policy. >> tornadoes are the latest concern. >> we're talking about a level four out of five. a few tornadoes, large hail, it could be baseball size. >> this is "new day" weekend. >> look at miami, beautiful start this sunday. stimulus. the goal is to get economic aid to people. >> payments are hitting bank accounts now. those waiting on paper checks and prebader ginsburg debit cards are set to get those before the end of the month. the covid vaccine rollout, the cdc reported nearly 3 million doses were administered. one in five americans has now received at least one dose of the vaccine. >> but is the progress at risk? some health officials are keeping up their warnings about variants.. they see states ease restrictions, and pandemic levels just as the spring break kicks off. >> it is like the surge of before. they don't want to see recent history repeat itself. cnn's natasha chin reports from miami beach. >> reporter: the u.s. is vaccinating people every day. lower hospitalizations and lower cases, but lower only relative to a few months ago. late last week there were three consecutive days of more than 50,000 new cases and 1500 new deaths reported each day. and it's coming as states continue to loosen restrictions and in some cases lift mask mandates. >> boy, is that the wrong time to do that. we have this slightly troubling, maybe more than slightly troubling variant b.1.1.7. and we know it's more contagious. if there was ever a time to put on the mask this is it. >> reporter: the texas attorney general has sued the city of austin for continuing the mask requirement after the state lifted its mandate. the mayor of galveston said he has to honor the governor's orders. >> i think each community makes their own decision. i think austin, round rock in that area there, they're one of the few areas in the state that has been pushing back on this. and we'll see how that plays out. we consulted with our city attorney here in galveston and the consensus was that we do not have any flexibility with this order, and so we are honoring the governor's orders. >> everybody have a mask? >> yes. >> reporter: in florida the state order does not allow local jurisdictions to fine people for not following a mask requirement, so all the miami beach authorities can do for spring break tourists is give out free masks in hopes people will wear them. the mayor told me it's a problem of mixed messaging where leaders have different attitudes about covid restrictions. >> when a hurricane comes we all stand up and we plea to the public, from the lowliest mayor to the governor to the president. this is exactly the same advice. and people see that. okay, i guess i have to evacuate. i have to do something to be safer. but right now i get emails every day from people mad at me about the mask mandate. >> reporter: some in florida are open for months, other regions are just now relaxing more restrictions. los angeles county will allow indoor dining and movie theaters to operate at reduced capacity for the first time in about nine months. and with more than 35 million people in the u.s. fully vaccinated and a stem cell lus package passed, hopes including the teachers and families getting back to the classroom. >> the smile you see on my face right now, jake, is the light at the end of this very dark tunnel. >> get a free mask. >> reporter: natasha chin, cnn, miami beach, florida. >> an emergency room physician in west michigan and executive director of the committee to direct medicare. we heard her say we are at the end of this very dark tunnel. help us understand what you're thinking when you see some of the pictures coming out of florida and texas right now. >> yeah, i think that's exactly right. we do see that light, but it's still a tunnel that we're in, you know. just the other day, yesterday, a young person who hadn't been wearing a mask figured, well, it's not really going to affect me on a young person. i should come through this okay. on day two of symptoms comes in with extremely low oxygen with covid, gets admitted to the hospital. we know the worst is around day 7 or 8. this person is in for a long rocky road. seeing so many people, tens of thousands of people in the country with this covid long haul syndrome is what they're starting to call it, who have recovered, who have gotten out of the hospital. i've seen a couple in the past few weeks, young people who still can't climb a flight of stairs, can't get to work three days after discharged from the hospital. this is a reality that we're in. and as we see that light, we don't want to ruin it now. we don't want to play the same game we played with the politics dictating rather than the public health and get into another surge. >> so, let's talk about some of the restrictions that are being lifted. movie theaters in los angeles county open, reopen tomorrow. 25% capacity, 6 feet of space between groups in all directions. do you think they're safe? >> you know, i think everything is on a scale, right. so absolutely safer to keep them closed. if you're doing it at reduced capacity, people wear masks throughout and someone is enforcing that rule, it's relatively safe. we have to decide. certainly if you've been vaccinated it's a lot safer. we have to know it's a dimmer switch. if we start to get that again, they're going to shut those kinds of things down and they have to expect that could happen. >> you just mentioned long haulers before this, people suffering from fatigue and brain fog and headaches. i have to be real transparent here. my husband is a long hauler. he had it in july, he's still feeling it. i know a lot of people have as well. this is more common, these long haul symptoms. should long haulers, i've heear people ask, should they get the vaccine? >> they should get the vaccine, they absolutely should. we don't know how long native immunity lasts. we don't know the robust immunity you get from a two-shot or one-shot vaccine now on the market. absolutely. we want to protect them and we want to protect everyone around them as well. >> what are the side effects of the last year has been the reduction in childhood immunizations? i've seen director whelinsky report. how will it affect getting children back in the skpool and what will be the practical impact of that? >> yeah, i think that's significant and we have to do a better job of letting people know it's safe to get back into your doctor's office, that these offices all have strict rules as far as masks and distancing. but in the vast majority of those cases, there is a herd immunity, the