little later for morning news and of course "cbs this morning." from the broadca it is wednesday, march 19th, 2020. this is the "cbs morning news." i'm jeff pegues in washington in for anne-marie green. this morning, the white house is racing to combat the coronavirus pandemic. infections in the u.s. have swelled to more than 8,000. the first known members of congress have tested positive. representative mario diaz balart and representative adams of utah. the death toll is 146. those numbers are expected to climb. members of the white house task force are warning infection numbers will soon skyrocket. >> it's now in a high-speed platform. we will see the number of people diagnosed dramatically increase

over the next four to five days. >> reporter: an increase in testing will lead to higher numbers. though some state officials like oklahoma governor kevin sit say they still need help. >> we are critically low on our test kits. the state is going to have to reserve until further notice tests for only vulnerable populations. those who are experiencing severe symptoms -- >> reporter: yesterday president trump signed an emergency relief bill that includes free coronavirus testing, paid sick days, and family leave. >> we're going to defeat the invisible enemy. >> reporter: lawmakers are also working on a trillion-dollar rescue package that can't come soon enough for the thousands that already lost their job. >> the minute you hear the word that you're getting laid off, you got to rethink your life at that point. >> reporter: the leading labor union says nearly 300,000 hotel, restaurant, and casino workers will lose their paychecks in the coming days. perhaps the one bit of positive

news -- for first time since the coronavirus pandemic started late last year, china reported no new local cases at the epicenter in wuhan. cbs news. president trump's efforts to curb the pandemic failed to stop stocks from plunging. yesterday the dow closed at a three-year low as oil hits its lowest levels in nearly two decades. signs point to another volatile day on wall street today with markets in asia sliding again this morning. jamie yuccas looks at how this is hitting main street. >> reporter: what's happening to the economy? >> we have the best economy we've ever had. and then one day you have to close it down in order to defeat this enemy. >> reporter: the latest industry to be hit -- manufacturing. detroit's big-three automakers, ford, fiat chrysler, and general motors will all temporarily close factories, putting close to 200,000 autoworkers at home to sit idle.

>> they should have shut down when school shut down. that's when they should have shut down. >> reporter: from the ground to the air. the president said he would effort $50 billion in aid to the airline industry. the travel industry has been hit so hard, they say they need $150 billion just to survive. >> i think that's kind of everybody's biggest fear is how long is this going to go on for. you know, we live off our tips. >> reporter: at most hotels, with less than 20% occupancy, marriott hotel company started dismissing tens of thousands of workers on tuesday. in sacramento, hotel guests were told the hyatt was closing and they had to leave. >> the fact that there's no one around, nobody in the streets. it's quite frightening. >> reporter: the leading labor union says nearly 300,000 hotel, restaurant, and casino workers will lose their paychecks in coming days. nowhere is the impact more >> my everyday life is affected

to pay bills and making sure i have enough food in my fridge for my family. >> reporter: the projected travel-related jobs lost would on their own nearly double the u.s. unemployment rate. that's just one industry. jamie yuccas, cbs news, los angeles. this morning millennials are being reminded to practice social distancing to prevent them from catching and passing coronavirus on to others. still many of florida's beaches are filled with spring breakers after the governor decided not to close them down. laura podesta looks at the dangers. >> reporter: hundreds of beaches in florida remain open despite a growing number of people infected with and dying from the coronavirus. >> unfortunately this coincided with spring break which made it more complicated. i think the hardest thing we're dealing with, we are a highly individualistic society. >> reporter: the president asked young people to reconsider their routines. >> they were feeling totally invincible. are feeling that way.ha

pared >> reporter: there's a warning aimed closer to home -- >> there are concerning reports coming out of france and italy about some young people getting seriously ill and very seriously ill in the icu. >> reporter: some got the message. >> work at hospitals and they're telling me, i'm like, it's just getting bad, but yeah. >> reporter: things are starting to change in your mind? >> probably should have stayed home. >> reporter: others insist spring break is spring break. >> if i get corona, i get corona. >> reporter: some communities are taking matters into their own hands. across south florida stores are shuttered and restaurants empty in anford to avoid social distancing and curb the spread of the virus. laura podesta, cbs news. meanwhile, older americans are facing a dual threat in the coronaviy ar outbreak.

