destroyed in the storm. in kentucky. plus, we will take a look at the global nursing shortage. why so many in the healthcare field are preparing to quit their jobs. and we're live in johannesburg. where the south africa president tested positive for covid. >> and we begin with the desperate search for survivors after the deadliest december tornado out break in u.s. history. dozens of people were killed when a series of powerful tornados tore through several states over the weekend. kentucky the hardest hit. the governor says in the best case scenario, at least 50 people died in his state. he says crews are still finding bodies. and he fears the final toll could be much higher. still rescuers are looking for signs of life. as they dig through the rubble and including at a candle factory. that was flattened in the small town of may field. initially officials feared dozens may have died inside that factory. a company spokesperson said sunday most employees did make it out. eight have been confirmed dead. and eight others are still unaccounted for. it wasn't just the factory that was destroyed. the entire town of mayfield was decimated. tornados also caused destruction in several other towns and cities. heads of u.s. homeland security are on the ground bringing federal resources to help. u.s. president biden also approved a major disaster declaration in kentucky. freeing up even more federal funds. kentucky governor says the out pouring of support has helped ease some of the hard break. heartbreak. >> we're grateful for the out pouring of love. the from all over the country. and from all walks of life. i want to thank everybody for standing with the people of kentucky. we feel it. one of our biggest challenges right now is organizing the amount of people that want to help. want to donate and volunteer. but you know what, that's the best challenge that any of us could ask for. >> we're on the ground in mayfield. where she spoke with one family who managed to ride out the storm. >> we are seeing elect trick crews, volunteer firefighters. police departments descendsing on mayfield. willing to help everybody here get through this. there's so much work to be done. i want you to see what's behind me. what i believe is a preschool. this is just some of the damage that is really all across this town. of 10,000 people. this particular school is actually blocking part of the street in downtown mayfield. and it was moved off the foundation. you can see inside the school. some of the stuff in there is in tact. it's quite an eerie scene. i have to tell you talking to so many people in the town. the people that call mayfield home, they are stunned. they are in disbelief. trying to figure out what the next day and next day will bring them. some thanking god they are alive. we talked to one couple who hunkered down in a crawl space with their 6 year-old daughter. i want you to hear from them. >> we were sitting on the palette. this door here is what kept us alive. along with him. he was holding it with a lan yard. >> it felt like there were ten grown men on the other side of the door trying to pull it off. >> he's holding the door shut. >> you are holding your 6 year-old daughter. can you describe being a mom? >> we were just -- i just told her to close her eyes. she started counting. hide and seek. >> of course as we know. there's so much loss of life as well. still people are being there's work to rescue them. and recover their bodies. particularly at that candle factory. where so many people are still missing. we talked to one family. who lost a member of their family. a 47 year-old was working at the factory at night. his family remembering him as just a happy person. and missing him this holiday season. coming up. so much despair in mayfield. but so much resilience to move forward from the devastation. >> friday night tornado nearly flattened the town in kentucky. the 75% of the town is gone. hundreds of people are displaced after their homes were turned into rubble. that leaves 13 people killed. 100 others are missing. the town still doesn't have power. and could be weeks before it's restored. we have the latest now from dawesen springs. >> the death toll continues to rise here. in kentucky. we're in the city. a town of 3,000 people. emergency management officials tell us that two-thirds of the city was decimated by the tornados that ripped through here on friday night. this is the destruction that many people are still trying to comb through. at this time. everywhere you look it was a stretch the emergency officials tell us that the storm left a swath o half mile wide of destruction. it went from the western county line all the way to the eastern county line. here in hopkins county. it's unlike any anything the residents have ever seen. that really goes well with what we have heard from residents who survived the direct impact. of the storms. many people who jumped into their basements if they had one. to save their own lives. it was that kind of desperation that so many people here have described to us. they do say it was over in a flash. but it was a level of intensity not just homes toppled over by the storm. but shredded. it's a scene where it really feels like the epicenter of a massively explosive blast. >> jeff is a resident. whose house was destroyed by the tornado. he's the father of cnn political commentator. who