>> all right, thank you very much. that's going to do it for us. >> this is a live look for you out this morning as we get started with our day and also we want to remind you that 29ers beat the packers there. we'll see you back here tomorrow. morning. good morning. hopes and fears. the first doses of johnson & johnson's single shot vaccine expected in arms today. a much-needed boost to the rollout at a critical time. as the cdc sounds a new alarm. >> i remain deeply concerned about a potential shift in the trajectory of the pandemic. >> this morning, growing concern, as the recent drop in cases and deaths nationwide stalls. why health officials say now is not the time to let your guard down. breaking overnight, new accuser.

a third woman comes forward against embattled new york governor andrew cuomo, claiming he asked to kiss her with this photo to back it up. it's fueling new calls for him to resign. >> i believe the right thing is for the governor to step aside. >> just ahead, how the new accusation could impact the just launched investigation into the governor's behavior. a father's pain. >> a hole in my heart that will never be sealed. >> the family of a young college student in virginia who died after an alleged hazing incident at a fraternity party, now demanding answers. what the school and police are saying about the disturbing incident. not over yet. after a brief break in winter weather, tens of millions waking up to bitter cold temperatures and powerful winds. tens of thousands now without power, while a new problem emerges from the crisis in texas. >> everything just froze and

stayed frozen way too long. >> straight ahead, what all those damaged crops could mean for your next grocery bill. all that, plus, senior week. a spring break surprise with the annual rite of passage looking very different this year. >> we're ready to revel again. we want normalcy. >> the unexpected crowd now flooding beaches for a little fun in the sun. today, tuesday, march 2nd, 2021. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> hey, everybody. welcome to "today." it is a tuesday morning. so happy you are starting it with us. >> just like those folks you mentioned, we're all ready for a little spring. except for winter, winter is not done with us yet. >> how about this, go away, winter. bone-chilling temperatures for much of the country. in the northeast, we're dealing

with high winds so it feels colder. happy for that to be in the rear view. >> we could feel it walking outside this morning. al will have the forecast. we'll also show you why crops like these, damaged by the cold in texas, could be bad news for our wallet. first, let's get to our top story. the first j&j vaccine doses should be in the hands of pharmacists any time now. a third vaccine that could be a game-changer in the rollout. but health officials caution they're also keeping a close eye on case numbers. nbc's tom costello is on the story for us. tom, good morning. >> reporter: hey, good morning. and the cdc director is urging communities, please don't lift restrictions too quickly. here are the stats this morning. 25 million americans have now been fully vaccinated. that means two shots from either the moderna or pfizer vaccines. that's about 8% of the population. the j&j requires a single dose. there is great hope that's really going to help ramp up the vaccination rate nationwide.

somewhere in the country, the first johnson & johnson vaccine doses could be going into americans' arms sometime today. the vaccine started rolling out monday, packed into ups and fedex trucks for priority deliveries. just as the cdc director was issuing a warning. >> i remain deeply concerned about a potential shift in the trajectory of the pandemic. >> reporter: until recently, the data had shown a steep decline in cases. a peak of 250,000 cases in early january to below 70,000 cases a day in late february. now, that trend has leveled off and turned around. new cases suddenly up more than 2% nationwide to 67,200 per day. deaths are up also per day. nearly 2,000 per day. >> now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know can stop the spread of

covid-19 in our communities. not when we are so close. >> reporter: the area showing the biggest increase in cases in the past week, texas, arkansas, loez and louisiana and tennessee. another concern, covid testing in the u.s. has dropped by 30% in recent weeks. likely the result of winter weather, the vaccine rollout, and a country that is simply tiring of the pandemic. >> if we decrease the amount of testing, we will probably lose a bit of the ground on understanding the extent of the variants, as well as new variants. so testing should and will remain important. >> reporter: meanwhile, at the ups world port in louisville, driver juliet watson said making the first delivery meant something. >> i've had a couple cousins and family members that had it, and i have friends who had parents who died. >> reporter: j&j promises 4 million doses this week, 20 million by the end of the month. >> we have three highly efficacious vaccines that are

also, as dr. walensky says, has a very good safety profile. >> reporter: so four states are among those that have already started to lift restrictions. massachusetts, missouri, kentucky, and virginia. the cdc director urging communities, don't lift restrictions too quickly because new variants are spreading, and this virus could really come roaring back. hoda? >> meantime, tom, there's good news on the pfizer vaccine. interesting how effective it can be after just one shot when it comes to older folks. what do you know about that? >> reporter: it really is encouraging. this is data out of the uk, suggesting that just a single dose, in fact, helped reduce the possibility of getting sick by 80% in the elderly. 80%. that's a big change. then in addition, as you know, the uk has been postponing that second dose for up to 12 weeks. this would suggest that that strategy in the uk may be paying off, although, dr. fauci says it is not something he would advocate here in the united states. >> all right

tom costello for us, thank you. also this morning, a third woman has now come forward, accusing new york governor andrew cuomo of inappropriate behavior the state's attorney general says that accusation could be added to the just launched investigation of sexual harassment allegations made by two of the governor's former aides. nbc's anne thompson is on that story for us this morning. anne, good morning >> reporter: good morning, savannah new york governor andrew cuomo's attempts at damage control are not working. his apology from earlier this week rejected one of his accusers, saying he is wielding power to avoid justice and almost no politician in new york is speaking out in his defense. this morning a new accusatio against embattled new york 33-year-old anna ruch telling "the new york times" cuomo was inappropriate with her at a crowded wedding reception, in 2019, putting his hand on her bare lower back, which he then

removed. ruch says the governor put his hands on her cheeks and asked if he could kiss her. she said she turned her head away "the new york times" reports ruch was never employed by the governor or the state. but charlotte bennett was. this morning, bennett is dismissing cuomo's apology, saying the governor has refused to acknowledge or take responsibility for his predatory behavior the 25-year-old claims cuomo verbally harassed her last spring when he asked the former executive assistant about her sex life bennett telling "the new york times," i understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me governor cuomo first denied bennett's allegations, then acknowledged, some of the things i have said have been misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation overnight, the governor's brother, cnn anchor chris cuomo, addressing the allegations for the first time >> obviously, i cannot cover it because he is my brother

i have always cared very deeply about these issues and profoundly so. >> reporter: this comes after the two had showcased their close relationship during the pandemic the governor frequently stopping by his show. >> mom told me i had to. >> reporter: and chris even crashing his brother's regular press conferences. >> you look like you've been cutting your own hair. >> reporter: this morning, governor cuomo stands with few political allies, as he faces parallel investigations. one into claims of sexual harassment, the other, a federal inquiry into how his administration handled nursing home deaths during the pandemic. >> one of the reasons why he is facing the difficulties he is facing and doesn't have the stand up for him. >> reporter: another accuser, lindsey boylan, said cuomo made inappropriate comments to her and also gave her an unwanted kiss on the lips in 2018, which cuomo denies now, bennett, invoking boylan's

name, says, to the governor's survivors, i am here lindsey is here. you do not have to say a single word but if you choose to speak your truth, we will be standing with you, i promise and this morning, long island congresswoman kathleen rice is calling on governor cuomo to resign she is the first new york democrat congressperson to do so savannah >> anne thompson, thank you very much all right. we have new developments on the next potential round of covid relief the biden administration's nearly $2 trillion plan heading for a potential vote in the senate nbc's chief white house correspondent kristen welker joins us now walk us through where we are right now with these negotiations. >> reporter: hoda, good morning. president biden is going to meet with senate democrats for a second day in a row, and his challenge is going to be to unify them behind that $1.9 trillion covid relief package. he can't afford to lose a single vote at this point, there's no

