jumped from 1% positivity rate to 13%. just astronomical numbers in a short period of time. and he sent a letter to congressional offices this week, basically saying you've got to do more up here, pleading with members to take extra precautions, working from home and avoiding in person meetings if possible, boosting up the mask wearing, saying ditch the cloth masks, so many senate republicans blatantly in defiance of those recommendations. >> and proudly, i think, in many cases defying the recommendations. sunlen serfaty, thank you very much. "new day" continues right now. good morning to viewers here in the united states and around the world. it is wednesday, january 5th. i'm brianna keilar with john berman. and he's live, thank you for being here. >> so are you? >> yes, i am. together! >> here in washington for a special coverage. so it was one year ago today. republican lawmakers, a coup hungry president and right wing media were busy selling lies to the american public. lies that would bring thousands of angry people to the capitol for one of america's darkest days and this morning, we're seeing even more evidence that one of the most prominent entertainers at fox knew exactly what was going on. >> the january 6th committee wants to chat with sean hannity. why? because as part of its investigation even more text messages there are surfacing that the fox host was in the very middle of strategy sessions with then president trump and the white house. more importantly, what hannity was saying privately was far from the message that he and his network pushed publicly to its viewers. many of whom would march on the capitol. >> on left side of your screen, you will hear hannity's words to viewers. on the right, you will see his private text to trump allies, members of congress, we report, you decide. >> we have ted cruz coming on later on in the program. he wants the commission to look into this for ten days. we'll have 150 house members supporting this as well. big rally. i believe your dad will be addressing that rally tomorrow. big crowds showed up to the point where the west wing could hear the music and the chanting of the people that were there already. and this all kicks off in the morning tomorrow. >> well, sean, that's right. and tomorrow is an important day. we have an obligation, i believe, to protect the integrity of the election. and to protect the integrity of the democratic system. >> senator, i'm looking at the support you're getting in the senate, i'm looking at the support in the house, maybe 150 members in the end. it is looking like realistally, can this really happen? i don't like to give this audience false hope. would we have an audit? is that real? is that a possibility? do you see, for example -- do you see any after tomorrow is there a path for the president constitutionally? >> as you saw from the text there, we'll get into much more about what they actually say, because i think they're very important there for this investigation. hannity knew there was no path, knew there was no constitutional path, but he built up the rally, he gave voice to people like ted cruz pushing the big lie. you should remember, fox is being sued for billions for its lies about the election. and then after the insurrection, hannity, despite accurately predicting that chaos would happen, floated conspiracies and lies about left wing actors being the culprits. >> we also knew that there is always bad actors that will infiltrate large crowds. those who truly support president trump, those that believe they're part of the conservative movement in this country, you do not -- we do not support those that commit acts of violence. >> peacefully protest. we heard groups like antifa, other radical groups, they were there to cause trouble. >> hannity and fox, they spend a lot of time telling viewers what they think is patriotism. but just to recap here, hannity's network publicly sold the big lie, they built it up, so that a president could carry out a coup, a blatant attack on democracy. their viewers are being lied to. brainwashed, manipulated, and just to be clear, fox is not a news network, which is not breaking news, i will say. >> joining us now, david gregory and former trump white house communications director alisa farrah griffin. i want to read one of the hannity texts first again. i do think it is very important for the investigation here. and it is very short. he writes on january 5th, i'm very worried about the next 48 hours. so the select committee points out correctly, why? why was this person who was in constant contact with people inside the white house worried about what was about to happen? what did he know about the plans that were in place that were about to happen? it really is a worthy question. >> it is a very worthy question and i can't foresee any scenario where sean hannity isn't compelled to testify before the committee. he's worried in either one direction or the other that he knew that this day was going to get violent and going to be a mar on our american democracy or he was worried as his texts seem to reveal knowing president trump had lost the election. he was not going to win, there was no path for recourse, the results were not going to be overturned and what that would mean for trump, how he would handle it. and i think -- listen, this kind of tenuous effort to say that sean hannity is a journalist and that might give him some kind of coverage to not have to comply, just doesn't pass the smell test. he's very much an opinion commentator. and he's going to have to speak to the committee. >> what he says himself, he says he's not a journalist to be clear. he says he's a host. but i wonder, david, these texts, what are the biggest issues that they bring up for you. >> well, i think as alisa