breaking overnight relief finally in sight. after months of negotiations, lawmakers agree to a $900 billion stimulus bill to help the millions of families struggling amid the pandemic, but does the deal go far enough? london on lockdown the u.k. takes a r extreme measures and as if 2020 could get any weirder, the cleveland browns beat the giants and inch closer to ending their postseason drought. we'll have the full playoff picture ahead on "early today.

glad you're with us on this monday, i'm frances rivera. >> i'm paul gerke. at long last critical covid relief is on the way congress struck a deal on a $900 billion stimulus deal package that will aid families and businesses still reeling from the pandemic lawmakers are expected to vote today. nbc's chris pollone on the hill with the latest. break down the deal. >> reporter: democrats and republicans have been going back and forth over the last several weeks and they finally reached a deal last night. this is what they say is in it probably of most interest for many americans are $600 stimulus checks for people who qualified mostly last time unemployed people will get an extra $300 in benefits small business loans and rent assistance and money to buy and distribute covid-19 vaccines across the

country. what's not in it, the sticking points for the bill over the last few days, liability protection for lawsuits for businesses and also no funding for state and local governments. that's what democrats wanted now both sides today are saying that this is a start not an ending >> at long last we have the bipartisan break through the country has needed now we need to promptly finalize checks, avoid any last-minute n obstacles and cooperate to move the bill through the chambers. >> this bill is a good bill. tonight is a good night but it is not the end of the story. it is not the end of the job anyone who thinks this bill is enough does not know what's going on in america. >> of course we are just under a month from swearing in a new president and president-elect biden said he applauds the bipartisan effort but he said echoing chuck schumer there that our work is far from over.

president trump has said that as soon as this passes both houses of congress he will sign the bill those stimulus checks could be deposited very soon. paul >> chris, thank you so much. hopefully that deal gets done today. as nationwide vaccinations and incoming first lady jill biden will get their first doses of the coronavirus vaccine today. the elderly and people on the front lines should be next to receive the vaccine. the news comes as moderna starts to ship its vaccine across the country. >> reporter: moderna's vaccine joining the fight against covid-19 the new weapon hand packed inside massive freezer farms where hundreds of workers move boxes, double check and roll them on to trucks. >> reporter: and there it is, history being made in olive branch, mississippi. some of the first doses of

moderna vac seen now it's headed to memphis. >> we're very confident in what we've prepared for and this second launch. >> reporter: fedex joining ups to split deliveries. >> i can't go into the details around our security plans but can say there will be security around -- heightened security around every one of these shipments as we go forward. >> the new vaccine bound for 4,000 locations. >> we should be able to start vaccinating in the area hospitals in the coming days. >> because pfizer required deep freeze, smaller hospitals missed out. new details on who gets vaccinated next. the cdc advisory committee introducing two phases phase 1b, those 75 years older, 1c vac sin nats 65 to 74 and

combined, nearly 180 million americans. one of those, ups driver tim elbee whose vaccine delivery turned personal after losing his dad to covid-19. >> after many years at ups this has been the most important load that i've hauled and to bring this back, i feel dad was in the truck with me today. >> but shipments already in flight, some hospitals could see their first doses and for health care heroes it can't come soon enough. >> we're going into the holiday season and it's a difficult time so this -- what a christmas present. >> reporter: now this second and third wave of vaccinations will not come immediately it will be several weeks billion the medical workers in 1a get vaccinated and 1b, firefighters, day care staff to corrections officers the third and largest group,

that's going to consist of essential workers, everyone from bankers, reporters, to fast food workers able to then get their shot frances, paul, send it back to you. >> morgan, thank you. front line workers at hospitals across the country, meanwhile, are overwhelmed with covid-19 patients. over crowding at hospitals is hitting a critical level especially in hard-hit states like california where more than 16,000 people are hospitalized, more than 3,000 in intensive care units tech giant apple is closing all 53 of its retail stores in the state. nbc's meagan fitzgerald has more good morning. >> reporter: frances and paul, good morning to you. as cases of the coronavirus continue tosurge to record numbers here in california, los angeles county health officials are warning front line workers about the darkest days ahead covid-19 bringing california to its knees. hospitals overwhelmed with patients who keep coming >> we're getting crushed