shot this video that was showing you right now. jeff joins me on the phone. from princeton, kentucky. thank you for talking with us. i'm so sorry for the loss of your home. >> thank you. i'm glad to be here. >> now, your son, scott. spoke to cnn earlier. and he said he was so shocked when he first pulled up to the remains of the family home. he wasn't even sure he was at the right place. because of the total devastation. what were your thoughts when you first saw your home? after the tornado hit. >> well, to be honest, you can see video time after time of the super-cells coming through town. and cities. until you see the homes of your neighbors and friends and family, and your own home, thst been hit by one of these. you have no idea how overwhelming it is. to experience that. >> i can imagine. and you were not actually in your home at the time. where were you when this tornado came through? and how did you get through this safely? >> actually, i watch weather. and i had watched this storm progress from arkansas up through kentucky. and i was on the phone with a friend of mine that lived across town. who had a basement. and i had stayed with him for a period of time. at one point in my life. anyway, he offered me to come over if i wanted to. and i told him i was going to watch one more update. and when they told me that princeton, kentucky was next. and then dawesen springs. i told him i would be there in five minutes and i was. >> do you think going there saved your life? >> that's hard to say. i do know of three people that lost their life that lived out in oak heights vicinity where i live. you never know. my house while it is a total loss, it does still have some of the walls standing and everything. it's hard to say that. i was glad to be where i was. >> yeah. we're glad too. what are your thoughts as you surveyor your town? and how long do you think it will take to rebuild it? >> you know, it's going to take years. we're a small town. a lot of the homes have been there for several years. my home was built in 1972. and just, you know, the town is kind of two halves. the half of the town i lived on is pretty much destroyed. and it's going to take a long time. it's hard to get -- it's hard to get lumber. and the different things that you need to rebuild right now. >> absolutely. >> it's going to take a long time. i'm not sure we'll ever be the same again. >> you say that your house is totally destroyed. what are your plans going forward? where will you go? >> right now i'm not certain. what i'm going to do. i grew up out on oak heights where i live. i still live there now. in a different home. of course it's going to have to be torn down. and rebuilt or whatever. if i decide to stay there. so, i really haven't decided yet. i'm going to just -- i'm still trying to just get my bearings after all this. it's definitely a life changing event. >> yeah. it just takes so long to process the situation. like this. jeff, thank you so much for talking with us. and our hearts go out to you and your family. and the loss of your home. take care. >> thank you so much. of course we know that many of you want to do something to help the victims of this tragedy. the cnn impact your world site has verified ways to do that. and we'll be updated as more information on the resources become available. you can go there right now. visit cnn.com/impact. to help. >> more fuel for the fire. coming up on cnn. british prime minister is facing new controversy over a 2020 christmas party. we'll have a live report from london. plus israel prime minister looks to deepen ties during his trip to the uae. the first such visit by an israel leader. we'll have the details. hey google. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ did you know that even after you sanitize a surface, every touch can leave new bacteria behind? 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[♪] powerful skincare ingredients come dermatologist-recommended, and there's a brand that offers them at an affordable price. try olay skincare. olay regenerist, with 99% pure niacinamide provides 5 times the hydrating power of a prestige cream; while olay collagen peptide visibly firms and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles; and olay retinol 24 brightens and smooths the skin while you sleep. for dermatologist-recommended ingredients at an affordable price, try olay skincare. when you really need to sleep you reach for the really good stuff. new zzzquil ultra helps you sleep better and longer when you need it most. it's non habit forming and powered by the makers of nyquil. new zzzquil ultra. when you really really need to sleep. omicron is doubling. here in the uk every two to three days. we know from bitter experience how these curves develop. no one should be in any doubt, there is a title wave of omicron. coming. >> that was the british mime minister sounding the alarm sunday. after they confirmed the first hospitalization due to the variant. starting today everyone in england who can work from home is asked to do so. face coverings are now compulsory in public. and parliament meets tuesday to consider a mandatory covid-19 pass. that prime minister has more problems on his already crowded plate. a 2020 photo of mr. johnson at a christmas party. was published by british newspaper. the event occurred while strict coronavirus restrictions