flames and smoke tore through a high-rise building in the bronx. 19 dead. nine of them children. >> it was dad. i see kids crying for help, and at that point we couldn't do anything. >> you know about the surge in cases. but also right now in this country, about 138,000 people are in the hospital with covid. that's just short of the all-time high of 142,000, and right now medical professionals don't see an end in sight. >> i'm here to tell you we're tired. we're exhausted. and we're literally on the edge. >> and that is where we are going to start this morning. we are at a testing facility in los angeles, in chicago where classes have been cancelled for the fourth day in a row now. also a physician in chief, is with us. let's start in l.a. that city saying like so many other places, a record number of cases right now. but they're also seeing what's been called flurona. the flu and coronavirus. if you're sick, it's already tough to figure out if it's a cold, covid j something else. how are experts identifying this flurona, and what does it mean in terms of treatment? >> craig, well, we spoke with health experts here in los angeles. we know that last week there was a highly publicized case from a young boy who tested positive for both covid and the flu right here in west los angeles at this testing site. and public officials did tell us that this is something they have seen in the past. it was not the first case, and it was important for the doctor to tell us, or he wantedtous make sure we keep in mind that it's not a new disease. it's both having the flu and covid at the same time. when it comes to treatment, the doctor telling us they have not changed anything. they would give somebody the treatment they would for covid and also for the flu, but he did want to mention to us how important it is to keep in mind about the seriousness of having both diseases at the same time. this is what the doctor told us. >> you have to remember in the united states in an average year 45,000 people die from the flu. it's not like covid. even if omicron is milder, it's not as deadly as omicron, but it's still deadly. >> reporter: the way to know if someone has both viruses is to test for it. that's why it's difficult to know if people have flurona. it's just having both at the same time. it is not any type of new disease or new virus. that's what the doctor wanted to make sure that we communicate to the public. and i should say that yesterday l.a. county also had the highest number of daily infections with more than 45,000. >> all right. at a testing site in los angeles there. i want to bring into the conversation surgeon dr. susana hills. dr. hills, thank you for your time this morning. since the start of this pandemic, there's been a lot of concern about the convergence of the flu and covid according to the cdc, the flu has accounted for up to 52,000 deaths a year between 2010 and 2022. how concerned are you about this now? this convergence of the flu and covid? >> yeah. craig, it's something we see all the time in our pediatric population. kids testing positive for more than one virus at the same time. so it's not surprising. and i agree with exactly what was just said in your earlier report, that we don't necessarily expect more severe illness with testing positive for two viruses. but, again, it's certainly twice as much chance for one of those viruses or both together to have a severe impact. so, again, not uncommon. not surprising. we see it all the time in kids getting positive for two viruses. we'll just have to see how this pans out with the omicron variant in particular. >> meghan fitzgerald, let me come to you in the windy city. chicago public schools out again today as the teachers union and mayor lightfoot continue to fight over the safety of in-person learning. any sign of progress in the conversations? >> reporter: progress, yes, but any indication of when the students will get back into the classroom, no. earlier today we heard from the president of the chicago teacher's union who says that he has not gotten what he needs to be able to go back to his members to reach an agreement here. he went onto call the mayor relentlessly stupid and relentlessly stubborn. a lot of frustration. the teachers union says look, we want better metrics in place to understand when schools aren't safe to then trigger online learning. they want more testing. they want something called opt out testing which means every student would be tested unless their parents opted them out of that. the mayor says that's not happening. i want you to listen to what both sides have to say. >> we are working diligently every single day at the bargaining table to narrow the differences and get a deal done. >> we're going to have to come to some agreement. we're going to have to say yes to some things, and she's going to have to say yes to some things. so far she has refused to say yes to some things. >> now, the mayor has agreed to some of the things the union wants. specifically more masks. more durable, stronger masks like the kn95 mask. she agrees there needs to be more testing but the biggest bone of contention is teachers respect willing to go back to school until january 18th when they suspect the surge will subside. the mayor says that's a nonstarter. she wants teachers and students back in the classroom immediately. she calls this an illegal walkout and says the teachers and the teacher's union is abandoning student here's, but here we are. fourth day classes have been cancelled going into the second week of the negotiations, craig. >> and to be clear, there's no remote learning happening there in chicago either. right? >> yeah. you're right. there's no remote learning. classes have literally been cancelled. >> how do the teachers justify that part of it? even if you're not willing to go into a classroom, why not be willing to teach from your own home, i guess? what's the risk there? >> yeah. you know, it's a good question. there's a lot of confusion. why isn't it as simple as just online learning? well, we're understanding that the students don't have what they need to be able to do that specifically laptops. that's something not doled out to every student. that's why there's this back and forth and this rush to try and get to an agreement so these students can start learning again. >> meghan fitzgerald for us there in chicago. meghan, thank you for your reporting. doctor salazar, you told your local newspaper in connecticut that this is, quote, truly a pandemic proportion of children that we had not seen before. doctor, what's changed? >> yeah. craig, thanks for inviting me this morning. it is correct. we've seen over the past couple of weeks the greatest number of children infected with covid-19. the american academy of pediatrics put a number out the last week in december, about 325,000 children were diagnosed with covid-19. in connecticut we have seen a significant increase in the number of kids that are infected. some of them have ended up in the hospital. we saw last week we had 17 kids here at connecticut childrens in hartford. things have changed. now, i want to make sure we tell this to parents. you know, again, we don't want them to panic. this is a flu-like illness. some kids end up in the hospital. but fortunately, kids for the most part are doing okay. now, parents can help by getting their kids vaccinated. 