3/26: CBS Evening News

RECORD UNEMPLOYMENT. MORE THAN THREE MILLION AMERICANS SAY THEY'RE OUT OF WORK WITH MORE LAYOFFS LOOMING. WHY THAT NUMBER TONIGHT IS LIKELY TO BE EVEN HIGHER. AS THE DEATH TOLL IN THE U. S. PASSES 1, 000, THE PRESIDENT TELLS AMERICA'S GOVERNORS HE WILL SOON SET NEW SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES THAT COULD PUT PARTS OF AMERICA BACK TO WORK. ACROSS THE COUNTRY, HOSPITALS AT WAR WITH AN INVISIBLE ENEMY. IN NEW YORK, LINES STRETCHING OUTSIDE AS DOCTOR'S SAY THEY'RE STRETCHED TO THE LIMIT INSIDE. THE DRAMATIC NUMBER OF DEATHS INSIDE ONE HOSPITAL AS REFRIGERATOR TRUCKS BECOME MAKESHIFT MORGUES. VETERANS HOSPITALS ALSO IN CRISIS. WE'RE AT ONE CENTER SERVING 55, 000 VETS WITH ONLY 102 BEDS. IS THE V. A. PREPARED IF INFECTION SPIKES? WITH AMERICA SHUT DOWN, THEY'RE STILL ON THE JOB INSIDE AMERICA'S GROCERY STORES. WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO KEEP WORKERS AND YOU SAFE. KEEPING HEALTH CARE HEROES FED WHILE ALSO GIVING A LIFELINE TO STRUGGLING RESTAURANTS. \ THIS IS THE " CBS EVENING \ NEWS" WITH NORAH O'DONNELL, \ REPORTING FROM THE NATION'S \ CAPITAL. >> O'Donnell: GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING NEWS, AND SOMETHING

TONIGHT, THE U. S. HAS MORE CONFIRMED CASES OF THE DEADLY CORONAVIRUS THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, SURPASSING EVEN CHINA AND ITALY. SINCE WE WERE WITH YOU LAST NIGHT, CASES NATIONWIDE HAVE SURGED, GROWING BY MORE THAN 17, 000 IN JUST ONE DAY. SADLY, MORE THAN 1, 000 PEOPLE IN THE U. S. HAVE DIED. NEARLY 3. 3 MILLION AMERICANS FILED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT LAST WEEK. THAT'S MORE THAN THE POPULATION OF CHICAGO. AND THIS GRAPH SAYS IT ALL. SINCE 2, 000, WEEKLY CLAIMS HAD BEEN IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS. LAST WEEK'S NUMBERS ARE OFF THE CHART. TODAY SHOULD HAVE BEEN OPENING DAY FOR AMERICA'S FAVORITE PASTIME, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL. INSTEAD, TONIGHT THE PRESIDENT IS TALKING ABOUT REOPENING THE ECONOMY, SAYING THE COUNTRY " HAS GOT TO GET BACK TO WORK ." THE PRESIDENT SAYS HE WILL BE GIVING STATES NEW GUIDELINES ON SOCIAL DISTANCING, GETTING SOME PEOPLE BACK ON THE JOB IN PLACES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN HARD HIT BY THE VIRUS. OUR TEAM IS COVERING EVERY ANGLE OF THIS CRISIS, AND MARK STRASSMANN LEADS US OFF FROM JUST OUTSIDE ATLANTA. AND MARK, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THOSE JOBLESS NUMBERS COULD BE EVEN HIGHER? >> Reporter: WELL, HERE'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER, NORAH. AS GRIM AS THOSE NUMBERS ARE, THE REALITY IS LIKELY WORSE. AMERICA'S LATEST JOBLESS