republican support gop lawmakers say the price tag is too high and it's not targeted enough. moderate democrats are also worried about the overall price tag and want the bill to be more targeted the bottom like here, though, there will be some changes around the edges to the bill, but ultimately, it is expected to pass with vice president kamala harris as the tie-breaking vote. hoda and savannah? >> bottom line here, what does it mean for what might end up in the final bill for people watching, how soon might people see this relief >> reporter: that's the big question, savannah first to the timeline. washington is facing a firm deadline of march 14th that's when many unemployment benefits connected to the pandemic expire. if congress could get a deal by then, americans should start to feel effects at that point in the bill, the benefits are set at $400. moderates say they should be lower at $300. point of negotiation there

we know there are going to be $1,400 direct payments moderate democrats are still pushing the white house to make those payments more targeted based on income bracket. the bill includes billions of dollars for covid relief, including v including vaccine distribution a big flashpoint for progressives, a $15 minimum wage the white house has vowed to take that up in a later bill so there are still a lot of details to be hammered out and the deadline is fast approaching. >> thank you so much let's go to minneapolis. the city is bracing for the upcoming trial of the police officer charged in the death of george floyd gabe gutierrez has been following this gabe, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. involving a police officer in recent memory and now preparations for the trial are drawing and sparking new

controversy. this morning, minneapolis is on edge buildings already boarded up, barricades built plans are in place for 2,000 national guard troops as derek chauvin, the former police officer accused of killing george floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes prepares to stand trial. some residents are pressing back against the extra law enforcement presence. >> we had a problem this past summer that was created in large part by the police and now we're saying that the police are the only thing that can protect us from that. >> reporter: now after an uproar, the city is scrapping a controversial plan to hire social media influencers to post trial information online >> we use the term social media influencer, which in retrospect did not accurately reflect what we are asking of our partners

and it caused confusion in the community. >> reporter: that community is clearly still reeling more than nine months after floyd's death. it sparked a nationwide reckoning. now, less than a week before chauvin's trial, prosecutors are pushing to reinstate a third degree murder charge against him, in addition to the second degree murder and manslaughter charges he is already facing an appeals court is considering the extra charge >> we, in turn, will issue an expedited decision as soon as possible. >> reporter: jury selection is set to begin monday. opening statements by the end of the month. cameras will be allowed inside the courtroom, but the eyes of many will be on the streets outside. >> if people want their voices heard, that they wish to protest, we want to see it done in a peaceful manner >> reporter: authorities are trying to avoid what happened last summer, when parts of the city burned. they're on alert for extremists after reports some of last year's violence may have been instigated by white supremacists looking to discredit protesters. >> we want to make sure we get that information timely, and

that we can do everything we can to prevent harm to individuals or our city itself >> reporter: the attorney for derek chauvin declined to comment ahead of the trial in previous court filings, he had said that floyd endangered officers by resisting arrest the minneapolis police department is not commenting the three other officers involved in the case are due to stand trial later this year. hoda and savannah? >> gabe gutierrez in minneapolis, thank you very much. let's move now to a new consumer alert that's tied to last month's brutal winter storm in texas craig is here to explain this one. good morning. >> hoda, savannah, good morning. good morning to you, as well on the heels of that historic freeze that left millions of texans without power or clean water, a new crisis is brewing it's a crisis that could impact all of us. that storm also hit farmers especially hard, which means your grocery bill could be going up nbc's morgan chesky has that part of the story.

morgan, good morning. >> reporter: craig, good morning. we talk about winterizing our homes and our cars, but out here on the farm, there's only so much you can do when it comes to mother nature. that has led to scenes like this whole crops decimated. this cabbage now left to just rot in the field, from one farm of hundreds statewide. >> reporter: texas farmers waiting to wake up from a winter nightmare. >> everything froze for way too long >> reporter: it's a small miracle their goats and chickens survived after 15 days without power or water but take a walk in the fields. >> that's the rotting smell and odor of the cabbages and cauliflower and broccoli. >> the whole way down? >> absolutely. >> all of it gone? >> yes >> reporter: nearly their entire winter crop, 80% of it gone. the storm encasing everything in

ice, ruining produce bound for farmers markets and restaurants. >> yeah, i mean this field was gorgeous and our cabbage was like rock star cabbage it was truly beautiful it was the best cabbage we've grown since i've been here we didn't prepare financially for this sort of loss. >> could you have? >> no. >> reporter: statewide, much of the same story with texas one of the top agricultural states in the country, the impact could mean your grocery bill is going up. shoppers across the u.s. have already been paying more for food, with increased demand during the pandemic being a key factor >> the west coast and the east coast are really being hit the hardest with the deepest price increases, but everyone has felt the impact on their wallet >> reporter: in 2020, u.s. food prices increased by nearly 4% over 2019 and with more consumers eating at home due to the pandemic, home grocery prices had their largest spike

in nine years. this year, food prices are still climbing and while some experts say some price relief may be on the horizon, a brutal winter storm's impact isn't helping with many texas farms still reeling. >> you have to prepare for the worst-case scenario and sometimes it happens. >> reporter: a message that catherine and bradley are taking to heart. >> there are a lot of lessons learned on ways to be more prepared and resilient and we can't predict when a storm like this is going to happen again. we can't wait for that, we've got to be prepared. >> reporter: and they tell me they've planted new crops to try to recoup some of the losses texas still faces the other crisis of water, just under 400,000 people still under boil water advisories craig. >> goodness, hard to believe morgan chesky in texas thank you. speaking of the rough winter weather, it is back for millions today. al is here with the first check of the forecast. is this going to be with us for a while? >> it's going to be kind of a

roller coaster over the next several days wind gusts in the northeast up to 50 miles per hour right now 55 million people under wind chill warnings, advisories, high wind warnings it feels like 8 below right now and look at the difference between now and yesterday at this same time a 33-degree temperature drop in bangor even pittsburgh, 20-degree temperature change the cold northeasterly winds causing big problems this afternoon. wind chills will feel like 6 in portland, 39 in dc, pittsburgh 31 as you look at the next three days, we've got a roller coaster. buffalo dips down to 29 on thursday and 31 on friday. boston 46 on wednesday, down to 43 by friday and even west virginia, 50 on wednesday and drop down to 41 by friday. we're going to get to your local

forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds this helps. and so does this. and this, it definitely helps. make takeout tuesday your weekly tradition. order in from local restaurants every tuesday and support the small businesses that make our neighborhoods feel like home. order in. help out. with american express. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we're waking up to a nice, clear sun rise but it's also very chilly out there. spots like the tri-valley, you're headed to work with temperatures in the upper 30s. as we go into today, it will reach into the upper 60s once again, just a few high clouds passing by. more sunshine tomorrow and our nice and weather continues through friday. notice the temperature drop on saturday as rain moves in. that.

coming u >> that's your latest weather. coming up in the next half hour, a crack that's taking some time. >> al, thank you we look forward to deciphering whatever that means. coming up, guys, a college fraternity suspended, a police investigation under way following the death of a young student at a party weekend this morning, we'll hear from the boy's heartbroken father >> we deserve answers. adam deserves answers. >> why he believes hazing led to his son's untimely death and then a year-long fever, extreme fatigue, brain fog, so-called long-haulers share an inside look at the painful symptoms they're still suffering months after having covid-19 plus, the new $1 billion mission to find out why. first, this is "toda on nbc.y"

coming up, the changing face of spring break. >> 65 and older crowd. vaccinated and feeling better. kerry sanders live with them in florida, after your local news we've pledged to make our most iconic vehicles electric, and to use 100% renewable energy across all global manufacturing plants by 2035, to stand for lower greenhouse gas emissions. to stand with americans, and for the planet. feel the clarity of non-drowsy claritin. to and 24-hour reliefenhouse from symptoms caused by over 200 indoor and outdoor allergens. try claritin cool mint chewabls for powerful allergy relief plus a cooling sensation. live claritin clear. i'm david collado i chose the spark cash card from capital one. cause i earn unlimited 2% cash back on everything i buy. last year i redeemed $21,000 in cash back which i used for new equipment, to expand production. what's in your wallet?

