. hi, everyone. thanks so much for joining me. i'm jessica dean in washington in this weekend for fredericka whitfield. we begin this hour with concern growing about the rapid spread of the coronavirus. the omicron variant fueling a new surge. is u.s. now seeing daily cases not seen since january, and as cases spread, so does the demand for tests. americans are facing a shortage of at-home kits. in miami, like many other parts of the country, people are spending this day after christmas waiting in long lines

to get tested for covid. the white house is facing increase criticism over its handling of the testing situation. dr. anthony fauci saying this today. >> we should be using testing much more extensively than we have, even in a situation where you have people who are vaccinated or boosted, but the situation where you have such a high demand, a conflation of events, omicron stirring people to get appropriately concerned and wanting to get tested as well as the fact as the run on tests during the holiday season. we've obviously got to do better. i mean, i think things will improve greatly as we get into january but that doesn't help us today and tomorrow. >> this morning, two cruise ships returned to florida after several passengers and crew members after fully vaccinate tested positive for covid. it's not just cruise ships dealing with covid. we just learned more than 800 flights have already been

cancelled as airlines now deal with staffing shortages. cnn's nadia romero is here with more. this day after christmas one of the busiest travel days of the year. what does it look like right now? >> jessica, a lot busier right now than this time yesterday. yesterday it felt like a ghost town here at hartsfield jackson airport. today though we're seeing a lot more activity, a lot more traffic, the parking lots are all filled up right now. you can hear the beeping and whistling behind mow from the officers trying to keep that traffic moving. one of the lift drivers said it's pretty simple. a lot of companies gave their employees friday off to celebrate the holiday and monday it's back to, bomb you so people frantically trying to make their flights. unfortunately, though, we see almost 900 flights cancelled today. another 2,400 delayed. just today alone. if you look at the entire christmas holiday weekend, we're talking almost 6,000 flights that have been cancelled and

that makes a big impact on so many travelers. we know so much of that has been linked to the omicron variant that has been spreading rapidly with covid cases being seen all across the country, and that is why the tsa, part of the reason why they say they are seeing fewer people being screened through tsa. about 800,000 fewer people have time period so christmas day compared to the last -- last year with this pre-pandemic levels pre-2019. thanksgiving was, i don't know, insafnlt how would you describe it? there were people on top of people. the lines for tsa, an each if it sa and pre-check were clear, wrapped around many security checkpoints here at the airport for thanksgiving, christmas a much different story. we spoke to some travellers who were lucky enough to not have their flights be delayed and cancelled. they wanted to go out and see their families. many having not seep their families since before covid. many still taking the safety

precautions. listen. >> we've been vaccinated, and i've been boosted. he's been fully vaccinated and so has my entire family, and the only person in our family that's not vaccinated has decided to stay home because we've got some immunocompromised people at home that we don't want to risk expose them to anything, so, yeah, that's what we're doing and we're wearing our mask on the airplane so i think we should be okay. >> and that's what i've heard from a lot of people talking with them over this weekend about why they are traveling. they want to see family and want to do it safely but people were proud to share with mow they were vaccinated, boosted and even having their kids vaccinated so they could take this trip knowing about the omicron variant and knowing we're still very much within this pandemic. >> we certainly are and people desperate, of course, to see family and friends. thanks so much for your reporting. we appreciate it. as the omicron variant surges nationwide, frustrated americans are scrambling to get tested before they travel.

experts say there are ways to stay safe on planes if you're traveling this holiday season. cnn's brian todd has more on that. >> from l.a.x. to atlanta hartsfield, america's airports are jam-packed, some passengers worried about take together skies about the omicron variant surge. >> i don't like the fact that the planes are all full. it was squashed down and came out here from california squashed in and anticipate the same thing going home. >> with some 20 million people estimated to be flying here this holiday season in the u.s. health experts are urging passengers to take new measures to prevent from getting the omicron variant. >> stay away from people you don't know, strangers. >> are surgical masks still the best ones to wear on planes? >> the entire flying experience requires protection are and using k-95 and n-95s is the gold standard right now that people should be considering and investing in. >> experts individuals us to use layers of protection on flights,

not just masks but face shields, too, especially on longer flights. given the higher transmissibility of the omicron variant, should passengers avoid taking masks off completely, each to eat or drink during a flight? >> don't take it off at any time outside of eating or taking it off to have a drink. not worth doing that. >> but if you do have a drink, experts say, try to sip through a straw with your mask still on. we caught up with biorisk analyst after getting off a flight lasting 30 hours and asked him a key question. what's the best seat for protection from droplets? >> if you can sit on the wayne doe seat for the duration of the flight then you have less risk of being in contact with people moving up and down the aisle. that's where it's safer. >> we can't expect airlines going back to their policies of putting fewer people on their flights so there can be more

