. vicki nguyen has some advice for handling the tough conversations right after this.

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the same. the usual. the what you don't even have to say because they already know it. your go-to small businesses are relying on you to come back and shop small again. and again. and again. we know them. we love them. so let's go shop small. with american express. we are back, 8:12 we are back. 8:12 with a question that a lot of families are struggling with. what is the best way to celebrate thanksgiving this year, where and with whom? >> investigative correspondent vicki nguyen is joining with us more of the debate that is raging in so many house, as, ana the same time how to make everybody safe. >> and we talked to families and

thksgianng is all out abe families and gettingoget tr with those that we love, and especially grandparents and to protect those from covid and experts are saying to limit the travel and rethinking the large celebration. >> reporter: there is no place like home for the holidays and the indulgent feast for the family. and coronavirus is on the rise and travel plans are changing, and 40% of americans say they are going to cancel. so how can you still celebrate experts say that the best way to protect yourself and others this thanksgiving is to stay home, and have a small dinner with only those who live in the household. dr. ashish jha tells savannah, this is not the time to take a risk. >> thanksgiving is a time that we enjoy and to have an extended family gathering, and i don't know how the tweak it to make it

safe, so we won't. >> reporter: and michelle cl clapper is foregoing a big thanksgiving to ensure that her son can continue in-person school. >> reporter: how tough to change your thanksgiving this year? >> i have lost track of how many holidays we have gone through, and each holiday comes and we think that surely by the next one, it is behind us, and here we are seven or eight or nine months later, and nobody is happy about it. >> reporter: in nobelsville, indiana, curt and his family have changed the plans several times. >> originally, we were going out to columbus, ohio, and that changed to picnic and hike, and then disk golf, and then it was clear that it is not going to be safe. >> reporter: to avoid exposing his parents to unnecessary risk, the beards are going to zooms thanksgiving. >> we will have a game tournament, and probably uno and a few other games and adapt to

being in three locations with four kids under 10. >> reporter: changing generations' old traditions is not easy for any family, but this year, it is simply the safest thing to do. >> we miss each other, and they have been going on since i was a little girl. i look forward to when we can do it the right way. >> reporter: though it is a tough choice to miss parents and grandparents for a holiday that is all about family, it is the safest option according to the experts and so many families are finding fun and creative ways to keep things going. >> we have been talking about it a lot, because we know the families are saying that i know that is what the experts will say, but we will make it okay. and the issue is that lots of families are doing this, and that is how you end up with ade >> and so we have eight days

before thanksgiving and now is time to come clean, and so give the other family time. we are not sure. just make a clean break. >> and how do you have that conversation, and these are the family members, and we have done the same thing for 15 years. >> yeah, and like parents and grandparents and relatives whose heart are set on this. >> and you have to be acknowledging that this stinks and not what you want, but the i-statement that is supposed to make, and i am making this decision to protect everybody and i don't want anybody sick, and i can't wait to get together, and we will but not this holiday. >> and case in point, dylan, you said that you had to say to your dad, like, sorry, we can't do thanksgiving. >> yeah, it was a tough decision, and my dad has not come to new york city since oliver was born and since janway and he sa -- since january and he said he is coming up for thanksgiving,

and i said, sorry, dad, but you are uninvited because i did not want him to feel stuck because he did not want to break my heart, and -- >> how did he say? >> well, he said i am so glad. >> you let him off of the hook >> and so, i am going to get a test and if i am negative, we will go. and make it happen that way. >> and remember that test is only a snapshot in that time, and maybe you are getting the test, the and then presymptomatic, and maybe you are going to the gathering and not social distancing and not outside, and that is where the risk is going up, and the more people at the gathering, the more the probability of someone there goes up, and especially in some of the hot spots which is everywhere right now. so that is why the cdc is saying to stay with your household, and by the way, use school as an excuse, because many are asking the families to stay away from large gatherings if you want to

come back to school. >> yes, our school is saying stay away for two weeks if you gather. and so if you go to the hot spot and you want to do it safely, can you go outside and can they sit inside and possible with the group of eight people to spread out six feet >> if you want to take the max precautions, because the reality that some people will get together, and being outside is the best thing, and if you can do that, take frequent breaks to o go outside and take frequent breaks and wear the mask. if you want to be safe and not be in the hospital by christmas, wearing a mask is the best thing that you can do. >> and so, you are allowed to be 8 to 10 or something >> yes. where you live. >> but even that spread out, and i was trying to picture a table with that many peoplep. >> and it goes on for hours, too, and they say to keep it short. and the long expose sure over hours or days is the problem.

