this is nbc nightly news with lester holt. good evening no image tells us more about the state we are in with covid right now more clearly than the latest map of places with community transmissions. places where the virus is spreading locally they re highlighted in red. yes, it is the entire country. while it appears there is no outrunning this virus, this evening, there are new efforts to keep pace the fda okaying boosters for kids age 12 to 15 also shortening the booster wait time for many others. as we return from holiday breaks, it feels like the world is on rewind schools wrestling once more with how to safely teach our children, while travelers struggle to get home in the face of covid-related flight delays. their burden made worse by a major eastern snowstorm. we have it all covered tonight starting with stephanie gosk. reporter: with covid cases soaring to record levels, an uneasy return to schools, even though more vaccine protection could soon be available today the f