were in place. it is part of a wider scandal hurting both the prime minister and his party. let's bring in cnn. joining us live from london. good to see you. this comes on the heels of one of his top advisers resigning over a leaked video showing her joking about an alleged downing street christmas party held during lock down. what's the latest on this and how damaging could it be? >> that photograph yet another detail in the growing body of evidence about multiple christmas parties taking place during a strict lock down last year. during a period in time in which a variant was sweeping through the country. claiming hundreds of lives a day. i want to show you the front page of the mirror. from the weekend. the newsom that released the photograph. you can see taking us for fools again. the prime minister office says that that photograph was taken for a remote pop quiz. christmas party quiz. it was done remotely and people were at work late. because they were key workers. and doing late hours at downing street. that simply is not flying in the court of public opinion. it's another additional detail that builds on this growing frustration. this growing anger and growing sense that the government not only doesn't apply the rules that it sets to itself it also is willing to lie and cover those violations. this comes at a difficult time for the prime minister. more restrictions coming in to place starting today. people will be asked to work from home when ever possible. authorities are concerned about the rise of the omicron variant. it seems to be doubling every two to three days. the number of cases linked to this variant. the prime minister going out yesterday in a taped address to the nation calling on everyone to get boosted. boosted boosted. he wants to increase that layer of vaccine protection. across the country. he's also brought forward a very ambitious plan, ambitious date to get everyone an invitation to get the booster jab. before the end of the month. it was originally before january. now bringing that up to this month. prime minister em battled trying to win back support. at the same time trying to get that reputation, trying to get that standing to call on this country to fight yet another variant of covid-19. >> absolutely. live from london. many thanks. israel prime minister is expected to meet soon with the uae crown prince. the first israel leader to make an official visit to the country. he arrived late sunday. more than a year after the two countries normalized their relationship. he will discuss ways to further deepen ties during his talks with the crown prince. we have more now from jerusalem. >> for the first time ever, israel prime minister will set foot into the uae glittering presidential palace for an official visit. set to meet the crown prince. on monday morning. >> we'll be discussing ways to further our cooperation in a number of fields. >> just over a year after the two countries signed onto the accord. normalization agreements between israel and arab countries once considered enemies. israel former prime minister was meant to make the inaugural visit. but several planned trips were cancelled last minute. the past year has seen a flurry of diplomatic, cultural and business activity. kicked off by the first flight to cross saudi arabia air space. fairing former white house officials. less than a year later, israel foreign minister opened the first israel embassy. >> our hand is out stretched. people are ready. our country is ready. our new government is ready. >> as a string of political and military officials have made their way to israel. tourism hampered by covid, but bolstered by israel pavilion. the top of the agenda for the two leaders will be iran. a shared concern for both countries. with negotiations in europe ongoing around a return to a possible nuclear deal. >> such a murderous regime. should not be rewarded. >> israel increasing rhetoric about being ready to carry out a military strike. while the em rits have been working to improve ties with their neighbor. a rare visit with the iran president. they tried to contain regional tensions. a critical and historic meeting. one that could have far reaching consequences beyond the photo op. coming up. back to our top story the dove stating tornados that tore through several states including illinois an an amazon warehouse collapsed. is now a good time for a flare-up? 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[♪] looking to repair dry, damaged hair without weighing it down? try pantene daily moisture renewal conditioner. its color-safe formula uses smart conditioners to micro-target damage helping to repair hair without weighing it down. try pantene. ♪ lisa here, has had many jobs. she's worked in retail during the holidays. as a barista during rush hour. and a nanny to a couple of rambunctious kids. now, all that experience has led her to a job that feels like home. with home instead, you too can become a caregiver to older adults, with a career that makes a difference. ♪ apply today. ♪ this is your home. this is your family room slash gym. the guest bedroom slash music studio. the daybed slash dog bed. the living room slash yoga shanti slash regional office slash classroom. and this is the basement slash panic room. maybe what your family needs is a vacation home slash vacation home. find yours on the vrbo app. ♪ this is elodia. she's a recording artist. 