>> yes, 8 or 10 people, and keep them in the smaller groups, and six to eight feet apart. and good for marriages, too. >> and you need to have some fun activities for kids, because calvin is so upset and he can't believe that the cousins are not coming, and he thinks that i am teasing him, but i have to come up with the ways to make it fun for him, and not like a regular dinner. >> and a tease. >> all for tomorrow. >> and dylan, how about a check for the weather? >> we will look at what is happening across the country. it is quiet except for the pacific northwest where we have a storm making it to the shore, and lots orain and snow. and snow off of lake ontario, and it is the typical cold temperatures below average, and the windchills across the northeast, and back to the great lakes and lower 20s and 30s and won't feel like it is above freezing and something that we have not seen in some time, and we are looking for the record

warmth in the southwest, and good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. a look at storm ranger, mobile doppler radar tracking rain and will linger throughout the morning es special isly areas south of the golden gate bridge. once it tapers off later today, dry weather. highs reaching into the low 60s over the next few days and morning temperatures dropping back to mid-30s. expected chilly this weekend. check out san francisco, also raining, drying out as well. >> and that's your latest forecast >> our f >> and that is your latest forecast. this is one of our faith times of the morning. >> and by the way, i loved that boost. the angel baby. that is amazing. lots to get to. and we have a new people's sexiest man alive, and michael

jordan known for "creed" and "black panther" and so a special look inside of the latest issue, and jordan is talk about growing up in newark, new jersey and working with the likes of sylvester stallone, and the late great chadwick bozeman and the myth that he lives with his parents. he does not. he lives with his grandparents. but speaking of the parents, jordan says that his mom is doing to be most excited about the title, because she follows the issues religiously, and his friends are going to be giving him the most grief about being the sexiest man alive. >> any one of my guy friends, everybody in the group chat, the group chat is going to be going crazy when this is coming out, and the jokes will not stop. it is going to be entertaining, trust me, i will snapshot a couple of them and post them, because they are brutal in the group chats. >> you will hear more of the

interview at people.com. and more from him if his mother does not take it down. and now, sitting down with the gq man of the year previously george clooney talking about how brad pitt played a joke on him in italy. >> we shot some of it in lake cuomo which is my hometown, and brad sent out a memo to all of the people in the town, and my town and i had lived there for years, but he had it posted on like telephone poles, and it said "the movie is coming to town, and please only address george clooney as mr. clooney and his character name of danny ocean, and don't look at him in his eyes.

and in the paper el devo, and i got him back. >> i want to know how he got him back. and beyonce is embracing the '80s in the latest ad for ivy park, and she is channeling the latest john fonda workout for her ath leisure looks, and the really bad green screen, and beyonce herself leading all of the action. >> welcome to my park. and today, we will be doing some aerobics, and where is that smile, honey bun >> beyrobics. >> it is a thing. >> for sure. >> and big conan o'brien news, the comedian is stepping back from the daily grind to work on something new. conan saying that he is ending his tbs shoe to work on max and hosting a weekly variety series. so the statement was pure conan and very funny and i quote, in

1993 johnny carson gave me the best advice of my career, as soon as possible, get to a streaming platform. we are excited to see where conan, and what he has planned for the new show, and finally, time to reveal the next round of the sidesgiving bracket. and i thought that i knew this nation, but i don't know where you went with the voting. for you to tune in, turkey and gravy got the fast pass. and now fierce competition, and stuffing beat out mashed potatoes. >> of course, stuffing had to win. >> that is the old duke and nc matchup. and that is 63%, and going up what some may call the cinderella story, green baean casserole took down mac and cheese. loyola casserole. what happened? sister jean doesn't like it?

>> i love the green bean casserole. >> not more than mac and cheese. >> and cranberry sauce is moving into the final four facing -- wait, it beat buttered rolls. and buttered rolls beat the brussel sprouts. and we are coming down to final four. >> that is my final four. >> you had that? >> yes, and that is too heavy to enjoy everything else. so i can't max out on one thing. >> you know it is going all of the way. >> and the carrots and the roasted squash of any kind >> i had all carb final four. >> this country loves a good hot dish. >> it is the celebration of the gluttony >> and the fried onions on the top. >> and we should have given the agt golden buzzer to it, because it is like it should not have had to go up against the mashed potatoes. glazed carrots. >> carson, you are nuts.

