new york city is enforcing a covid vaccine mandate for private businesses. >> no one thinks this is the holiday season that we were hoping for but contrast it to last year, it's so much better. >> reporter: also better? hospitalizations are not rising as quickly as feared. though, in many places, patients and staff, alike, are staggering against the surge. >> we have, as of this morning, 115 staff members out ill with covid who have tested positive. >> reporter: even the holiday fun and games are getting shaky with five college football bowl games cancelled or scrambling to find new teams, as covid rips through locker rooms. brand new rules allow for the championship, itself, to be delayed or decided by forfeit, if necessary. although, nobody wants that. >> everybody wants to play. the -- the players are looking out for themselves. they really are. >> reporter: simply put, if you have plans to be out for new year's eve, you might want to rethink those. and then, brace yourself.