says, it is being in direct communication with the president is really important because i think the committee wants to get to the bottom of how much the president understood about what he was unleashing and what the intended affect of it was. and it is so important that he and his chief of staff are getting -- getting these kinds of warnings from straight up allies, for, you know, these are individuals who are propagandists on fox news who are certainly toeing his line and they're the ones saying this has got to stop or in this case, hannity preemptively saying this is going to be a horrible outcome. i think that's really important. whether it is to the president himself or to mark meadows, his chief of staff, at the time. and i think, look, the texts are already very important that the american people have had access to, that the committee had access to because it shows you what people were saying when they didn't think the whole world was watching. so it is really quite revealing. now, if there is all this jockeying about whether or not he actually cooperates or testifies, that may be a little bit beside the point. >> i'm with you, it is already revealing that he had foreknowledge that something was going to happen. why? what was being discussed? what did he know about what was being discussed? the fact that he had foreknowledge tells you just about everything you need to know. the former president was scheduled to hold a news conference at mar-a-lago tomorrow, the one year anniversary. but he canceled. he canceled. and our reporting is because he was pissed off that people weren't going to cover it, there was a lack of interest around his news conference tomorrow. what do you think happened here? >> i think that's very likely. that reporting is true. i have a hard time believing that the former president grew a conscience and realized that this was -- this is a solemn day and it would be inappropriate to spout his election lies while the rest of the country grieves that horrible day. it is certainly that it wasn't going to breakthrough and i would note in the statement that he can't -- he announces he's canceling it, he continues to carry on the big lie. and then he makes this very absurd claim that i think is very important to note, saying pelosi didn't deploy the national guard. she could have done it in advance. so he incited a riot, then the riot goes to the capitol, attacks it, and then he's blaming nancy pelosi that she wasn't prepared to, you know, take on this riot that he incited. so he's -- there -- it take a lot of mental gymnastics for him to defend himself on this day. and i think it is very wise that he's choosing to not speak. >> it is probably -- it is for the best, david, for everyone. because if you're looking at the possibility of him having this presser and he's just going to be propagating the big lie, he's doing it, it is almost like a battle cry, a year later. >> yeah, and the valve of his speaking and his views has been diminished. i also think he's -- nosethose e to him have to make a calculation about how to treat january 6th. if there is a political future here for donald trump, he wants to try to recast what it was, what it meant, how it happened because he has turned off so many people already with his role. whether that's determinative of whether the folks who supported him would still vote for him or not, we don't really know the answer to that. but i think at any political level he would be smart to try to step aside and let other people try to cast it as something other than we all know that it was. which is what takes me back to what we are learning from these fox personalities who were imploring the white house to take a different turn. these are folks driving a false narrative around all of this. in the critical moments, when they thought they had the presidency or the chief of staff's ear, they were waving a red flag saying this is horrible, this is wrong, you're going to ruin everything with this. that was the most honest appraisal that we have seen. >> still, let me book ted cruz, so he can spout the very lies that i'm concerned about spouting there. >> but i will say, even in that clip, john, even in that clip, if you watch it closely, the way i see it is, you know, hannity at the end there is saying, there is not really any chance this is going to work. i don't want to sell any false hope to people, but he's still -- he's still advancing it. i'm not denying that. >> i saw the exact -- i think you're right. i saw the exact same thing there, david. clearly he didn't believe it and was sort of half saying it, yet he still put the guy on tv to lie. >> yeah. good point. david gregory, alyssa farah griffin, thank you. tens of thousands of kids in chicago, a huge school district, the third biggest school district in the country, they're not going to school today after the chicago teachers union voted to stay home from school until january 18th or whenever the latest coronavirus surge subsides. so let's start now with cnn's omar jimenez, live in chicago. omar, this is not what the school system wanted. this is not what the mayor wanted. but this is what the teachers have forced. >> reporter: that's right, brianna. and the communication that the public schools district sent out not long before midnight yesterday, they called this an unfortunate decision, and said they are now worried about the well-being of students. that messaging went on to say that teachers will not be compensated for this, as they consider this a work stoppage. now, part of what the chicago teachers union had asked for, part of what their concerned about is they don't believe the current measures in place are safe enough for students and staff to return in person, amid record covid-19 case numbers we have seen among