spacing but if they can passengers should seat six feet away from each other and being against one person in flight is not as dangerous because of the sophisticated air filtration systems inside passenger place. the riskiest places, the terminals. >> the real risk is when you're waiting to board the plane, checking in and getting off the plane where people are congregating, people are tired and fatigued wearing the mask and it easily comes off their face. they want to get something to drink or eat. very vulnerable times. >> passengers should interact with airline personnel about covid safety. ask them questions before you board a plane, questions like when was the last time they fully cleaned the plane and whether the plane has safety features like hepa filters. brian todd, cnn, reagan national airport. >> so much good information there. let's talk more about all of it. we've got dr. carlos del rio, executive associate dean at emery school of medicine.

great to see you. we even saw you in that story just then talking about airplane safety, and honestly, you were answering a question i've wondered a lot as i've flown. is it worth it if you're really thirsty and want some water to pull the mask down, and you say at this point try to keep it on the whole flight, right? >> absolutely, jess camp i mean, i know it's hard, but if your flight is less than two hours, less than three hours you can probably go without having a drink and if you have a drink, use a straw and put the straw through the mask, but, you know, i've been wearing double protection during the double protection, wearing a k-95 and a surgical mask. it's not worth it for a snack or drink to take off your imagine. you have to be protected. don't want to get infected. this strain is incredibly infectious and you can get infect federal you're not careful all the time. >> it's been interesting to hear some of the situations that may not have been as risky because of omicron's contagious factor.

they are inherently more risk now like sipping a drink of water on a plane it sounds like. >> well, to me this is just a different ball game, right. the strain is not the previous strain. this is not the same virus, but it's still a virus that we now. it's transmitted through respiratory and airdroplets and we have to protect against that and we need to make sure everyone you're gathering with is healthy. i've just got a cold. get tested. don't get together with family or friends you haven't been around especially if everybody is traveling without testing people because the last thing you want to do is yeast an outbreak. >> sure. to that end, how soon after arriving to your destination do you think people should be -- should consider getting tested once they have arrived to where they are going? >> you know, what i've been doing in the past and what i usually do is 48 hours after arrival i get tested with omicron because the shorter

period is two to three days. i went to see my mom who is 87 years old and umno suppressed. i tested myself 24 hours before seeing her and tested myself right before i went into her house literally as i walked into the house, to make sure i was double tested before i walked into the house to prevent inadvertently infecting my mother. >> testing continues to be a struggle for so many nerns. we've seen the long lines of people wrapping around buildings trying to get their hands on a test or at-home test. what is your advice to people if they think they may be sick and they can't get a test and also if they are going to see someone and can't get a test? it's probably different advice for the different situations. >> well, correct. first of all, let me just say that in general the testing situation in our country right now is a mess, it's a disaster. we have way overdemand to the supply. we have whether it's, you know, a test you get at, you know, at a testing site in any city where

you may stand in line for two hours or try to get a rapid test, i knew i was going do a holiday trip. i bought my test back in early november when nobody was buying them and readily available but if i wanted to do this the week before i traveled i would not have been able to find them so there's not enough testing out there and they also need to be cheaper, right. paying $20 to $25 for two tests is too much for most americans. we should be able to get this for under $35, ideally for free during an emergency so if you have symptoms and cannot get tested stay home, isolate from the entire family. if you have symptoms, don't go visit family and friends. if you want to get together, make sure everyone is vaccinated and boosted and if somebody is immunosuppressed they shouldn't come and do things outside rather than inside. the better the ventilation, the better it is. at least open the windows when you're gathering, don't sing, don't scream and try to keep your mask on most of the time

unless you're going to be eating. >> right. it is nice that at least at this point we know so much more than we did say in, you know, early 2020 when we were still figuring out how it spread and all of that. dr. fauci spoke about the spread of the omicron variant this morning. let's listen to what he had to say. >> they are seeing less of a very verrett in manifestations by hospitalizations. the issue that we don't want to get complacent about, john, is that when you have such a high volume of new infections it might override a real diminution in severity so that if you have many, many, many more people with a less level of severity, that might kind of neutralize the positive effect of having less severity when you have so many more people, and we're particularly worried about those that are in that unvaccinated class. >> doctor, are you concerned

