travelers arriving at l.a.x.nd union station have to fill out a form advising them to stay at home for 14 days nbc news erin mclaughlin on the top story at the bottom of the hour live at l.a.x do we have the details on what led to these new restrictions? >> reporter: well, as part hoff th of that announcement, shep, l.a. county officials saying that the county has crossed a critical benchmark of an average of 4,500 cases a day. that five-day average really seen as critical to controlling the spread of the virus here in los angeles. so they've implemented this raft of measures including, as you say, banning anyone from gathering outside of individuals in their own household whether publicly or privately with the exception of church gatherings as well as protests really seen as constitutional rights also, new restrictions on businesses as well capacity at non-essential businesses such as retail capped at 20% essential businesses also getting a cap as well of 35% capacity this building on restrictions already announ

l.a.x. is doing its part as well. of last week, offering passengers that option to take a test when they come -- before they get on a plane. results in one or two days. officials here say that's designed to allow them to travel to areas that require quarantine, such as hawaii. a quarantine or a negative covid-19 test. >> erin mclaughlin, thank you for that. >>> the centers for disease control has been tested as never before by a becopandemic that's killed 262,000 americans. but it's put a lot of political pressure on the cdc with health experts worried about whether it can regain its reputation. more than a thousand current and former cdc officials denounced the politicization of the agency just last month, especially concerning as coronavirus cases and deaths jump nationwide. geoff bennett sat down with three cdc veterans who saw its politicization firsthand. >> reporter: the cdc has been at the forefront of the pandemic response and under fire after months of mixed messages, political pressure and public gaffes abou

for the news, i'm jane wells at l.a.x. >>> well, that elusive steelers/ravens game it was scheduled for thanksgiving then they moved it to sunday now they've moved it again because everybody loves tuesday night football the latest player to test positive in the nfl's plan to expand the season coming up. >>> and two sisters who lived through two pandemics a century apart. they beat the 1918 flu, and now they've survived covid too their secret to long living, next businesses today are looking to tomorrow. adapting. innovating. setting the course. but new ways of working demand a new type of network. one that's more than just fast. you need flexibility- to work from anywhere and manage from everywhere. advanced technology. with serious security. and reliable coverage, nationwide. forward-thinking enterprises deserve forward-thinking solutions. and that's what we deliver. so bounce forward, with comcast business. >>> covid watch. the college hoops season finally tipped off this week but with covid complications an 11-day tournament still under way at mohegan sun and casino after several tea

for the news, i'm jane wells at l.a.x. >>> well, that elusive steelers/ravens game it was scheduled for thanksgiving then they moved it to sunday now they've moved it again because everybody loves tuesday night football the latest player to test positive in the nfl's plan to expand the season coming up. >>> and two sisters who lived through two pandemics a century apart. they beat the 1918 flu, and now they've survived covid too their secret to long living, next at heinz, every ketchup starts with our same tomatoes. but not every tomato ends in the same kind of heinz ketchup. because you can't be everyone's favorite ketchup without making a ketchup for everyone. >>> covid >>> covid watch. the college hoops season finally tipped off this week but with covid complications an 11-day tournament still under way at mohegan sun and casino after several teams backed out because of positive covid tests. the tournament now known as bubbleville. players and staff tested daily each team given its own hotel floor. morgan chesky tonight on how the virus is causing chaos all over the sports world >> s

l.a.x. for $150. the results will be available within 24 hours which some passengers say is not fast enough. l.a.x. is getting a full testing lab at the airport in early december so travelers should be able to get their results within two to three hours by then. >>> if yyou are ignoring curren health advice and traveling this holiday season -- >> we just put it out there. >> we're just making alternative choices. you need to look at our holiday risk calculatocalculator. medical experts are weighing in on a lot of common stair yos like traveling for the holiday or going to somebody's house for thanksgiving, whatever it might be. you can find this on abc7news.com and the abc7 news app. >>> i don't believe in shaming people. i don't. >> no. no. shame doesn't work. there's no point in doing it. know your risk, figure it out. >> do the best you can. >> keep it moving. mind your business. >>> still ahead, chaos breaks out at a city council meeting in fairfield. the incident that ended with nine pe

