a fourth wave of covid washes away hopes for a summer free from the pandemic. pandemic now a controversial new study is raising concerns about the efficacy of the johnson & johnson vaccine. climate change fueling the flames out west. the growing fears that the extreme wildfires in oregon and california may be the new normal presidenll his infrastructu proposal but can republicans and democrats in congress pave over their differences to make a deal and hail a robot why self-driving cars could be

hitting the road sooner than you expect "early today" starts right now glad you could be with us early this morning i'm frances rivera. >> i'm phillip mena. a fourth wave of covid is wrapping up with alarming speed as the delta variant spreads across the u.s our nation is averaging roughly 1,000 new infections every hour. and about 20% of them are down in florida, where nearly 9,000 cases were reported in just 24 hours. many of the outbreaks are happening in states with vaccination rates of 45% or lower. nbc's gabe gutierrez is tracking the effort to vaccinate. good morning >> reporter: philip, good morning. this is one of the city-run hospitals here in new york that will now require its employees to either be vaccinated or to get a weekly covid test.a handle on the delta variant. as the u.s. sees a thousand new covid infections every hour, a new study suggests that the one shot johnson & johnson vaccine

may be less effective against the delta variant, and that the 13 million people who received it may need a booster. the cdc does not recommend that, and the study is facing backlash because it has not been peer reviewed and has a very small sample size of 27 people j&j says its own studies show its vaccine does offer strong protection >> this was a very small study, done in a laboratory, not in a real world environment, and other studies have shown the johnson & johnson vaccine in the real world has proven very effective, particularly at preeventing severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths. >> reporter: growing concern over the highly contagious strain new york city announced it will now require all 42,000 employees of city-run hospitals to be vaccinated or get weekly covid tests. >> ie beneficial in the end. especially because, you know, as the healthcare workers, we need to be the ones protected to take care of patients. >> reporter: 42% of them have not gotten the shot and at a jacksonville hospital we visited this week, 40% hadn't.

across the country, about one in four healthcare workers are still unvaccinated >> this is about keeping people safe and stopping the delta variant. >> reporter: a family is mourning the loss of 5-year-old wyatt gibson who they say died from covid complications his father, a georgia sheriff deputy his relatives too heart broken to speak on camera wanted us to show this home video to remember the exuberant, enthusiastic and loving little boy who died much too soon in his mother's arms. they say he had no underlying health conditions. still, serious covid complications and deaths among children are extremely rare. of the more than 600,000 covid deaths in the u.s., only 493 were under 18. as for the so-called breakthrough casc now says that more than from covid

three in four were over 65 philip >> that's important information, gabe, thanks. as covid cases go up, masks are going back on in some places pasadena is one of the latest cities to require masks whether you're vaccinated or not nbc's cal perry is in california with the latest. >> reporter: the city of pasadena saying they will follow in the footsteps of that broader l.a. county guidance making it mandatory for anyone going inside to wear a mask. now, the city of pasadena has a very high vaccination rate, over 80% of the folks who live here in pasadena have some form, at least one shot of that vaccination. but health officials are worried about the rise in case numbers we have seen a 240% increase in cases here i, we have doubled the number of hospitalizations in just a month. that is what has officials here concerned and they will point to numbers are high in a place like pasadena, overall in l.a. county

there are still some 4 million people who have no vaccination frances. >> cal, thank you. the bipartisan infrastructure bill hit a pothole in congress yesterday. but the group of senate negotiators are paving over their differences and inching closer to a deal on that $579 billion package. our capitol hill correspondent tracie potts joins us now with the latest so, tracie, what happened here >> reporter: right, this hit a bit of a pothole because republicans said no to a test vote or a preliminary vote that would have opened debate on the infrastructure bill. they say they don't want to do that until details are in. it is still being negotiated there is another test vote coming up on monday. meantime, president biden took his infrastructure plan on the road yesterday, along with democrats $3.5 trillion proposal to address medicare, education, lporking families, fight climate change he touted good payin