students, staff and throughout the city of chicago over the past few weeks. but the school district has pushed back on that saying, transmission is not happening in the classroom. they have seen no widespread evidence of that. and further they argue that the tactics of doing a district wide move to virtual learning just isn't practical. part of what they propose is doing school level metrics on when to move to remote learning. for example, a particular school has 50% of the student or staff population, that has to quarantine or isolate. now, moving forward, we are expected to hear from the teachers union a little bit later this morning. but we know that this doesn't just apply to today, the teachers by voting yes on this have indicated that they intend to stay virtual or at least move toward that until january 18th. but, of course, this negotiation process begins to try and get to a place where both sides feel safe going back to school in person and, of course, that would end all of this before that january 18th. >> we'll be watching, omar, developments ahead on this. thank you for that. the cdc issuing some new guidance for covid testing and for masks and it may have only added to the confusion. i mean, i'm confused. and i've been following this day in and day out. the former acting director of the cdc next. those rapid tests that are so hard to find, the prices are about to go up. we'll have new details on why. and the driver of this devastating car crash still alive today, thanks to a dog. the key question here that brianna keilar has asked, what would have happened if a cat was inside that car? >> i'm a cat person still, but, i mean -- >> good question. >> the story ahead. some of my best memories growing up were cooking with mom. so when she moved in with us, a new kitchen became part of our financial plan. ♪ ♪ find a northwestern 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here's what's new here. you have the option to test after five days and if positive, you should continue to isolate for a total of ten days. key word there, option. joining us now is dr. richard besser, a former acting director for the cdc and the president and the ceo of the robert wood johnson foundation. okay, doc, can you help us make sense of this? as a for instance, i cook, sometimes in a recipe it gets to the end, it says crushed red pepper optional and i expect that in a recipe, but i don't know i expect that from cdc guidance. >> well, i think you hit it pretty clearly, brianna. we're not very good with the idea of options. so the overarching recommendation is that isolation can be reduced now from ten days to five days, if you don't have fever, if your symptoms have resolved or are resolving. and the reason for that is data showing that you are most likely to transmit early on. so when those symptoms start, when you first get them, that's when you're most infectious. it doesn't mean then after five days everyone's aability to transmit goes zero, but it goes down. the hope of reducing from ten to five, more people can follow that. here in america, we know that in large proportion of people don't have sick leave. if they're not working, they're not getting paid. the goal here, i think, was to try and create guidance that was workable, that was science-based. but when you put in that option there, saying, but if you have a test kit and want to test it five days and you're positive, you should continue for ten, that makes it pretty confusing. then it is saying that, well, you know, those people who have test kits may want to use them, is that what it is saying? and if that is the case, then we have to look at this as well from an equity standpoint and make sure that anyone who wants a test kit and wants to test it five days can, that the option isn't just for those who happen to have access. >> just level with us, just tell us, you know, that you don't need a test because the cdc, we think, that the risk of spreading it is low. there may still be a risk, but we think it is worth it to get back at it in society. just say it. it seems to me, rather than present this weird option where, by the way, the people who are probably the least dangerous to society are the ones who are going to test anyway. >> well, you know, john, i think the challenge there is that with the reduction of five days there are still people who are going to be testing at six -- on day six, and the question is, well, i'm positive on day six, do i need to do anything with that? and the -- the comment there would be, well if you're positive, we can't say go out without a mask, go out and be around. and so it is a bit of a challenge because in that tail in that day six to day ten, the percent positive is going to go down, but it is not zero, not even close to zero. >> if you're positive on a rapid test, should you assume you are contagious? >> i think you have to, yeah. the -- there are different degrees there. you say someone is contagious, it is not an all or none. so one of the values of the antigen test as compared to the lab test or the pcr tests is that the antigen test is much more likely to only be positive when you are contagious, where as the lab test, the pcr test can remain positive for months, even after you recovered, even after you're not posing a risk to anyone else. so if there were an abundant and overly abundant supply of rapid tests, i think we would be approaching this differently. we might all be getting up in the morning and doing a rapid test before going to work, before sending our kids off to school, and if they're negative, we're out and about feeling better. that isn't the case, there is a shortage, i spent days trying to find rapid tests, and i had the luxury of being able to take time off work to do that. most people don't have that