US Set To Shots, But COVID-19 Cases Are Growing | Today

Reach 100 Million Vaccine. THE SURGE IN PANDEMIC TRAVEL PROMPTING A NEW WARNING FROM THE CDC. SPRING BREAK FUELING RECORD AIR TRAVEL FOR THE PANDEMIC. BUT AS PARTYGOERS PACK BEACHES AND BARS, FEARS OF A NEW SURGE. MORE RESTRICTIONS ROLLED BACK. Reach 100 Million Vaccine.

A YEAR AFTER THEY CLOSED, MOVIE THEATERS IN LOS ANGELES REOPENING. AND THE RACE TO VACCINATE. THE SECOND STATE TO ALLOW ANYONE TO GET THE SHOT. Reach 100 Million Vaccine.

PLUS, EUROPE’S THIRD WAVE. WHAT’S CAUSING IT AND WHAT CAN THE U.S. LEARN? >>> A CAR PLOWING INTO PEDESTRIANS.

MULTIPLE PEOPLE KILLED. WHAT WE’RE LEARNING ABOUT THE DRIVER. >>> THE TRAVEL NIGHTMARE FROM THAT HISTORIC BLIZZARD. HUNDREDS OF FLIGHTS CANCELED. DOZENS RESCUED FROM THEIR CARS. >>> THE TWO MEN ARRESTED AFTER THE DEATH OF A POLICE OFFICER INJURED IN THE CAPITOL RIOT.

THE CHARGES THEY FACE. >>> WE’RE ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER. WHY FEMA IS NOW BEING DEPLOYED TO HELP WITH THE SURGE IN MIGRANT CHILDREN. >>> ONE OF THE NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO’S ACCUSERS MEETING WITH INVESTIGATORS FOR OVER FOUR HOURS.

WHAT SHE GAVE TO THEM.UD BETN MEGHAN MARKLE AND THE ROYALS. >> Announcer: THIS IS NBC “NIGHTLY NEWS” WITH LESTER HOLT.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME. IN MORE AND MORE PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY, EVEN THOSE HARDEST HIT BY COVID, LIFE IS BEGINNING TO LOOK FAMILIAR AGAIN. DOORS NOW REOPENING TO THINGS CONSIDERED HIGH RISK JUST MONTHS AGO.

AMID GROWING CONFIDENCE AND AN EVER-EXPANDING VACCINATION PROGRAM, STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE LIFTING RESTRICTIONS. THE CELEBRATIONS OF LIFE RESUMED DROWNING OUT THE CHORUS OF WARNINGS FROM TOP HEALTH OFFICIALS.

THAT IT’S TOO MUCH TOO SOON. BUT TONIGHT 71 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE VACCINE DOSE AND A FALL IN HOSPITALIZATIONS TO UNDER 31,000, BOTH COME AS POSITIVE SIGNS. AND YET IT’S HARD TO IGNORE WHAT’S HAPPENING IN EUROPE TONIGHT,

WHERE A NEW COVID WAVE IS PUTTING ON THE BRAKES ON LIFE ONCE MORE. IS IT A CAUTIONARY MESSAGE? LET’S BEGIN TONIGHT WITH MIGUEL ALMAGUER. áá >> Reporter: AS RESTRICTIONS ARE ROLLED BACK NATIONWIDE, TONIGHT.

A RECORD NUMBER OF AMERICANS ARE ON THE MOVE, PACKING BARS, NIGHTCLUBS, RESTAURANTS, AND THEME PARKS. EVEN IN THE COVID CAPITAL OF LOS ANGELES, GYMS AND MOVIE THEATERS GIVEN THE ALL-CLEAR TO REOPEN TODAY WITH LIMITATIONS. >> IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE FEELING SAFE. WE BELIEVE THAT IF THEY FEEL SAFE THEY’LL COME BACK. >> Reporter: DESPITE WARNINGS NOT TO TRAVEL.

THE TSA SAYS 1.3 MILLION FLEW FRIDAY, A HIGH SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC. THE SUBWAY SYSTEM IN NEW YORK CITY ALSO SEEING RECORD RIDERSHIP AS MANY ACROSS THE COUNTRY EMERGE FROM A YEAR OF ISOLATION DURING SPRING BREAK.

THE BEACH IS COMING BACK TO LIFE. THE TOWN’S COMING BACK TO LIFE. WE’RE HAVING SOME FUN OUT HERE. >> Reporter: BUT THE CDC SAYS THERE’S NO VACATION FROM THE VIRUS.