he's meeting with union leaders on that today. during a stop in cincinnati, he took part in a cnn town hall the president was asked about those bipartisan infrastructure negotiations and the standoff over house commission to investigate the capitol riot. >> what happens is the vote on monday is a motion to be able to proceed to this issue. then they're going to debate the issue of the elements, the individual elements of this plan to make sure we fix that bridge of yours going into kentucky but i think it is going to get done >> let's talk more about bipartisanship you know the republicans removed all their picks today for the january 6 select committee nancy pelosi rejected two of them. >> i don't care if you think i'm satan reincarnated, the fact is you can't look at that television and say nothing happened on the 6th. you can't listen to people who

say this was a peaceful march. >> reporter: as you just heard the house speaker nancy pelosi rejected two of the five nominees from the other side, from the republican minority leader for that select committee to investigate the capitol riot. she said it was to respect the integrity of the investigation minority leader kevin mccarthy said unless she reverses course and seats all five of his nominees they won't participate in what he calls a sham process. doesn't look like that's going to happen. house speaker pelosi says the committee is going forward with their investigation. so when it comes to seating more republicans on that committee, looking like a stalemate right now there is only one, liz cheney, who was a recommendation from house speaker pelosi. >> still standing alone there. tracie, thank you. attorney general merrick garland is reaffirming boundaries between the doj and the white house. he notified his employees the communication with the white house on criminal matters must

be strictly limited. garland says the safeguards are to protect against inappropriate influence. his order re-establishes norms often broken by former president trump who called for investigations into his rivals extreme heat and drought from climate change are fueling wildfires across the west. and they're getting larger and more dangerous each year miguel almaguer has more on the concerning increase in natural disasters. >> reporter: burning hotter, faster and more explosive than ever before, wildfires in the west are threatening homes and lives. firefighters say what's unfolding here is more than one disaster feeding off another historic drought is the perfect fuel for these epic conditions but it is climate change creating infernos larger than over, with smoke powerful enough to spawn their own weather systems. the unimaginable is becoming routine -- >> we're seeing hot days and

heat waves like we have never seen before, and then the wind is just a formula for disaster. >> reporter: fire chief brian fenesy and his crew say what has already been lost is devastating. but that is still at risk is mind boggling. >> these fires are blooming with such speed that it is exceeding all the models we have used for decades when trying to gauge fire spread. we hear it all the time from citizens, i deposiidn't think t fire was going to get here that quickly. >> reporter: while extreme conditions aren't new, the intensity and duration is. this year texas was buried under historic snow and ice. tropical storms and hurricanes are forming earlier in the season, catastrophic floods are becoming routine and as cool climates record record heat, 94% of the west is in drought, with 64% in the critical category of extreme drought. >> the long-term impacts of climate change are largely unknown and so we do expect

increased heat and increased incidents of fire, but what is important is to monitor these changes so we can be prepared for future impacts >> reporter: scientists say greenhouse gases must be reduced as a start to the solution >> it would be very difficult to go back in time and return the greenhouse gas levels to the level that they were 50 years ago. i do think it is important to not lose hope, to consider that we still have options. >> reporter: this scorching fire burns the west, toxic smoke drifts thousands of miles and chokes the east. the sun tainted red in its soupy haze, our planet's beauty and its peril in the wild. this hillside is what so much of the west looks like if a fire ripped through here it would destroy everything in a matter of minutes last year there were 22 major disasters connected to climate change and weather the price tag, more than $121 billion. philip >> miguel, thanks. life changing, potentially life

ending conditions. it is surreal. >> it is never-ending, it seems like let's check in with meteorologist michelle grossman. how is the day shaping up? >> i know, hi there, guys. it is never-ending in the west and also the heat in the central plains, northern and central plains seems to be going on for weeks and weeks and there is no end in sight, at least over the next few weeks let's look at the heat right now. this is a setup, an area of high pressure and a jet stream so far to the north, allowing the hot air in it is tacked in place, just staying week after week. so 99 degrees in bismarck today. 16 degrees above what is typical for this time of year. 103 in pierre. sioux falls, 90 degrees. that's going to slide to the east as we head toward friday. minneapolis will fee showers and