opportunity. >> and you know people. you're connected. rich, look, we talked over the years about kids and health for children. chicago teachers union voted overnight not to show up to work today, basically. they say they're concerned about health and safety protocols. they're also what 97% vaccinated. >> 95%. >> so i do understand there are concerns about safety. but, you know, from the perspective of children, isn't it better for them to be in school if they can be in school? >> yeah, as you know, john, i'm a pediatrician and one thing we learned over the course of the past year is that the toll of covid on children goes way beyond the infection. this has been a real burden in terms of children's learning, but also their emotional health, socialization, we need to do everything we can to keep kids in school. that being said, i think over next couple of weeks it is going to be very hard for many schools to stay open because a lot of staff, a lot of teachers are going to get covid. we see this during flu season, where flu will whip through a community and schools have to close for a bit while there are inadequate numbers of teacher and staff. having as the primary objective, doing everything possible to keep kids in school, is the right approach. if i had younger kids, and my school was doing the right things, so they were addressing ventilation and distancing, they were requiring vaccination, requiring mask wearing, i would feel comfortable sending my kids to school. and by comfort, it doesn't mean i'm sending them to a setting where there is no risk, i'm sending them to a setting where the benefits of being in school, in my mind, outweigh the risks of covid infection. especially as we're learning about omicron infection and that it is a milder infection for most people who get it. >> yeah. and where the risks are mitigated. it is so important, different schools, obviously, different places, doing different things. dr. besser, great to see you. thank you. >> great to see you too. thank you. criminal charges dropped against former governor andrew cuomo. so what is behind the d.a.'s decision here? a capitol hill staffer who barricaded himself inside an office during the insurrection says the trauma from that day pushed him to leave washington altogether. he's here to tell his story. (music) ♪ i think to myself ♪ ♪ what a wonderful world ♪ and there you have it. woah. wireless on the most reliable network nationwide. wow. big deal. we get unlimited for just 30 bucks. sweet, but mine has 5g included. relax people. my wireless is crushing it. that's because you all have xfinity mobile with your internet. it's wireless so good, it keeps one-upping itself. take the savings challenge at xfinitymobile.com/mysavings or visit an xfinity store to learn how our switch squad makes it easy to switch and save hundreds. the capitol insurrection largely came to pass because of a lie about the 2020 election. for an entire year now, the reality of that day has been marred with misinformation and more lies. joining us now to fact check the five primary lies about all this, cnn fact checker in chief daniel dale. daniel, great to see you here. lie number one, you know, you hear the rioters were completely unarmed. >> it is just false, john. dozens of capitol rioters were armed. at least four of them that we know of had guns on capitol grounds. rioters also had things like knives, tasers, baseball bats, axes, batons, bear spray, the list goes on and on. as of last week, more than 75 people illegally on capitol grounds charged with carrying dangerous weapons there. >> armed. lie number two, the idea they were actually protesting a rigged election. >> this trump lie is impressive to me. it is like a double lie in one sentence. so, again, we know the election was not rigged. president biden won fair and square. second, this was, of course, in mere protest. approximately 140 police officers were assaulted as chief judge howell of the d.c. district court keeps saying, these were not mere trespassers, they were not people merely exercising first amendment rights, they came to washington to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power. >> now, another lie, this is a doozy. they're all doozies. the rioters, the idea they were invited into the capitol by police. >> this is ridiculous. there were hours long pitched battles between police officers desperately trying to secure the building and these rioters. we know officers still bear mental and physical scars from that day. there were some cases where some officers have retreated or stood aside or tried to politely engage with the rioters because they were so outnumbered. that's not the same as inviting people in. >> there is the idea that these rioters who were jailed now are nonviolent political prisoners. >> this is a claim that has been made in court by some of the people charged and it has been consistently knocked down by judges including at least two judges appointed by former president trump. of the more than 700 people who have been charm edcharged so fa vast majority were released after their arrest. only a few dozen remain in jail, those people were detained by judges, not by liberal zealots in the biden administration because they're deemed too dangerous to release, often because they engaged in violent conduct or believed to have links to far right extremist groups. >> in conclusion, lie number five, this was all some kind of false flag attack, daniel. >> this is almost insulting to americans' intelligence. we know this was a mob attack, an insurrection, orchestrated and perpetrated by supporters of former president trump. we heard them. we saw them that day. they confirmed their allegiance to trump in social media posts, in the media interviews, they have given, and in their