radio city music hall canceled friday s shows of the christmas stoke tack lars citing breakthrough cases. store shelves for rapid tests sit empty, all echos of the past people waiting here for more than an hour to be tested as omicron reveals its rapid test. this is after coming here yesterday twice and not being this is a whole new animal. we have to be honest about the fact it s moving fast. reporter: the new york mar yor considers scaling back the times square celebration. a visible return of sports restrictions. the nfl and nba increasing covid protocols. this is all in response to deaths increasing in nearly half of u.s. states, up sharply in seven. that s an increase of 8% from just last week.
all echoes of the past. people here waiting more than an hour to be tested as omicron reveals its rapid spread. this is after coming yesterday twice and then not being able to get tested here. this is a whole new animal. we got to be honest about the fact that it s moving very fast, and we have to move faster. reporter: the past is prologue as new york s mayor redoubles restrictions and considers scaling back the times square new year s eve celebration. a visible return of sports restrictions. hockey in montreal played to empty stands. and the nfl and nba increasing covid protocols. this is all in response to deaths, increasing in nearly half of u.s. states, up sharply in seven. that s an increase of 8% from just last week. i think we re really just about to experience a viral blizzard. if you look at what happened in south africa, in europe, in the next 3 to 8 weeks, we re going to see millions of americans will be infected with this
and nfl and nba increasing covid protocols. this is all in response to deaths increasing in nearly half of u.s. states, up sharply in seven. that is an increase of 8% from just last week. in new orleans, the mayor responded to the alarming numbers expanding requirements to children. we will require proof of vaccination or a negative test at bars and restaurants and other locations for everyone. ages 5 and older, children ages and 5 to 11 will be required to s show proof of at least one vaccine dose. we re looking at a winter of severe illness and death for the unvaccinated. for themselves, their families and the hospitals they ll soon overwhelm. as with previous surges, the unvaccinated are filling hospitals. as weary doctors warn they are exhausted and losing staff. the reality is you can t