NUMBERS HIT LIKE AN OVERNIGHT GUT PUNCH. CANDICE DeLONG LOST BOTH HER JOBS IN LOS ANGELES. >> SCARED FOR THE WAY LIFE IS GOING TO BE AFTER, YES, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE JOBS TO COME BACK TO, YES. IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE INCOME TO PAY FOR THINGS, YES. >> Reporter: IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, ONE MILLION CALIFORNIANS HAVE FILED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT. PENNSYLVANIA, NEVADA, MASSACHUSETTS, AND RHODE ISLAND, ALSO BLED BADLY. 10 STATES REPORTED MORE THAN 100, 000 NEW UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS. THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, TRAVEL AND TOURISM AND RETAIL. ECONOMIST DIANE SWONK WARNS THE REALITY DWARFS THE OFFICIAL NUMBERS. >> THIS IS SUCH AN UNPRECEDENTED SURGE, AND THOSE PEOPLE APPLYING FOR THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, THE SITES ACTUALLY FROZE. >> Reporter: IN MANY STATES, APPLYING FOR BENEFITS IS A FULL- TIME JOB. JULIE GRIFFITH, A LAID OFF DENTAL HYGIENIST IN BOULDER, COLORADO. >> I BELIEVE THAT I HAD TO FILE FIVE SEPARATE TIMES TO FINALLY GET INTO THE SYSTEM. >> Reporter: IN GEORGIA, LABOR DEPARTMENT OFFICES ARE CLOSED, ITS WEBSITE OVERWHELMED. 110, 000 PEOPLE TRIED FILING YESTERDAY. IN WASHINGTON, D. C. TOMORROW MORNING, THE HOUSE WILL VOTE ON A $ 2 TRILLION STIMULUS LIFELINE. EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT AND DIRECT PAYMENTS UP TO $ 1200 TO MOST AMERICANS, LIKE MARIE SILKRIDGE- ASHFORD. HER ONE- WOMAN OPERATION, THE CHEESECAKE BOUTIQUE, CLOSED TODAY. THE GOVERNMENT'S DIRECT PAYMENT TO HER WOULD TAKE AT LEAST THREE WEEKS. SHE NEEDS IT NOW. >> IT'S JUST NOT KNOWING, NOT REALLY HAVING ANY FOUNDATION, BEING ABLE TO MAKE A PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT SURE WHERE YOUR SOURCE OF INCOME WILL BE COMING FROM. >> Reporter: THIS IS THE ENVELOPE THOUSANDS OF JOBLESS GEORGIANS ARE WAITING FOR. INSIDE, IS A STATE- ISSUED DEBIT CARD WORTH UP TO $ 365 A WEEK. IT'S A FRACTION OF WHAT MOST OF THEM NEED. NORAH. >> O'Donnell: INCREDIBLE. ALL RIGHT, MARK, THANK YOU. AND NOW TO WASHINGTON, WHERE FOR THE LAST YEAR THE PRESIDENT HAS PRESIDED OVER AN HISTORICALLY LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, BUT THE NUMBERS TODAY ARE THE FIRST SIGN THAT WILL NO LONGER BE THE CASE. THE PRESIDENT SAYS THE JOBLESS NUMBERS ARE NOBODY'S FAULT, AND THAT HE WILL SOON OUTLINE NEW GUIDELINES TO GET SOME PEOPLE BACK TO WORK. PAULA REID REPORTS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. >> Reporter: PRESIDENT TRUMP TODAY CONFRONTED THE HISTORIC RISE IN UNEMPLOYMENT. >> I HEARD IT COULD BE SIX MILLION, COULD BE SEVEN MILLION. IT'S 3. 