also more vulnerable to social isolation. nancy chen explains why that can also be a health crisis. >> reporter: mark marady has dedicated his career to helping the elderly. the coronavirus forced him into a wrenching decision. >> when i informed them that we were suspending the program, there was just an audible sigh in the room. many of them either never married or don't have children or their partners and spouses are no longer living. >> reporter: he's director of the nonprofit dorot. its entire mission is preventing social isolation among senior citizens with both on-site programs and home visits. but covid-19 is most deadly to the elderly and those with underlying health issues. >> if we were having thousands of volunteers visiting with seniors in their homes, although they're doing a tremendous service, we're also putting the seniors at great risk. >> reporter: according to a study sponsored by the aarp foundation, a quarter of the country's senior citizens call

themselves socially isolated. and with more than 50 million americans over 65, that means loneliness is already a crisis. >> where they are lonely, that's where we really worry about increased risks of depression. and unfortunately suicide is also a concern. older adults have very high suicide rates. >> reporter: in california's locked down bay area, bruce bell misses his visits to the public library. >> that's what i did on my bike. i rode my bike to these libraries. you know, that -- that sort of outlet is gone. you know, i don't know what i'm going to do. >> reporter: marady says the best way it help the nation's seniors is to stay in touch. not by text or email but by picking up the phone and showing some love. nancy chen, cbs news, new york. the coronavirus is also finding its way through prison bars. officials are releasing inmates to try to prevent the virus from spreading. new york city mayor bill de

blasio plans to free some inmates from city jails. as nichelle medina tells us, the same thing is happening across the country. >> reporter: los angeles county sheriff alexander villanueva is releasing low-level inmates with 30 days or less on sentences to keep coronavirus out of the county's lockups. >> the population within the jail is a vulnerable population just by virtue of who they are and where they're located. >> reporter: since late february he's released more than 600 inmates. >> we had 17,076 and reduced that to 16,459. >> reporter: there are no cases of coronavirus inside of the los angeles county jails. but 111 inmates are in isolation housing or quarantine because of possible exposure. most lockups are not allowing outside visitors. other communities like sacramento are considering similar action for inmates that pose no threat to the public.

>> i can get they have homes. that's definitely -- should be a factor. i think they don't have homes, then where would they go? >> reporter: l.a. deputies are also bringing fewer people into custody. >> we average about 300 a day throughout l.a. county. that's shrunk over the week into about 60 a day. >> reporter: instead, nonviolent suspects are receiving citations. sheriffs in collin and dallas counties texas have ordered deputies to do the same. and some incarcerated inmates with longer sentences including ponzi swindler bernard madoff and trump attorney michael cohen are pleading for compassionate release from their prisons because of the virus. cbs news. still to come this morning, senior shopping. how some stores are giving older americans the space they need to buy their groceries. adventure... keeps turning into unexpected bathroom trips. you may have overactive bladder, or oab.

not again! we're seeing a doctor when we get home. myrbetriq treats oab symptoms of urgency, frequency, and leakage. it's the first and only oab treatment in its class. myrbetriq may increase blood pressure. tell your doctor right away if you have trouble emptying your bladder or have a weak urine stream. myrbetriq may cause serious allergic reactions, like swelling of the face, lips, throat or tongue, or trouble breathing. if experienced, stop taking and tell your doctor right away. myrbetriq may interact with other medicines. tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems. common side effects include increased blood pressure, common cold or flu symptoms, sinus irritation, dry mouth, urinary tract infection, bladder inflammation, back or joint pain, constipation, dizziness, and headache. looking for a destination that isn't always the bathroom? ask your doctor if myrbetriq is right for you. and visit myrbetriq.com. and look up to 5 years younger in 12 weeks... with new no7 laboratories firming booster serum. it lifts and firms so well...80% of women said procedures can wait.

new firming booster serum from no7. let's be honest. quitting smoking is hard. like, quitting every monday hard. quitting feels so big. so try making it smaller, and you'll be surprised at how easily starting small can lead to something big. start stopping with nicorette. so dad bought puffs plus lotion, blows. starting small can lead to something big. and rescued his nose. puffs have more lotion and soothing softness to relieve. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. to stop the spread of coronavirus people are being told to maintain social distancing.