who's that? a free turbotax live tax expert. why do you need a tax expert? his advice is free and i can file for free. is my son still a dependant if he eats my food? file a simple return for free now with advice from a turbotax live expert. dear ms, from day one you've tried to define me. but i never invited you in. it's my life and this is my journey. i've found a way to do things differently with ocrevus, an infusion treatment that's 2-times-a-year. for adults with relapsing or primary progressive forms of multiple sclerosis, ocrevus is proven effective in reducing relapses in rms and slowing disability progression in rms and ppms. don't take ocrevus if you've had a life-threatening allergic reaction to it, or have hepatitis b. tell your doctor about vaccinations or if you've had hep b, as it could come back. a common side effect of ocrevus is infusion reactions, and some may require hospitalization. it can increase your risk of infections, which can be serious, and may decrease certain types of immunoglobulins.

while pml was not reported in clinical trials, it could happen. an increased risk of cancer, including breast cancer, may exist. sorry, ms. you don't get to control every part of me. ms can't own us. ask your doctor about two-times-a-year ocrevus. a very good morning to you. it is 7:26. i'm, go dprs. here is a look at today's top stories including the potential for more bay area reopenings. >> i'm cierra johnson in san francisco. it's a big day for business owners, as three counties are now transitioning from the purple tier to the less restrictive red tier. the three counties include san francisco, napa and santa clara counties. they will join san mateo and marin counties, so what does this mean for businesses? restaurants can expand their indoor dining at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer and movie theaters can also open

their doors at 10% capacity. i'm kris sanchez, with a plan to incentivize districts to bring back their students on campus, in person by april 1st. here's what's on the table. $2 billion for districts that reopen by april 1st, to qualify, districts in the purple tier would have to bring back tk through second grade students plus all at-risk students in all xwrads. grades. districts in the red tier welcome back elementary schoolers and middle school and high school. by weekd's end, five districts could be in the red tier. let's get a look at the forecast right now, meteorologist kari hall. >> laura, it's such a beautiful day. at least we will see that for this afternoon. it's a little cool to start but our high temperatures heading back up to close to 70 degrees. upper 30s again tonight and tomorrow. basically our weather continues with the sunshine for the drop and we'll see some

scattered showers moving in, with another chance of rain early next week. we'll be watching that, laura. >> all right. we sure need it. thanks so much, kari. thank you for joining us as well. we'll be back in half an hour with another local news update.

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the beast" and so many of us feel the lyrics. one year of the pandemic, 12 months of trials and tribulations, heartbreak good to have a little levity john legend was -- >> that was just weird >> it's two of us, john. >> yeah. >> tmi >> move on, shall we let's get to your headlines at 7:30. former president donald trump and former first lady melania trump quietly received the covid-19 vaccine at the white house in january, a trump adviser confirms the revelation was not disclosed at the time by the trump white house, and it's still unknown which vaccine they received. both the former president and former first lady tested positive for the coronavirus in october but later recovered. over half the people charged in january's capitol riot were not connected to extremist groups or to one another that's according to a new study from george washington university the study concluded that 33 of those charged were involved with militant networks.

82 people were connected with others through networks of like-minded believers. the remaining 142 people, the majority, just went to the capitol on their own the study says they were inspired by, quote, a range of extremist narratives, conspiracy theories and personal motivations. now to a spectacular sight overseas this is in indonesia, mount sinabung that erupted, sending hot ash 2 miles into the sky officials urging residents to stay away, several miles away, in fact. so far, they haven't issued any evacuation orders. that volcano was dormant four centuries but came back to life again in 2010. we move to the troubling case of alleged fraternity hazing at a college in virginia. >> the off-campus death of a freshman at virginia commonwealth university has now prompted a police investigation and the suspension of a popular fraternity. >> nbc's sam brock has the details. good morning

>> reporter: guys, good morning. the family of 19-year-old adam oakes just wants some answers, as they try to make sense of what happened. they say adam was pledging to delta chi fraternity, attending a party to find out who his big brother was. he never returned that night and now their lives will never be the same >> a hole in my heart that will never be sealed. >> reporter: the devastated father of vcu freshman adam oakes wants to know how his son died, after an off-campus fraternity party over the weekend turned fatal >> we want some answers, you know we deserve answers adam deserves answers. >> reporter: family members say the 19-year-old was pledging delta chi, attending an initiation party, they suspect, involved hazing and alcohol. >> we think it is part of the hazing process, and we think it went too far >> reporter: police and university officials have not confirmed whether hazing was involved so far, have released few details surrounding oakes'

death. the family says pledges who attended the party told them adam drank a large bottle of jack daniels in an hour, as part of an initiation process before passing out. >> they checked on him at midnight, he was breathing, on his side then when they woke up, they found him face down on the coach and when they rolled him over, half of his face was purple, half was not >> reporter: police discovered oakes unresponsive saturday morning, pronouncing him dead at the scene. vcu president, michael rao tweeting, we are heartbroken by the loss of one of our own hazing is prohibited, and delta chi chapter has been suspended all of this shines a fresh spotlight on a problem that's shattered many families. >> when i saw the details, it hit a little too close to home >> reporter: timothy piazza, 19, died in 2017 after an alcohol-fueled hazing ritual at

penn state the piazzas now powerful advocates for preventing these tragedies. >> these are preventable if people just step up and do the right thing. >> reporter: adam's father coming to grips with the loss of his only child. >> i want to make sure this never happens again to any kid, to any family. >> reporter: the founder of hazingprevention.org tells nbc news that 2020 was the first year there was not a hazing death in 60 years. as far as the piazzas, their advice is, call for help immediately. if it was your brother or sister, you would want the same. back to you. >> sam, it is every parent's worst nightmare. what was adam like how did his family describe him as a person? >> reporter: a beautiful soul and a big-hearted man. they said he was a sports fanatic. so much so, when he got to slap

a high five here with nba superstar kevin durant, he didn't want to wash his hands. his father said he was looking for camaraderie and acceptance, and that's why he wanted to join the fraternity in the first place. back to you. >> sam brock for us this morning, thank you. >> a shame just ahead this morning, we're going to turn to this ongoing mystery tied to the coronavirus. why some patients are experiencing debilitating symptoms a year after getting the virus. >> we'll hear from the so-called long-hauler who had the virus last march, and she still has a daily fever. plus, the new billion dollar search for answers, coming up right after this not the doubts, distractions, or voice in my head. and certainly not arthritis. voltaren provides powerful arthritis pain relief to help me keep moving. and it can help you too.

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help protect yourself. back now. coming up on 7:41 with life after back now coming up on 7:41 with life after lockdown our special series across all platforms of nbc news, exploring every aspect of the coronavirus one year after it was declared a pandemic >> here we are, 12 months later. the numbers in this country simply staggering. nearly 29 million cases diagnosed, and more than 516,000 deaths. >> among those who have caught the virus, some remain in limbo, still struggling to this day with lingering symptoms months later. nbc's stephanie gosk spoke with researchers at the national institutes of health, who are now turning their attention to this issue in a big, big way stephanie, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah so-called long-haulers are only just now being identified.

researchers at nih, when they realized it was a problem, went to congress, launching this billion dollar study, to try to figure out why some people are able to kick covid, but not its symptoms imagine having a fever for nearly a year. >> starts out in the 99 range in the morning and escalates throughout the day to the 101 range. >> reporter: after getting sick with covid-19 last march, 47-year-old amy watson is technically virus free, but she is still suffering symptoms. she says she coined the phrase "long-haulers. >> april 29th, i created long-haul covid fighters i named it after a trucker cap that i wore to my drive-up covid test >> reporter: the name stuck, and the support group she started just keeps growing >> it's taking a long time for the medical community to catch up to where we are we are suffering, and we need help >> reporter: the nih wants to change that, launching a billion dollar initiative to study long-haulers.