3, OR 3. 2. BUT IT'S A LOT OF JOBS. BUT I THINK WE'LL COME BACK VERY STRONG. THE SOONER WE GET BACK TO WORK-- YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY WE STAY OUT, IT GETS HARDER TO BRING IT BACK VERY QUICKLY. >> Reporter: SOURCES TELL CBS NEWS THE PRESIDENT IS FRUSTRATED THAT A TANKING ECONOMY MAY HURT HIS CHANCES OF RE- ELECTION. IN A LETTER TO THE NATION'S GOVERNORS, MR. TRUMP SAID HE WILL CATEGORIZE COUNTIES AS HIGH RISK, MEDIUM RISK, OR LOW RISK IN AN EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE LOCAL LEADERS TO REOPEN THEIR BUSINESSES. >> I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE DESIRE OF THE PRESIDENT TO IGNORE POTENTIALLY THE SCIENCE TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING THAT I KNOW HE'S, YOU KNOW-- HAS A DESIRE TO DO. >> Reporter: ALREADY, THERE'S A DISPUTE WITHIN THE AUTO INDUSTRY ABOUT WHEN TO RESUME WORK. FORD ANNOUNCED TODAY IT WILL REOPEN SOME OF ITS PLANTS AS EARLY AS APRIL 6, WHILE TOYOTA AND FIAT- CHRYSLER EXTENDED THEIR SHUTDOWNS UNTIL LATER NEXT MONTH. IN A RARE INTERVIEW, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE COUNTRY MAY ALREADY BE IN A RECESSION, BUT DID SAY THERE IS REASON FOR HOPE. >> IF WE GET THE-- GET THE VIRUS SPREAD UNDER CONTROL FAIRLY QUICKLY, THEN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY CAN RESUME. >> Reporter: ON SATURDAY, THE PRESIDENT WILL HEAD TO NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, TO SEE THE U. S. NAVY MEDICAL SHIP " THE COMFORT" AS IT HEADS TO NEW YORK CITY TO HELP WITH THE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE. NORAH. >> O'Donnell: ALL RIGHT, PAULA, THANK YOU. ON THAT NOTE TONIGHT, NEW YORK'S GOVERNOR, ANDREW CUOMO, SAYS HOSPITALIZATIONS IN THE STATE WENT UP 40 %. NEW YORK HAS NEARLY HALF OF ALL THE CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS HERE IN THE U. S. 911 OPERATORS IN NEW YORK CITY SAY THEY'RE ON PACE TO RECEIVE AS MANY AS 7, 000 CALLS JUST TODAY. A HOSPITAL IN THE BOROUGH OF QUEENS IS NOW AT THE CENTER OF THE CRISIS, AND MOLA LENGHI THERE. MOLA. >> Reporter: WELL, NORAH, IN JUST 24 HOURS IN NEW YORK CITY, 100 PEOPLE HAVE DIED DUE TO THE VIRUS. ACROSS THE STATE, 1200 PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY IN I. C. U. MEDICAL STAFF FROM DOCTORS TO NURSES TO E. M. T. s, THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH THE INFLUX OF PATIENTS, AND NOWHERE IS THAT ILLUSTRATED MORE THAN THIS HOSPITAL HERE. TODAY, THE CRUSH OF PATIENTS AT ELMHURST HOSPITAL WAS SO OVERWHELMING, THAT 50 ADDITIONAL WORKERS WERE SENT THERE TO HELP. SOME OF THE SICK ARE BEING TRANSPORTED ELSEWHERE, THIS AFTER 13 PEOPLE DIED IN JUST 24 HOURS AT ELMHURST. E. M. T.

>> FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF BEING PROPERLY PREPARED, THE TRAINING IS THERE. THE EQUIPMENT IS NOT. >> THEY ALL HAVE... >> Reporter: THIS DOCTOR'S VIDEO, POSTED BY " THE NEW YORK TIMES ," ILLUSTRATES THE BLEAK PICTURE. >> I DON'T REALLY CARE IF I GET IN TROUBLE FOR SPEAKING TO THE MEDIA. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THIS IS BAD. PEOPLE ARE DYING. WE DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND IN THE HOSPITAL TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. >> Reporter: MAKESHIFT MORGUES ARE BEING SET UP AT CITY HOSPITALS. ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MORE THAN 1, 000 HAVE ALREADY DIED. A REVIEW BY " THE WASHINGTON POST" FOUND THAT 65 % WERE OVER 70 YEARS OLD, AND 60 % WERE MEN. IN MICHIGAN, THIS EMERGENCY NURSE SOUNDED THE ALARM. >> I DIDN'T CHOOSE NURSING OR THE HEALTH CARE FIELD TO NOT HELP PEOPLE, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE CHOICES ARE THAT THEY'RE GIVING US. THEY'RE GIVING US NO CHOICE BUT TO HELP ONLY THE PEOPLE THAT THEY THINK THAT CAN SURVIVE. >> Reporter: BUT THE SICK KEEP COMING. IN CHICAGO, A BLUNT WARNING FROM THE CITY'S

>> WE COULD BE EXPECTING UPWARDS OF 40, 000 HOSPITALIZATIONS IN THE COMING WEEKS. >> Reporter: IN MIAMI, MORE THAN A DOZEN CREW MEMBERS WERE ESCORTED OFF THIS CRUISE SHIP BY PEOPLE WEARING PROTECTIVE GEAR. BACK IN NEW YORK, HEALTH CARE WORKERS ARE CONTINUING TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS OVER WORSENING CONDITIONS. >> WE ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF THIS, DOING IT TO THE POINT OF EXHAUSTION. WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF THESE MASKS UNLESS WE GET SOME TYPE OF EMERGENCY SUPPLY. >> Reporter: WELL, TESTING HERE AT ELMHURST HOSPITAL WILL CONTINUE IN THE TENTS THAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME THERE. THAT WILL PICK BACK UP TOMORROW MORNING. BUT THAT CONCERN THAT YOU HEARD IN THAT E. M. T. 'S VOICE, THAT'S REAL. THEIR UNION TELLS US THAT 400 OF THEIR UNIFORMED MEMBERS HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH COVID- 19, THAT IS 10 % OF THEIR WORKFORCE, NORAH. >> O'Donnell: MOLA, THANK YOU. JOINING US NOW IS SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT OUR MEDICAL PROVIDERS ARE FACING ON THE FRONT LINES. DR. MEGAN RANNEY IS AN EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN AT BROWN UNIVERSITY. DR. RANNEY, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, NORAH. >> O'Donnell: YOU KNOW, WE KNOW OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS ARE LIKE SOLDIERS. WHAT'S IT LIKE TO WORK UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES? >> WE ARE SCARED. WE ARE STRESSED. AND WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT AND ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PATIENTS AND OUR COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS OUR ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES. >> O'Donnell: DOCTOR, THIS IS A DIFFICULT QUESTION BUT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DOCTORS AND NURSES AND COLLEAGUES THAT YOU WORK WITH DOING TO PREPARE FOR THE CASE THAT THEY MAY THEMSELVES CATCH COVID- 19? >> NORAH, I ALREADY HAVE DOZENS, LITERALLY DOZENS OF FRIENDS IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE BEEN INFECTED BY COVID- 19. A COUPLE OF THEM HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED. A COUPLE ARE IN INTENSIVE