severe, less virulent virus than previous variants? we just don't know at this stage. christine. >> david mckenzie in johannesburg. thank you for that. laura? back here in the u.s. there is now cnn reporting on what a supreme court vacancy could mean. isaac is here for us. it feels like shades of 2016 again with merrick garland and the mcconnell rule of doing business. >> well, that's right, laura. manu raju and i spent time last week talking to senators, including a number of prominent republican senators on the judiciary committee. they said in pretty clear terms that if there is a republican majority and a vacancy opens on the supreme court, they're ready to do again what happened with merrick garland. they said they would not confirm a nominee if the party of majority in the senate doesn't