i'm not going to sugar coat this. >> reporter: rising cases already impacting the quality of care doctors and nurses can provide. a document from la county health officials warn that overwhelmed hospitals may not be able to provide optimal care for covid or non-covid patients. it reads some compromise of standard of care is unavoidable. >> this affects anyone who needs to go to a hospital for care the number of patients that need care, covid or non-covid alike, are exceeding the capacity, the care the hospitals can optimally provide. >> l.a. county already out of icu beds in the last month hospitalizations for covid-19 patients increased 330%. across the state, icu availability at dangerously low levels and dwindling. >> it's what we call a disaster situation. our hospital is in a disaster situation. >> reporter: dr. raman dillon is

operating at 270% capacity washington post getting this look from inside patients gasping for breath, forced to wait for hours in hallways. >> i felt like we were in a movie, some disaster movie when you are in such dire circumstances, you turn to a -- what's called a code triage where you're going to give your patients who have the best chance of survival, you know, the -- yeah, the priority. >> reporter: the state throwing a hail mary to stop the surge moving the famed rose bowl to texas, the first time since world war ii. >> there is new guidance sent to hospitals across los angeles county detailing best practices for front line workers during the surge. they've also reached out to the states for additional resources. francis and paul, back to you. >> thanks for the update. just across the pond, a fresh new wave of lockdowns

after a mutation of the covid-19 virus was discovered many are blaming prime minister boris johnson for canceling christmas. neighboring countries aren't taking any chances as they roll out travel bans against the u.k. joining us from london is bill neely. what more do we know about this? >> reporter: yeah, good morning, frances. just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, it does. all land, sea, air links between brittain and the rest of europe are being cut off. there's an emergency government meeting today. it is a deadly race between infections and injections as this new strain of coronavirus runs rampant through the u.k it was first detected in september. it grew from a small cluster in the southeast of england and has now captured, if you like, the southeast of england and london. more than 70% of new infections are from this mutant strain. as i've said, boris johnson is

holding a government meeting today, but many people are saying, look, you should have acted on this weeks ago when you knew this variant was spreading. it's not more deadly as far as we know than the previous variant but it is, as i say, much more infectious and con taj goj. europe has taken measures. france is banning all trucks and people coming across the english channel and going in the opposite direction, all flights being canceled by many, many countries. the pfizer buy on teiontech vacs made here. these restrictions may last in the u.k. until the early weeks of february so it's a real and cruel mess, guys.

>> the fears that that mess will come on this side of the pond. bill, thank you. back here in the u.s., millions of americans are still on the move. the tsa said it screened more than 2 million passengers from friday to saturday more than 84 million americans are expected to travel starting this year through the new year lines growing at covid testing sites, too the cdc says testing before and after air travel can reduce the spread of the virus. many states now require a negative test or self-quarantine after arrival. >> let's check in with bill karins as we get closer to christmas. good morning >> good morning. great to see you guys. kind of quiet to start this week then things get active for today, watch out for fog in areas in the northeast and mid-atlantic pretty decent day out there most days here's the next big storm. as we go through wednesday, we'll start to see it moving through. there will be a little bit of

snow and the real story is the real rain. christmas eve. around 7 p.m there could be a brief period of moderate to heavy snow on the back side of this. there will be a big, heavy rain event christmas eve and christmas morning and those are the areas that had the huge snowstorm. if we get a rapid snow melt we'l we'll watch a clipper system moving through. cold and windy on the back side with snow showers out ahead. it's going to be a cold christmas in some areas of the country. i'll tell you who's going to be the chilliest coming up. >> we'll need to know it bill, thank you. when we come back, as far as align for nearly 800 years.

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glad i stopped cleaning and started swiffering. welcome back to "early today. leading the news, police in miami have arrested more than a dozen people after they participated in a reckless driving stunt. a miami beach artist captured this of what appears to be a car meetup several drivers seen doing drift donuts in that intersection as people watched several traffic citations were issued they believe the stunt was from a car club that organizes reckless driving events around the miami-dade area. >> all for the post. today is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year after the sun goes down, the night sky will be lit up by something not seen in 800 years. jupiter and is a turn will appear to merge each other as they pass each other

the planets should be visible in the southwestern sky. >> that's pretty cool but it's the shortest day of golf. >> that's the down side. >> why hang gliding santa ought to stick to his sleigh. >> efforts to keep covid off the basketball court it's true, i will rescue you oh, i will rescue you a blast of immune support that's more than just vitamin c. it's a unique crafted blend of vitamins, zinc, other minerals, and herbs. take on your day with airborne. your daily dose of confidence.