. >>> state officials want to get necessary travel, l.a.x.lling out on site testing for travelers at three terminals. passengers are swabbed and then the tests are turned over in an on site rapid testing lab. it's set to open the first week of december. it will provide results within 24 hours. results won't be ready before travelers board planes but could help people avoid quarantining at their destination. >>> dining inside a restaurant is off the table but bay area restaurants and bakeries are making traditional favorites for your picks. some restaurants have sold out. if you need a dessert you can get a pie order at butter love bake shop. >> most are three and under where in past years there was large groups. a lot of people are getting gifts for people. >> chefs are expecting to make hundreds of pies before thanksgiving. and a reminder with so many families struggling right here in our area this year more help is needed ahead of thanksgiving. so nbc bay area along with safeway is holding the annual food drive. the next time you're at safe

. >> reporter: with over 50 million expected to travel for the holiday, when you land here at l.a.x. out-of-state travelers must fill out a covid awareness form california wants them to quarantine for 14 days though many hard-hit states are implementing restrictions on private gatherings, enforcement is nearly impossible >> we're having a family thanksgiving, having all of our family over. and we would welcome anybody that wants to join us including any kind of state agent that wants to come in. >> reporter: while many are worried about catching the virus, a growing number are more concerned about their next meal. at food banks around the nation americans like connie alfonso need a helping hand. >> very grateful i don't even have a car. my car broke two weeks ago, and i asked my daughter to please, you know, bring me >> reporter: tonight americans are lining up at fo banod, testing sites and airports amid a pandemic that rages on miguel almaguer, nbc news >>> in just 60 seconds president-elect joe biden's top priorities for the first 100 days >>> back now with more of my exclusive in

i was at l.a.x. last night, 10:00 on a friday and it was totally packed. authorities trying to get the situation under control. introducing the curfew. take a listen. >> i think if that's what's got to happen, that's what's got to happen to curb this thing. if more people would go along with the guidelines, maybe wouldn't have to have it. at this point, we just have to do it. >> it's a tough pill to swallow but, honestly, i feel like we need it. we need to shut down for six weeks. i think people need to get paid for it so we can eradicate this thing and get back to our lives. >> reporter: what happens if the latest rounds of measure does not stop this unprecedented surge. california officials are looking at full statewide stay at home orders if this continues to go in its current trajectory. >> nobody wants that. let's get right into this because i've got to know your reaction. when you hear the u.s. added a million new cases in less than a week. why is this happening now? >> it's so disturbing. we're seeing and exceeding some of the estimates we had. that

yet we're seeing a uptick in travel here at l.a.x. at it's peak. they saw 44,000 people pass through this aircraft. it pairs in comparison, but people here say they're not concerned about this. some are not, take a listen. >> the travel home, i wear a mask with my families. we ate outdoors, i kept my distance. >> i had covid, i'm over that, i'm past my 14 days after testing positive. now that passenger told me that he tested positive along with the rest of his family just 14 days ago and yet still traveling. he says he may have been the safest person on the plane as long as you stop shedding the virus ten days from being symptomatic. it goes to illustrate that you really when you're traveling for the holidays you don't know the covid-19 status of the person sitting next to you. a lot of people were traveling, other people were getting together for the holiday. with coronavirus cases on the rise in california, most students are learning virtually. state officials are not just concerned with protecting studen students. that is because immunizations a

. >> reporter: tsa says the busiest airports right now, l.a.x., orlando and hartsfield-jackson in atlantand the busiest travel day is still days away. >> probably the busiest day of the entire weekend not unusual for long weekends is going to be the sunday, the return day. >> reporter: but those driving in the new york city area may end up at a covid-19 checkpoint targeting some bridges and crossings to enforce quarantine restrictions. violators could face fines of up to $2,000. this as the number of coronavirus cases surge nationwide. the number of deaths rising to more than 2,300 a day. the cdc now projecting the u.s. could see more than 300,000 deaths by december 19th. >> the amount of loss that we have experienced, it's devastating. >> reporter: still some americans aren't getting the message. in ohio overnight parking lots outside bars were packed on what is typically the biggest bar hopping night of the year. >> wear a mask, social distance and wash your hands. >> reporter: in denver, colorado mayor michael hancock advised residents to stay home tweeting, avoid travel if you can, bu

a live look at sfo and l.a.x. this morning.e than 3 million passengers passed through tsa over the week despite all of the warnings against holiday travel. >> the big question, are people feeling safe? to answer that live to chicago's o'hare airport this is where nbc news' jay gray is standing by. we've seen you all over the country. we're sure you flew there. how did you get there, and how was it for you? >> reporter: yeah, marcus, laura, i flew in yesterday. and the plane was packed. we had a full plane and it's been a trouble in a lot of months and the case everywhere we go. the airport was crowded as well across the nation this weekend. we've seen a lot of airports really doing more business than they have throughout the entire pandemic. that's a concern. we've seen flying passengers growing over the last couple of weeks. still has the spread of the virus. when you talk to those making the holiday trips, what they'll tell you is they've been cooped up for months, they haven't seen family and friends. the pull to do that str