own admissions in court. so the idea this was some sort of secretly plotted attack by left wing antifa is ridiculous. of these more than 700 people charged, not one has shown to have any affiliation with left wing antifa, by contrast, john, hundreds of them have been confirmed as supporters of former president trump, including members and people affiliated with far right extremist groups, not far left, but far right, groups like the oath keepers, proud boys and others. the false flag idea is insulting and ridiculous. >> 365 days of lies. that's what we're noting today. daniel dale, thank you so much for your work. >> thank you. joining us now is evan dale, we only have dales. >> no relation. >> during this segment. no relation. so evan is a former capitol hill staffer, who barricaded himself inside congresswoman sylvia garcia's office during last year's riot. and, evan, you know, just tell us as we're coming up here on one year later, tell us about your experience. i know you were alone. what happened and what did you see and what did you experience that day? >> yeah. thanks for having me. i spent my day in the longworth house office building, the building directly south of the capitol. in the day leading up, we knew there was going to be a protest presence throughout the day. obviously when former president trump demanded -- started guiding people toward the capitol, it became apparent there was going to be some type of violent altercation. in the early afternoon, i actually watched as the east barrier barricade broke and protesters began to work their way up the capitol steps. and by the time i got back to my office, which was all but 90 seconds later, the first videos became apparent that protesters were in the capitol, in the rotunda, began barricading the house floor and then working their way up to the senate floor. so obviously a very scary experience. >> i'm sure it was. and the picture is still horrifying to look at now. 365 days later, evan. what did this do to you? >> yeah, it is interesting. in the days afterwards, i was reflecting, i think it is easy to doubt that, you know, you kind of think, well, in hindsight, maybe i wasn't in any danger, i have no reason to be scared, there is no reason to react the way i did, and the house actually held a series of trauma and resilience workshops in the days afterwards, and one of the things they showed was common symptoms of trauma, and it really wasn't until i realized that i had six or seven of the ten listed that i felt like, you know, wow, this actually had quite a lasting effect and obviously it is something that lives with you when you have to go into that office every day. and it is something that sits in the back of your mind that could happen again. >> yeah, and, evan, we should mention you have since left the hill from being a staff member there. the insurrection part of your decision to do that. and here on the eve of january 6th, we really appreciate you being with us. and telling us about your experience. >> thanks for having me. >> evan dale. highway hell. how did thousands of drivers sit for more than 27 hours on the interstate? 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[ cellphone vibrates ] you'll get proactive alerts for market events before they happen... and insights on every buy and sell decision. with zero-commission online u.s. stock and etf trades. for smarter trading decisions, get decision tech from fidelity. new evidence that the transition in and out of covid lockdown is taking a dire emotional toll on so many children. cnn's elizabeth cohen joins us now. i have to say, elizabeth, it is just easy to see this happening before our very eyes. >> it is easy to see, john. i mean, our children spent a year, a year and a half at a home with their families. not that that was where we wanted them, we wanted them back in school, but that transition back to school has proved to be challenging for many children and teens. like other families, the kitlys in chicago were thrilled when last fall their four children could finally go back to school. but halfway through the school year, there have been bumps in the road, leaving home, going back to school. >> that transition back to school has been difficult. mostly for my youngest child, who felt this sense of safety and security from the age of 7 until 8 1/2 and then needing to go back to school. >> it sounds like your daughter got used to having the comfort of having mom and dad around all the time. >> absolutely. and then is expected to just go back to school from 0 to 100, there wasn't a gradual transition. >> reporter: kitly, a therapist herself, sees the tension in her patients. >> they are feeling increased anxiety around just how to be and communicate with people and build friendships and being able to feel comfortable in their environment. >> have you seen children hit crisis points? >> low self-esteem, and low confidence and feeling depressed and as a coping mechanism, turning to eating disorder behavior or cutting behavior and really not being able to manage the intensity of being back in a school environment. >> last month, the u.s. surgeon general issued this 53-page advisory outlining how the pandemic had an unprecedented negative impact on the mental health of children. one global study finding symptoms of youth depression and anxiety doubled. >> i am so concerned about our children, because there is an epidemic, if you will, of mental health challenges that they have been facing. >> kitly says an empowerment group for girls that she started has helped. atlanta area counselor tisha duvall say when children feel overwhelmed by the transition back to school, she offers them a safe place. >> they often come to my office, just to get a break from the noise. and i was very surprised