that people may be hearing, well, omicron is not showing to be as severe as you're vaccinated, that they may become casent, or are you concerned about nin becoming complacent as we learn before about this variant? >> i completely agree with dr. fauci. i'm 30 years old, if something happens nothing will happen f. get infected it will be like a bad cold. that may be the case but the reality is if you're over the aim of 60, immunospresd, vaccinated and boosted this could still be pretty serious and the number of people vaccinated will drive hospitalizations up. at this point in time that's the overwhelming of hospitals, those workers are calling in sick

because they are getting infected. when they can't go to work it impacts the care of those with patients in the hospital with covidor any patient. >> doctor, appreciate your insight. >> delight to be with you. just ahead, the fate of president biden's economic agenda is in jeopardy, but some democrats still remain hopeful that there is a pathway to passing some version of the build back better act. we'll discuss that ahead. plus, nearly 5 million people are supporting a call for salemsy for a truck driver sentenced to 110 years following a fatal crash and now a district attorney is stepping in. we've got details on that just ahead. do you remember who this is? where the more you discover... wow! ...the more you come together. i can see... the nose... this holiday, give the gift of family. give the gift of ancestry®. (soft music) - i was a child living in poverty in uganda. then, someone like you sponsored me through save the children.

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challenges. and a few surprises. ♪ but wherever you are on your journey. your dell technologies advisor is here for you - with the right tech solutions. so you can stop at nothing for your customers. archbishop desmond tutu a powering figure in the anti-apartheid movement in south africa has died. the anglican cleric was 90 years old. the south african president ramaphosa said this today. quote, a man of extraordinary intellect, integrity and invincibility against the forces of apartheid. he was also tender and vulnerable in his compassion for those who had suffered oppression, injustice and

violence under apartheid and oppressed and downtrodden people around the world. cnn's robin concernow looks back at his historic life and legacy. >> reporter: nelson mandela was the face of the apartheid struggle but desmond tutu was the voice. >> continue in the struggle. >> wow. >> continue in the struggle to make africa weep. >> when he won the nobel peace prize the anti-apartheid movement was under attack. the minority government had banned the african national congress and imprisoned its leaders. it was the clergy led by tutu that stepped in to fill the void. a decade later, the struggle paid off when south africa held its very first democratic election in 1994.

>> for you in your life, what do you think has been the greatest thing you've ever done? >> well, i -- i say to people my happiest moment was when i was told i'm a father for the first time, when i our son was born. i was on cloud nine. a close second to that is 1994 when i was standing on the balcony of the city hall overlooking the grand parade and introducing nelson mandela to the crowd, to south africa, to the world. >> ladies and gentlemen, friends, fellow south africans, i ask you welcome our brand new

president nelson mandela! [ cheers and applause ] i actually said to god, god, i don't mind if i die now. >> reporter: as a new democracy took hold in south africa, tutu was again called on to lead. in 1995 president nelson mandela appointed him as chair of the truth and reconciliation commission in front of the nation desperate to heal, a man never afraid to spoke his mind, wasn't afraid to show his emotion either. >> he is a person whose life was always dedicated to others and also knowing how to connect to different kind of people, different status, but he

connected very, very well. >> we owe our freedom to extraordinary people snore in 2007 he joined a group of prominent world leaders called the elders. their mission, focusing the world's attention on all forms of injustices. any regrets, sir? >> being maybe too abrasive, and because i was right, so easily becoming self-righteous. >> for you to say that. >> yes, yeah. >> you know, we knew we were right, but it was so easy for us to turn and you get to feel your opponent. they are all god's children.

>> reporter: tutu officially retired from public life in 2010 but remained in the public eye, a man unafraid of criticism and straight from an apartheid government. before his 80th birthday celebration in 2011 tutu lashed out to the south african government for denying the dalai lama a visa. >> one day we will are stop praying for the anc government. you are disgraceful. i want to warn you are belas vegas in a way that's totally at variance for the things for which we stood. >> reporter: the country's moral compass with a voice to match. >> that in the last day when he shall come again -- ♪