CARE. MY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES ARE DOING THINGS LIKE RECORDING VIDEOS FOR THEIR KIDS, WRITING LETTERS TO THEIR SPOUSES OR THEIR KIDS OR THEIR GRANDKIDS, MAKING SURE THAT THEIR WILLS ARE IN ORDER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF WE END UP GETTING ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL, WE, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WITH COVID- 19, WOULD BE ISOLATED FROM OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND MAY NOT HAVE THE CHANCE TO SAY GOODBYE IN PERSON. >> O'Donnell: THAT'S A-- THAT'S HARD TO HEAR THAT. >> IT IS UNBELIEVABLY DIFFICULT. YOU KNOW, AS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, WE RUN TOWARDS DISASTER. WE ARE TRAINED AND READY TO HELP ANYONE WHO NEEDS IT. WE'RE NOT USED TO OUR HELPING PUTTING US AT SUCH RISK. >> O'Donnell: WHAT ARE YOU SEEING AT YOUR HOSPITAL IN TERMS OF COVID- 19 PATIENTS AND SUPPLIES? >> MY HOSPITAL, LIKE EVERY OTHER HOSPITAL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IS DAY BY DAY SEEING DRAMATIC INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS WITH SYMPTOMS CONSISTENT WITH COVID- 19. WE ARE ALSO SEEING DROPPING NUMBERS OF SUPPLIES. A LOT OF THE SUPPLIES THAT WERE INTENDED FOR HOSPITALS LIKE MINE HAVE BEEN DIVERTED TO NEW YORK. >> O'Donnell: WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE AT HOME CAN DO TO HELP THEIR LOCAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS? >> SO, THE FIRST AND BIGGEST THING THAT PEOPLE AT HOME CAN DO IS TRULY TO STAY HOME. I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT SOCIAL DISTANCING IS. IF YOU CAN STAY HOME, YOU CAN STOP THE SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS, AND ALLOW US IN HEALTH CARE TO BETTER HELP YOU. >> O'Donnell: WELL DOCTOR, WE CAN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH TO YOU AND TO EVERYONE WHO IS CARING FOR AMERICANS ALL AROUND THE WORLD. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, NORAH. >> O'Donnell: TONIGHT, THE NATION'S LARGEST HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, IS SEEING AN ONSLAUGHT OF CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS. THE V. A. CARES FOR MILLIONS OF ELDERLY VETERANS AND IT HAS NOW CONFIRMED NEARLY 500 CASES, A 60 % SPIKE SINCE TUESDAY. THE RETIRED REAR ADMIRAL WHO RUNS WANT V. A. CENTER IN PHILADELPHIA, SPOKE WITH OUR JIM AXELROD ABOUT THE URGENT NEED FOR BEDS AND VENTILATORS. >> WE'RE LOOKING AT A SURGE IN CAPACITY. >> Reporter: THE CHALLENGE HERE IN PHILADELPHIA

SERVING A POPULATION OF 55, 000 VETS, THEY'VE GOT 102 BEDS. >> WE ARE ABLE TO EXPAND BY 50- PLUS BEDS. >> Reporter: STILL 152 BEDS. IS THAT ENOUGH FOR WHAT YOU ANTICIPATE HAPPENING HERE? >> WE'RE NOT SURE. >> Reporter: WITH THE AVERAGE VETERAN SERVED BY THE V. A. OLDER THAN 60, MANY ALSO HAVE UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS. THIS IS A POPULATION THAT IS ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO RESPIRATORY ISSUES FROM CORONAVIRUS. DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH VENTILATORS? >> SO WE HAVE VENTILATORS ON ORDER. >> Reporter: I TAKE THAT TO MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH RIGHT NOW. >> WE PUT AN ORDER IN, IN ANTICIPATION THAT, YOU KNOW, 30 TO 40 % OF THE VETERANS WE SEE MAY NEED SOME VENTATORY SUPPORT. >> Reporter: ARE YOU ANTICIPATING A CRISIS? >> I'M NOT. >> I CERTAINLY CAN SPEAK FOR PATIENTS, AND WHEN THEY GET SICK, THEY GET REALLY SICK. >> Reporter: WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THE POPULATION OF V. A. PATIENTS FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC? >> OUR TYPICAL PATIENT MIGHT HAVE HEART DISEASE AND PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE. SO WE WORRY WHEN THEY NEED CARE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE A CHALLENGING PATIENT TO LOOK AFTER. AND SOME OF THEM REALLY ARE. >> Reporter: DOES 150 BEDS SEEM LIKE ENOUGH FOR 50, 000- PLUS VETERANS? >> I HOPE IT IS. I'M WORRIED THAT IT'S NOT. >> Reporter: IF THERE IS A SPIKE IN NUMBERS, THE V. A. WOULD HAVE IN TIMES OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY, TAKING CARE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS WELL. JIM AXELROD, CBS NEWS, PHILADELPHIA. >> O'Donnell: AND AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR MILITARY, THERE ARE NEW ORDERS FROM THE PENTAGON THAT MEAN ALL U. S. OVERSEAS MILITARY PERSONNEL WILL HAVE TO STAY PUT FOR THE NEXT 60 DAYS TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS. 90, 000 TROOPS WHO WERE SCHEDULED TO DEPLOY OR COME HOME WILL BE AFFECTED. THERE ARE CURRENTLY ALMOST 300 CONFIRMED CASES THROUGHOUT THE MILITARY. THERE IS STILL MUCH MORE NEWS AHEAD ON TONIGHT'S " CBS EVENING NEWS ." SOME OF AMERICA'S MOST VULNERABLE WORKERS IN THIS OUTBREAK ARE GROCERY WORKERS. WHAT'S BEING DONE TO KEEP THEM AND YOU SAFE FROM THE VIRUS? LATER, AS WE ALL SAY, WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER. SO WE HAVE A STORY ABOUT A COMMUNITY HELPING TWO INDUSTRIES BY FEEDING THOSE HEALTH CARE HEROES. >> O'Donnell: YOU'VE PROBABLY NOTICED IT ACROSS AMERICA, DOWNTOWNS HAVE BECOME GHOST TOWNS. STREETS ARE MOSTLY EMPTY. BUT NOT THE AISLES AT SUPERMARKETS WHERE WORKERS ARE NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER. A NUMBER OF THEM ARE NOW TESTING POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS. ERROL BARNETT LOOKS AT WHAT'S BEING DONE TO KEEP THEM AND YOU SAFE. >> THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING. >> THANK YOU. >> Reporter: JOE COLALILLO IS C. E. O. OF WAKEFERN, A GROCERY STORE COOPERATIVE OF NEARLY 80, 000 WORKERS, INCLUDING ONES WHO TESTED POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS. >> OUR ASSOCIATES TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY THEIR ROLE TO FEED PEOPLE, RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT WE DO. THAT'S THE BUSINESS WE'RE IN. >> Reporter: WITH STAFFERS WORKING ALONGSIDE THE PUBLIC EVERY DAY, COLALILLO SAYS KEEPING EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS SAFE IS THEIR TOP PRIORITY. >> WE DO REGULAR CLEANING ALL THE TIME, ALL DAY LONG, TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. >> Reporter: IT'S SOBERING BUSINESS FOR THE ENTIRE SUPERMARKET INDUSTRY-- FREQUENT CLEANING, SNEEZE GUARDS BETWEEN CASHIERS, AND FLOOR MARKERS ENCOURAGING SOCIAL DISTANCING HAVE ALL BECOME THE NORM. SOME STORES EVEN OFFER RUBBER GLOVES. >> I WAS NOT ABOUT TO JUST GRAB THAT BASKET WITH MY BARE HANDS. >> Reporter: EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING OVERTIME, IN SOME WAYS JEOPARDIZING THEIR OWN HEALTH TO KEEP SHELVES STOCKED AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN. BUT GROCERS LIKE GRISTEDES C. E. O. JOHN CATSIMATIDIS SAYS THERE IS NO SHORTAGE. HOW LONG AHEAD SHOULD PEOPLE BE PURCHASING FOOD FOR? >> YOU SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH MERCHANDISE FOR A WEEK OR TWO WEEKS BUT YOU SHOULDN'T BE