1 of 10 million people that comcast has connected to affordable internet in the last 10 years. and this is emmanuel, a future recording artist, and one of the millions of students we're connecting throughout the next 10. through projectup, comcast is committing $1 billion so millions more students, past... and present, can continue to get the tools they need to build a future of unlimited possibilities. welcome back, everyone. back to our top story. the devastating tornados that tore through the central united states this weekend. this is the destruction in edwards ville, illinois. at what used to be an amazon warehouse. at least six people died when a powerful tornado hit the building. a warning siren rang out eleven minutes before the thick concrete walls collapsed in. and the roof crumbled down. we're at the scene. >> reporter: here in southwest, illinois. you are getting a clear picture right now of the devastation that was left behind by the series of storms on friday night. a look from above you can see how a tornado cut through an amazon shipping center here. causing multiple injuries. and a death of at least six people. authorities confirming the identities. range from 26 to 62 years old. all employees at this location here. and now, operations shifting to clean up. you can see crews removing portions of the building that were structurally compromised and doing so confident that everybody has been account for. police on the ground confirming today they no longer have any out standing reports of missing individuals. amazon also on scene here. not just working with authorities here in the clean up process. but answering important questions we have been asking. really all weekend long. about the policies and procedures that are in place to keep the employees safe. the event of severe weather. here's how one spokesperson described what took place friday night. >> the tornado warning siren actually went off and we had about 11 minutes from that time to the type the tornado hit the ground. in order to get our employees and partners into a safe place. >> managers were on the loud speaker telling people to get to the shelter in place area. they were also being guided by other managers and other employees. who were trying to get everybody to the safe location. we had people in two different sheltering areas. >> confirming they are actively working with the community and also the families that have been affected. especially the families of the six employees who perished on friday. as the storm swept through. >> one of the victims of the amazon collapse has been identified as 29 year-old clayton cope. his mother says she believes he spent his last minutes making sure others were safe. >> in my heart i know that he went to try to warn other people. to get where they needed to be. and between his military training and just who he was, he would have done that. no matter whether he was told to or not. so, that's the only thing i can hold onto. i feel like he must have been trying to help someone else. >> heartbreaking. he was a u.s. navy veteran. he had been working o as a mechanic at the amazon warehouse. for a little more than a year. >> south africa president is getting treatment for covid-19. after testing positive on sunday. we'll have the latest on his condition. in a live report from johannesburg. bacteria behind?ave new that means, you could be right back where you started. break the cycle with microban 24. just spray once and your surfaces are protected against bacteria all day. microban keeps killing 99.9% of bacteria touch after touch for up to 24 hours. these leading disinfectants do not. use the sanitizer 4 out of 5 doctors would use in their own homes. microban 24. ♪ ♪ well would you look at that? ♪ ♪ jerry, you've got to see this. seen it. trust me, after 15 walks ...it gets a little old. ugh. i really should be retired by now. wish i'd invested when i had the chance... to the moon! 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to the most businesses. or get started with internet and voice for $64.99 per month with a 2-year price guarantee. give your business the gift of savings today. comcast business. powering possibilities. south african officials say the president has tested positive for covid-19. and is receiving treatment. his symptoms are mild. but he has delegated his responsibilities to the deputy president. for the next week. he said in a statement he is in infection serves as a reminder to everyone in the country to get vaccinated and stay vigilant. against exposure. >> joining me now live. good to see you. what's the latest on the condition on the president? >> we haven't had anymore beyond the statement we got from the president last night. about the president's diagnosis. his last public event was in cape town. he was at the state memorial. and the president started feeling unwell. he got a test and tested positive. that's the last time we saw the president. he's reported to be having mild symptoms. he has been traveling in west africa. he spent about a week in ghana. and nigeria. and he had lots of public events and press engagements. and attended a press conference and a summit in one of the countries. they said they followed all protocol. social distancing and mask wearing. in the video wearing a mask and all that. that speaks to how