25% of 5 to 11-year-olds are vaccinated. that means 75% are not in that age group, and about 75% of the 12 to 16-year-olds, that means 25% are not. we want to really change the dynamic for this pandemic. be not afraid. be responsible. get your kids vaccinated. and i think we'll begin to turn this around. >> doctor, omicron also appears to be causing a harsh barking cough known as croup among the children younger than five. experts say it's most likely because it appears omicron tends to settle higher up in the respiratory tract rather than deeper in the lungs. are you seeing that in the children that you are treating as well? >> yeah. that's exactly right. this is different than we had seen even in kids in the older kids in the early pandemic with delta and the other variants. this one resembles more like influenza, with an upper respiratory infection, a croupy cough. sometimes fever alone. it's a little different. it's something that pediatricians are used to seeing with the common respiratory virus. more kids are being infected. hang in there. i know this is tough for the parents and families. we'll get through this. common sense, work with your pediatricians. get vaccinated. get tested when appropriate. and then just keep moving forward with your lives. that's what's important at this point. >> dr. hills we mentioned the number at the start of the program. around 138,000 people hospitalized with covid-19. that's according to our count at nbc news. the pandemic high about 142,000. how are the folks there who work in your hospital holding up? >> it's incredibly challenging, as you might imagine. we're having staffing shortages. over the weekend 40 hospitals across the state of new york were ordered to stop elective surgeries. and that's in an effort to preserve beds, and it's not just new york. oregon over the weekend, too, issued guidance on how to allocate services and resources should they be in a position where they need to, because they had only about 42 icu beds available in the state. so here in new york and now in other places across the country, we're really feeling the crunch of not only staffing shortages but the critical bed shortages as well. >> the folks who are in the hospital, percentage, if you had to guess, what would you say are the percentage unvaccinate who had are hospitalized? >> yes. so clearly we know that the folks who are here for covid, the vast majority, i would say over 80%, overall, they're unvaccinated. and then we're seeing about 50% of folks in the hospital in general being unvaccinated. but a large proportion are people not here with covid symptoms necessarily. but those here with covid symptoms, certainly those in the icu, a vast majority are unvaccinated. >> dr. hills, thank you. dr. salazar, a thanks to you. this morning a key diplomatic meeting between u.s. and russian officials over russia's aggression toward ukraine. can the biden administration convince russia not to invade? we're going to have the latest on those talks. first, though, an absolutely unbelievable tragedy over the weekend in the bronx. 19 people killed in the deadliest fire new york city has seen in three decades. we're going to get the latest on the investigation. how the survivors are coping. here's one father who doesn't know what to tell his kids. >> tomorrow is a school day. and they ask me why they are -- they're going to ask me tomorrow. they go together and come back together. where their friend. what am i going to tell them tomorrow? m i going to tell them tomorrow realtor.com's draw a map feature helped us find what we wanted, where we wanted. so we could finally buy our first "big boi house." big boi house. big boi foyer! big boi marble. big boi quartz. word? realtor.com to each their home. narrator: on a faraway beach, the generation called "our greatest" saved the world from tyranny. in an office we know as "oval," a new-generation president faced down an imminent threat of nuclear war. on a bridge in selma, alabama, the preacher of his time marched us straight to passing voting rights for every american. at a gate in west berlin, a late-generation american president demanded an enemy superpower tear down a wall and liberate a continent. american generations answering the call of their time with american ideals. freedom. liberty. justice. for today's generation of leaders, the call has come again to protect our freedom to vote, to fortify our democracy by passing the freedom to vote act and the john lewis voting rights act because america - john lewis: we are not going back, we are going forward. alice loves the scent of gain so much, john lewis: she wished there was a way to make it last longer. say hello to your fairy godmother alice and long-lasting gain scent beads. try spring daydream, now part of our irresistible scent collection. new year, new start. and now comcast business is making it easy to get going with the ready. set. save. sale. get started with fast and reliable internet and voice for $64.99 a month with a 2-year price guarantee. it's easy... with flexible installation and backing from an expert team, 24/7. and for even more value, ask how to get up to a $500 prepaid card. get a great deal for your business with the ready. set. save. sale today. comcast business. powering possibilities. this morning new york city mayor eriked a nls is warning that the number of victims killed in the city's deadliest fire in decades could rise. so far 19 people including nine children have died in the fire inside a bronx apartment building. more than a dozen people are in critical condition this morning. officials believe that it was an e electric heater that sparked the fire. smoke filled the building on every floor. gabe, we just found out that mayor adams is set to give a briefing on that fire. a little more than an hour from now. 12:30 eastern. what more have