BUYING THREE MONTHS OR FOUR MONTHS. >> Reporter: ASSISTANT MANAGER EDDIE ORTIZ CALLS HIS STAFF " FRONTLINE WARRIORS ." >> THEY'RE COURAGEOUS PEOPLE. THEY DIDN'T HESITATE FOR ONE MINUTE TO STAY AND MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC. >> THANK YOU. >> Reporter: ERROL BARNETT, CBS NEWS, NEW YORK. >> O'Donnell: AND COMING UP NEXT, HOW A PLAN TO HELP STRUGGLING RESTAURANTS ENDED UP HELPING A LOT OF HEALTH CARE HEROES. >> O'Donnell: WE'VE BEEN SAYING HERE AT CBS " WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER ," AND WE FOUND A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT RIGHT HERE IN WASHINGTON. A COMMUNITY HAS COME TOGETHER TO HELP WORKERS IN TWO DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES. 00 IN THE MORNING. >> I CALLED A FEW FRIENDS IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS AND SAID, " HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT PROVIDING SOME MEALS FOR HOSPITALS ?" >> Reporter: TOMPKINS WAS WORRIED ABOUT RESTAURANTS IN HER COMMUNITY, SO SHE BEGAN RAISING MONEY FOR LARGE FOOD ORDERS AND THOUGHT WHO BETTER TO RECEIVE THEM THAN THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES. >> IN A WEEK, WE HAVE PROVIDED OVER 700 MEALS TO OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL CENTERS. >> O'Donnell: 700 MEALS. >> YES. >> O'Donnell: IN A WEEK. >> IN A WEEK. >> THANK YOU. >> O'Donnell: WHAT HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN FROM THE HOSPITAL WORKERS, NURSES, DOCTORS? >> IT'S BEEN OVERWHELMING. THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF TEARS, HAPPY TEARS, A LITTLE BIT OF DISBELIEF. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> O'Donnell: AND GRATITUDE. ALEXIS WHITE IS A NURSE AT SIBLEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. >> LIKE, I JUST LITERALLY CALLED AND SAID, " HEY, SOMEONE IS HERE WHO WILL BE DELIVERING COFFEE AND PASTRIES TO US ." THEY SAID, TO US, TO ME, WHY ?" THEY'RE SO THANKFUL AND OVERWHELMED WITH GRATITUDE. >> O'Donnell: SO FAR " FEED THE FIGHT" HAS DELIVERED TO 17 MEDICAL SITES ACROSS THE D. C. AREA, AND TOMPKINS SAYS THEY'LL KEEP GOING AS LONG AS THEY'RE NEEDED. PEOPLE ARE HURTING AND ANY RELIEF THAT THEY CAN GET IS SO APPRECIATED. >> ABSOLUTELY. AND THE FACT THAT THEY KNOW THAT THERE'S A WHOLE COMMUNITY SURROUNDING THEM AND THROWING ARMS AROUND THEM WHEN WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO ACTUALLY THROW ARMS AROUND THEM, AND DOING ANYTHING THEY CAN, I THINK IT'S WHAT'S KEEPING PEOPLE GOING. >> O'Donnell: " FEED THE FIGHT" HAS SUPPORTED 16 RESTAURANTS HERE IN THE WASHINGTON AREA, INCLUDING MY HUSBAND'S. GROUPS IN OTHER STATES HAVE STARTED SIMILAR PROGRAMS, ALL WITH ONE GOAL: SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY RESTAURANTS AND FEEDING OUR LOCAL HEROES. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. >> O'Donnell: ON TOMORROW'S " CBS EVENING NEWS ," STEVE HARTMAN STARTED SOMETHING BIG THIS WEEK, TEACHING KIDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ABOUT KINDNESS THROUGH AN ONLINE CLASS. TOMORROW, PROFESSOR HARTMAN, AS WE'RE CALLING HIM NOW, WILL BRING US THE LESSONS WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM OUR LITTLEST STUDENTS. AND IF YOU CAN'T WATCH US LIVE, DON'T FORGET TO SET YOUR DVR SO YOU CAN WATCH US LATER. THAT IS TONIGHT'S " CBS EVENING NEWS ." I'M NORAH O'DONNELL IN WASHINGTON. WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW. STAY SAFE AND GOOD NIGHT.