quickly it's spreading in this country. it's not clear if he caught covid-19 here in the country or during his travels. it could be anywhere. so far the positivity rate the last 24 hours is 28.9%. south africa is approaching an all time record of daily cases which are reported back in july. so even though early data indicates that this omicron variant appears to be milder. even though it's easily transmissible. it's cause for concern and that's why the president has been encouraging south africa to get vaccinated. that is truly one of the strongest ways of protecting themselves as the country tries to learn more and the world tries to learn more. about how this variant behaves. in vaccinated people. >> we cannot labor that point enough. people need to get out and get vaccinated. certainly that third shot if possible. joining us live from johannesburg. some sobering numbers for the u.s. in the covid crisis. according to data from johnson hopkins university the u.s. is approaching 50 million cases. and ticking closer to $800,000 deaths. health experts are pleading with americans to get vaccinated. the variant continues to spread. 61% of the country is fully vaccinated. that's according to the cdc. and just under 27% of the group has received a booster. that third shot. as of sunday, the covid-19 omicron variant has been identified in at least 29 u.s. states. and washington d.c. u.s. viewers, later in the show i will be talking about the up tick in covid-19 cases. with doctor ja. the dean of brown university school of public health. meantime the pandemic continues to push healthcare systems across the world to the brink. experpts fear the omicron variant could make matters even worse. >> sparkle at night. full of holiday lights and shoppers. some wearing masks. some not. a festive scene but there is a different hustle and bustle going on. in hospitals in france. and elsewhere in europe too. one that is far more urgent and devoid of cheer. hospitals once again in some regions of france are almost filled to capacity. due to a rise in new covid-19 cases. even though the country has more than 70% of the population fully vaccinated. some medical centers are struggling to admit new patients and have activated emergency plans. which include expanding the number of icu beds and postponing non-essential treatment. another wave of covid-19 that is wearing down and already weary staff. >> work has been very hard for two years. especially in covid units. we have had people competent to work in icu who left and no longer want to be hired in a covid unit. >> hospital wards already strained with patients infected by the delta variant. of the coronavirus. brace for what could come next. the uk says people sick from the fast spreading omicron variant are now being admitted to hospitals. the ceo of the international counsel of nurses who heads a group representing 27 million nurses. says this could be the breaking point for many healthcare workers. he says turn over could be alarming. his organization estimates the rates of nurses intending to leave the job within a year has risen to 20 to 30%. >> the feeling they have run already two or three marathons with each wave of the pandemic. the prospects of having to go again means that many of them are not sure whether they can. >> the nurses group says there was already a global shortage of 6 million nurses. before the pandemic. and many were set to retire in the next few years. but the pandemic has further drained the ranks. the world health organization says up to 180,000 healthcare workers may have died from covid-19. from the beginning of the pandemic through may this year. and a small percentage are leaving because of the vaccine mandates. germany recently joined a number of other european countries like france and italy to require vaccinations. or proof of recovery from covid-19. for all healthcare workers beginning in march. a new study in the uk says without additional measures, there could be more hospitalizations in england this winter than last. because of the omicron variant. experts warn large numbers of even less severe cases would have an impact on hospitals. >> my senses that nurses around the world are i think like all of us are seeing we were seeing light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. but now there's a anxiety that we could be going back close to square one. >> a set back that could derail what many healthcare workers want this season. a needed break. >> world sport is up next. the news continues after the short break. is now a good time for a flare-up? enough, crohn's! for adults with moderate to severe crohn's or ulcerative colitis, stelara® can provide relief, and is the first approved medication to reduce inflammation on and below the surface of the intestine in uc. you, getting on that flight? back off, uc! stelara® may increase your risk of infections, some serious, and cancer. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms, sores, new skin growths, have had cancer, or if you need a vaccine. pres, a rare, potentially fatal brain condition, may be possible. some serious allergic reactions and lung inflammation can occur. lasting remission can start with stelara®. janssen can help you explore cost support options. [♪] looking to repair dry, damaged hair without weighing it down? try pantene daily moisture renewal conditioner. its color-safe formula uses smt conditioners micro-target damage helping to repair hair without weighing it down. try pantene. when you really need to sleep you reach for the really good stuff. new zzzquil ultra helps you sleep better and longer when you need it most. it's non habit forming and powered by the makers of nyquil. new zzzquil ultra. when you really really need to sleep. ♪ ♪ ♪ hey google. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [♪] powerful skincare ingredients come dermatologist-recommended, and there's a brand that offers them at an affordable price. try olay skincare. olay regenerist, with 99% pure niacinamide provides 5 times the hydrating power of a prestige cream; while olay collagen peptide visibly firms and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles; and olay retinol 24 brightens and smooths the skin while you sleep. for dermatologist-recommended ingredients at an affordable price, try olay skincare. introducing the all-new gillettelabs with exfoliating bar. it combines shaving and gentle exfoliation into one efficient stroke, for a shave as quick and easy as washing your face. back to our top story. dozens are feared dead after a series of devastating tornados ripped through the central u.s. over the weekend. the storms touched down in eight states. but kentucky bore the brunt of the devastation. a town was nearly levelled. the national weather service confirmed the town was hit by at least an ef 3 tornado. that rating could still increase. that means winds up to 165 miles per hour. or 266 kilometers an hour. ef 3 also touched down in bowling green, kentucky. leaving behind widespread destruction. and you can see entire homes reduced to piles of debris. the death toll from the storm rose to 13 on sunday in dawesen springs. the town mayor estimates 75% of the town was destroyed. calling the situation just devastating. joining me now. meteorologist and it is the deadliest december tornado out break in the u.s. history. with more than 30 tornados across eight u.s. states. what is driving this? >> remarkable pattern. when you think about what's played out here in the past couple days you look at the climate norm. when tornados of this intensity this magnitude take place. certainly nowhere near the month of december. climatology it's the quietest month. 23 tornados on average. people think climate change certainly could play a role. i'm here to say there isn't really great data suggesting the pointing to climate change in going with human induced climate change related to strengthening of tornados and frequency. plenty of data to pinpoint flooding. extreme heat waves and drought. even hurricanes. you can tie that into climate change. the data is not there when it comes to tornados. when you look at what's happened there's data to suggest tornado alley shifted further to the east. that's where we can draw this and see how it played out. just over a 24 to 36 hour span. 50 plus reports of tornados. 400 plus severe wind reports. east of the united states. where historically tornado alley was across the central plains and portions of the central united states. all of this shifting a little further to the east. smaller area towards the midwest. and carolina alley. tornados of historic. and all gradually shifting further to the east. the current pattern across the world the that is indicative of seeing tornados season shift a little further towards the east areas of impact. shift further to the east. that is what is kind of playing a role potentially in what we have seen here and certainly the storms. as you noted there. as strongs as we have seen on record for the month of the december. devastating as you'll ever see for any time of year. one of the tornados tracking 200 miles. also plays a role in to leaving the amount of fatalities and destruction we saw. across at least four states there. incredible last couple of days across the eastern u.s. >> just horrendous. two sheriffs deputies in the mayfield, kentucky area were on patrol during the storm. debris hit their cars. including a piece of lumber that crashed through a windshield. one car was lifted off the ground and spun sideways. both officers lived to tell the tale. shortly after the tornado passed a screen from a little girls snapped them into action. >> we heard the screaming. i grabbed my medic bag and took off to the house. >> by that time, chief deputy was coming to help us. he arrived and said there was a girl inside that was bleeding profusely. we ran ran up there. her leg was seriously injured. >> muscle memory. what i knew had to be done. >> that little girl had life threatening injuries. but thanks to those officers, she is going to be okay. >> some sobering numbers for the u.s. in the covid crisis. according to data from johns hopkins university, the u.s. is now approaching 50 million cases. and ticking closer to 800,000 deaths. health experts are pleading with americans to get vaccinated. as the omicron variant continues to spread. nearly 61% of the country is fully vaccinated. and just under 27% of the that group has received a booster. as of sunday the covid-19 omicron variant has been identified. and at least 29 u.s. states. and washington d.c. >> the dean of brown university school of public health. joining me now from rhode island. thank you for all that you do. >> thank you for having me back. >> the