storms in florida, 92 degrees today in new orleans all right, guys, when i come back, we'll talk about the wildfire threat in the west and we'll talk about the snow forecast as well >> all important information we need to hear thank you so much, michelle. it is not yet time to release the kraken, but seattle's nhl team did sign some new players. the newest franchise held their expansion draft on the water front near puget sound several drafted players like former florida goalie chris dreger and jordan eberly were on hand in those new kraken uniforms to greet their new fan base. "early today" is back in two with the two controversial arkansas laws just struck down in court and back before a judge, convicted rapist harvey weinstein pes aparin a california courtroom for the first time for the russell rate on my insurance. do you mean surprisingly great rates from state farm? i don't believe in accepting help.

but i'll make an exception. here's the deal russell, there's no special rate. these prices are for everyone. with the oak and the eagle as witness, consider us square. i made that from memory, i know your face that well. when you want the real deal... like a good neighbor, state farm is there. don't settle for products that give you a sort of white smile. try new crest whitening emulsions when you want the real deal... for 100% whiter teeth. its highly active peroxide droplets swipe on in seconds. better. faster. 100% whiter teeth. crestwhitesmile.com need better sleep? try nature's bounty sleep 3 a unique tri layer supplement, that calms you helps you fall a sleep faster and stay a sleep longer. great sleep comes naturally with sleep 3 only from nature's bounty does scrubbing feel like a workout? scrub less with dawn platinum. and stay a sleep longer. great sleep comes naturally its superior formula breaks down and removes up to 99% of tough grease and food residue faster. so you scrub less. tackle grease wherever it shows up.

scrub less. save more. with dawn. lactaid is 100% real milk, just without the lactose. so you can enjoy it even if you're sensitive to dairy. so anyone who says lactaid isn't real milk is also saying mabel here isn't a real cow. and she really hates that. did you know that your toughest cleaning problems can be caused by hard water metals?ere isn't a real cow. they lock in residues like a glue, on your hard surfaces and fabrics. try 9 elements. its vinegar powered deep clean dissolves hard water buildup and releases trapped residues and odors like detoxifying your clothes. made with never more than 9 ingredients. 9 elements - more than a clean, a cleanse. a judge temporarily blocked a

law that would have banned the physicians from providing gender affirming care for transgender mi minors on wednesday, they granted the ucla request for a preliminary injunction against the law it was scheduled to take effect next week. the group filed suit in may. a federal judge in arkansas blocked the law banning most abortions in the state while she hears the case the measure was passed this year and was set to take effect on july 28th. harvey weinstein entered a los angeles courtroom wednesday in a wheelchair and wearing a prison jumpsuit. the former hollywood producer pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of sexual assault against five women. nbc's simone boyce is in l.a. outside the courthouse good morning >> reporter: good morning, phillip. harvey weinstein pleading not guilty to all 11 counts of sexual assault that he's facing in the state of california we saw the 69-year-old disgraced former movie producer wheeled into the courtroom, he looked pale, tired and he was wearing

brown jail clothing for this hearing that only lasted about six minutes. at this arraignment, he was also denied bail. now, of course, weinstein is already a convicted rapist, based on a verdict that was handed down last year in new york but he could be convicted of rape again here in the state of california this time that's just one of the counts that he's facing, in addition to forcible oral copulation, sexual battery by restraint, and sexual penetration by use of force. all of these charges stemming from alleged encounters he had with five women in the los angeles area between 2004 and 2013 now, with harvey weinstein being 69 years old and already serving a 23-year prison sentence back in new york, he could be looking at the rest of his life behind bars phillip? >> not looking good for him. simone, thanks. still to come, is the crypto craze back on? steve sedgwick will tell us what's driving up the price of

bitcoin. and self-driving cars could be pulling up to a curb arne you. ford strikes a deal with lyft, next low sugar. so good. high protein. low sugar. mmm, birthday cake. pure protein bars and shakes. for every fitness routine. does your plug-in fade too fast? ptry febreze fade defy plug.. it has built-in technology to digitally control how much scent is released to smell first day fresh for 50 days. la la la la la. (vo) we made a promise to our boy blue that we would make the healthiest foods possible... ...with the finest natural ingredients and real meat first. and that's our promise to you and your dog or cat. because when you love them like family, you want to feed them like family. brushing only reaches 25% of your mouth. listerine® cleans virtually 100%. helping to prevent gum disease and bad breath. never settle for 25%.