. >> reporter: with over 50 million expected to travel for the holiday, when you land here at l.a.x., of state travelers must fill out a covid awareness form. california wants them to quarantine for 14 days. though many hard-hit states are implementing restrictions on private gatherings, enforcement is nearly impossible. >> we're having a family thanksgiving, having all of our family over. and we would welcome anybody that wants to join us, including any kind of state agent that wants to come in. >> reporter: while many are worried about catching the virus, a growing number are more concerned about their next meal. at food banks around the nation, americans like connie alphonso need a helping hand. >> very grateful. my car broke two weeks ago and i asked my daughter to please bring me. >> reporter: tonight americans are lining up at food banks, testing sites and airports amid a pandemic that rages on. miguel almaguer, nbc news. >> coming up, during the election, the president made a prediction. over and over again to rally audiences, something he was sure would happen right now if bid

state health experts warn against unnecessary travel during the pandemic, l.a.x. site testing for travelers at three terminals. the new program is set to open next month. passengers will be swabbed with a test turned over to an on site rapid testing lab. it costs $150 and will provide results within 24 hours. the results won't come back before travelers board their plane. it could help people avoid quarantining at their destination. >>> it's a huge day for dub nation. the warriors have the second overall pick in tonight's nba draft. barring a last-minute trade many people believe they will select sensation james wiseman. the whole thing will be virtual this year. meanwhile, the nba new schedule is coming out in focus. the warriors will play the usual amount of out-of-conference games and fewer conference games. >>> trending this morning a viral tiktok sensation now has a brand-new home. you'll remember a video of nathan skateboarding while lip-synching to float woeetwood "dream." tmz reports he purchased a five-bedroom home in his hometown of idaho falls, idaho. n

i was just at l.a.x. airport last night. 10:00 p.m. on a friday. totally packed with travelers.tting up what officials say is potentially a nightmare scenario. seeing this surge in cases here in california and the potential super spreader event come thanksgiving. officials here really trying to take steps to stop this surge right now. implementing that so-called curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. non-essential businesses will not be able to be in operation. californians, though, we talked to are taking it in stride. take a listen. >> i think if that's what's going happen that's what's going to happen to curb this thing. if more people go along with the guidelines maybe wouldn't have to have it. at this point, just have to do it. >> it's a tough pill to swallow. honestly, i feel we need it. honestly think we need to shut down like six weeks. people need to get paid for that six weeks to eradicate this thing and get back to our normal lives. >> reporter: officials here are saying that if this doesn't work, they're unable to stop the spread, the current trajectory of this virus, l

. >> reporter: so far the busiest airports this thanksgiving week l.a.x., orlando and here in atlanta. and it's not just the skies, a lot of people traveling by road. an estimated 48 million, down just 4% from this time last year. whit. >> all right, elwyn lopez, thank you so much. we appreciate it. >>> joining us now from massachusetts is dr. todd ellerin, an abc news medical contributor and infectious disease expert. dr. ellerin, always great to see you. good morning to you. i want to jump right to it. as elwyn just pointed out in her story, the cdc warned americans not to travel for thanksgiving, millions did anyway. what do people need to do now to protect themselves and their families as they head home from the holiday? >> good morning, whit, and happy holidays. i think what we need to remember is that increased mobility, which we've just seen, is going to lead to a surge in cases. we don't know how high that will reach, but we do know that's going to occur, so the best thing to do now is for anyone who has traveled and, you know, crossed bubbles, you want to go out and you want

from packed gates at phoenix sky harbor airport -- to long lines at l.a.x. this traffic at chicago o'hare. americans are on the move, covid or not. >> i'm like, there's a lot more people here than i thought would be here. >> reporter: more than 1 million people were screened at tsa checkpoints on friday. nearly a million more on saturday. despite the cdc urging americans not to travel for the thanksgiving holiday. >> it's a family necessity trip. so i take the necessary precautions. >> reporter: aaa estimates up to 50 million americans will travel for thanksgiving down from last year. but the holiday comes as the u.s. sets daily records for coronavirus cases. for some, that means getting covid tests before spending time with their loved ones. >> probably going to get tested again once i get back to be sure i'm good. >> reporter: experts w testing could provide a false sense of security because of covid's up to 14-day incubation period. two or three days after a negative test you could become contagious, even before showing symptoms. that's why neil segal, a