>> respiratory viruses, like a cold if it is minor, or the flu if it is not so minor, people tend to get better after a couple of weeks. with covid, for a lot of people, that doesn't seem to be happening. >> the brain fog won't go away. >> body aches, tired, can't think straight my chest hurts >> feels off, like i'm searching for words. >> reporter: nih director dr. francis collins says there is no pattern to who gets hit with long covid, young, old, some really sick at first, while others weren't sick at all there are people who had these lasting effects for months do you suspect it could be longer than that, years even >> i fear some people who have had these effects, who are already three, four months out, may not be on a path to get better in a few more months. this could be something that is a chronic illness. >> reporter: while there are still many questions, medical be

one is that the immune system clears the virus but just keeps on fighting as if it is there. nih neurologist dr. nath showed us what that can do to the brain. so those little marks there on that slide, they shouldn't be there? >> they shouldn't be there all this green stuff should not be there >> reporter: earlier, you said they're leaking. >> the damage to the blood vessels allows the leakage of this protein into the brain itself >> reporter: i'm not a neurologist, but leaking in the brain is not a good thing. >> not a good thing, unfortunately. >> reporter: the brains he's studies are from people who died suddenly from covid but didn't have serious symptoms. dr. nath says this brain damage may not be severe enough to kill someone, but it could be the cause of long-hauler symptoms. amy watson, who is still unable to return to her teaching job in portland, will soon be taking part of the nih study. >> i'll be able to access treatment that will help lessen my symptoms and make me feel normal again i want to get back to my life.

>> reporter: long-haulers say one of their challenges has been convincing people that what they're going through is linked to covid they say the study, in some ways, before it gets off the ground, validates what they've been going through, at the same time promising to do what it can to help them >> is there any sense as to what percentage of those who have had covid become long-haulers? >> reporter: one of the goals of the study to figure out what that number is our medical unit at nbc news canvassed a number of clinics around the country, 64 of them, that are just exclusively treating people with these conditions of those 64, more than 10,000 people have been treated it's a mix of men and women. sadly, right now, there's no real standard for treatment. another thing this study is trying to figure out savannah >> stephanie, glad you're on this subject stay on it, if you would thank you very much. appreciate it. >> thank you. quick reminder, by the way, about vaccinations together with our parent company

comcast nbc universal, we have an all-in-one tool to help, when it's your turn all you have to do, right there below me, the qr code on your screen, just scan that or you can head to planyourvaccine.com. find all the information you need in one place. 7:46 check of the weather >> a crack that took time. take a look at this video. unbelievable antarctic, this is the brunt ice shelf. there is a crack along this that runs hundreds of miles this has finally broken off. they first detected this ten years ago. take a look. it is a huge crack in this iceberg, this glacier, i should say. give you a sense of the size of this thing here's antarctica, and here's the brunt ice shelf. here is the break. now, to give you the idea of how big this is, for example, manhattan, the borough we're broadcasting from, well, this is

490 square miles, 500 feet thick. it is 21 times larger than manhattan. >> wow. >> we're continuing to watch what this does, but it is pretty impressive we've not seen something like this break off in over a decade. closer to home, we're looking at a lot of wet weather through the gulf it is going to continue raining over the next 24 hours heavy rain, we're talking about locally up to 3 inches of rain, stretching all the way from good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. let's take a live look outside in san francisco as we wake up and head out the door, it's a cool but clear start and we will have another beautiful day, as our temperatures reach into the low 60s, near the coast, we'll see some low 70s for the inland valleys, and no change here, as we go through the rest of the week, but we will see some major changes ahead for the weekend. much cooler going from 70 on friday to upper 50s on saturday,

as some rain moves in >> mr. roker, thank you so much. still ahead on a tuesday morning, lady gaga's dog walker speaking out for the first time since he was ambushed and shot in the chest. >> what he is revealing about the ordeal, and the overming support that is helping his recovery first, these messages. these days, it's okay to do some things halfway... but taking prescriptions shouldn't be one of them. so cvs works to make them affordable with a proprietary search tool that looks for savings. plus we deliver, free. no wonder cvs customers are better than most at staying on prescriptions. which tends to make you healthier. get a free prescription savings review at cvs. ♪♪ if you have moderate to severe psoriasis... or psoriatic arthritis, little things, can become your big moment. that's why there's otezla. otezla is not an injection or a cream...

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of the american heart association's life is why campaign. good morning carson. >> good morning, everybody we are overflowing on "pop start" this morning, from taylor swift's personal beef with netflix to jason sudeikis, what he is now saying about rocking the hoodie at the golden globes. we'll have it for you. from the first dose. once-weekly trulicity responds when my body needs it, 24/7. trulicity is for type 2 diabetes. it's not insulin. it isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't take trulicity if you're allergic to it, you or your family have medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. stop trulicity and call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction, a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, changes in vision, or diabetic retinopathy. serious side effects may include pancreatitis.

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ask your dermatologist about skyrizi. . a very good morning to you. 7:56, i'm laura garcia. here is a look at what's happening now. >> i'm ready ready in antioch, where this city here in the east bay is taking an unusual step to strengthen the public trust in its police department. mayor lamar thorpe announced he's asking his chief of police to release all the information that is legally allowed regarding the two recent cases of men who died in police custody. in a statement yesterday, the mayor wrote that the release of this information is part of the culture of reform he's trying to establish in his police department and moving forward, he is waiving the ten-day window police had to respond to public information requests for other high-profile cases. good morning, everyone. i'm scott mcgrew.

the publisher and the institution that protects dr. seuss' legacy say they will no longer allow the publication of certain dr. seuss books, including "if i ran the zoo" and "on beyond zebra" because the book contains words and images that may be offensive to certain people. >> i think everyone's going to like the forecast for today. we've been really having spring-like temperatures, kari. >> we have. and it's going to be another beautiful day. even though we're starting out cool, here is a look out there in san jose, 46 degrees, but you can see the trend by lunch time, we'll be in the mid-60s, and continuing to work up a few more degrees from there. reaching up to 70 degrees but our dry weather does continue through at least the end of the week but check out the changes we'll see this weekend. we go from 70 on friday to the upper 50s on saturday and we'll also see some off and on showers in the forecast on saturday, and then once again, early next

week, as it stays nice and cool. laura? >> all right, thanks so much. and thank you for joining us as well. another local news update in half an hour. have a great tuesday morning.

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, new boost. the johnson & johnson vaccine now shipping across the country, with the first shots expected as early as today. but health officials warn not to let your guard down. >> now is not the time to relax the critical safeguards that we know can stop the spread of covid-19. >> we are live with everything you need to know. close call. lady gaga's dog walker speaks out after being shot while walking the star's three french bulldogs. new details on just what happened, and his emotional

message to well-wishers. plus, post-vaccination vacation. >> in my head, i feel comfortable traveling. >> a look at the new travel trend of older americans going on spring break after getting their shots. so is it too soon? what you need to know before planning your next trip. ♪ this is how we do it ♪ and this is how you do it. >> there is one way to get talked about tomorrow morning on the "today" show. >> blake shelton mentors one voice contestant on how to move forward and catch our attention. >> say hi to hoda. hello, hoda. >> we'll show you why it worked today, tuesday, march 2nd, 2021. >> good morning. i'm here with my favorite teacher to celebrate my 10th birthday. >> hi to all my fourth graders. >> good morning, hoda, savannah, and craig. i'm sheila, and we are celebrating our 25th wedding

