January 1, 2021 – PBS NewsHour full episode

As COVID-19 cases rise across the country, one of the worst-hit areas right now is the Southeast. That includes Georgia, where many hospitals are at or near capacity. Georgia is also lagging behind many other states in giving out vaccinations. Judy Woodruff spoke with Dr. Shanti Akers, a pulmonologist at the Phoebe Putney Health System in Albany, Georgia, to learn more.

The U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs operates the nation's biggest hospital system, serving millions of former service members around the county. But according to a series of investigative reports in ProPublica, that system has suffered badly during the pandemic, and is failing to protect its own health staff. William Brangham spoke with ProPublica reporter J. David McSwane to learn more.

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus join Judy Woodruff to discuss the year in politics, including the failure of institutions, the long-awaited COVID relief bill, Georgia’s Senate runoffs, and the frailty of Democracy.

As with many things this past year, the typical live music scene was silenced. But there were creative attempts to provide entertainment breaking out all over, and recording artists put out new music that offered a wide range of options. Jeffrey Brown reports as part of his "Best of 2020" series.

More than 340,000 people died from COVID-19 in the United States in 2020, and as of Friday the number of people infected with the virus had surpassed 20 million. As we begin a New Year, we honor just five of those who we have lost to the coronavirus.

The Most Rev. Michael Curry is the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church of the U.S. His latest book "Love is the Way: Holding Onto Hope in Troubling Times," reveals how love fueled his journey from descendant of slaves to the top position in a predominantly white church. He joins Judy Woodruff to discuss how love can help overcome adversities.