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as the omicron variant continues to drive a surge in covid cases all across the country, concerns are mounting about the impact this latest wave of the pandemic will have on the u.s. economy. the president's build back better plan a key part of his economic agenda in jeopardy they are trying to persuade senator joe manchin to pass the bill or scaling it back or trying to pass various pieces of that legislation as stand-alones. >> that's a strategy decision being negotiated. we are open to a way to reach the finish line. we want to make it as comprehensive as possible

because the needs are just there. >> with me now is mark zandi, the chief economist with moody analytics. you guys recently downgraded the u.s. economic forecast for the first quarter of 2022 due to omicron. if the president and congress can't get that $2 trillion spending plan through, what do you think that means for america's i guess you could call it a still recovering economy as we head into 2022? >> it will it to reabove but at a special rate. if build back better than got done in any form. they will do some agenda which expires the end of this year so families getting that tax credit

won't get that money next here. this sblin with omicron, growth will be weaker than awful skriptard. we have to see how this plays out in washington, growth will be slower in 2022. >> you mentioned a big part of the enhancements is that families were getting them in momentarily payments rather than a lump son which allowed them to put that and build it into their family income. did you find they were tutting become. sam was being -- a lot of this money goes to lower income household, lower middle income households and they don't have the same kind of cash cushions

as higher incomes do. this will help to support growth, and if they don't get it, if the check stops coming, the money stops coming in january, then that will have an impact on spending and on broader economic growth. >> so keeping with this build back better plan, obviously the big tax credit are a big piece of it, but there's parts of the bill that they may to take a stand alone. from an economic perspective. which parts of the legislation are the most critical on useful in terms of push. -- help with helter care. we have have a very severe

shortage of -- those these are helpful in lifting workers participation that not only the economy near term, health care and education, they pay benefits over a period of time and there was climate risk mitigation in the bill related to climate change and that pays big dividends over the lang run. so in my opinion the build back better is important, not only in terms of near-term growth but in terms of long-term economic growth. >> want to get to student loans and we've heard from senator and others about pumping more money into the economy. >> it likes ike that's what --

there's several reasons why night like the legislation or not. i get that. inflation is won with -- this bill will -- if you don't want to fight for the fej slags, i understand that but inflation shouldn't be the reason that you don't. >> president biden said he's going to extend the pause on opinion student loan repayments until june 1st. what happens to those students who are currently, information about winning it clear. >> it is aamodt of knows -- they will have about 5 billion of savings per month and ultimately they will have to pay it back

and we're experiencing problems related to the pandemic and now with the omicron wave probably going to do some damage as we move into next year. delaying the restart of payments is probably a good idea. it helps to cushion the blow from omicron and if build back better gets passed it helps with the cushion as well. i think it's a good idea and will help particularly a lot of younger and lower income students who are really, you know, struggling to kind of manage through. in terms of debt forgiveness, there's already a lot of debt forgiveness in the program. of course, you have to be paying for a significant period of time. you have to be -- payments have to be above a certain percentage of your income, know, you are in public service. i think they could be -- that folks tough to me barley if

you -- the big question is what are the kids go to do? i don't think it's an easy question to answer. >> mark zandi, we'll leave it right there. thank you so much. appreciate it. >> thank you. a quick programming name. "just call out my name" airing next sunday january 2nd right here on cnn, and here's a quick preview. >> friends, collaboratorses, legends. their mike shaped a generation. they came together for the tour of a lifetime ♪ and it's too late, babe, it's too late ♪ ♪ >> james tailor. ♪ his song and demeanors were both environment. >> recall carole king. >> carole king, one of the greatest songwriters of all time i.asked herm to be part of my --

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a status hearing is scheduled for tomorrow in the case of a truck driver who was sentenced to 110 years in prison for an interstate crash that killed four people in 2019. the severity of that sentence has sparked calls for a review and millions. people have now signed the petition. the driver told investigators he was driving 85 miles per hour when his brakes failed and he crashed causing a 28-car pile-up. cnn's lucy kafanov has more on

this. what's going on with this. >> reporter: the district attorney is being asking for a reduction in the sentence to just 20 or 30 years. what's important to note is they are not looking to overturn the conviction. in a state the d.a. alexis king says medeiros made multiple choices that led to the death of four people and serious injuries to others adding that the shorter sentence reflects an appropriate outcome for that conduct. at issue are the mandatory minimum sentencing laws in colorado that require sentences to be served consecutively rather than concurrently which is how the now 26-year-old truck driver got nearly more than a century behind bars, a sentence twice as long as some murder convicts. even the judge who issued that sentence said afterwards, quote, if i had the discretion it would not be my sentence. some colorado lawmakers now calling for legal reforms. take a look. >> our system here at this

