>> o'donnell: nikki battiste near one of those freezers, thank you, nikki.nd as hard as it is to fathom the record number of covid deaths, public health officials are warning tonight it will likely get worse before the situation improves. we get more now from cbs's janet shamlian. >> reporter: a gut-wrenching record-- more than 3,000 deaths. the highest single day total. hospitals like methodist, near minneapolis, at the breaking point. >> people are dying alone. >> reporter: nurse jenna jacobs is watching patients pass without the comfort of someone they love. >> it's very hard. and it's our reality right now. like, we are holding people's hands on their last breaths every day. >> reporter: a grim reality tonight. the c.d.c. forecasting up to 362,000 dead by january 2-- almost the population of cleveland. >> it's both physically and mentally exhausting. people are doing longer shifts. they're doing more shifts. >> reporter: desperate measures from the battlefield-type tents set up in los angeles to reopening plans for a long- closed phoenix-area hospital to

nikki battiste is going to lead off our coverage from mount sinai hospital in new york city. good evening, nikki. >> reporter: norah, mount sinai hospital is turning this area used for flu shots into vaccine pods. they expect to be able to vaccinate about a dozen people at a time and will have optional observation areas to monitor them for severe reactions. tonight, england's national health service issued an urgent warning. people with a history of severe allergies should not get the pfizer vaccine. this comes 24 hours after two health care workers suffered allergic reactions after receiving the shot. >> we know from the very extensive clinical trials that this wasn't a feature, but we need to strengthen our advice now that we had this experience. >> reporter: the head of "operation warp speed," moncef slaoui, spoke to cbs cheif medical correspondent dr. jon lapook about the allergy warning. >> personally, i would go for the caution and avoid vaccinating people with severe allergies. ex reporter: the u.s. is expected to approve the pfizer vaccine as soon as tomorrow, in the f

norah. >> o'donnell: nikki battiste, thank you. turning now to that troubling new jobs report. u.s. added just 245,000 jobs in november. that's actually the smallest monthly gain in seven months, while the unemployment rate inched down to 6.7%. today, president-elect biden called those numbers grim, pushing congress to move quickly on economic relief. we get more now from cbs' ed o'keefe. >> reporter: with nearly 11 million people unemployed and more than 400,000 deaths projected by the time he takes office, president-elect joe biden today called for immediate if we act now- >> if we act now-- now, i mean now-- we can begin to regain momentum and start to build back a better future. there's no time to lose. >> reporter: he said congress must provide relief for americans set to lose federal aid in a matter of weeks. >> the folks out there aren't looking for a handout. they just need help. lt of their ownble through no fault of their own. >> reporter: as his transition team has been briefed on the trump administration's plans to distribute covid vaccines, mr. biden raised concern

doses by the end >> o'donnell: it is beginning, nikki battiste, thank you. g,t, the white house nikki balt tye coronavirus task force warns that the first month of covid vaccinations won't be enough to stop the spread, and that masking up and social distancing will still be crucial throughout the winter. we get more on this from cbs's jonathan vigliotti. >> reporter: tonight, hospitals filling up, covid cases continuing to break records, and the vaccine may be too late for too many. any.white house coronavirus task force now says the current supply of the vaccine will not substantially reduce viral spread, hospitalizations, or fatalities until 100 million americans are immunized-- not before late spring. until then, they say behavior must change. 80% of u.s. counties reportedly saw even more people traveling this thanksgiving than last year. this is what the thanksgiving surge looks like. >> people on ventilators, people dying, it doesn't end and there is no way for health care workers to decompress. >> reporter: and deaths sharply increasing. >> over 8,000 p

. >> that was nikki battiste reporting. >>> pandemic has forced people to put off routine medical procedures like colonoscopies and many are hit with medical bills. hundreds or even thousands of dollars in surprise charges. anna werner has the story. >> reporter: everyone over 50 should get a baseline colonoscopy and federal guidelines say insurance should pay for it. why do we keep hearing from viewers they got stuck with the bill. order from doctor for first screening colonoscopy for everyone turning 50, given at no cost to patients every ten years under affordable care act. called her insurance. what response did you get? >> procedure was 100% covered as screening, facility and doctor was 100% covered, all within network. >> reporter: at the clinic, a staff member asked if any family members had colonoscopy, which they had. >> my mom had a few polyps years ago. dad had a few. >> reporter: after the test, doctor said everything looked good. >> that was good. went home, was well. then i started getting the bills. >> reporter: for a colonoscopy supposed to be covered. $625 for facility, over

nikki battiste has the view. >> reporter: cheering, midnight kisses. in the new year always one big party around the globe. this year's celebrations will strike a different chord as infections reach a new high daily. >> we cannot let our guard down. >> reporter: according to aaa as many as 84.5 million americans were expected to travel to celebrate the holidays and new year, leading to fears that new year's parties will likely magnify the spread. >> would be magical thinking to say we're into the going to with all the travel. >> dr. jon lapook. i have ten friends coming over, everyone tested negative, we're safe. what do you say? >> biggest misconception of this pandemic, and there's not a close second, is that i got tested today, therefore i'm safe tomorrow or the next day. remember the incubation period is two to three days. >> reporter: law enforcement is already tamping down on large gatherings. in newark, new jersey two women were arrested for hosting people at bar. at restaurant in, reported secret indoor party to authorities. restaurant writing

we begin with nikki battiste on the vaccine story who's at mount sinai hospital in new york. are they ready? >> reporter: good morning, anthony. if the pfizer vaccine is approved, the first shots could come within days. to prepare, mount sinai is turning this area used for flu shots into vaccine pods. they will have an observation area to monitor people for severe reactions after they've been vaccinated. >> we'll be setting this up for a robust way. >> as early as next week, mount sinai hopes to be able to administer up to 50 covid sack scenes every hour. susan is the vice president and chief pharmacy officer for the mount sinai health system. >> with 40,000 employees, you need about 80,000 doses. how many vaccines do you expect in the first round? >> we hope to get in the thousands. >> reporter: she says front line workers in the er and icu will receive the first doses. >> folks like the nurses and physicians as well as people as the environmental service workers, the workers that provide food service, the transportation workers. >> reporter: once the emergency use authoriza

nikki battiste spoke to the woman who said she was the first person to escape a secret female-only societyave you decided to come forward now publicly, and what is your name? >> it finally felt like i was ready, and my name is jessica joan. >> reporter: in keith raniere's arrest warrant she is referred to only as jane doe number 2. but now jessica joan is revealing her name, her face and her truth publicly. >> this is part of my healing experience. >> reporter: joan, a model and actress from california was in her late 20s in 2016 when she joined nxivm. the group was founded in albany, new york, by keith raniere and marketed as a self-help organization. >> i had a really traumatic childhood. the appeal was that they offered something that they said would help you get rid of all of your limitations. >> reporter: shortly after joining, joan said she was approached by india oxenberg the daughter of catherine oxenberg about joining a female-only secret group within nxivm called dos or the vow. >> reporter: india described dos as a secret womans-only mentorship program, like a secret society. i