Current Events in March 2020

Hyundai Motor America is recalling 5,044 model year 2020 Sonatas produced between October 22, 2019, and February 13, 2020.

The tire pressure label inside the driver's door and the owner's manual contain incorrect tire size information.

Incorrect tire information may mislead the vehicle owner to install the wrong tire size, potentially affecting vehicle handling, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install new label stickers over the tire pressure label and in the owner's manual free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin April 24, 2020.

Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at (855) 371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 190.

Giant Tiger Stores Limited is recalling Celebrate brand frozen profiteroles and eclairs.

The products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The Public Health Agency of Canada reports an investigation indicates an outbreak of Salmonella infections associated with the recalled products appears to be over.

The following products are being recalled:

The recalled products were sold at the following Giant Tiger stores in Canada:

• 417 Wellington St., St. Thomas, Ontario
• 350 Scott St., St. Catharines, Ontario
• 29 Chambers St., Smith Falls, Ontario
• 2480 Walkley Rd., Ottawa, Ontario
• 6061 Hazeldean Rd. Stittsville, Ontario
• 4501 Tecumseh Rd. East, Windsor, Ontario
• 330 avenue St-Laurent, Louiseville, Quebec
• 1254 boulevard Louis-XIV, Quebec City, Quebec
• 46 Robie St., Truro, Nova Scotia

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them, but discard or return them to the store where purchased.

Consumers with questions may contact Giant Tiger customer service at (833) 848-4437 or online at https://www.gianttiger.com/category/customerservice/contact-us.do?locale=en_ca.

Sun Hong Foods of Montebello, Calif., is recalling all cases of Enoki Mushrooms.

The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Some illnesses have been reported and are under investigation.

The recalled product, which is white, with long stems and small caps, is sold in clear plastic bags with green panels with a net weight of 7.05 oz/200g. The UPC is 7 426852 625810

It was sold at J&L Supermarkets, Jusgo Supermarkets, ZTao Markets, New Sang Supermarkets and Galleria Markets in California, Texas, Oregon, Washington, Illinois and Florida.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (323) 597-1112, Monday – Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, and Saturday 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (PST).

American Airlines and Delta Airlines announced Tuesday that they are making sweeping adjustments to scheduled flights in response to decreased travel demand as more and more travelers decide to stay at home due to coronavirus (COVID-19). 

American’s plans

Overall, American is reducing international capacity for the peak summer travel season by 10 percent -- including a 55 percent reduction in trans-Pacific capacity. Domestically, the airline is reducing capacity by 7.5 percent, but only in April so far. 

Specific routes that are impacted include:

Asia

• Suspending service to mainland China and Hong Kong (HKG) from Los Angeles (LAX) through the summer.

• Suspending service to mainland China from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) through the summer.

• Suspending service to HKG from DFW through June. DFW-HKG will resume with a reduced schedule in July.

• Extending the suspension of service to Seoul, South Korea (ICN) from DFW into early May.

• Operating flights to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) and Haneda International Airport (HND) from LAX and DFW with smaller widebody aircraft beginning in May.

Europe

• Suspending service to Rome (FCO) from Philadelphia (PHL) effective immediately through the end of April.

• Extending the suspension of service to Milan (MXP), and suspending flights to FCO from Chicago (ORD) and Charlotte (CLT) through early summer.

• Delaying the seasonal resumption of flights to Barcelona (BCN) from CLT and to Venice (VCE) from ORD to early June. Also delaying the seasonal resumption of flights to FCO from New York (JFK) and DFW through the end of April and suspending operation of our second daily flight from DFW to FCO for the summer.

• Reducing service to Paris (CDG) and Madrid (MAD) for parts of May and June.

South America

• Flights to Montevideo, Uruguay (MVD) from Miami (MIA) will become seasonal, with service ending in May and resuming in December.

• Flights to Santiago, Chile (SCL) from DFW will be suspended through April.

Delta

Delta’s overall reduction on system capacity is considerably higher than American’s -- 15 points versus its plan -- including a reduction of 20-25 percent on international flights and 10-15 percent on domestic capacity. The airline said it will make further adjustments as demand dictates.

Specifically, Delta’s reductions include:

• Pacific/Asia: 65 percent

• Trans-Atlantic: 15-20 percent

• Domestic flights: 10-15 percent

• Latin: 5 percent

As of press time, Delta had not offered specifics as to what routes where service would be affected.