always go for 100. bring out the bold™ ♪yeah, yeah, yeah♪ real fruit... and whole grains. ♪yeah, yeah, yeah♪ doing something good for yourself has never been this easy. just do what's delicious. kellogg's special k. [music: "i swear"] jaycee tried gain flings for the first time the other day... just do what's delicious. and forgot where she was. you can always spot a first time gain flings user. ♪

what if you could push a button and less carbon would be put into the air. if there were a button that would help you use less energy, breathe cleaner air, and even take on climate change... would you press it? in today's quick hits, tesla's ceo elon musk says the company will likely begin accepting bitcoin as payment again. musk says the cryptocurrency is leaning toward more renewable energy and mining bitcoin. beauty is set to glam up

target stores next month ulta says mini stores will appear inside targets carrying more than 50 brands from makeup, skin care and hair care. they hope to open over 100 shops by the end of the year. whitney houston is heading to las vegas in hologram form. a concert featuring the late singer is set to take residency at harrah's in late october. let's find out how the announcement from elon musk is affecting bitcoin prices this morning and check in with cnbc's steve sedgwick from london good morning >> really nice to hear from you this morning, frances and phillip as well. interesting, bitcoin had a bit rally off its it 29,000 handle lows, trading as i speak at 30,200 not the only asset in the rally. equity, two-day massive rally off the drubbing on monday as well but it does seem like the elon musk conversation about potentially accepting it as payment once again, tesla at some stage certainly acting as a

further catalyst really important news out of pg&e, pacific gas and electric, which plans to bury, wait for this, 10,000 miles of power lines in an effort to prevent its grid from sparking wildfires. it could cost as much as 30 billion u.s. dollars and ford is teaming up with argo ai and lyft to have a self-driving autonomous fleet. the first safety test and trials will happen in miami this year and it is going to expand to austin, texas, in 2022 and roll out apparently a thousand self-driving vehicles in multiple markets within five years. let me hand it back to both of you. >> steve, we heard of the literal bumps that experienced before with autonomous vehicles. hopefully this is really smooth, smooth cruising. thank you, steve. >> i knew you would figure it out. we have to it is the future still to come here, we'll tell you which celebrities made the cut fothr e next kennedy center honors. stay with us dry eye symptoms keep driving you crazy? inflammation in your eye might be to blame. [inflammation] let's kick ken's ache

and burn into gear! over the counter eye drops typically work by lubricating your eyes and may provide temporary relief. those drops will probably pass right by me. xiidra works differently, targeting inflammation that can cause dry eye disease. [inflammation] what's that? [inflammation] xiidra? no! it can provide lasting relief. xiidra is the only fda-approved non-steroid treatment specifically for the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. one drop in each eye, twice a day. don't use if you're allergic to xiidra. common side effects include eye irritation, discomfort or blurred vision when applied to the eye, and unusual taste sensation. don't touch container tip to your eye or any surface. after using xiidra, wait fifteen minutes before reinserting contacts. [inflammation] got any room in your eye? be proactive about managing your symptoms by talking to your doctor about twice-daily xiidra. like i did. [inflammation] i prefer you didn't! xiidra. not today, dry eye. charlie's my little sidekick when it xiidra. comes to projects around the house. but, she disappears on me. i can't see everything she gets into, that's why i trust tide hygienic clean. it gets between fibers to remove visible and invisible dirt.

if it's got to be clean, it's got to be tide. i've been telling everyone... the secret to great teeth is having healthy gums. crest advanced gum restore. detoxifies below the gumline... and restores by helping heal gums in as little as 7 days. crest. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. oh, just one. jake from state farm, that "maya markdown” saved me so much on my insurance. maya, everyone gets surprisingly great rates with state farm. how can i ever repay you? when you want the real deal, like a good neighbor, state farm is there. this is what freedom sounds like. and this. this is what freedom smells like. ahhh, enjoy 30 days of open-road freshness. febreze car. la, la, la, la, la think wearing less makeup means no need for a wipe? think again. neutrogena® makeup remover wipes remove the 30% of makeup ordinary cleansers can leave behind.