>> and we are going to be joined by melissa mccarthy joining us from australia to talk about her new movie. >> look at her. she has makeup on. good morning to you. it's 8:26. i'm marcus washington. another small and critic many step getting students back in the class raoul. a clanned january 25th return date. even if things go well only youngest elementary school students return right away. of course, recent rollbacks due to the surge in cases of the virus is uting everything in limbo. across the bay area most schools not yet reopened now forced to press pause. a look at the forecast for you. seeing rain, but it is clearing out of the bay area. kari? >> yeah.

going to see that clearing out later today. as we look at storm ranger now, still very busy in parts of the south bay peninsula and the east bay, a lot of green, light showers moving through. tracking that. the trend for it to dry out. still lingering showers through late morning in parts of the north bay and then for the rest of the bay area, a cloudy sky and cool temperatures as we only reach into the upper 50s and be low 60s today. temperatures hold steady from where they are right now. looking at sunshine through the rest of the forecast even into the weekend. possibly through thanksgiving. we may not see more rain moving through. another local news update coming up in a half hour. see you then.

♪ we're back 8:30 o hump day, wednesday, november 18th, 2020. and two weeks from today, ladies and gentlemen, we are going to be lighting that tree. >> ah. >> right across the street there at rockefeller center, and as al

roker would say, we are going to light the tree and then get lit. >> his favorite joke. >> and melissa mccarthy and guess where she is it is night time there in australia, and nighty night, and she is going to talk about the adventure on the other side of the world, and she has a sweet movie and it is going to help us to laugh. it is rated pg. >> a melissa movie that is pg. >> something for the family to watch? >> we need that. and also, get ready for a sensation s lucy the baker, 98 years old and she has developed the following and jenna lucky enough to meet her and get some holiday baking tips. >> coming up on the third hour, olympic superstar lindsey vonn who is going to join us, and tell us about a global competition and a canine twist and her dog is involved. >> and tomorrow, the parade must go on and we will talk to the head of the macy's thanksgiving

parade and how they will pull it off with the extraordinary circumstances and glad they are, and seeing the tree out 150isidn we are feeling like it is okay. >> and a check of the weather, dylan. it is cool out there >> yes, temperatures well below average, and a gusty wind makes it feel like teens and 20s all day long, around tomorrow is a cold one. record warmth in the southwest, and stormy in the pacific northwest, and some of the warmth is going to be moving into the northwest, and warmer air is going to be moving into chicago, and going into the weekend after a cold start in the new england where it is going to feel like single good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. here's a look at storm ranger. mobile doppler radar, lingering

showers through the south and east bay as well as the peninsula. light in parts of the north bay and watching for a chance through at least the next few hours. by tomorrow seeing that system moving out and highs only reach into the low 60s. we'll see very cool mornings going into the weekend, and dry weather continues into next week. >> and that's your latest forecast >> dylan, thank you. and that is your latest forecast. >> thank you, dylan. >> are the kids all right?

we are back. our special series "america our special series "america under pressure." >> the last few months have been stressful for all of us, and new report out sounding the alarm of the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of teenagers. >> our national correspondent kate snow has the exclusive details. hey, kate, good morning.

>> hey, hoda, good morning, and the title says it all. the report is called "are the kids all right?" how teens are struggling with the loss and living online. spearheaded by the california partners project, an organization founded by the child mind institute which found that teenagers are experiencing real loss. >> i never felt more disconnected. >> reporter: teenagers aged 14 of the to 16 talked to experts. >> raise your hand if you want to go back to in-person learning. >> reporter: the teenagers came out of anonymity to talk to us. >> i am not as happy as i used to be. i am always talking to people, and socializing, and so it is a big part of what makes me happy. i can't do that as much. so, yeah. >> reporter: it is hard? >> yes.

>> reporter: the report is finding that the teens are experiencing loss due to isolation. muna misses cheerleading. and in the study, those who were diagnosed before the pandemic, are showing more symptoms. 65% said they got lit to no exercise over a week, and most are connecting with friends through social media and gaming, and often spending more hours online, and one boy said that my use of social media is to numb my feelings. so raise your hand if you spend more time on screens than you used to. everybody. okay. raise your hand if you think that it is a bad thing. even in the interview, their attention is split.

isaac, i see you looking down. when you in zoom class, are you supposed to be on the phone? >> i see that my phone is positioned off to the side, and facetiming with my friends. >> reporter: it is hard to be a teenager trying to form an identity and gain independence in a shutdown. >> you are telling them that you can't separate from mom and dad the way you want to, and hang with your friends in town. and you will have to understand that those stressors are very real. we try to limit the screen time, and put thel on screm on screeno structure. >> and it is even in covid, screens should not be out in dinner time and mealtime, and there have to be no screen times for every family. >> reporter: and for the families who feel that the screens cannot be broken on the spell that has cast them.