Customers come first

While cleaner airplanes may have helped give travelers a little extra confidence, it evidently wasn’t enough of an inducement to get people to fly. That has left the airlines little choice but to offer waivers and take the hit in capacity until the epidemic is completely over. 

“American will continue to take care of customers as this situation develops,” the airline wrote in announcing the changes. “American’s Reservations team will contact affected customers directly by email or telephone. Customers who booked through a travel agent will be contacted by their agency directly. If a flight is canceled and a customer chooses not to be rebooked, they may request a full refund by visiting aa.com/refunds.”

“In the weeks since COVID-19 emerged, Delta people have risen to the challenge, taking every possible action to take care of and protect our customers during a stressful time,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “As the virus has spread, we have seen a decline in demand across all entities, and we are taking decisive action to also protect Delta’s financial position. As a result, we have made the difficult, but necessary decision to immediately reduce capacity and are implementing cost reductions and cash flow initiatives across the organization.”

It turns out that, yes, you can clean your smartphone with a disinfectant. Just be careful doing it.

In this coronavirus (COVID-19) age, we’ve all gotten more sensitive to the need to clean surfaces where germs can collect. Your smartphone is exhibit A. During the day, you touch all kinds of surfaces where germs may lurk, then pick up your mobile device. Keeping your phone germ-free could go a long way towards keeping you healthy.

For the longest time, Apple discouraged customers from using disinfectant wipes to clean their iPhones. Lately, that advice has changed, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Apple has updated its advice for keeping devices clean. In particular, it has addressed the question of whether it is advisable to use a disinfectant product. In the past, it has discouraged the practice.

“Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces. Don't use bleach,” the company now says on its website.” Avoid getting moisture in any opening, and don't submerge your Apple product in any cleaning agents. Don't use on fabric or leather surfaces.”

According to The Journal, Apple previously said that “cleaning products and abrasive materials will further diminish the coating and might scratch your iPhone.” Google says its smartphones are made to withstand clearing with “ordinary household soap or cleaning wipes.”

Most surfaces you touch need to be cleaned

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), says tainted surfaces are the biggest source of spreading germs, including those that cause the coronavirus. He adds that consumers who clean surfaces regularly and frequently wash their hands have a better chance of avoiding illness.

Long before the coronavirus became a threat, public health officials warned consumers about the multitude of germs gathering on the surface of their mobile devices. A 2017 study of high school students’ smartphones found 100 percent of the devices were packed with nasty germs.

Researchers at the University of Arizona found that mobile devices generally carry 10 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued warnings to companies trying to turn the coronavirus epidemic into a cash cow.

On Tuesday, the agencies fired off letters to seven companies ostensibly selling unapproved products -- including teas, essential oils, and colloidal silver -- that “may violate federal law by making deceptive or scientifically unsupported claims about their ability to treat coronavirus (COVID-19).” Those claims could be serious because there’s currently no available products that have been proven to treat or guard against the virus. 

The agencies say this is just a warning shot and that any other companies trying to make hay out of the situation can expect more of the same.

The letters were sent to the following companies: 

• Vital Silver

• Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd.

• N-ergetics

• GuruNanda, LLC

• Vivify Holistic Clinic

• Herbal Amy LLC

• The Jim Bakker Show

It’s a big enough problem as it is

In a statement, FTC Chairman Joe Simons said that consumers are already suffering from enough anxiety due to the coronavirus and that these products aren’t helping.

“What we don’t need in this situation are companies preying on consumers by promoting products with fraudulent prevention and treatment claims. These warning letters are just the first step,” he said

“We understand consumers are concerned about the spread of COVID-19 and urge them to talk to their health care providers, as well as follow advice from other federal agencies about how to prevent the spread of this illness. We will continue to aggressively pursue those that place the public health at risk and hold bad actors accountable,” added FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D.

We hear you loud and clear

There’s a lot at risk here. Selling consumers something unproven especially in a situation like this is a death wish for any business. The letters made it very clear that if the companies don’t remove their false claims within 48 hours, the Commission may seek a federal court injunction and a court order requiring money to be refunded to consumers. 

Some of the companies were quick to respond to the allegations, but they also defended what they were selling.

“These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease,” Pure Vital Silver’s Jennifer Hickman said in a company post. “These are my personally held religious beliefs that are protected by the 1st amendment, and as stated they are not to be misconstrued as medical advice.”