anniversary. >> from hummelstown, pa. >> making my mom's birthday wishes come true. >> celebrating my 52nd birthday with the "today" show. >> happy birthday, mom. good to see you. welcome back. it is a tuesday morning, march the 2nd. also, my best friend karen swenson's birthday. >> happy birthday, karen. coming up tomorrow morning on "today," a battle over land near phoenix, sacred to the apache people, and holds billions of dollars in copper. >> because of a deal passed years ago by congress, two of the world's largest mining companies may soon call it theirs. cynthia mcfadden is going to take us inside what has become an emotional fight on both sides. >> we look forward to that. first, let's get to your news at 8:00. the first doses of the new j&j covid vaccine could be given as early as today, adding to the millions of americans who have already been vaccinated. now, at the same time, health

officials, they're concerned about a troubling trend. nbc's tom costello brings us up to date. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, hoda. the cdc director is warning, while we did see a dramatic decrease in cases and deaths since early january, it's starting to tick up. she says it is really important that communities not yet let their guard up. the numbers are as follows. about 67,200 new cases every single day. that's up 2% over recent weeks. about 2,000 deaths per day, also up 2% over recent weeks. now, it's down dramatically from early january, but the uptick has people concerned. in the meantime, as mentioned, the j&j vaccine rolling out nationwide. likely we will see americans starting to receive that vaccination sometime today. 4 million shots or so by the end of the week, 20 million by the end of the month. keep in mind, this is a single-dose shot, so the hope is

it will help really ramp up the vaccination rate nationwide. at the moment, 25 million americans have now been fully vaccinated with either the pfizer or the moderna vaccines. that's almost 8% of the population. and some really interesting data out of the uk this morning, they determined that a single shot of the pfizer vaccine, one dose, can dramatically improve the health, if you will, for senior citizens. in fact, cutting by 80% the serious illness and death rate after a single dose shot of pfizer's vaccine in the uk. still, dr. fauci says he would not recommend doing that here in the united states. he still recommends two doses on pfizer and moderna, one dose on johnson & johnson. back to you. >> still encouraging news, thank you. senator mitt romney is recovering from a weekend fall that knocked him unconscious and left him with stitches. he was seen on capitol hill yesterday with a black eye and stitches above an eye and on his upper lip. romney said he fell while visiting family in boston.

speaking with reporters, he also joked, yeah, i had kind of a tough weekend. i went to c-pac. that was the problem. referring to the political conservative gathering where the president lashed out at him and other republicans who voted to impeach him. the horrifying attack last week that left lady gaga's dog walker seriously wounded. he is speaking out for the first time. nbc's steve patterson has more on all of it from los angeles. >> reporter: good morning to you. from his hospital bed, ryan fischer penned a lengthy and dramatic post on social media, referring when he was shot, mentioning the first responders who rushed to his aid and thanking lady gaga for her constant support. this morning, words of reflection pouring out after a terrifying brush with death. 30-year-old ryan fischer sharing on instagram, i am still in recovery from a very close call with death. the gratitude for all the love i feel from around this planet is immense and intense. i feel your healing support.

thank you. fischer posting from the hospital after being shot during a harrowing ambush and abduction of the star's bulldogs last wednesday night. >> oh, my god. >> the attack caught on surveillance camera obtained by tmz. >> they're lady gaga's dogs. >> reporter: police say two male suspects shot fischer and sped off with two of the three dogs he was walking. the third dog, miss asia, managed to escape. fischer said she stood by as he was bleeding, saying, my panicked screams calmed as i looked at her. though i registered the blood around her was my own. smiling that she would be okay. police say a woman returned the two abducted dogs safe and unharmed to lady gaga's safe at an lapd station on friday. the woman's identity and the location the dogs were found have not been released. lady gaga is currently filming a

movie in rome. after the abduction, she came under scrutiny for offering $500,000 reward for the dog's safe return. >> i believe the reward helps the investigation because it motivates people that would otherwise not be looking for these folks that took these dogs. but i think the bigger question that's looming here is, perhaps, is this some new crime that could be committed against other celebrities? >> reporter: after the attack, fischer says gaga was consistently there for her, thanking his superstar friend. you have shown so much support to me and my family, but your support as a friend, despite your own traumatic loss from your kids, was unwavering. i love you. lady gaga has yet to speak out on the recovery of her two dogs or the status of the reward, as police push forward in tracking down the suspects and investigating a motive for the violent abduction. back to you. >> steve, thank you. looks like it is time for a boost. >> it is. here we go. stacy hurt is on a roll. the pittsburgh woman was declared cancer free after a

long battle with colorectal cancer. she just turned 50. saturday, she got to meet her golf hero, phil mickelson, during a stop on the pga tour. it was really overwhelming. >> oh, stacy, you got to bring her in. good to see you. tim, will you bring a souvenir? >> what? >> we're always pulling for you. i'm happy you're doing well in your struggle. i'm sorry you had to go through that. it's awful you had to go through it. >> thank you. it means the world to me you're wearing my ribbon. can i see it? >> yes. i had one yesterday with your name on it. >> oh, my gosh. >> have a good day. >> good luck. >> thank you glad you're doing well. >> thank you so much i can't believe it >> that's quite the moment the next day, another surprise phil gave stacy the hat he wore during the previous day's round. by the way, march is national colorectal cancer awareness month. a story like this is a great way to get the word out. nice moment. >> yeah. up next, a new look for

spring break. >> kerry sanders is at a florida beach, where, guess what, it is not college students doing much of the celebrating no, much older people eager to travel after getting the vaccine. here they are right now at a live yoga class. the hope given to all of us for a better day, right after this ♪ and some of them are pretty flawed ♪ ♪ and some of them are slightly odd ♪ ♪ but many are small businesses that simply lack the tool ♪ ♪ to find excited people who will stop and say 'that's cool'♪ ♪ and these two, they like this idea ♪ ♪ and those three like that one.♪ ♪ and that's 'cause personalized ads ♪ ♪ find good ideas for everyone ♪ wanna build a gaming business that breaks the internet? that means working night and day... ...and delegating to an experienced live bookkeeper for peace of mind. your books are all set. so you can finally give john some attention.

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to help us do just that in a moment first, nbc's kerry sanders is on spring break down in florida a tradition that doesn't look quite the same this year, does it, kerry? >> reporter: it doesn't. you know, usually on spring break, you have college freshmen, sophomore, juniors, and seniors who are out enjoying a little break from college classes. here on class with seniors, but a different type of senior what we're looking at here are those who are age 65 or older. that represents 26 million folks in this country who have already been vaccinated. for them, it's a case of seniors gone wild. they are the original spring breakers 60 years ago, what's now a ritual, college kids escaping to the beach, began after the movie "where the boys are". >> where's the beach >> reporter: this year, because of covid, the first spring breakers are back.

the flood of seniors during traditional florida spring break driven by covid vaccines those 65 and older the first in the nation to get shots, so they're the first to feel safe to travel. >> i think there is a greater sense of freedom. >> in my head, i feel comfortable traveling. >> reporter: rebecca and mark split their time between new jersey and florida >> now that we've had the shots, we feel we're ready to rumble again. we want normalcy >> reporter: a study of this year's pandemic landscape found, of those 65 or older, 83% say they're ready to travel but are more interested in future travel only to be close to family just like the college kids, seniors on vacation at the ocean's edge in key west say they're here for the florida sun and fun. just at a different speed. john is due to get his second shot on wednesday.l. we purposefully eat outside and watch what we do

we socially distance >> reporter: also driving the on land florida pilgrimage, cruises, popular with older americans, remain shut down. but not all the vaccinated are headed to the beach. some remain cautious, skipping hotels, parking their rvs in florida farm fields, where they're allowed to stay. 68-year-old marty got both shots in new jersey, and now he's in the sunshine state >> it's been a crazy year, yes i think for everybody. >> reporter: you needed a break? >> i'm always on a break i'm kind of semi-retired i just enjoy life as it comes. >> reporter: the freedom to travel to the beach or just away from the snow, even sweeter if it means being back with the ones you love. >> i think the greatest difference is, now, we can invite the grandchildren to come to florida and to stay with us you have to have family. that was the most difficult thing to give up for the last