your skin will thank you. neutrogena®. for people with skin. you try to stay ahead of the mess but scrubbing still takes time. neutrogena®. now there's dawn powerwash dish spray. it's the faster way to clean as you go. just spray, wipe and rinse. it cleans grease five times faster. dawn powerwash now available in free & clear. high temperatures in england are fueling dangerous storms the video from one home in leicestershire shows golf ball-sized hail crashing through the sun room ceiling, littering the floor with ice and pieces of the roof this comes after the uk issues first ever amber extreme heat warning. michelle grossman is back with us, monitoring the unrelenting fire danger. michelle >> i know, it is going on and on we're going to have that threat once again today we have red flag warnings in place. we're looking mainly at idaho and montana for the biggest

threat we're going to ctie onnuto watch that throughout the day. we'll be right back. hat your digestive system isn't working at it's best taking metamucil everyday can help. metamucil psyllium fiber, gels to trap and remove the waste that weighs you down. it also helps lower cholesterol and slows sugar absorption to promote healthy blood sugar levels. so you can feel lighter and more energetic metamucil. support your daily digestive health. and try metamucil fiber thins. a great tasting and easy way to start your day. (vo) we made a promise to our boy blue that we would make the healthiest foods possible... ...with the finest natural ingredients and real meat first. and that's our promise to you and your dog or cat. because when you love them like family, you want to feed them like family. how did kellogg's combine crunchy oat clusters with a touch of honey... plump, juicy raisins and tasty fiber into one delicious cereal? it took a lot of bran-storming. get it? kellogg's raisin bran crunch. two scoops of delicious.

well, after one year delay, the tokyo olympics are finally under way. although covid-19 does continue to play a major role throughout japan. the international olympic committee had to overcome more than a few hurdles just to get to this point. joining us now from tokyo is nbc's curt gregory good morning >> reporter: good morning and welcome to tokyo there is a sense of excitement and nervous anticipation here in the air this morning the excitement comes from the games. the tension comes from covid

covid-19 has changed the tokyo olympics mandatory masks, no fans at most stadiums and arenas, positive cases continue olympic organizers are monitoring, communicating and saying they will act according to the situation for now, the games are on. at the olympic village, thousands of athletes are tested daily. >> got to wear a mask and all that stuff and, yeah, it is still unfortunate, but, i mean, covid is still a thing. >> reporter: meanwhile, athletes here continue to train, while others arrive. some competition is already under way. >> perfectly driven. >> reporter: the u.s. women's soccer team stumbled badly, losing its opening game to rival sweden and softball makes its olympic return the powerhouse u.s. squad opens with a victory over italy. for the first time, team usa will have two flag bearers at opening ceremony

basketball star sue bird and baseball infielder eddy alvarez. next up is opening ceremony, just over 24 hours from now coming up here in tokyo. back to you. >> all right, kurt gregory reporting for us there thank you. looking forward to it. it has been a long time and it is almost here. >> hope everybody stays safe that it can continue. >> reporter: the kennedy center announced the five honorees who will receive the lifetime achievement award in a creative arts award this year's honorees are berry gordy, along with "saturday night live" creator lorne michaels, bette midler, justino diaz and joni mitchell the honorees will be celebrated during a live gala on december 5th. the way we're going, hopefully it will be, you know, maskless, everybody there, an audience, long ways off, but, you know,

we'll see what direction the country is headed. >> it has been a while that's an event i've grown appreciate more and more each year it is highly entertaining every time but like we said, this is a first for all of us, for a while. it's been a while. >> thank you for

covid has changed all the facts on the ground. >> right now mask mandate looming. what top doctors say. >> plus chinatown lawsuits. hundreds of disability violations. why the district attorney stepping in. two state fires, massive flames from california now spreading in to nevada. we'll take you to the front lines of the fire fight. this is "today in the bay." and a good thursday morning. we're broadcasting