busy grocery stores present a problem for older americans and other high-risk groups. now some businesses are offering a solution. here's chris martinez. >> reporter: shoppers rolled into this los angeles grocery store at 7:00 a.m. for a bit of vip treatment. everyone here is a senior or considered high risk during the covid-19 outbreak. so the northgate gonzalez market is reserving its first hour of operation for them only. >> we realize that, hey, this is the right thing to do. we'll staff up. we'll do what we need to do to keep people safe. >> reporter: the store is cleaned and stocked overnight, giving seniors a chance to get what they need. >> i wouldn't be out here unless i had to because they say to stay indoors. but since i'm the caregiver for the disabled people at home, i'm the only driver. >> reporter: the store only allows about 50 customers in at a time to help with social distancing. many businesses across the country are doing something similar. whole foods is allowing shoppers

over 60 in one hour before opening to the general public. dollar general is also reserving its first hour for seniors. and target is setting aside time for high-risk customers on wednesday mornings. several other outlets are also adjusting hours for the elderly. donato's in san jose, california, had a line down the block with people waiting to shop. >> we're trying to be as nice as possible. the great thing is our community really understands that these are the people we need to take care of. >> reporter: they're opening early for seniors who are grateful for the special consideration. as the younger people. cap this is a good thing. >> i actually think that's a great thing for people because that is the most vulnerable demographic. >> reporter: other stores say they will continue to do this for the foreseeable future. chris martinez, cbs news, los angeles. still ahead this morning, we'll drink to that. how a whiskey distillery in maryland is helping a hand sanitizer shortage. helping a hand sanitizer shortage.

saturdays happen. pain happens. aleve it. aleve is proven stronger and longer on pain than tylenol. when pain happens, aleve it. all day strong. thisbut be listening?ebodyion. so. let's talk. we're built for hearing what's important to you, one to one. edward jones. it's time for investing to feel individual. i've tried the $200 creams, the $400 creams olay regenerist microsculpting cream makes my skin feel so hydrated. i can face anything with my olay. and my latest beauty secret... for bright, smooth skin... olay regenerist cream cleanser. for people with heart failure taking entresto, it may lead to a world of possibilities. entresto helps improve your heart's ability to pump blood to the body. don't take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby.

don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if you've had angioedema with an ace or arb. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high blood potassium. ask your doctor about entresto. or high blood potassium. new colgate optic white renewal removes ten years of yellow stains. that's like all the way back to 2010. do the dougie! remove ten years of yellow stains with new colgate optic white renewal. as demand for cleaning products outstrips supply, some businesses are improvising. skyler henry toured one maryland distillery that shifted from distributing spirits to making hand sanitizers. >> reporter: the fallout from the coronavirus is becoming a reality for jonathan share. >> you guys have 40, 50 people on any given day? >> that's right. some nights we get really busy. not anymore.

we've had to be creative. think about something else we can do to help ourselves and the community. >> reporter: you chose hand sanitizer. >> that's right. that's next door. >> reporter: they're facing pressures like other small businesses around the country. state-mandated coronavirus concerns closed their twin valley distillery in montgomery county, maryland. the space is empty. >> right now we're complete shut down. i mean, we're working half days just to keep things moving around. but if we have to shut down, we have to stop making everything. >> reporter: instead of letting the gallons of alcohol in the distillery go to waste, these are their first batches of hand sanitizer. a blend of oils and proof alcohol that the business is selling to not only keep themselves busy but contribute to the greater good. >> first it was an idea of, okay, how can we keep the ship afloat in the meantime. then we realized it was a little bigger than that. >> reporter: a call to action at a time when store shelves in the nation are scarce on hand sanitizer and other cleaning supplies. >> my mother is in a very, very