year >> reporter: in florida, during the pandemic, they've seen a 34% drop in tourism. for hotels alone, that's been a $6.5 billion hit to the bottom line as people begin to return, the cdc does urge people to keep up those pandemic protocols the last thing they want to see is people who are vaccinated going out and traveling, and then seeing an uptick in the number of cases. guys >> kerry, i must admit, i'm a little surprised you're not striking a pose there. >> reporter: there we go how is that? >> nice. >> tree pose. >> there you go. >> namaste kerry sanders for us. >> seniors are headed to senior frogs right after this they won't be carded either. could look like, maybe you're dreaming, nbc's investigative and consumer correspondent vicky nguyen is here with some travel tips

the first question, is it safe if you're vaccinated, can you get on a plane what do the experts say? >> if everyone in your traveling party is vaccinated, yes, you can pass go. the odds of you getting sick from covid-19 are very, very low. but if you're not vaccinated and you still have that itch to travel, you have to be safe about it there are certain things you want to consider of course, follow all those pandemic protocols, like kerry was talking about. washing your hands, wearing your mask, watching your distance, and avoiding crowds of strangers, especially indoors. here are the questions you need to ask about where you're going. first, are they accepting visitors from the u.s. what are the testing protocols when it comes to leaving and then coming back to your home state? are the infection rates going up where you're going may want to reconsider this is important for people thinking about getting away with kids for spring break. what are the protocols at school will your child have to miss a few days of school when they come back because they need a negative covid test several days later to get back into class think about that. getting there. getting to the airport, getting

through the airport. what is the best, safest way to get through? >> especially if you're traveling with kids, you have to plan ahead that is packing the sanitizer, the wipes, the extra masks, and also snacks. a lot of airport restaurants still aren't open. once you get on the plane, you're really trying not to remove your mask at all. even if they're passing out snacks and drinks, keep your mask on. sit next to the window, if possible that reduces exposure to people walking down the aisle also, keep the mask on when you're in the airport, as well that's really important. >> what about travel insurance, is that something worth getting? >> so it depends on what the terms are what you need to cover. the good news, a lot of airlines have gotten more flexible. they're waiving change fees and cancellation fees for hotels, as well, if you are cancelling 24 hours at least before you get there. but medical insurance is important. not just if you're traveling internationally, but state side, too. if you're doing something adventurous, you may want coverage it can save you a headache later. >> when do the experts say we can travel freely again like the

olden days >> august or september these are people in the medical community, as well as travel and consumer advocates so fingers crossed, if the vaccinations roll out, august/september. >> come on >> come on >> guys, "today" show road trip. >> yes >> senior frogs. >> no. >> there it is. >> i saw you there in the '90s. >> we all saw you there in the '90s. >> exactly al, what you got in the weather? >> last time i went on spring break, it was a one-piece bathing suit with knees. it's been a while. anyway, lot of wet weather through the gulf rest of the country, fairly quiet. the big story, the cold temperatures we have single digits and teens up into the northeast. 70s and 80s in florida where kerry is 30s around the great lakes 70s through the southwest. we are looking at mild march temperatures right through the plains plenty of sunshine out west. heavy rain through the gulf, into the southeast windy and chilly here in the northeast and new england. that's what's going on around the country.

. good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. our high temperatures today will reach into the upper 60s and low 70s for the inland areas, still cool near the coastline with san francisco reaching 60, and still a lot of sunshine in the forecast. no changes going through the rest of the week. but this weekend is when temperatures will cool off and we'll see some showers moving in. sunday looks dry but then we'll have another chance of some off and on rain in the forecast for early next week. sirius xm channel 108. today at 1:00, live, "off the rails" with sheinelle, dylan, and i. >> love that show. >> a big fan. >> i'm making lunch. >> what are you making >> lentil soup and avocado toast. >> you had me until lentil soup. when you make pizza, let me know. >> okay. carson, what do you got? >> as soon as your grill in the back yard gets out of snow, let

us know. >> you got it. >> in "pop start," taylor swift speaking out against a netflix show that made a joke about her dating history the series follows a mom and daughter who are close in age and struggling to put down roots. the line in question from the show has taylor and her fans slamming it. it features the two leads talking about their love lives one character says, quote, what do you care? you go through men faster than taylor swift. >> wow. >> when taylor caught wind of the joke, she didn't hold back hey, "ginny and georgia," 2010 called and it wants its lazy, deeply sexist joke back. how about we stop defining this expletive as funny also, after miss a americana this outfit doesn't look so cute on you happy women's history month, i guess. >> wow, good for her. >> that was a blow torch. >> a flame >> a little aloe vera for that burn >> that tweet got 634,000 likes. netflix, of course, streams

taylor's "miss americana" documentary. yet to respond. >> they should. >> craig, want to? >> netflix should. >> they will. this trailer is amazing. the explosive college admissions scandal is getting the documentary treatment. "operation varsity blues." it documents the methods used by rick singer to get those wealthy parents, people's kids into colleges it has recreations of the wire-tapped phone calls. matthew modine plays the part of rick singer. here's the trailer >> here today to announce charges in the largest college admissions scam ever prosecuted by the department of justice. >> some students getting unfair merit, and others getting in due to preferences that skew rich and white. >> they had every advantage. yet, they still cheated. >> over 730 of the side doors this year. >> it is the home run of home runs >> and it works? >> every time.

>> that looks good, right? from the producer of "fry festival" and "tiger king. >> that'll be good. >> 730 side doors. "varsity blues the college admissions scandal", that's on netflix on march 17th. "the voice" debuted. who knows how to be featured in "pop start"? my only friend who wears cowboy boots every day. blake shelton. uses power to manipulate "the voice. roll it. one of our artists, dana monique, was singing aretha franklin's "freeway of love. watch that ♪ oh we going riding on the freeway ♪ >> nick and john turned around for her. in an effort to get her to choose nick, not john, blake invokes our show's good name >> what?

>> dana, there's one way to get talked about tomorrow morning on the "today" show >> oh, my gosh >> shock america and do the thing nobody -- >> don't listen! >> you can play it safe and not get mentioned on the "today" show tomorrow. it's up to you. >> i know carson daly will get you on the "today" show. >> i can hear hoda right now >> nick. >> oh! >> see what you did! >> say hi to hoda. >> it worked. >> blake was right. >> it worked. >> people thinking it was an obvious choice to go with john, but she went with nick we're talking about it on the "today" show. >> go, dana. >> blake is moving chess pieces on the board >> yeah. >> it's not even his choice. he's trying to get nick, not john. >> that is true. a lot of strategery going on. >> has blake won the most? quickly, jason sudeikis took home the trophy for best performance by an actor in a tv that wasn't what everyone was talking about.

it was his tie-dye hoodie. one person writing, jason sudeikis in a tie-dye hoodie on zoom is a pandemic vibe. jason was asked if it was product placement. anyway, it wasn't. we had his sister on the show good morning, it's 8:26, i'm marcus washington. a man accused in a string of anti-asian attacks in oakland is due in court today for a plea hearing. police say he's seen in this video pushing down a 91-year-old man about a month ago and he's also tied to at least two other incidents, comes as new teen volunteers are helping protect oakland's chinatown. the volunteers are unarmed, their job is to help report potential crimes to police immediately. get a look at the forecast for you on this tuesday, meteorologist kari hall has been

tracking that. >> it's going to be another really nice day. as we take a look at our inland forecast over the next seven days, up to 70 today, just a few high clouds moving by, but it's going to be another chilly night once again dropping back to the upper 30s. it's basically for the weekend temperatures cool off significantly. only reaching into the upper 50s on saturday and we'll have some off and on rain. at this point, sunday looks dry but there will be another chance of some scattered showers on monday, checking out san francisco where our temperatures will also be quite chilly into the next several days. but at least we will have that sunshine. marcus? >> looks good, thanks, kari. going to have another local news update for you coming up in 30 minutes.