and break your own as well, because they notice. and emphasize eating and sleeping and exercise and encourage other hobbies and interests, and serena has been playing soccer, and mona got a job, and isaac is exercising half an hour a day. >> i forget about the virus and everything around me, and i feel like a kid again. >> reporter: things feel normal again? >> yes. the kids are resilient, but as we are facing more shutdowns and it is more difficult for parents to realize that their kids might struggle in school or need more mental health. >> that is what brings us to the warning signs, because some parents don't know what they should be looking out for. >> yes, hoda, the report is outlining what should be red flags for parents, and feeling sad or withdrawn, and showing

the intense worries or fears or mood swings, and exhibiting some of the out of control behaviors. >> and we should mention that we have more about that california partners project study at today.com. good stuff. thank you, kate snow. and live from australia, it

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and right now get $250 off. learn more at an xfinity store today. melissa mccarthy has been making some wild characters and getting in crazy situation, and in the newest movie, the stakes could not be higher. >> and super intelligence and a mysterious computer tasks melissa with saving the world, but before that, she has to save herself from an awkward job interview. >> that is very fun. >> and we put the bean bags here

so people could feel relaxed in the interviews. >> ooh, you okay. >> oh, that is so fun. >> they are so fun when you get in there. >> so fun, and let me get in there. >> there you go. >> there it is. >> engage the core. >> oh, i'm engaging it. >> you are >> yes. good morn oing or should i say good evening, and is it tomorrow or yesterday in australia? >> well, it is tomorrow at 2:43 p.m. >> who is talking to you right there? >> a.m i am your future. get ready for that, because i am your future. >> and in the middle of tonight, and you put on the makeup and your top is on. >> i came home from work really late, and i was swimming in a

swamp that we were all pretty scared about, because there is snakes here and bucgs, and i rolled in and i changed my top. you are a giver. by the way, what are you doing in australia "nine perfect >> i feel like we got hit with a lucky thing that we were shot with hoopers that we were going to be hit in l.a., but because of covid, they said, do you want to go to australia, and said, that is crazy, i can't move my family, and that is nuts. then my oldest daughter came out of zoom school sitting in a room by herself, and i said, some maniac said do you want to go to australia and said we could

shoot there, and she said, isn't that one of the safest place, and shouldn't we go? and i was like, ben! and so because she was so open to it, we are in a covid-free place, and we totally understand how totally lucky we are, and they are back in school, real school, and everyone does the protocols, and we all live within the protocols, but there is no covid, because they are like badass about it. you can't, you are not going to be pushing australia around. they tell you what to do. it is great. >> we saw on your husband's instagram how you are spending the time, and i loved one of the posts showing what you do best, and let's take a look at it. >> so we are on day 16 of the

quarantine here at casa dell mccarthy and we have groceries here, and it is leftover day, and using everything in the fridge and trying to be responsible as we should it is 12:10. we are soulmates, guys. >> it is looking like you are getting good together time, and it sounds like a dream, and meanwhile, you have a movie. >> i am always the creepy old woman in the background. >> no, you are the creepy adorable woman in background, but creepy, yes. and so we saw that it is slightly shocked pg, because we are not expecting it from you, but this is a sweet movie and tell us about it. >> well, it is, and i think that it speaks to ben and i more than people think.

i think that it is our -- it is about, and we have wrote it or we made it two years ago and it is more relevant now than even then, because it is technology and the dance that we all do with it, and love matters and people are worth fighting for it, and love wins, and we believe it in our whole heart, and also about like, if an ai really did come to life, and say, i'm going to judge this incredibly average of all average women, what would humanity say. i think that the greet thing is that if you are looking at three days, it is not spectacular, but it is that more people are good and love wins, and good, good outweighs the bad. that is what the movie is about, and it is making me really happy that it is coming out. >> well, that a beautiful

sentiment, and it is a great place to leave it, melissa, and we were noting that "bridesmaids" is 10 years old. >> and that is so weird, because i am 13. >> thank you, melissa. >> great to see you. and go to sleepy bye. and super intelligent hit. straight down right now. >> no covid, go to sleep. >> and thanksgiving night, and hbo max, you can see "super intelligent. >> and coming up next, jenna is getting a baking lesson from a social media star. >> they are not heavily decorated. you see what i mean now? >> they are looking great. were they made with love

we're back. we are back.