we learned, and what's that seen like some 24 hours later? >> hi there, craig. yes, the mayor is expected here in a short time. the shock is really sinking in here. we just spoke with a couple of survivors a short time ago here at the scene. and they described just a frightening escape from the burning building. as you can see behind me, many of the broken windows still evident here as firefighters desperately try to rescue many of the residents here. 120 units in this building. about 200 firefighters here at the scene. and you know, something that's focussed of this investigation, craig, is the door to the second and third floor part, where this fire started. it was left open as the residents got out and left ajar. in any case, it did not close and authorities say that helped the thick black smoke go throughout this building. victims were found on each floor. again, we spoke with several survivors this morning. take a listen at what one of them had to say. >> the smoke was so terrible. i called 9-1-1 three times. i couldn't get to the door. we could have died in there with the smoke. it was really, really bad. it was really bad. i dropped on my knees and started praying and asked god, please help us. help us. >> and again, craig, so much emotion here from those survivors. and as they remember, there's nine children that have lost their lives. the death toll, again, still at 19, but as you mentioned, the mayor says it could likely rise. several people still in critical condition, and there are many displaced residents here that are now staying at local hotels and really wondering where this investigation will go. again, authorities believe a faulty space heater was to blame, and the issue exacerbated by the smoke going throughout the building because the door to that main apartment was left open. >> just an unthinkable tragedy. gabe gutierrez there for us outside the apartment building. an update expected an hour from now on that story. right now, though, one of president biden's top diplomats is meeting behind closed doors with russian officials. they're talking about the growing tensions. we'll have the latest on the talks and what the biden administration wants to get out of those talks, next. t t of those talks, next jerry, you gotta see this. seen it. trust me, after 15 walks... gets a little old. i really should be retired by now. wish i'd invested when i had the chance... to the moon! ugh. unbelievable. looking to get back in your type 2 diabetes zone? once-weekly ozempic® can help. ♪ oh, oh, oh, ozempic®! ♪ ♪ oh, oh, oh ♪ ozempic® is proven to lower a1c. most people who took ozempic® reached an a1c under 7 and maintained it. and you may lose weight. adults lost on average up to 12 pounds. in adults also with known heart disease, ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death. ozempic® helped me get back in my type 2 diabetes zone. ozempic® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't share needles or pens, or reuse needles. don't take ozempic® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. looking to get back in your type 2 diabetes zone? ask your health care provider today about once-weekly ozempic®. ♪ oh, oh, oh, ozempic®! ♪ you may pay as little as $25 for a 3-month prescription. [copy machine printing] ♪ ♪ who would've thought printing... could lead to growing trees. ♪ exploring the heart of historic europe with viking, you'll get closer to iconic landmarks, could lead to growing trees. to local life and legendary treasures as you sail onboard our patented, award-winning viking longships. you'll enjoy many extras, including wi-fi, cultural enrichment from ship to shore and engaging excursions. viking - voted number one river cruise line by condé nast readers. learn more at viking.com. in just the last 30 minutes stay stakes security talks between the united states and russia wrapped up. diplomats spoke for close to seven hours today in geneva. the central issue? the buildup of tens of thousands of russian troops at ukraine's border. but a series of demands from russia, and varying expectation levels are clouding the possibility of a long-term resolution. i want to go to nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engel. he is in eastern ukraine at a frontlines of the john going conflict. and he was just in a ukrainian trench. just a few hours ago when i saw you on "today." that's where you were. not far from the russian border. so richard, take us through what ukrainians are watching for today, and the context, perhaps, of your own firsthand experience at the border there. >> so first i'll start with what we saw in the trenches along the border. the ukrainian military is on high alert. they are expanding the trenches, and we were watching soldiers today digging new trenches or widening the trenches that were there, expanding the trench network. and this is incredibly hard back-breaking work. one using a spade to break the ice, the trenches are now frozen. all the ground is frozen solid. another soldier with a shovel to throw the debris out of the trench. they are doing this because they are worried that these talks either could break down or that these talks aren't real. that russia has no intention of actually carrying out any diplomacy, but intends instead to use the 100,000 troops masked along three sides of the ukrainian border to the north, east, and south, and use them to plow right into and over the trenches and occupy more of ukraine. and what they worry is that russia is just using these talks as an excuse so that it can say it did its best. it tried diplomacy, but the united states, nato, and ukraine, wouldn't theron russia's overtures or demands, and that russia, that vladimir putin was left with no choice but to pursue military actions. and one of the reasons they are so concerned is the demands that russia has been making. russia is demanding that ukraine never be admitted to nato, that is something that nato says only nato can decide, but russia is also demanding that nato disengage from the countries that it has expanded into and remove nato military installations from eastern european countries. that nato specifically pulled back all military hardware that was placed here after 1997. now, after 1997, we're talking about military installations in poland, hungary, all the baltic states. is a massive demand, unrealistic demand. it is almost like russia asking that nato dismantle itself from eastern europe. and that, what russia must know as an unrealistic demand makes the united states nervous and makes ukrainians nervous, particularly in that border region, that this is