N-Ergetics said on its website that it has addressed all the issues pointed out in the warning letter, but it also wanted to go on record that the colloidal silver it received a warning about has been “laboratory, university and doctor tested to kill 650 pathogens in vitro.”

Amy Weidner, the owner of Herbal Amy, told ConsumerAffairs much the same about her company’s herbal products. 

“We are not selling any treatment products. We sell herbs and within the herbal product description I simply quoted an herbalist. That quote has been removed to adhere to the FDA requirements. Because it's an all natural herbal product, the FDA does not want me to quote anyone saying anything in the product description that would insinuate that it treats, mitigates or cures any diseases.” 

The herbalist Weidner was referring to was Stephen Buhner, who seems to lean on his “analysis of how coronaviruses infect tissues, what tissues they infect, and the herbs that are useful to interrupt that process, as well as the herbs useful to shut down the cytokine cascade they create.”

The fallout from Facebook’s privacy breach resulting from Cambridge Analytica’s unauthorized use of member data is not over yet.

The Australian government has filed suit against the social media giant, accusing it of providing personal details about at least 300,000 people to the political marketing firm.

The Australian Information Commissioner charged Facebook with a breach of privacy when the company launched the “This is Your Digital Life” survey on its platform. The results of that survey went to Cambridge Analytica, with the suit claiming people who filled out the survey were unaware of the sharing.

“The design of the Facebook platform meant that users were unable to exercise reasonable choice and control about how their personal information was disclosed,” Information Commissioner Angelene Falk said in a statement.

The Australian government did not ask for specific damages in the lawsuit, though the action suggests that each violation of the country’s privacy law could result in a maximum penalty of $1.1 million. 

Facebook’s response

As for Facebook, the company says it has “actively” engaged with the Australian government to resolve the complaint. 

“We’ve made major changes to our platforms, in consultation with international regulators, to restrict the information available to app developers, implement new governance protocols and build industry-leading controls to help people protect and manage their data,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.

In the U.S., Facebook has been fined a record $5 billion by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in connection with the personality quiz. Facebook was eventually charged with sharing user information on 87 million members with Cambridge Analytica clients.

At the time -- in 2016 -- Cambridge Analytica clients included Donald Trump, candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, and political groups advocating for Britain’s exit from the European Union.

In 2018, the British government fined Facebook nearly $642,000 in connection with alleged privacy violations, including the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

The Australian lawsuit alleges that Facebook did not know the exact nature of the data it shared with the personality survey app. It further declares that the company did not take “reasonable steps” to protect users’ personal information.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has sued Fifth Third Bank, charging its employees opened and charged fees to customers’ bank and credit card accounts without their knowledge or consent.

If that sounds familiar, Wells Fargo faced similar charges in 2016 and paid billions of dollars in settlements and penalties.

In its suit filed this week in Illinois, the CFPB charged Fifth Third Bank of carrying out a practice “over several years” of permitting bank employees to transfer funds from consumers’ existing accounts to new, improperly opened accounts. Regulators say these same employees signed customers up for unauthorized online-banking services and activated unauthorized lines of credit on consumers’ accounts. 

The suit claims the bank violated the Consumer Financial Protection Act’s provisions that outlaw unfair and abusive acts or practices. It also accuses the bank of violating the Truth in Lending Act and the Truth in Savings Act.

Specifically, the CFPB suit charges Fifth Third Bank used a “cross-sell” strategy similar to the one employed by Wells Fargo. It says bank employees were encouraged through incentive-based programs to increase the number of products and services sold to existing customers.

The bank responds

The bank immediately took issue with that charge. Susan Zaunbrecher, chief legal officer at Fifth Third Bank, called the government’s suit “unnecessary and unwarranted.”

“Fifth Third’s compensation and employee incentive structure does not reward retail employees for opening unauthorized accounts, nor does it give them sales quotas or product-specific targets,” Zaunbrecher said. “Our controls are designed to prevent and detect unauthorized account openings.”

In a statement announcing the suit, the CFPB said it doesn’t have a problem with sales goals and performance incentives as long as they are “reasonable.”

“But when such programs are not carefully and properly implemented and monitored, as the bureau alleges here, they may create incentives for employees to engage in misconduct in order to meet goals or earn additional compensation,” the agency said.

In the fall of 2016, Wells Fargo revealed it was under investigation for opening millions of bank and credit card accounts for customers without their knowledge or consent. The bank fired more than 5,300 employees and paid huge fines and settlements in the following years.