by that. that they needed to come and get a break from the noise. >> reporter: her advice to parents, remember, if your children seem immature for their age, there's a reason. they missed out on more than a year of development with their peers. >> my 12-year-old, they still act so young. they're more like elementary school kids. >> reporter: missing a year to a year and a half of social interaction for a middle school student, that is a lot. >> it was a lot. >> reporter: and be patient with your child, as they transition from one way of life to another. >> their world was turned upside down. as adults, we are able to bounce back quicker, usually, faster. but for them, you know, it is going to take a little more time. >> parents tell us that omicron has made it worse, yet one more thing for children to worry about as they go back to school after the holidays. john? >> yeah, you know, look, i know children are resilient, they are, but we really asked so much of them over the last two years. and there really is only so much they can take. elizabeth cohen, thank you very much. so change of plans, former president trump cancels his january 6th stunt for mar-a-lago. what is behind that decision? and this very good dog did something extraordinary, ultimately saving the life of her owner. you're really going to want to hear this special story. give your sensitive skin even more. new and improved cetaphil is specially formulated with our dermatologist-backed blend of ingredients to improve your skin's resilience. cetaphil. complete care for your sensitive skin. have you checked singlecare? i think you can get a cheaper price on this. cheaper meds with singlecare. stop! i should spread the word. but how? i wanna be remembered for the savings, with singlecare. you walk into the pharmacy, with great insurance. but then, (screams) singlecare beats the price of your copay. singlecare the musical. are people ready? 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>> sure. thanks for having me. so we got a call for a loose dog running on interstate 89, in lebanon, which borders vermont. the trooper went out there to go check the area, did find a loose dog, a german shepherd running up the northbound side of the highway. and in an attempt to just get the dog off the highway, which is the number one priority so it didn't get hit, it tried to shoo it off the highway, the dog wouldn't leave. it was a little bit skiddish, wouldn't come up to the trooper, but the dog continued to run north and the trooper followed the dog. which ultimately led them to a section of guardrail damage, just over the memorial bridge, which is right over the line in vermont, and as they looked down the embankment, they could see a truck that was involved in a pretty bad crash, and two gentlemen laying outside the truck that had been ejected from the vehicle. seriously injured. and at that point suffering from hypothermia. >> this really is, like, lassie, going to get help for the kid who fell down the well or something. what is the condition of the people who were in the car at this point and would they have made it if they hadn't been found? >> they were transported to the hospital for their injuries. as far as their condition, vermont state police was handling the aspect of the crash. but in my opinion, i'm not a medical professional by any means, but the odds are given the temperature of that night and how long they were out there, it is still unknown at this point, the odds are i'm not sure if they would have made it. that dog definitely saved their lives. if not, lessened the injuries they did suffer from the crash. >> what is the conversation like at the department? have you seen anything like this? >> no. i haven't. and it is -- we call it just like you just said, real life lassie story, someone is in distress and the dog is bringing that person to the owner. we have had calls, you know, for dogs on the road, other animals many times, but nothing to this extent where the dog wouldn't leave. but kept leading the trooper and the officer to a different location. it is remarkable. it is a heart warming story with a happy ending and just something that -- we're talking about that it just -- you don't hear every day. >> am i allowed to ask -- >> you have to ask the big question. >> i don't want to drag you in, but have you ever seen a cat do anything like this? >> not yet, no. >> this proves our point. >> i'm just saying, if you had a cat in this situation, you would definitely be a goner, right? they're not going to help you, right, lieutenant, the way that a dog would. >> i don't think the cat would stick around, no. i think you're right. >> there you heard it right there. lieutenant, we could not appreciate you being with us more. we're glad you had this nice story to deal with around the new year. happy new year to you and everyone who works with you. >> same to you. thanks again for having us. >> i'll tell you what the cat would have done. >> oh, contraire, the cat would stick around. >> the cat would judge you. that's all a cat does, it judges you, it is not going to help, it is going to judge. >> it would say, why did you get in this accident and then it would make a little snack of you. that's what i think. i'm actually a cat person, but i'm a dog person for this story. big time. cnn's coverage continues right now. very good wednesday morning to you. i'm jim sciutto. we're following two major stories this morning, first, omicron now accounts for 95% of all the nation's new covid cases. and that variant is pushing covid hospitalizations closer to an all time high in this country, for now hospitalizations still, though, about 20% short of last winter's peak. most of those patients we should note this has been consistent throughout the pandemic unvain