not real diplomacy but some sort of show diplomacy to give putin the cover to say that he tried to have a negotiated settlement but was unable to reach one. >> our chief foreign correspondent richard engel for us on the ground own on the move as always. richard, thank you. richard mentioned real and show diplomacy. let's talk about it. we've brought in two experts, former deputy national security adviser to president obama. and also with me this morning steven who served as ambassador to russia at large from 1997 to 2000. he's also a senior fellow on the council of foreign relations. let's start with the expectations that were just laid out there. russia, again, the top demand would seem to be russia demanding nato, denied membership to ukraine and other soviet nations. secretary blinken ruled that and said he didn't expect any breakthroughs this week. if there are no breakthroughs expected this week, what's the best case scenario in terms of an outcome today? >> well, this is one of those scenarios where the best case scenario is that you just agree to keep on talking rather than to have talks break down and the potential for some military escalation from the russian side. what's been interesting in watching in is both sides have been specific. russia specific in the unrealist demands about nato pulling back from eastern europe. the u.s. side serious about the consequences russia would face if they move further into ukraine, including export controls that prohibit the kind of technology that they need for military and technology sanctions. and u.s. foreshadowing they're willing to discuss military exercises or the placement of missiles in europe, but not the core issues of nato identity and where they deploy their own forces. there's a gap between the sides. the one thing the u.s. side is trying to do today is just try to determine is russia really serious about having diplomatic talks about european security, or as richard said, is this just a facade to make it look like they're reasonable and open to diplomacy, and then the russian side can pull out and say because our demands weren't met, we may need to take further military action in ukraine? so it's a very delicate balancing act. success would be further rounds of talks and frankly, continuing to talk instead of seeing the military escalation. >> ambassador, i'll pose that question to you. you know this region better than most. ben's question there, is russia serious, or is this all a bit of a farce, a bit of an exercise in futility? >> well, we may not find out today the russians have been talking extremely nastily and harshly about western positions. they've said that the west doesn't understand their point of view. that they're determined to get quick results. they want to see whether the -- whether the west is prepared to be at all serious in responding to their demands, and they've said somewhat threateningly. they said, you know, we want to know whether you'll show any flexibility or else things will get worse for your security. so the russians are definitely not doing a mr. nice guy routine here. and they may have ways of ratcheting up the pressure even if they don't invade. there are cyber attacks that are in there -- in their pocket. they have -- some russian commentators have talked about the possibility that you could have a kind of recognition of the separatist areas in ukraine or even annexation which would bring russian troops directly in larger numbers into ukraine. into the now occupied territories. so there are lots of ways in which this could be worse than the current situation, but without an immediate invasion. >> ambassador, in the simplest of terms for folks who might be watching or listening on serious xm satellite radio, explain to people why we should care about ukraine and what's happening in ukraine, and russian aggression toward ukraine. >> well, this is a sovereign country of 45 million people that -- whose standing has been recognized by all the other states of europe, and the russians are saying basically we don't want you to be a sovereign country anymore. they have said, you know, your status actually matters more to us than it does to you. this was another thing that the deputy foreign minister said last week. there is a kind of wild and crazy talk by russian officials these days, which is pretty disturbing, whatever you think about ukraine. it's the most ukraine is the focus right now, but an awful lot of other european countries are thinking, you know, if the russians act this way, how are they going to treat us? that's why interestingly you suddenly have the fins and the sweeds saying you know, we may need to join nato, too. so for most european countries, and for the united states, ukraine is an important country in itself. but also an indication of the way in which the russians intend to act toward others. >> there are multiple officials told nbc news on friday that if the talks go well, and russia agrees to deescalate, the united states would be open to changes to military posture, including size, scale, scope, and location of exercises. rotational deployments to the region, notifying russians in advance of ship visits and bomber flights. and missile systems and nuclear capabilities in the region as well. again, this is, of course, if the talks go well and russia agrees to its own measures. then if you were advising this administration, is that something you would advise us to do? >> yeah. i think if you look at those measures, what they don't get at is the capacity of nato to make its own decisions about what it's doing and where it's doing it. these are really kind of cold war era arms control type transparency measures where you're just much clearer with the russians about what you're doing when you're undertaking exercises, more military to military channels established. it's the kind of thing that's meant to build trust and transparency. it's not meant to get at some of the fundamental questions about whether ukraine gets to determine its own future, and whether nato gets to determine where it deploys forces. i think the risk here, again, is that the russians are just using these talks to be let down. that the russians will want to walk away from the table and say the americans, nato, they weren't serious about any of our demands, any of the things we wanted to talk about, so we're going to have to take further action in ukraine. the other thing that they could do, again, is instead of that full scale invasion, they do something like annex the eastern parts of ukraine that they currently occupy. so for the united states, what's