omicron variant has been a wake up call for governments all around the world. they put new restrictions in place. what we know is that a third booster shot offers the best protection. however here in the u.s. just under 27% of the nearly 61% of fully vaccinated people have actually received that third booster shot. what is your message to everyone? >> my message is really very clear. omicron is highly contagious. it really seems to breakthrough vaccines. and cause breakthrough infections for people who have only gotten two shots. if you want to protect yourself, if you are an adult. six months from the second shot. it's a no brainer. you should get a boost e. it'sth best way to get through the next few weeks and a couple months ahead. >> at the moment we know that the united kingdom is toughening restrictions as a result of the omicron variant. making masks compulsory. getting people to work from home if they can. and seriously considering a compulsory covid-19 pass. that will go to parliament. how important are the measures and should other nations be considering this too? or simply trying to get as many people that shird shot. -- thirty shot. >> all of the above strategy. the third shot is very helpful. in the united states the issue of mask mandates remains hotly debated. there's no question behind the science. putting in mask mandates. mask up will help quite a bit. with large surges. the question is is there policy interest in doing so. from a pure public health point of view it would help a lot. >> according to to the cdc the u.s. is now approaching the 50 million mark. in covid-19 cases. and nearing 800,000 deaths. what are those numbers tell you? what do they indicate? >> for me it's those are very sad milestones. it indicates we are a country where there is just a massive amount of toxic misinformation. which made it very hard to control the pandemic. and we have not had the kind of political leadership from many of the leaders. many of the state and federal leaders to really stand up and get this virus under control. and so we're seeing the effects of that. number of infection. and particularly in terms of lives lost. >> right. of course now we are seeing warnings of a growing nursing shortage. worldwide. because so many health workers are just burned out. from the pandemic. and some are contemplating quitting. in other instances some hospitals here in the u.s. are allowing nurses who refuse to get vaccinated to keep working. at those hospitals. what is your reaction? >> on one hand it's understandable. from a healthcare provider. the hospital saying we already have a shortage. i actually think this is a real leadership. here's why. first and foremost, we know that when people put in vaccine mandates, most people end up just getting vaccinated. very few people want to quit and very few quit for that reason alone. shortages are not from this cause. the second is patient safety point of view. it's asking patients to come to the hospital and get taken care of by an unvaccinated person. the answer is really clear. i don't think it will hurt staffing if we continue with the mandates. >> i know it's difficult to look into the future. from what is happening now in the reaction to the omicron variant. when do you think we will see this in the rearview mirror? >> i think 2022 is the year that we'll see this pandemic in a very different way. in many ways in the rearview mirror. that is because omicron will come. it will the wave will wash over. it will create that much more population immunity and hopefully people will not get very sick. that's always a thing to try to avoid. we are going to get to a point by spring where most people are going to have either been vaccinated or infected. future variants if they do arrive will have less and less of an impact. and we'll slowly find our way out of the pandemic. >> nice to end on a hopeful note. always a pleasure to talk with you. woman who brings beauty and hope to homeless men and women. just got a special award. >> the 2021 cnn hero of the year is -- shirly rain. >> you heard it there. this years cnn hero of the year. rains and her non-profit beauty to the streets have been a mainstay. on los angeles skid row. for the past six years. she provides food, clothing, and hair and make up services to thousands. rains says her goal is to make broken people feel hope. >> first and foremost i want to thank the amazing -- this journey hasn't been easy. i stand before you today a very broken woman. my life will never be the same since my son died. its important that you know broken people are still very much useful. we are very much useful. >> and congratulations to her. if you would like to support her work, or any of the non-profit organizations at the top ten cnn heros. you can make a donation. all donations by january 3 will be matched by subaru. up to $50,000 per hero. thank you so much for watching. i'll be back with more news in just a moment. this is your home. this is your family room slash gym. the guest bedroom slash music studio. ththe daybed slash dog bed. the living room slash yoga shananti slash regional office slash classroom. and this is the basement slash panic room. maybe what your family needs is a vacation home slash vacation home. find yours on the vrbo app. ♪ feeling sluggish or weighed down? 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