thing we much talked about with covid that's been so elusive. there is herd immunity that exists with so many with measles, mumps, rubella, everything kids get vaccinated about. those are level of protections simply because the population is immune. but, yeah, it's critical that they get back in and i'm sure that we're going to get back on track. >> since you're in michigan, doctor, i want to ask you about what happened on friday, governor whitmer announced by april 5th residents 16 and older can get the vaccine there. there was an advisory from kent county who said this about that expansion. he said throwing open eligibility to young adults allows technology savvy to push forward. you can have older people lose their spot. 25-year-olds know exactly how to hit refresh repeatedly online until they get through. we know there are some young people who feel guilty about the potential of getting vaccinated when we know there are people who need it as well possibly more than they do. is it a valid concern expanding eligibility that the most vulnerable may be pushed out? >> well, i think we have to do all of the above, right. we have to be helping folks that are maybe technology constrained get vaccinated and get signed up for those. and i know that the state and the health department is working on that. there's money from the federal government that is directed toward that and our state legislature has been holding that up over political fights. we want that to all occur. the more we get people vaccinated across the board, the closer we get to herd immunity in the state and everyone gets protected. i think it's the right thing to do to open this up as long as they are sure that they're going to have the vaccine doses they need and i trust the team that that's the case. >> everyone is going to have to get it or should get it at some point, dr. rob davidson. thanks so much. enjoy the week. >> thank you. >> victory over the covid relief package, congress and the president are looking ahead to the next challenge, immigration. >> but the sports announcer in oklahoma, maybe you heard this clip. he's blaming diabetes for using a racist slur during a basketball game. visible is wireless that doesn't play games. no surprise fees, legit unlimited data for as little as $25 a month. and the best part, it's powered by verizon. but it gets crazier. bring a friend every month and get every month for $5. which is why i brought them. two $5-a-months right here. hey. hey. plus the players of my squad. hey. what's up? 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[music: “i will always love you”] ♪if i should stay♪ ♪i would only be in your way♪ ♪and i...♪ ♪...will always love you♪ ♪i will always...♪ as a repairman, i hear a lot of folks say they feel like they have to rinse off dirty dishes like these before loading them in the dish washer. but new cascade platinum changes all that. new cascade platinum, with 50% more cleaning power! it dissolves fast to start cleaning sooner, releasing the soaking power of dawn. then cascade's food-seeking enzymes latch on and break down food into particles so small they can flow right down the drain. and it's powerful enough for the quick-wash cycle! new cascade platinum with 50% more cleaning power! the #1 brand just got better! psst! psst! allergies don't have to be scary. spraying flonase daily stops your body from overreacting to allergens all season long. psst! psst! you're good. when you buy this plant at walmart, they can buy more plants from metrolina greenhouses so abe and art can grow more plants. so they can hire vilma... and wendy... and me. so, more people can go to work. so, more days can start with kisses. when you buy this plant at walmart. ♪ tomorrow a group of house republicans are visiting the u.s./mexico border in texas. they will discuss president biden's 13 cabinet picks. >> danielle is on capitol hill. what do we expect to see? good morning. >> reporter: good morning, it's going to be a busy week on capitol hill, led by house minority leader kevin mccarthy traveling to elle pass owe to tour a microprocessing facility. this has been a major issue republicans had been hitting the biden administration on with the influx of migrants crossing the border in recent weeks. here's what kevin mccarthy had to say during his weekly press conference this week. >> so, on monday i'm going to the border. i'm taking 12 members with me from the committees of jurisdiction, looking for ourselves, working on trying to find a solution. but we know the solution is quite easy because most of this is all caused by biden's action. >> reporter: so as you heard there, he and republicans are blaming the biden administration for why this influx is happening across -- on the border. it's happening amid a global pandemic which is an issue that they keep bringing up over and over which is why they're going to the border tomorrow to tour this processing migrant processing facility. that's the only thing happening on immigration on the hill this week. ment house is going to take up two separate bills on immigration. the first being a bill that is passed, would allow dreamers to apply for citizenship, and the second being a bill that would reform a visa program for agricultural workers. and not only is the house taking up those two bills for a vote. they are also taking up renewing the violence against women act. and in the senate, they will vote on whether deb holland will be confirmed to be biden's secretary of the interior which would mark the 13th out of 15 cabinet nominations biden needs to have a full cabinet in his administration. so super busy week here in washington as well as across the country in congress. >> no doubt about it. danielle diaz, good to see you. thank you. >> high school basketball announcer in oklahoma apologized for using a racist epithets during a live stream tournament. >> [ bleep ], [ bleep ]. [ bleep ]. >> the statement obtained by cnn, he said, quote, while the comments i said seem to indicate i'm a racist. i am not. he said he is a diabetic and his sugar was spiking. he doesn't believe he would have made the comments if that didn't happen. the school, which was hosting the tournament, by the way, said it terminated their contract with the broadcasting company. okay. up next we're taking a closer look at mental health during the pandemic. examining how everything from shutdowns to restrictions are taking a toll on people and families, too. all families. stop struggling to clean tough messes with sprays. try clean freak! it has three times