complicated here is we don't want the conflict in ukraine. joe biden does not want there to be an escalation in further war inside of europe. with all the different elements of a complicated geopolitical circumstance around the world, never mind the issues at home. at the same time, we can't afford to sacrifice the principle that you cannot invade and annex part of the other country and undermine all of european security. it's finding threading the needle so you can continue diplomatic process, try to create transparency between the u.s. and russian side. one of the benefits of this negotiating team is the russian has spent many hours on the american side of the delegation and the iran talks. you want to try to create some predictability and i do dye log between the u.s. and russia to take place on the military buildup. vladimir putin has not shown any interest in wanting to have a predictable and transparent relationship with the united states. he's ultimately the one who is going to make this decision. that's why the most important message that the u.s. is probably delivering today is the consequences that russia will face if they go further into ukraine. it's whether that's a deterrent that's going to matter more than what they're putting on the table in terms of transparency and military exercises. if putin is convinced that those consequences make it not worthwhile for him to go further into ukraine, then perhaps you get the kind of time you want for diplomacy. if he's not, we could be looking at another escalation as we've seen of vladimir putin provoking the west and trying to undermine our interests. >> a big thanks to both of you. enjoyed our conversation this morning. president biden is going to head to georgia tomorrow for what the white house is says is a major speech on voting rights. activists warn don't come without a plan. and turning to remote learning. has it gotten any easier for our children? what they've learned in the last two years and how they're dealing with even more uncertainty. w they're dealing with even more dealing with even more uncertainty. [ awada ] the health of our teeth plays a significant role in our overall health. chantell was suffering, and we had to put an end to that. the absolute best way to do that was through dental implants. [ chantell ] clearchoice dental implants changed everything. my digestive health is much better now. i feel more energetic. the person that i've always been has shown up to the party again. ♪ got my hair ♪ i feel more energetic. ♪ got my head ♪ ♪ got my brains ♪ ♪ got my ears ♪ ♪ got my heart ♪ ♪ got my soul ♪ ♪ got my mouth ♪ ♪ i got life ♪ new projects means new project managers. you need to hire. i need indeed. indeed you do. when you sponsor a job, you immediately get your shortlist of quality candidates, whose resumes on indeed match your job criteria. visit indeed.com/hire and get started today. with age comes more... get more with neutrogena® retinol pro plus. a powerful .05% retinol that's also gentle on skin. for wrinkles results in one week. neutrogena®. for people with skin. the fight over voting rights is intensifying this week. president biden set to deliver a major speech on the issue tomorrow in atlanta. the white house under pressure to do more as republican-led state houses push bills that voting advocates say make voting more difficult, especially for people of color. meanwhile, former first lady michelle obama voting rights an, when we all vote is stepping up its fight. her group teaming up to register more than a million new voters across the country ahead of the midterms. nbc's kelly o'donnell is at the white house with more on the president's speech tomorrow. and leigh ann caldwell is on capitol hill. and we'll start at the white house. the administration facing some pretty intense pressure from its own supporters to take real issue, real action on the issue. a group of georgia voteding rights groups releasing a statement asking the president and vice president to skip the trip entirely until they have a plan to pass legislation. it says in part, quote, such an empty gesture without concrete action without signs of tangible work is unacceptable. so what's the plan from the administration, kelly o.? >> well, there has really been a sense and acknowledgment inside the biden white house that time is running out to take action. so we've seen top officials here met meeting with civil rights activists and voices around the country to try to engage with them before tomorrow's speech. and an acknowledgment that they have to do something more. there's been a lot of criticism from the progressive left on the administration both aimed at the president and vice president to do more. what we expect is that the president and vice president who will both be speaking, and they chose to go to atlanta in part because of the civil rights history there, in part because that state gave democrats the senate majority which was the only way they can even be engaged in this in a legislative way. and because of all the work that is being done to both enroll voters and the battle over voter access. it really seems like the perfect place to have this argument. but what can be done specifically? so that is a big question. because of the legislative hurdles. we know the president has said he would be willing to see a change in senate rules related to voting rights. that is still something he doesn't have direct control over. we've also talked in the past about how the president has said this is about a soul of the nation moment, that this is something so essential to not only his presidency but the values that he believes his presidency should stand for. but concrete and specific, that's where it gets more difficult. we expect that the president will try to lay out a path forward. we expect the vice president will try to make that case as well. but there's real frustration on the part of especially people who have been kind of in the ground game of voter access. feeling like there has not been enough done personally by the president and vice president to advance this. and that's where this gets difficult. they have changed up the schedule, putting the president's own build back better agenda on the back burner and saying they're going to try to move this forward with the help of leader schumer and the senate before they even try to get that signature piece of legislation. these are big, big challenges for the biden white house. >> yeah. leigh ann, republicans on the hill, no desire to change voting laws on the federal level. yet, there seems to be this fresh determination among