it is 8:50 and we love with jbh joins us. this a sweet story. >> this is a great one. i caught up with lucy pollack weeks after she celebrated her 98th birthday quarantined in pennsylvania with her family, lucy became a viral sensation with baking with lucy and i don't want to jinx anything, but i may be a baking pro now. >> good morning, everybody. i'm ready. are you ready? >> reporter: for lucy pollack, serving up sweets is a piece of cake literally. the 98-year-old baker has been mixing and needing since forever. her mother thought her everything that she knew, and in the pandemic, she brought the skills to facebook live with a little help. >> when it says what are you baking, what did you say >> okay.

i hope i am doing good. >> reporter: within weeks she dressed up in the signature aprons and racked up dozens of views. >> wish me luck. i don't want to ice my fingers. >> did you think that when this started, that you would become an internet sensation? >> i am just happy to help people. it means a lot. >> and the feeling is mutual for the viewers because she receives hundreds of cards and comments. >> over 50-something people said that i reminded them of their grand ma. >> reporter: how did that make you feel >> well, it made me feel good, and if i reminded them of their grand ma, she must have done some really good baking. >> i felt the same way. and even though she was not a great baker, you remind me of my grandmother, and she was an enforcer. and that is what you are.

and i have other news to break. i am not a great baker. i need your help. >> you will be if you give me some time. some top tips, always wash your hands before starting. knead the dough so it is spunky -- spongy, and the most important advice -- >> get yourself organized. because if you are not organized, you won't do it right. >> >> reporter: for lucy who puts the tips on everyday, there is no slowing her down. >> some people might say it is too late for me to do things. >> if i can do it, you can, too. >> and she is always willing to share the latest creation. >> look at what we made.

>> those are the sugar cookies. >> you see how they are decorated? it is not too much. >> you see those. were those made with love? >> you bet your boots they were. >> oh, isn't she the sweetest? >> i learned a lot. >> and so i have more tips particularly for you, craig, because i picked the brain for holiday cooling place. find a place before you start baking to cool them down. i bake something and open up the window and put them on the window sill for example and she is using cold cement in the cellar to cool hers off, and to be a smart shopper, she said that i should find cheaper prices of chocolate chips and candied fruits and walnuts around the holidays. and the best for last, and carson this is for you, she says, don't bake if you are tired. >> oh. >> she said that rome was not

built in a day, and so assert a certain day to bake, and then if you are tired, it will be a chore, and it should not be. y'all, she was bossy and i loved her. >> i thought that you pointed out, too, everything at room temp. and who knew that was a thing. >> she gave me that tip over and over, and she said that you must keep everything at room temperature. and i said, what about the milk? and she said leave it out. >> and seriously delicious -- >> yes, you have to talk to siri, because she is not supposed to be baking if she is tired. >> well, we have four kids and she would not bake again. >> are you going to become a baker? >> well, i am going to bake something, and store bought cookies and she has her own cookbook coming out, and she is the going to share more recipes at "today."com. >> thank you, jena.

we will do more cooking ottb the fourth hour, and a simple recipe for chicken noodle soup. >> virtually. >> and soming up on the third hour today, the one, the only, the legendary smoky robinson. >> wait, we wanted smoky. >> he is coming. >> and we have ching soup. >> okay. >> smoky is going to cook soup, too. >> you can put the soup on the floor, too >> by the window sill. good morning to you. 8:56. mooim i'm marcus washington. befores in the bay say the next two weeks is critical. state health leaders say 12% of cases will become hospitalizations within the next three weeks. big concerns the health care system could be overwhelmed.

santa clara hospitals 37 patients in mid-october now at 151. san francisco a similar trend on october 18th, 17 covid patients. hospitalized then. now 39. happening now for you, not only following developments on the covid front but the race for a vaccine. new promising results suggest pfizer vaccine is more effective than first believed and possible to seek fda approve until days. more on our home page now. today's ways of working may work differently tomorrow. but you can work out anything with comcast business.

get fast, reliable, and secure internet on the nation's largest gig speed network. flexible tools - like wi-fi you control. voice solutions that connect you from anywhere. and expert advice here, here, or even here. be fast. be flexible. bounce forward with comcast business. get started with a powerful internet and voice solution for just $64.90 a month. plus, for a limited time, ask how to get a $500 prepaid card when you upgrade. switch today. major job cuts could be coming to bars. the transit agency is considers. >> hundreds of students getting a healthy hand. the big effort to make sure they're helping the school year. join us tomorrow morning, 4:30 to 7:00.

happy wednesday morning. welcome to the third hour of "today" on this hump day. al roker is still recovering from his surgery. he should be back next week, so i hear? >> absolutely. >> did you have any doubt? >> no. >> we have a lot to cover, including our series coronavirus and the classroom. maybe you have a student in the next room right now. if my wife is watching, that is the case.