building has created a situation where a judge at their own discretion who doesn't want to issue a sentence has had to issue that sentence. what we hope to achieve is reforms. that's really what this is all about. we have to reform a system that is creating a situation where we are creating more victims of our justice system. we have to do that now. >> medeiros himself was very emotional during the sentencing saying he never intended to hurt anyone. there were nearly 5 million signatures asking colorado governor jarred pulis to issue a clemency or to shorten the sentence. kim kardashian got involved questioning the mandatory sentencing laws. meanwhile the governor's office tells cnn that they are reviewing the clemency request. jessica. >> all right. lucy kafanov for us, thanks for that update. for instance credible comebacks to the "jeopardy!" host in jeopardy to alec baldwin at the center of a hollywood tragedy, it's been a whirlwind year in the world of

entertainment. up next we'll take a look back at the top stories of 2021. first, in this week's impact your world nfl legend ward dunn has made it his business to turn their single houses into homes. >> here's his story. >> everyone deserves a home. home is where the heart is. i just remember sitting in a locker room with coach dungy, list inge talking to the rookies if you want to do anything. my mom was opening fired on a police car. she was never able to realize her dream of homeownership. i saw how she wanted her community to be better. homes for holidays is where we go and will assist a single parent family who has become a first-time home own, give them a down payment and purchase computers, tvs, everything all

the way down to a toothbrush. we just focus on helping families get into homes. the more i learned, we want to get into the business of giving people the potential to break their cycle of poverty and with that is financial literacy, health and wellness, educational attainment and working towards development and entrepreneurship. >> up until that point survival was my thinking process. >> my goal is i hope we can go out of business and when i say that i mean nobody else needs housing.

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whether it was binge watching a show, a quiet movie night or an evening filled with music or close friend, entertainment world provided a welcome respite as we tried to navigate another difficult year, but industry that helped us escape suffered some tragic lows among its many troimps in 2021 and stephanie elam has this year's top moments. >> reporter: from adele's giant return -- ♪ go easy on me, baby ♪ >> reporter: "jeopardy!"'s host in jeopardy. >> players, here's the clue. >> reporter: and alex baldwin at the center of a hollywood tragedy. here's a look at the top entertainment stories of 2021. number ten.

the kim and kanye split. >> i want to be happeny. >> after seven years of marriage kim kardashian files from divorce from rapper kanye west citing irreconcilable differences. >> i want somebody that i can go support every move and follow him all over the place and move to wyoming. i can't do that. >> it began with kanye's elaborate proposal in a rent baseball stadium. parts of the 2014 wedding airing on "e!"'s requests keeping up with the kardashian" and the split airing on the show. >> i feel like a loser. >> like kimye ended its run this year. >> best actor. >> anthony hopkins wins best actor for "the father" stunning oscar producers who were so confident that the late chadwick boseman will win. >> you need nobody messing with him. >> they moved the best actor category to the end of the show. >> i really did not expect this. >> hopkins wasn't on hand leaving the critically panned

telecast to end abruptly and hopkins to honor bozeman later on social media. >> i want to pay tribute to chadwick boseman who was taken from us far too early. >> reporter: number eight. the astroworld concert stampede. >> i've never been in such chaos, like so unorganized and so many people like slamming into me. >> one. year's top news stories also rocking the entertainment world. >> i could never imagine the severity of the situation. >> reporter: with astroworld headliner travis scott and concert promatters facing scrutiny for not stopping the show as the crowd surge killing ten. >> i could feel, you know, myself losing the ability to breathe. >> reporter: scott said he wasn't aware of major problems during the show. >> what the [ bleep ] is that? >> reporter: and denied legal liability in response to scores of lawsuits against him. but the tragedy has the industry considering change. >> i definitely want to, you know, step in to figure out, know, how can we fix this in the

future. >> number seven. a grammy boycott. ♪ the weekend calls the grammys corrupt after his smash album "after hours" is shut out of the nominations ♪ not even his hit single "blinding lights" was honored. the grammys said the emission wasn't intentional and later dumped controversial nominating committees that govern the final nominees relying on a popular vote among the recording academy. >> a history-make night for beyonce and taylor swift. >> the show went on where women reigned supreme with beyonce nabbing her 28th grammy, a record for a female artist. number six, the return of adele ♪ go easy on me, baby ♪ >> reporter: her album "30" becomes the fastest selling album of the year, besting every other title in just three days.