the cleaning power to dissolve kitchen grease on contact. it works great on bathtubs. and even stainless steel. try clean freak from mr. clean. find your rhythm. your happy place. find your breaking point. then break it. every emergen-c gives you a potent blend of nutrients so you can emerge your best with emergen-c. so you're a small business, or a big one. you were thriving, but then... oh. ah. okay. plan, pivot. how do you bounce back? you don't, you bounce forward, with serious and reliable internet. powered by the largest gig speed network in america. but is it secure? sure it's secure. and even if the power goes down, your connection doesn't. so how do i do this? you don't do this. we do this, together. bounce forward, with comcast business. asthma symptoms can attack anywhere. get fast relief here with primatene mist. available over the counter for mild ashtma. primatene mist. breathe easy again. a year now into this pandemic, we know it has had a mental attack on the health of students. >> parents said they are suing to get clip back in the classroom. cnn's bianna golodryga has more on why they think this was a necessary step. >> the garbage workers who pickup my freaking trash risk their lives every day, more than anyone in this school system. >> reporter: across the country, exasperated parents like this virginia dad are demanding more of their school boards. >> it's maddening because why is my kid suffering and other kids get to to be in school. it's a game and the kids are, you know, being used as pawns, i guess. >> reporter: attorney keri avalini donahue are representing equally frustrated parents pro bono in two new jersey districts. it's been a year since they filled the districts. the pseudosearch of students have been denied their right to education. >> kids need to be in school with their peers, with their teachers working collaboratively. >> reporter: for donahue, these cases hit close to home. >> the department not responding to my own child's specific needs, and writing, they're not going to open the schools. we were kind of like, i can do this. i'm going to speak up for her because no one is speaking for the kids. >> reporter: her 11-year-old daughter mary has not set foot inside a classroom since last march. what grade are you in? >> i'm in 6th grade. >> reporter: do you worry when you can possibly return back to school? >> yeah. i always ask mom, when am i going back to school? >> she said she doesn't know. >> reporter: diagnosed with adhd, mary had been on an individualized education plan or i.e.p. prior to the pandemic and had been thriving. >> she did so well. they said when she goes into middle school, she no longer needs the intense special services. >> reporter: today donahue said her daughter is a completely different person and refuses to participate in online classes. >> she's progressively declined to the point where she's diagnosed with high level anxiety and depression and it was recommended we put her on antidepressants to help her get back to a somewhat normal state. it's heartbreakingly sad. >> reporter: the family she represents in the lawsuit described similar setbacks. >> he was a star pupil a year ago, thriving, happy, all of his in-school supports were helping him. my son is an emotional mess now. he's depressed. he's not interested in anything. he doesn't talk. he wasn't even participating. he wasn't turning his camera on. this is a kid who had tested as gifted in the 99 percentile now getting essentially d-level grades. >> reporter: similar lawsuits have been filed against school districts and teachers unions in over a dozen states. from maryland to kentucky, wisconsin and california. >> getting our schools back open safely. >> reporter: but while the push to reopen schools has garnered national sympathy from the white house, there is little the federal government can actually do. the majority of the country hinges on decisions made by local school districts. for these moms, the battle is halfway over. on thursday the montclair school district, one of the two named in donahue's lawsuit, reached a deal to return to the classroom april 12th. >> and i'm so grateful. >> reporter: your mom is out there fighting for you. >> thank you. >> reporter: bianna golodryga, cnn, new jersey. >> entering a second year of the coronavirus pandemic at this point, if you think about it, our mental health is still something that a lot of people think we aren't talking about enough. now we know about 41% of americans have reported experiencing mental health issues related to the pandemic and it is a real crisis among health care workers. more than 20% say they experienced anxiety or depression or some form of posttraumatic distress in the last year. how do we move forward and manage our emotional well-being? psychologist dr. patrice harris is with us now. dr. harris, we are so grateful to have you on board with us here. i do want to ask you, help me understand the degree to which people are dealing with anxiety and depression. what are you hearing? >> well, since march we have seen survey after survey where the participants say that this pandemic has affected their emotions. they are experiencing more anxiety, more depressed mood. they're unable to sleep. increased feelings of loneliness and isolation and, of course, a lot of issues around grief. we don't talk about mental health enough. we are not talking about grief because certainly we know so many of our next door neighbors and others lost loved ones. actually lost loved ones, particularly in black and brown communities. but it was also a disruption in our lives, in children's lives, so they did not get to experience those milestones. those are very important, particularly to children. so there's no question that we have to talk about mental health. and you know, not in a doomsday manner. not, we are all doomed, but we should be right now planning. you know, just as we need to prepare for public health emergencies, we need to prepare to be able to meet the mental health needs of folks going back to school, going back to work. that will be an adjustment. it won't be easy. >> so, are you saying you anticipate more mental health issues as we try to swing back into some sort of normalcy? >> well, we are seeing those now, right. and those are not going to turn off immediately. i appreciate the story of the psychiatrist. i do know children need to be back in school, although i do want to note there are some children who perhaps were bullied before in school and were anxious in school that might be doing a lit