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help you get more rest we're talking about cooling sheets we're talking about a game-changing comforter that some say can save your marriage. >> wow. >> on the couch? [ laughter ] >> that's what i said, two comforters. >> carson and i are on the same wavelength. read across america day. who do we turn to? our resident librarian, jenna. she'll tell us about a program keeping young bookworms reading, even though their local libraries and schools are closed we are continuing our restaurant week on "today. shining a light on two local favorites here in new york city. they have done everything possible to survive in the pandemic adapting to every rule change. after all of that, they're going to tell us why they finally are starting to see a little light at the end of the tunnel. >> that is good news. >> yeah. coming up in the "3rd hour of today," tracy morgan is going to be with us. >> let's go. >> get ready for this one. going to be a lot to chat with tracy about, including his role in "coming 2 america."

all right. tomorrow right here on "today," who is ready for a little spring cleaning raise your hands all at once. >> i'm ready for spring. if spring comes, i'll clean. >> got you covered there, too. we have clever solutions for different areas of your home that is tomorrow on "today." before all of that, mr. roker, how about one more check >> you're like the groundhog if spring comes, you'll clean. >> that's how we'll know we'll know if it is spring if i ever clean. >> let's see what we have for you. starting off with today, we are looking at windy conditions in the northeast. mild in the mid plains heavy rain down through the gulf for tomorrow, we expect the mild air to start sliding east. rain along the southeastern atlantic coast in the morning. rain in southern california. a harbinger of spring, cherry blossoms average date of peak bloom, april 1st. this year, april 2nd through the 5th. earliest peak, march 15th, 1990. you can go to the national park

service website. there is a cherry blossom cam, so that you can watch that, as well >> that's fun. >> very cool >> that's what's going on around the country. good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. we're already seeing our cherry blossoms and it's been nice and warm and beautiful, temperatures heading into the upper 60s and low 70s with mostly sunny sky for today as we go through the forecast we are going to see more days like this, at least through the end of the week. but then this weekend temperatures will cool off and we'll get some much needed rain. although it won't be a lot of rain and it probably won't rain all day. we'll see another chance in the forecast next monday. is your lat weather. guys >> all right, al, thank you. coming up next, jenna. she'll share a heartwarming effort on this national read across america day, to make sure all kids can get their hands on books. books. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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it is 8:35 jenna is here, and she's helping us celebrate what we're sure is one of our favorite holidays it's called national read across america day. it should be. >> today is like christmas morning for me this day is all about the importance of settling in with a good book. these days, it's not a given that every parent and child can do that. thankfully, one non-profit, world reader, is on a mission to change that. ♪ >> we have a real, live author, and she's come here just to read to you all y'all want to meet her [ applause ] >> hi. >> this is karen, everybody. >> hi. good to see you all. i'm going to read a story to you, "flying free. it's a story of the first black female pilot >> reporter: this is a pandemic

version of a school assembly author karen parsons visits ps 91 in the bronx to share her new children's book, "flying free. >> bessie said, oh, yeah you just wait and see. there will be a black female pilot, and it'll be me >> reporter: instead of a crowd, there's just a handful of kids, all masked and socially distanced. limitations now the norm after a year of making due we are all too familiar with these images of need families struggling to put food on the table, children going without. in the midst of this pandemic, a new need revealed. >> so the pandemic is making what was already a bad situation worse. the reality is even kids right here in the united states don't have good access to books. >> reporter: libraries have closed, and schools are shuttered, creating larger and larger book deserts across the country. >> donkey. >> donkey. >> reporter: the non-profit

world reader has spent the last decade helping get books into the hands of kids through tech reaching 17 million globally >> all the animals on the farm were sleeping. >> reporter: now world reader is focusing efforts here at home, launching th booksmart app, giving kids access to hundreds of books for free. >> immediately, within two clicks, he or she can begin to read the great thing is, they can read books from all around the world. >> reporter: hi, everyone. >> hi. >> hi. >> reporter: raise your hand if you love to read i see hands everywhere the non-profit also connects with families directly through grassroot programs, in america's hardest hit areas, like here in appalachia, where kids gather for a weekly book club what are some of your favorite books? >> "captain underpants." >> reporter: hilarious, isn't it >> yeah. >> reporter: i have a surprise for you guys today you're going to have a reading

from the author of the comics "dog man," "captain underpants," his name is dave pilkey. cross your fingers >> hey, everybody. >> good morning. >> reporter: there he is >> i know you just started reading this, and i was thinking that maybe i could read the first chapter for you. >> reporter: would y'all love that >> hey, guys welcome to the first meeting of the cap kids comic club. hooray >> at this time where our lives have become closed in, reading is a no-cost ticket to see the world. every child sees their best self through reading. we hope we can help. >> reporter: back in new york, it's take more than a pandemic to dampen a love of reading. it's important to keep reading, right? >> yup

>> reporter: did ms. parsons encourage you to read more >> world reader is tapping into the fact that even in underserved communities, most americans do have access to a computer or a smartphone if you want more information, head to today.com. for all those "captain underpants" and "dog man" fans, like our kids, we have an exclusive sneak peek of dave pilkey, reading his latest boo "mothering height. he is an awesome guy those books are so much fun. >> and the character in the book named poppy. >> yes. >> i can't believe that. >> he said he named one of the characters after poppy >> karen parsons, hilary banks. >> yeah, in "the fresh prince of bel air," and now she's a kids book author. >> her books are so, so cool >> thanks for unpacking the story. >> i hope everybody is going to read tonight read with your kids.

read by yourselves it is important. >> instead of binge watching always on me about that. coming up next, want to make the most of your precious sleep time well, from weighted blankets to a comforter that's a marriage saver, we will reveal "real simple's" sleep awards simple's" sleep awards first, this is "today" on nbc.

like, seeing my mom. it's unthinkable to me that i can't see her and i can't hug her. not being able to hug is just like somebody has to tie me down. touching someone to say i love you, to hug you... those are the things that i miss. ♪♪ ♪♪

felt a bit out of whack this last year, you are not alone. >> yeah, actually, studies suggest that stress related to the pandemic has disrupted how long and how restful our sleep is. >> but this morning, "real simple" is going to help you change that, with the magazine's award-winning tools for better sleep. >> folk, scan the qr code on your screen right now. there it is, you see it. you can shop these products and more on today.com, as well liz, good to see you good morning to you. >> good morning. >> so let's start with this comforter. carson -- well, i guess all of

us are excited about this comforter that could save a marriage what is so special about this particular comforter >> okay, so this is one of the winners in our best bedding category it is called the create your perfect comforter. so it eliminates that game of blanket tug-of-war each person orders a half of a size with their desired weight level. i might get lightweight. my husband might get extra warmth you button them together, pop it in the duvet, and everybody has the perfect level of warmth. this is by sleep number, and it is called the create your perfect comforter. is truly is game-changing. >> expensive >> not so much the $80 per half. >> per half, okay. it is like a peace treaty in a comforter. >> still need two. one for the couch, one for the bedroom. >> we're still sort of talking about temperature, right

now, we're talking about cooling sheets. >> yes. >> the sheets are the regulator cooling sheets by my sheets rock it is a bamboo/rayon mixture they come in eight colors, and it wicks away the sweat. it is also soft, durable, stretchy, as well as light. >> looks comfy. >> you have another thing that i think a lot of folks like, a weighted blanket i've never tried one, but people say it makes you feel safe and cozy. >> we've been sleeping on the job at "real simple. we had to test this weighted blanket. this is a bamboo weighted blanket. it won it's from comma house. it has a bamboo viscose combination that is light and airy and promotes air flow so you have the comfort, coziness of the weight, but it is not too hot we love this who called it a warm hug >> i bought one of those for my