>> i think all day people will be going -- that's all you're going hear. >> reporter: after a six-year absence fans can't get enough of adele. as roughly 10 million people tuned in to her cbs special which included a concert and an oprah interview. >> i'm nearing my goal of like finding my happiness. >> reporter: and if that weren't enough, adele announced a 2022 vegas residency, becoming the hottest ticket on the strip. number five. the "jeopardy!" host controversy. after a high-profile search for alex trebek's replacement. >> welcome to "jeopardy!" >> reporter: "jeopardy enhired its own executive producer. >> who is mike richard? the answer to the question is no longer the host of "jeopardy!" >> reporter: but then mike richards past incidents from another show and comments on a podcast resurfaced. richards stepped down and apologized, but the backlash continued. less than two weeks later he

gave up his executive producer role and left the show. number four. "the squid game" phenomenon. the series swept the globe becoming netflix's biggest series at launch. >> the plot, hundreds of people heavily in debt enter a game to enter a huge pile of cash. the downside, if contestants lose the game, they are killed on the spot. >> reporter: netflix said "squid game" was viewed by 111 million accounts in less than a month and fan recreation, like this one in the united arab emirates, proved the show has worldwide appeal. ♪ >> reporter: from bts to parasite and now "squid game," the south korean influence on entertainment seems here to stay. number three, the box office bounces back. >> they all die. >> finding spider-man. >> behind spider-man, song chi

and "no time to die" the box office emerges from the pandemic with $20 million. still they are way behind 2019's 11.4 billion but resurgence came with growing pains. >> "black widow" bight back today. >> scarlet johansson sued kids any for releasing the film on disney plus aledging it would cut no her profits. >> numb two, the alex baldwin movie "rust." after the death of directorch lena hutchinson. >> fans and others were

wondering how this could happen on a fictional set. >> the there are some safety issues that need a to be addressed by the industry. >> reporter: as authorities investigate, speculation swelled. baldwin sat down with abc in a dramatic interview professing his innocence and fueling the drama over what went wrong. >> the gun was supposed to be empty. i was told, i was handed an empty gun. >> and the number one entertainment story of 2022. >> free britney. >> when do we want it? >> now. >> the free britney movement. >> grateful for every day. >> the pop star had been living a restrained life since 2008 under the tight control of her father through a conservatorship. >> how we treated her was disgusting. >> reporter: a "new york times" documentary energized the movement and put a spotlight on the courtroom. fans rallied outside the

courthouse until the moment that they were waiting for. >> being able to buy candles, the little things for us women but it makes a huge difference. >> and many wonder if britney will do a sit-down interview which just plight make our list next year. we'll be covering all of the top stories, of course. from hollywood, i'm stephanie elam. (vo) subaru and our retailers believe in giving back. that's why, in difficult times, we provided one hundred and fifty million meals to feeding america. and now through the subaru share the love event, we're helping even more. by the end of this year, subaru will have donated over two hundred and twenty five million dollars to charity.

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now to a very special gift this holiday season. we would like you to meet yvette, the newest american girl doll and is making history as one. iconic brand's first bi-racial dolls. it gives many more boys and girls a chance to be seen. cnn's renee marsh has the story. >> i like her eyes and her freckles and her hair snore misha is an 8-year-old from wisconsin who loves playing with dolls. >> show me your doll. >> reporter: especially this doll, yvette. it's one of the first bi-racial american girl and i asked her what is the majority of the dolls that she sees and just kind of splaeks to her, that

it's new, that a lot of the brands she enjoys are now having representation. you didn't very a lot of curly haired dolls. they were all sort of the typical blonds or brown hair. >> american girl approached children's author sharon dennis wyette with be a idea to it -- my ed for said we're interested in creating a bilashl doll. >> she group up in a bi-racialiamly. >> i want the to incat rate it unconsciously for decades.

for three decades she where they included the children in the story. >> i think people immediate to be included, the same with yvette, like with her books. >> reporter: and hopes she can provide a safe space for medium conversations. it's a medium for discussing things with parents. parents might look at them and say let talk about this together. >> i'm very, very haddy that mile daughter. rp they will say someone has a family like mine, an interracial family. hi, everybody.

thanks so much for joining me this afternoon. i'm jessica dean in washington in this weekend for fredericka whitfield. well, anxiety is nothing new during the holidays, but now with the rapid spread of the drives, wells officials about where we might be heading. the u.s. now seg level that's not sin january devastating totals. in timmy. so many people are spending the day after christmas smaepding to lang lime. several passengers and crew members all tested stats jer. as many will. other passengers said they were in the aware there was as problemful wrfl. >> did you get