IN FLORIDA AND CALIFORNIA THE UK VARIANT ACCOUNTING FOR 25% OF NEW CASES. CITING THE THIRD WAVE OF INFECTIONS IN EUROPE, AUTHORITIES SAY EASING RESTRICTIONS TOO QUICKLY AT HOME COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS TROUBLE. >> I’M PLEADING WITH YOU FOR THE SAKE OF OUR NATION’S HEALTH.

THESE SHOULD BE WARNING SIGNS FOR ALL OF US. >> Reporter: STILL STATES LIKE FLORIDA ARE FLAUNTING ANY NOTIONS OF A LOCKDOWN, ALLOWING RESTAURANTS TO OPEN SOONER, MASKS THAT ARE OPTIONAL AND GETTING CHILDREN INTO THE CLASSROOM FASTER.

THE STATE’S DEATH RATE NO WORSE THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. >> ALL RIGHTY. >> Reporter: AND NOW WITH NEARLY 3 MILLION INOCULATED IN 24 HOURS, TODAY MISSISSIPPI JOINS ALASKA SAYING ANYONE WHO WANTS A SHOT CAN GET ONE. TONIGHT.

THE RACE TO VACCINATE AND TO REOPEN WITH THE NATION EAGER TO DO BOTH. >> AND MIGUEL, THERE ARE NEW NUMBERS IN HOW MANY AMERICANS ARE GETTINTTG BOTH VACCINATION SHOTS.

WHAT ARE YOU FINDING OUT? >> Reporter: YEAH, LESTER, THE CDC SAYS 88% OF THOSE INOCULATE IDEA GOTTEN BOTH DOSES FOR BEST PROTECTION AND ANOTHER 9% CAN STILL GET THAT SECOND SHOT.

MANY AMERICANS ARE FOLLOWING THROUGH AFTER EARLY WORRY THEY WOULD NOT. LESTER? >> ALL RIGHT, MIGUEL, THANKS VERY MUCH.

THE U.S. NERVOUSLY LOOKING OVER ITS SHOULDER AT EUROPE TONIGHT WHERE A NEW WAVE OF INFECTIONS IS SHUTTING THINGS DOWN AGAIN AS THE VACCINE EFFORT THERE STRUGGLES.

RICHARD ENGEL IS IN LONDON. >> Reporter: POOR ITALY. IT WAS THE FIRST COUNTRY TO LOCK DOWN A YEAR AGO.

TODAY IT’S DOING IT AGAIN. FROM THIS MORNING HALF THE COUNTRY FACES CURFEWS. ALL OF ITALY WILL SHUT DOWN OVER EASTER. FRANCE IS CLOSING TOO, REGION BY REGION.

WITH ICU OCCUPANCY AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE NOVEMBER. GERMANY SAYS IT’S FACING A THIRD WAVE AND WEIGHING LOCKDOWNS.

THE EU SIMPLY ISN’T ROLLING OUT THE VACCINES FAST ENOUGH. IN THE U.S. OVER 20% OF THE POPULATION HAS RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE. IN ITALY, FRANCE, AND GERMANY VACCINATION RATES ARE LESS.

THAN 8%. THE 27-NATION EU DIDN’T BUY ENOUGH SUPPLY ON SPEC WHEN THE VACCINES WERE STILL BEING RESEARCHED.

THE EUROPEAN UNION TOOK A VIEW AT THE BEGINNING THAT IT WOULD PROCURE JOINTLY. BUT OF COURSE IT TAKES TIME TO GET AGREEMENT WITH EVERYBODY. >> Reporter: DISTRIBUTION OF WHAT THEY HAVE HAS BEEN PAINFULLY SLOW.

TODAY IT GOT EVEN SLOWER. GERMANY, FRANCE, ITALY, AND SPAIN ALL PAUSED DISTRIBUTION OF THE OXFORD ASTRAZENECA VACCINE AFTER REPORTS OF BLOOD CLOTTING. SIX OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAVE RECENTLY HIT PAUSE TOO.

THE W.H.O. SAID TODAY THE VACCINE IS SAFE. THIS IS EUROPE’S BIGGEST MODERN TEST OF ITS ABILITY TO ACT COLLECTIVELY, AND IT’S FAILING.

EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS ARE BLAMING VACCINE HOARDING, MANUFACTURING DELAYS, AND SIDE EFFECTS BUT OPINION POLLS SUGGEST MOST EUROPEANS BELIEVE THE EU IS DOING POORLY LESTER >> THANK YOU, RICHARD.

LET’S TURN TO THE GROWING PROBLEM AT THE BORDER THOUSANDS OF MIGRANT CHILDREN CROSSING OVER ALONE.