anxiety, the weighted blanket. they say those help. >> they come in different weights. >> i bought a really heavy one i was a little panicky. check the weight of those blankets >> you want to order one that is 10% of your body weight. >> liz, do you have a spray to create a calming zone for pillows? >> we have an inexpensive way way to go back to sleep. it is from this works. it is 100% cruelty free, vegan it is a spa-scented essential oil. mixture of camomile and -- >> bourbon. >> -- lavender. >> you wish. >> siri puts bear spray in that for me >> liz, what about those white noise machines for folks >> the sound machines. maybe you've seen these in front

of your doctor's office door the winner was the lectrofan classic. it has ten fan sounds, and also ten white noise machine sounds so you have the classic white sound, which is sort of like tv static, but you can also do a low hum of a brass instrument, and something new called pink noise that everybody likes >> i love pink noise >> it's been proven to really help sleep that's the sound of falling rain >> what about pajamas for folks who wear those at night. >> we know something about craig. >> some people just sleep in -- >> too much information by default. >> no, no, no. i mean, if you wear clothes at night. >> it is all about cooling, right? you have the warmth from other places the cooling pajamas won for us these are cool nights from soma. the tester said it felt airy,

not synthetic. it is very flattering. they come in a cami, short sleeve, long sleeve, shorts, pants. >> the philips smart sleep and connected wake-up light. do you not set the alarm, just let the light wake you up? seems risky on this shift. >> it is game-changing it turns red like that when you start to wake up 30 minutes before your scheduled wake-up time the light begins to emit a soft glow then there is a morning red. gradually, it becomes orange until your room is filled with this bright yellow light also, you can adapt the sounds to it. you can have birds chirping when you wake up. >> wow. >> if you wanted to use this during the day, you can have light meditation programmed into it >> all right roker, you use one of those. >> i do. >> does it work? >> it actually does. >> do you have sounds?

>> does it wake up your wife, too? >> no. it's not an alarm. it is this light. >> does the light wake her up, too? >> no. i've been trained, get up before the light goes off. >> liz, thank you. we learned a lot >> at least deborah isn't using bear spray like poor carson. >> wow. >> i've been sleep divorced for years. it's the reality. >> "real simple" on stands now for the full list of the award-winning sleep products, again, you can scan that qr code that's just below roker there, or you can head to our website, today.com/shop >> learned a lot about mr. melvin, as well. >> i wear clothes. joe fryer is here with local restaurants getting created, to keep their workers employed and their communities fed. we'll have joe on in a second.

we're back with our special series "restaurant week" on "today," exploring how restaurants across the country are managing during the pandemic >> nbc news now anchor joe fryer joins us with a few restaurants

that needed to innovate to keep the doors open good morning, joe. restaurants the past year. one in five restaurants closed their doors for good the industry losing 2.4 million jobs for the eateries that survived, many are barely hanging on, finding creative ways to stay afloat, reacting to challenge after challenge. >> reporter: for the longest time, a restaurant was a rather easy thing to define tables and chairs, servers and cooks. those were the key ingredients until the recipe changed how would you describe it now? >> you know, it's part grocery store, part food bank, and, you know, part of it is still a restaurant >> reporter: sheff greg backstrom owns an upscale brooklyn restaurant that has repeatedly reinvented itself this last year like when they earned grant money by working with world central kitchen to pass out food

to the needy. he turned his dining room into a makeshift market for fancy food items. made by local entrepreneurs. >> we have customers that line up to get the first warm baguette every day. >> reporter: the rest, his talented pastry chef. >> for months we were operating a food bank that was giving away free baguettes out of one door and we were selling $7 out the other door >> reporter: oh, yeah, he is still doing the outdoor dining restaurant thing, not knowing what each day will bring. >> every time there is a snowstorm or someone gets covid, those are obstacles of, are we closing the restaurant, then are we contemplating layoffs again >> reporter: it is a challenge that another brooklyn restaurant knows well. >> we are trying to survive right now. >> reporter: they were doing outdoor dining but stopped in december, unable to compete with the harsh winter weather and the protocols. >> we don't have more money to make it warmer for our

customers, for our guests. that is beyond our hands we cannot control the weather. >> reporter: instead, they created the tamale outpost three days a week, they sell handmade tamales out a storefront window, an image you might expect at a food truck, not a trendy restaurant. >> three mushroom. >> reporter: only two chefs are working, but the money made actually goes to an employee relief fund, helping all of their workers. >> we are trying to come back. we will come back, and we'll bring business to the neighborhood we're giving jobs to the neighborhood >> reporter: that's the goal for so many restaurants. adapt, stay alive, help as many employees as they can. you felt a responsibility to do that. >> i worked my tail off to be able to have these two businesses that i have, and now, 60 people work their tail off to help me keep it. and so without them, i don't have this. we have to get through it together

>> hi. >> hi. >> reporter: if that means selling tamales out your window, or turning your 300 square foot dining room into a store, that's exactly what they're gonna do. >> it's saving the business. it quite literally is saving the business by having this. >> mayfield and olmstead, like many restaurants, are looking forward, hopefully, to april with warmer temperatures for outdoor dining and more of the public vaccinated. meantime, there are other ways to support your local restaurant wherever you live. industry experts recommend delivering takeout directly rather than the third-party site, if possible, so they get the full amount of your business there are gift cards and even bottles of wine available to go at a time when every single order counts >> our local church is doing a thing called the takeout project, where you can help families who are hungry and local restaurants at the same time by buying gift cards from

the restaurant and it goes to the families, which is really a great idea i love how so many of these restaurants, they've not only tried to stay afloat, but they're remembering their community. giving away at the same time they're trying to survive. >> right. >> it's the community that's keeping them afloat. >> yes. >> absolutely. >> joe, thanks staggering numbers, one in five restaurants. unbelievable thanks for that. if you want to support your local restaurants and eateries, we have all the information at today.com/food. coming up later on "hoda and jenna," guess what, we have actress robin wright with us it'll be good. plus, makeovers for busy moms. good morning, it's 8:56, i'm marcus washington. as soon as today more bay area counties may escape the most restrictive covid tier. right now only san mateo and marin counties are in theless restrictive red tier. three counties now in purple.

san francisco, santa clara and napa, on the verge of the red tier status. leaders are hopeful for an announcement in the coming hours. gyms can reopen at 10% kpasfy. restaurants, churches, museums and movie theaters can open at 25% capacity. schools not already open can do so after five days in the red. happening now, our cierra johnson is in san francisco, speaking hopeful business owners. and check out our twitter feed, once any kind of announcement comes down we'll post the information there first. this is a critical week for the governor's plan to reopen schools. he's actually offering $2 billion as incentives for districts to bring students back by april. but will the plan be enough to turn the tide? from our home page right now, link to more, including what the new deal entails. antioch leaders launching a new police reform plan, once with transparency. head to our twitter feed for more.

today on "california live" -- >> malou found heaven on earth for abandoned animals. plus, one of the most powerful women in beauty is telling jess how she built her billion dollar empire.

this morning at 11:30 on nbc bay area. we're checking fallout following a dig decision from the state, where people are waking up under fewer covid restrictions, and what it means. plus making sure you don't detour your tax refund. our response team is breaking down the dos and don'ts tomorrow morning. scenic coastal highways... fertile farmlands... there's lots to love about california. so put off those chores and use less energy from 4 to 9 pm when less clean energy is available. because that's power down time.

live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, this is the "3rd hour of today." >> good morning, everybody. "3rd hour of today." tuesday, march 2nd, i'm al, with sheinelle, craig, dylan. good to see you guys. >> i haven't seen you for a few hours. >> sound disappointed. i'm over you. >> when we see each other, it really is the first time we make eye contact. >> it is. >> you look nice. >> thank you. >> you make it sound surprising. >> no. >> always surprised when he comes in. >> well, we digress. >> as we always do. >> yes, we do.

in a few minutes, you'll