Midmorning With Aundrea - November 25, 2020 (Part 1)

(Part 1 of 4) More than 1,000 children in the US who have contracted COVID-19 start developing multi-system inflammatory syndrome which is potentially life-threatening.

We meet the first child to receive an experimental treatment for the condition.

And with Christmas right around the corner, many stores are trying to reassure shoppers that their establishments are safe from the coronavirus.

That's groswhile some cases of coronavirus right now.

While some cases of coronavirus tend to be mild for children, more than one thousand have developed multi-system inflammatory syndrome or m-i-s-c in children.

It's a rare complication but it can be life threatening.

Laura podesta has more on the first child in the country to receive an experimental treatment for mis- c.

Kj griffin is a 4 year old with a big personality.

His mom cannot believe she came so close to losing him .

It's not a good feeling.

Not to watch your kid like that.

In august, kj was getting sicker.

He was sent home from one hospital, but when he spiked a 105 fever, his mom rushed him to m-u- s-c shawn jenkins children's hospital in charleston, south carolina.

Kj was suffering from 'multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children' or 'mis-c' , a rare but serious complication that can develop after covid-19 infection.

His body was no longer pumping blood effectively to his vital organs.

And they were starting to shut down kj received high dose steroids and aspirin and plasma, as well as other drugs to help prevent blood clots.

Doctors determined he was also a candidate for an experimental treatment called remestemcel-l, which uses donor bone marrow cells to regulate the immune system.

Dr. allison eckard is the division director of pediatric infectious diseases.

It acts as if that person is making those cells themselves and so they circulate in the blood and release anti inflammatory cytokines // the thought is that not only does it turn down inflammation, but it actually repairs some of the damage that's been done within 24 hours kj's cardiac function returned to normal.

We //gave his second infusion a couple days later, because his markers of inflammation were still very high.

But within another 24 hours, they'd started to come down, and he was soon able to be discharged from the hospital.

Kj continues to recover.

He basically in perfect health, you would have never thought he was sick just a couple of months ago.

Even though his condition is rare, his mom says she wants other parents to be aware.

Laura podesta, cbs news since the pandemic began, there have been 1,163 cases of mis-c in the us and 20 deaths.

According to the american academy of pediatrics.

With no end in sight to covid restrictions, the restaurant industry is on the brink.

Outdoor dining has helped, but as temperatures drop, fewer and fewer customers are expected to eat outside.

Michael george shows us how restaurants are trying to survive the winter.

Benny ramos has managed to keep his manhattan restaurant, anejo, afloat, thanks in part, to outdoor dining.

But with the weather getting colder, he knows these outdoor tents won't be enough.

"it gets very wind and still having to keep two sides of the structure open definitely makes it a challenge, and it doesn't make it cheap."

After more than 8 months of lockdowns and restrictions, 1 in 6 restaurants in the u-s has shut down ÁpermanentlyÁ, and staffing is down 2 million workers .

Now those still open for business are warming up the idea of heat lamps as a way to sustain outdoor dining this winter.

Ramos says he's already spent $2800 on the lamps, and hundreds more on propane tank re-fills as well as employee training and certification.

David arnold with heat lamp manufacturer infratech says his company hasn't raised prices, but sales are up 400%... and they're trying to keep up with demand.

For ramos, the heat lamps may be the investment that keeps his employees ÁworkingÁ.

A temporary lifeline - that's badly need.

Michael george, cbs news, new york.

Many restaurant many restaurant owners in colder communities say during winter, even heat lamps may not be enough for customers to be willing to eat outdoors.

Turning now to black friday - the pandemic has forced retailers to make big changes - spreading out deals throughout the holiday season - making it more like "blac november."

Here's meg oliver.

Macy's nat sound holiday music and windows stores are dressed up in holiday sparkle... something like: it's the best time of the year..

...but this season& rising cases of covid-19 have taken the shine off of in person shopping.... ..an experience far different from the contact sports scenes in years past.

To boost sales, retailers are taking measures to reassure customers it's safe to shop in their stores& ÁÁÁ including&.

Plexiglass shields, increased cleaning, curbside pick up and shopping reservations to limit the number of people in stores.

Not only are they being challenged by the loss of retail sales, they're also being challenged by higher expenses in operating the stores// uncertain times have forced gift givers to be more tight fisted.

÷ source: ndp group https://www.npd.co m/lps/pdf/npd-20- us-holiday- purchase- intentions-key- findings-102820.pdf a new survey finds consumers plan to spend an average of $691 on gifting - 7% less than last year .

E-commerce continues to grow - 80% plan to shop online .

How much online shopping are you doing right now?

It's okay.

I'm on a first-name basis with my ups man.

Christine kosakowski is the owner of the pink pear gift shop in madison new jersey.

How creative do you have to be to survive a pandemic if you're a local business?

Extremely creative.

I mean, i have lost lots of hours of sleep laying in bed, trying to come up with the next idea.

//and right now we're offering something called book your bubble, where you can book a group of-- ladies, friends-- to come in and shop privately.

So the store is closed.

Meg oliver, cbs news.

Major airlines are rolling back some major airlines are rolling back some safety measures to accommodate an expected rise in holiday travelers.

Airlines say thanksgiving week could be the busiest they've been since march, despite the recent nationwide coronavirus surge.

Mandy gaither has a closer look at the measures they're easing in response.

Soaring to a new normal?

American airlines united and jetblue... announcing they will do away with policies they put in place at the start of the pandemic.

But with more people expected to travel this holiday season--- airlines are taking notice... adding hundreds of flights to schedules that were slashed earlier this year.

Southwest says it will no longer cap capacity on its flights after the thanksgiving rush.

Saying in a statement quote-- "our return to normal way of booking and operating flights came in concert with a chorus of trusted, scientific voices that validated the efficacy of aircraft ventilation systems."

Jetblue says it will sell every seat on board its flights starting january 8th of next year.

Right now, the airline is capping capacity at 70- percent on board.

Delta is the only major u-s airline still blocking middle seats as a precaution-- ed bastian, delta ceo// "ou consumers are telling us it's working.

Our people are telling us they're feeling comfortable in the environment and we're going to continue to work on getting air travel back."

This all comes in the middle of a covid-19 surge.

But airlines are pointing to enhanced cleaning protocols and new research that supports their decisions.

A harvard study suggests the ventilation systems of an airliner keep virus transmission rates low... as long as everyone is wearing a mask.

La last week-- delta air lines said on it will keep middle seats empty on its flights through march of next year.

When we come back, how a trip to the doctor turned into