high-risk group because of her age and her physical condition. she happens to live with me now. i literally will sanitize everything i touch. >> reporter: it's caught the attention of government officials who are considering buying batches to help slow the spread of the virus. >> it's not anything that we've done before, not anything we planned for before about four or five days ago. we're sort of learning on the y. >> reporter: while they realize they could stand to profit off the in-demand solution, they're focused on getting as much sanitizer out as possible. they say we're all in this together. >> thank you again for doing this. skyler henry, cbs news, rockville, maryland. still ahead this morning, we will call this next story dashboard confessional. a maryland priest is offering a special drive-thru service during this time of social distancing. this time of social distancing. ♪

take a moment. to unwrap, and unwind... with lindor. a milk chocolate shell with a smooth, melting center. crafted by the lindt master chocolatiers whenever. wherever. lindor, only from lindt. how do you gaveeno® happy 24/7? itydrates ftens sk.anu feike th aveeno® daily moisturizer

♪ apseas t scene in

copenhagen, denmark. people opened their windows and applauded workers such as police, food deliverers, grocery store employees, and hospital workers who are helping to keep the country afloat just as they are here in this country. many businesses have shut down due to the spread of the coronavirus. after three minutes of cheers there and applause, everyone shouted "good night, see you tomorrow" before closing their windows and doors. and the coronavirus is making people find new ways to do their jobs here. priests are no exception. father scott holmer of st. edward the confessor parish in bowie is offering drive-thru confessions. he sits in the church parking lot to listen to parishioners while keeping a six-foot distance. coming up this morning on "cbs this morning," as more americans work from home, we're going to offer tips on healthy

eating and which foods you should have packed into your pantry. i'm jeff pegues. this is the "cbs morning news."

forget invasive procedures. and look up to 5 years younger in 12 weeks... with new no7 laboratories firming booster serum. it lifts and firms so well...80% of women said procedures can wait. new firming booster serum from no7. of women said procedures can wait. baby's skin is absorbent. her skin could actually soak up wetness that her diaper doesn't. that's why i use pampers. pampers traps and locks wetness away heu's inin fromnyone so why accept it from your allergy pills?

flonase relieves your worst symptoms which most pills don't. get all-in-one allergy relief for 24 hours, with flonase.

our top story this morning -- president trump signed a multibillion-dollar emergency aid package into law to combat the coronavirus pandemic. it includes free testing along with paid sick days and family leave. congress is also considering the administration's trillion dollar rescue package for thousands of people who are out of jobs. reported infections in the u.s. have risen to more than 8,000. at least 146 people have died. members of the white house coronavirus task force are warning that those numbers will soon skyrocket as more testing gets under way. as gyms and workout studios nationwide close their doors due to the pandemic, many are

offering a new way to stay in shape. danya bacchus takes >> reporter: with signs like these posted in gym windows around the country -- >> one, two -- >> reporter: fitness instructors like the marshall family in sherman oaks, california, have been forced to change their workouts. >> sweat coming down yet? >> reporter: they've moved their fit box kickboxing and strength training classes from in person -- >> one more time -- >> reporter: to in home. the family owned and operated fitness studio is live streaming classes. >> family got together and were like, you know, our clients want to work out. they don't just want to go home and do jumping jacks and go on a run. they want to work out with us. >> reporter: during a time of social distancing, virtual fitness is an option many are turning to. from personal trainers to national chains like planet fitness offering workout classes on line. >> in hard times like this, you have to find a way to evolve. >> reporter: and the streaming classes aren't just for adults.

with so many children out of school, there are classes for them, too. >> let's get moving and have fun. we're going to start reaching -- >> reporter: sites offer quick dance and strength workouts to kid-friendly music. aiely fisher is channeling her inner yogi while she and her family hang around the house. they're watching cosmic kids yoga which has seen a 1,000% increase in views in the past few days. a little something for everyone as they try to stay active as we are all encouraged to stay home. >> let's go. >> reporter: danya bacchus, cbs news, los angeles. it is remarkable how this virus is causing all of us to change how we do business. coming up on "cbs this morning," we're going to take you to dallas where the meals on wheels program is helping older americans during the coronavirus outbreak. plus, as people work from home, we'll offer tips on stocking your pantry. rfect unio" meetto es "a more icstay on the road eat the "cbin

news" for this thursday. thanks for watching. i'm jeff pegues. have a great day. watching. i'm jeff pegues. have a great day.