democrats to take action. any new developments on the legislative front? >> well, craig, there's nothing new right now. and that is because democrats are telling me that they are going to wait until after president biden's speech tomorrow night in georgia to lay out any sort of plan to the agenda in order to take up this legislation. generally speaking, taking a step back here, we know what the democrats want to do. leader schumer has outlined multiple times over the past week or so that he is going to put up once again the voting rights legislation that all 50 democrats support, but it's stuck, because they don't have the support of any republican and, of course, they need 60 members. one they put that up and once republicans block it like they are expected to do, that is when democrats have a real question. leader schumer has said that he is going to put up a debate on changing the senate rules. getting rid, perhaps of the 60 vote threshold in order to pass voting rights legislation. but the problem is, still, senator joe manchin, senator kyrsten sinema. they have not shown any direct indication that they are going to go along with that associations and discussions among democrats and their colleagues have been john going for weeks and months. we know those are going to continue this week. leader schumer put forward a self-imposed deadline of martin luther king junior day. that's monday. and there's no clarity on if they're going to be able to accomplish what they set out to do. >> leigh ann caldwell from her perch there on capitol hill. and kelly o'donnell from hers there at the people's house. ladies, thank you both. children across this country are back to logging on for remote classes. parents and those kids feeling a bit of a since of deja vu. how they're cope, our kids, next. >> it definitely creates anxiety. it feels like the same as it was last year. that sort of uncertainty. you don't know what next week is going to hold anymore. g to hold. i'm always up for what's next, even with higher stroke risk due to afib not caused by a heart valve problem. so if there's a better treatment than warfarin i'll go after that. eliquis. eliquis reduces stroke risk better than warfarin and has less major bleeding than warfarin. eliquis has both. don't stop taking eliquis without talking to your doctor as this may increase your risk of stroke. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. while taking, you may bruise more easily or take longer for bleeding to stop. get help right away for unexpected bleeding, or unusual bruising. it may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. the number one cardiologist-prescribed blood thinner. ask your doctor about eliquis. dry eye symptoms driving you crazy? inflammation might be to blame. time for ache and burn! over the counter eye drops typically work by lubricating your eyes and may provide temporary relief. those'll probably pass by me! xiidra works differently, targeting inflammation that can cause dry eye disease. xiidra? no! it can provide lasting relief. xiidra is the only fda-approved non-steroid eye drop specifically for the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. one drop in each eye, twice a day. don't use if you're allergic to xiidra. common side effects, include eye irritation, discomfort or blurred vision when applied to the eye, and unusual taste sensation. don't touch container tip to your eye or any surface. after using xiidra, wait fifteen minutes before reinserting contacts. talk to an eye doctor about xiidra. i prefer you didn't. xiidra. not today, dry eye. people with moderate to severe psoriasis, are rethinking the choices they make like the splash they create the entrance they make, the surprises they initiate. otezla. it's a choice you can make. otezla is not a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. with otezla, 75% clearer skin is achievable. don't use if you're allergic to otezla. it may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. upper respiratory tract infection and headache may occur. tell your doctor about your medicines, and if you're pregnant or planning to be. otezla. show more of you. right now millions of students are being thrown back into chaos as the new covid surge disrupts classes in districts nationwide. last year our team here at nbc followed a dozen high school students from their first day of school all the way into their last. we checked back in with those students to talk about the new challenges they're facing amid a rise in omicron cases. >> reporter: we've already seen remote learning can be devastating. >> i'm less interested. >> i'd say overwhelming. >> basically it sucks. >> for most of the students we followed all last year from the first classes in the fall -- >> it's hard for me. >> my grades have been slightly dropping. >> it's stressful, for sure. >> reporter: to all the challenges that came with remote schooling. >> it really does suck. >> everything is getting worse. >>. >> reporter: it was a year they won't hoping to repeat. in october of 2020, aleg ra was a junior in chicago and frustrated with online classes. >> the whole thing would kick me out and say your connection was lost. >> reporter: by december, she was overwhelmed. >> i don't understand, and i can't ask the teachers for help. >> reporter: john, our student in pennsylvania, also struggled through his junior year. in december of 2020, he and so many students nationwide went through a mix of remote and in-person learning. it was getting to him. his grades dropped and so did his self-esteem. >> i'm still surprised at how much online is affecting me. >> reporter: by february of 2021, he was constantly distracted. >> the snow blower, dogs barking, parents going in and out. it can mess with me. >> reporter: and this year, a new covid surge has disrupted classes again. for aleg ra, now a senior, chicago public schools were completely shut down three straight days last week as the district and the teacher's union debated whether to go remote in the coming weeks. >> how does that affect your stress level? >> my stress level, i would say is pretty high. >> reporter: her mother learned to keep a close eye on her daughter and son. >> i learned 24 /7 how they will navigate school, life, emotionally. >> i'm very worried. >> reporter: and john, also a senior now, says there's a growing possibility his school will go back to remote any day now. does that create anxiety for you, stress? >> it creates anxiety. it feels like the same as it was last year. that sort of uncertainty you don't know what next week is going to hold anymore. >> reporter: there's overwhelming data that remote learning has taken a harsh toll on children's academic and mental health. >> the uncertainty of the pandemic overall has been incredibly stressful for kids. probably important to check in with kids and understand what it is that they're experiencing that might be stressful. >> reporter: whatever comes, both john and alegra say they're better prepared. did you learn covid skills last year? >> yes. i was upset. but when i needed to get the work done, i took a deep breath and did the best i could. >> it's important to make sure you can adapt and plan flexibility into your schedules. >> reporter: lessons learned in the age of covid, helping these students stay on course. nbc news. >> lessons from our students that we could all use, perhaps. thank you for that this morning. we are seeing an outpouring of -- tributes to the man that many knew as america's today. bob saget. the most of "america's funniest home videos". he died unexpectedly at the age of 65. he was found sunday in a florida hotel room. orange county sheriff's officials say in a news release that detectives have found no signs of foul play or drug use. his full house co-star john stamos tweeted in part, i am in complete and utter shock. i will never, ever have another friend like him. and mary kate and ashley olsen called hinl, quote, the most loving, compassionate and generous man. in the last tweet that he ever posted, bob saget expressed gratitude for his fans. that's going to do it for me on a monday morning. "andrea mitchell reports" starts next. reports" starts reports" starts next ♪ ♪ ♪ when you have nausea, ♪ reports" starts next ♪ heartburn, ingestion, upset stomach... ♪ ♪ diarrheaaaa.♪ try pepto bismol with a powerful coating action. for fast and soothing relief. pepto bismol for fast relief when you need it most. every day in business brings something new. so get the flexibility of the new mobile service designed for your small business. introducing comcast business mobile. you get the most reliable network with nationwide 5g included. and you can get unlimited data for just $30 per line per month when you get four lines or mix and match data options. available now for comcast business internet customers with no line-activation fees or term contract required. see if you can save by switching today. comcast business. powering possibilities. nyquil severe gives you powerful relief for your worst cold and flu symptoms, on sunday night and every night. nyquil severe. the nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, best sleep with a cold, medicine. good day. this is

Related Keywords

Craig Melvin , Eyes , Stories , Nbc World Head Quarters , Eastern Ukraine , Action , Diplomacy , Border , Russian , Agenda , U S , Tens Of Thousands , Aggression , Meeting , Stakes , Representatives , Geneva , Talks , Fire , Troops , Tensions , New York City , Gut Punch Sunday , Expectations Aren T High , Anthony Blinken , Three , Children , Kids , Building , Smoke , Help , Nine , Flames , 19 , People , Country , Covid 19 , Hospital , Cases , Surge , Point We Couldn T , 138000 , End , High , Sight , Professionals , The Edge , 142000 , Classes , Testing Facility , Chicago , Row , Los Angeles , Places , City , Record Number , Chief , Physician , Let , Flu , Treatment , Something Else , Terms , Cold , Coronavirus , Flurona , Case , Boy , Health Experts , Covid , West Los Angeles , Something , Doctor , Officials , Disease , Mind , Testing Site , He Wantedtous , Seriousness , Somebody , Diseases , 45000 , Reporter , Way , Viruses , Omicron , Someone , Both , Virus , Type , Public , Number , There , L A County , Infections , Hills , Dr , Lot , Pandemic , Convergence , Conversation Surgeon , Start , Deaths , Concern , Susana Hills , Cdc , 52000 , 2022 , 2010 , Report , Kids Testing , Population , One , Testing , Illness , Chance , Positive , Impact , Two , Meghan Fitzgerald , Pans , Chicago Public Schools , Omicron Variant In Particular , Students , Mayor , Learning , Indication , Teachers Union , Progress , Yes , Conversations , Sign , Safety , President , Classroom , Members , Agreement , Chicago Teacher S Union , Place , Frustration , Schools , Opt Out Testing , Aren T , Safe , Look , Metrics , Parents , Student , Sides , Bargaining Table , Things , Deal , Differences , Union , Some , Masks , Kn95 Mask , Teachers , Contention , Bone , Nonstarter , January 18th , 18 , Walkout , Teacher , Negotiations , Part , It , Risk , Question , Home , Isn T , Confusion , Laptops , Rush , Quote , Proportion , Reporting , Newspaper , Connecticut , Doctor Salazar , Thanks , Increase , American Academy Of Pediatrics , 325000 , Connecticut Childrens In Hartford , 17 , Age Group , Dynamic , 75 , 25 , 12 , 16 , 5 , 11 , Experts , Cough , Croup , Five , Respiratory Tract , Lungs , Influenza , Croupy Cough , Infection , Variants , Fever , Delta , Pediatricians , Families , Common Respiratory Virus , Lives , Point , Program , Common Sense , Folks , Nbc News , Count , Estate , Staffing Shortages , Effort , Hospitals , Surgeries , 40 , Weekend , Position , Beds , Resources , Services , Guidance , Oregon , 42 , Bed Shortages , Percentage , Unvaccinate , Crunch , Being Unvaccinated , General , 80 , 50 , Symptoms , Covid Symptoms , Majority , Icu , Administration , Behind Closed Doors , Salazar , Tragedy , Latest , First , Investigation , Survivors , Father , School Day , Coping , Doesn T Know , Friend , Mi , Tomorrow Realtor Com , Find , Big Boi House , Draw , Map Feature , White House , Generation , World , Realtor Com , Quartz , Big Boi , Foyer , Word , Greatest , Beach , Tyranny , Narrator , Big Boi Marble , Voting Rights , Preacher , Office , Threat , Oval , Bridge , Nuclear War , Alabama , Selma , Generations , Call , Continent , Gate , Enemy Superpower Tear , Wall , West Berlin , Passing The Freedom To Vote Act , Freedom , Democracy , Leaders , Ideals , Justice , The Call , Liberty , John Lewis , Back , Voting Rights Act , Alice , Scent , Gain , Business , Ready , Set , Save , Sale , Scent Collection , Fairy Godmother , Scent Beads , Try Spring Daydream , Internet , Backing , Installation , Expert Team , Voice , Value , Price Guarantee , 4 99 , 24 7 , 64 99 , 2 , Possibilities , Comcast Business , Prepaid Card , 500 , 00 , Victims , Warning , In The City , Eriked A Nls , Condition , Morning , The Fire Inside A Bronx Apartment Building , Floor , Heater , Briefing , Gabe Gutierrez , 30 , Shock , Couple , 24 , Residents , Scene , Many , Escape , Firefighters , Windows , 120 , Door , 200 , Authorities , Times , 9 , 1 , Knees , God , Death Toll , Emotion , Space Heater , Hotels , Apartment , Joe Biden , Diplomats , Apartment Building , Story , Update , Tt , Walks , Old , Wish , Trust Me , Moon , 15 , Oh Ozempic , Oh , Type 2 Diabetes , Unbelievable , Weight , Adults , A1c , Heart Disease , 7 , Don T , Stroke , Type 1 Diabetes , Death , Heart Attack , Needles , Events , Type 2 Diabetes Zone , Share , Pens , Reuse , Side Effects , Don T Take Ozempic , Lump , Family , Stop Ozempic , Endocrine Neoplasia Syndrome , Medullary Thyroid Cancer , Neck , Swelling , Reaction , Stomach Pain , Pancreatitis , Nausea , Diarrhea , Vomiting , Changes , Blood Sugar Risk , Vision Problems , Kidney Problems , Sulfonylurea , Insulin , Dehydration , Provider , Prescription , Copy Machine Printing , Health Care Provider , 3 , Thought Printing , Life , Europe , Trees , Heart , Landmarks , Viking , Ship , Treasures , Excursions , Extras , Viking Longships , Wi Fi , Cultural Enrichment , Cruise Line , Readers , River , CondÉ Nast , Buildup , Seven , Richard Engel , Possibility , Demands , Series , Expectation Levels , Resolution , Ukrainians , Conflict , Context , Frontlines , Ukrainian Trench , Trenches , Ukrainian Military , Experience , Work , Soldiers , Spade , Ice , Trench Network , Ground , Trench , Soldier , Debris , Shovel , Intention , Aren T Real , 100000 , More , East , Excuse , South , North , Nato , Vladimir Putin , Best , Overtures , Choice , Actions , Making , Reasons , Countries , Disengage , Military Installations , Eastern European , Installations , Military Hardware , Poland , Hungary , 1997 , Demand , Baltic States , Sort , Putin , Show Diplomacy , Cover , Border Region , Foreign Correspondent , Show , Move , Settlement , President Obama , Deputy National Security Adviser , Ambassador , Expectations , Council Of Foreign Relations , Senior Fellow , 2000 , Secretary Blinken , Nations , Membership , Soviet , Breakthroughs , Case Scenario , Scenarios , Outcome , Specific , Side , Escalation , Potential , Unrealist , Kind , Consequences , Technology , Export , Thing , Issues , Forces , Military Exercises , Placement , Gap , Foreshadowing , Missiles , Sanctions , Identity , Core , Security , Facade , Richard Said , Success , Rounds , Balancing Act , Weren T Met , Bit , Most , Region , Exercise , Farce , Ben , Russians , Positions , Futility , West , Results , West Doesn T , Point Of View , Flexibility , Pressure , Ways , Mr , Ratcheting , Guy Routine , Attacks , Commentators , Recognition , Pocket , Annexation , Ukraine , Numbers , Areas , Invasion , Simplest , Listening , Territories , Situation , Lots , Xm Satellite Radio , States , Standing , 45 Million , Status , Foreign Minister , Talk , Thinking , Focus , Sweeds , Fins , Others , Scale , Exercises , Location , Scope , Size , Military Posture , Deployments , Deescalate , Course , Visits , Missile , Capabilities , Bomber , Flights , Systems , Measures , Doing , Capacity , Decisions , Arms Control Type Transparency Measures , Channels , Military , Cold War , Transparency , Trust , Questions , Whether , Future , Table , Any , They Weren T , Annex The Eastern Parts , Principle , War , Circumstance , Elements , Needle , Finding Threading , Negotiating Team , Process , Benefits , European Security , Delegation , Predictability , Dye , Iran , The One , Military Buildup , Relationship , Message , Decision , Interest , Deterrent , Interests , Conversation , Georgia , Plan , Activists , Speech , Turning , Uncertainty , Health , Dealing , Teeth , Awada , Everything , Implants , Chantell , Suffering , Dental Implants , Role , Person , Soul , Party , Head , Brains , Ears , Hair , Mouth , Shortlist , Job , Project Managers , Age , Candidates , Job Criteria , Powerful , Neutrogena , Retinol , Visit Indeed Com Hire , Pro Plus , Skin , Wrinkles Results , Fight , Voting , Republican , State Houses , Biden Set , Bills , Atlanta , Group , Color , A Million , Voters , Leigh Ann Caldwell Is On Capitol Hill , Kelly O Donnell , Midterms , Vice President , Legislation , Statement , Issue , Trip , Supporters , Georgia Voteding Rights , Signs , Acknowledgment , Sense , Gesture , Kelly O , Rights , Voices , Criticism , Left , Speaking , Senate , Democrats , Big Question , Hurdles , Has , Argument , Battle Over Voter Access , Change , Nation , Presidency , Values , Voter Access , Feeling , Ground Game , Path Forward , Leader Schumer , Build , Signature Piece , Forward , Schedule , Back Burner , Challenges , Level , Big , Determination , Desire , Voting Laws , The Hill , Leigh Ann , Front , Developments , Nothing , Speech Tomorrow Night In Georgia , Order , Step , Support , Stuck , Democrats Support , 60 , Debate , Senate Rules , Joe Manchin , Problem , Voting Rights Legislation , Threshold , Discussions , Associations , Kyrsten Sinema , Colleagues , Martin Luther King , Hers , Perch , Clarity , Ladies , Capitol Hill , Logging , Deja Vu , Anxiety , Stroke Risk , Afib , Heart Valve Problem , Stop Taking Eliquis , Bleeding , Warfarin , Bruise , Bruising , Artificial Heart Valve , Inflammation , Medicines , Blood Thinner , Procedures , Relief , Eye Disease , Eye Drops , Burn , Ache , Xiidra , Fda , Eye , Eye Drop , Container , Vision , Taste Sensation , Discomfort , Dry Eye Disease , Eye Irritation , Eye Doctor , Contacts , Surface , Fifteen , Choices , Psoriasis , Dry Eye , Splash , Moderate , Pill , Otezla , Cream , Plaque Psoriasis , Entrance , Depression , Feelings , Weight Loss , Thoughts , History , Planning , Headache , Upper Respiratory Tract Infection , High School Students , Team , Districts , Chaos , Covid Surge , School , Rise , Last , Grades , Schooling , Sure , Connection , Junior , Aleg Ra , December , October Of 2020 , 2020 , Mix , Pennsylvania , December Of 2020 , Self Esteem , February Of 2021 , 2021 , Dogs Barking , Senior , Stress Level , District , Teacher S Union Debated Whether , Daughter , Son , Mother , Stress , Now , Data , Mental Health , Toll , Alegra , Breath , Work Done , Skills , Lessons , Use , Schedules , Bob Saget , Oman , Outpouring , Tributes , America S Funniest Home Videos , News Release , House , Drug Use , Detectives , Foul Play , Florida , Hotel Room , Orange County Sheriff , 65 , John Stamos , Hinl , Mary Kate And Ashley Olsen , Andrea Mitchell Reports , Monday Morning , Gratitude , Tweet , Fans , Loving , Reports , Ingestion , Pepto Bismol , Upset Stomach , Coating , Soothing , Diarrheaaaa , Small Business , Network , Service , Comcast Business Mobile , Nationwide 5g , 0 , Contract , Lines , Term , Line , Match Data Options , Fees , Customers , Four , Nighttime , Coughing , Sleep , Sunday Night , Stuffy , Sniffling , Sneezing , Aching , Medicine ,