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hang glider was rescued from firefighters after getting stuck on power lines in sacramento his electric parachute lost power. is the rose bowl the rose bowl if it's not played at the rose bowl? we're about to find out. a college playoff semifinal has been moved to dallas organizers blame increasing coronavirus cases in california. arianna grande is engaged. she showed off the diamond and pearl ring with the caption forever and then some. the university of arkansas basketball programs and the high tech measures they're taking to keep players from catching covid. >> on the hardwood inside arkansas's famed bud walton arena, high level athletes going toe to toe amidst the covid crisis. >> am' glad we had this opportunity to allow us to have this start of the season.

>> reporter: an accomplishment tested on a daily basis for the men's and women's teams. jaylen mason is a fifth year senior what has this season been like so far >> hang out with our team as socially distanced as possible. >> reporter: the university of arkansas granted nbc news a behind the scenes look the coach of the men's team. >> we test three times a week and the next morning i wait for the text message that says we're all covid free. >> reporter: catch a who hogs's practice, you'll see them wearing masks. >> you've got it. >> simone rush is the women's team trainer who walks us through a litany of safety strategies. >> how close are the players to actual fans? >> they'll want to sit on these rows, they'll start to sit behind the cutouts.

>> a player tested positive in the past couple weeks. >> has there ever been a point where you are scared >> it's always in the back of your mind. this could get worse so you have to do everything for yourself, for your community. >> reporter: to cut down on the spread, a new technological tool in the fight >> there it is 6 feet right here. >> a digital chip worn in the player's injuries mandating close contact. a nifty gadget used by the nfl. >> it makes the contact tracing so much easier. >> reporter: the state of arkansas decides how many fans can fill the arena roughly 4,000 people >> part of a new normal that mike neighbor says he feels. >> that's the no fly zone. nobody sitting there. >> to courtside. >> i don't have somebody to call you had a pandemic the last time how did you imagine it. >> reporter: without a roadmap,

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rain tsno ow on christmas day through the great lakes and northeast. we'll be right back with more news stay with us a string of lights sparks family ties. a last-minute gift makes a lasting impression. a tray carries your heritage. and an ending means a new beginning. shh! i took mucinex dm for mye phlegmy cough. what about rob's dry cough? works on that too, and lasts 12 hours. 12 hours?! who studies that long? mucinex dm relieves wet and dry coughs. my gums are irritated. i don't have to worry about that, do i? harmful bacteria lurk just below the gum line. crest gum detoxify works below the gum line to neutralize harmful plaque bacteria and help reverse early gum damage.

crest. we're in the home stretch of the nfl schedule as potential playoff teams jockey not a sentence i thought i would ever read. a field goal gave new york an early 3-0 lead 6 pints more than 3 points baker mayfield to austin hooper. baker does it again. jarvis landry the recipient. that makes it 14-3 fantasy owners pay attention nick chubb alert browns down the giants in the meadowlands 20-6 to a potential super bowl preview, chiefs and saints

drew brees back in the lineup after that awful rib injury. he was solid but patrick mahomes was his former mvp self. he threw three touchdowns. 13-1 they win 32-29 eagles and cardinals have playoff aspirations. check out deandre hopkins. how did he hold on to that ball? kilar murray throwing the pass cardinals 33-26. tua and the dolphins enacting sweet revenge on the patriots the patriots loss ensured bill belichick and company will miss the playoffs first time that happened since 2008 the fins are 9-5 and very much alive in the afc playoff picture. the ravens and raiders on the outside. now to lizzo spreading

christmas cheer starting with this big surprise for her mom. >> okay. merry christmas, mommy open your eyes >> even with a big red bow on top. lizzo shocked her mom with that new car. she shared the video along with an emotional message with her dad who died she remembers having nowhere to live and wishing she could take care of her family that wish came true. she's able to spoil her mom for the holidays. >> that is the best thing about making money, being able to take care of those who took care of you. >> having that reaction coming from your mom. can't beat it. two men from canada, eh, they took their chess game to another level. they made it look easy it shows just how long they were sitting in ontario's cold lake glad they stuck to sportsmanship.

>> no adjourning when it comes to that game. >> thanks for starting the week with us. >> i'm frances rivera. we leave you with a beautiful and somber ceremony. volunteers from wreaths across america. placg wreathin

right now at 4:30 another dose of hope. the bay area hospital set to receive the moderna vaccine and when shots are expected to start. plus -- >> the new variant is out of control, and we need to bring it under control. a new and even more contagious strain of the coronavirus is raising concerns. the travel nightmare it's causing and the growing debate over stopping flights coming to our airports. "today in the bay" starts right now. and a good morning to you on this monday. going to take a live look outside for you right now where it is nice and clear