Just last month, Wells Fargo agreed to pay $3 billion to resolve civil and criminal charges stemming from the matter.

Having a baby is a life-changing event for a family, and that can be hard on both new mothers and their children. 

The authors of a new study published in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry understand that very well, and they’re arguing that it calls for a national paid maternity policy in the U.S. Reproductive psychiatrist Dr. Maureen Sayres Van Niel says that it’s past time for policymakers to follow the lead of other nations so they can help growing families.

“Given the substantial mental and physical health benefits associated with paid leave, as well as favorable results from studies on its economic impact, the United States is facing a clear, evidence-based mandate to create a national paid maternal leave policy,” she said. “We recommend a national paid maternity leave policy of at least 12 weeks for all mothers.”

Physical and mental benefits

Van Niel and her colleagues reviewed 26 studies that sought to highlight the benefits that paid maternity leave had on both mothers and their children. They found that a standard leave period would “significantly lower” rates of postpartum depression and improve interpersonal relationships within the family.

The researchers said that mental health and development would also be positively affected for newborns because it would increase time for maternal-infant bonding. Research has shown that having this extra time can increase positive traits like empathy; the team points out that it has even been linked to future academic success.

Physical health for both mothers and newborns could also improve under a national maternity leave system. The researchers say that paid maternity has a direct correlation with decreased infant mortality and allows for more timely immunizations.

"In light of the increasing data that paid leave offers substantial benefits to the health of mothers and children, we recommend that the United States develop a national paid maternity leave policy that would allow all mothers sufficient time to be home with their infants after the birth or arrival of the child, regardless of their employer or socioeconomic status," Van Niel said.

Also good for businesses

The researchers say the positive effects of a paid maternity leave system goes beyond families. It could also have a positive impact on businesses who employ members of growing families. 

"Many businesses recognize that paid family leave helps to retain talent," said senior author Dr. Christina Mangurian. "Available data now also shows that paid maternity leave is good for the physical and mental health of mothers and their children. So now we know it's not just good for business, it's also good for the health of working families."

As Youtube continues to fight against the spread of misinformation, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania explored how tobacco-related videos continue to make their rounds around the popular video streaming service. 

The researchers explained that viewers continue to see videos promoting the positives of tobacco use or vaping. Considering the number of young people who regularly use YouTube, and the misleading statements evident throughout the videos, this has become a serious issue. 

“The easy access of such [video] material suggests that YouTube is a fertile environment for the promotion of tobacco products despite its banning of tobacco advertising,” the researchers explained. 

Pushing boundaries

The researchers evaluated several different search criteria on YouTube to understand what kind of effect these videos are having on viewers. 

Their work revealed that viewers can easily access videos on any number of topics related to tobacco, including how to properly use tobacco, “fun ways” to utilize tobacco, or even how to vape. These videos receive millions of views, and some even suggest that any negative health effects related to tobacco use can be mitigated, though there is no scientific backing to support any of these claims. 

This is particularly concerning considering how prevalent the dangers associated with vaping have become and how many young people have taken up the habit. 

“This suggested to us that the misleading tobacco videos we identified on YouTube are part of the information environment that eludes the restrictions that apply to regular tobacco advertising and product promotion,” said researcher Patrick E. Jamieson. 

Not only are these videos misleading, but they also go against YouTube guidelines that prohibit tobacco advertisements. Moreover, they serve as a source of income for those posting them and for YouTube. 

“As our study of YouTube illustrates, producers of misleading tobacco content can primarily represent private individuals rather than tobacco manufacturers,” said researcher Dan Romer. “Indeed, the producers of the tobacco videos we identified...do not appear to be employees of the tobacco industry, it is nevertheless possible that a content creator could receive endorsement payments from a tobacco company.” 

Telling the true story

According to the researchers, the best way to combat these videos is with the truth. It’s crucial that consumers are getting the right information. 

On platforms like YouTube where these videos are most prevalent, setting up ads or videos with content that debunks these misleading messages is key to setting the record straight. 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has agreed to a settlement with a credit repair company after filing a complaint that accused it of lying to consumers about its ability to improve credit scores and lower mortgage rates.

The operators of BoostMyScore.net (BMS) allegedly told consumers that it could “drastically and immediately” increase credit scores by engaging in a practice called “piggybacking.” The idea behind the concept is that consumers can improve their own scores by listing themselves on another person’s well-maintained credit account. However, the FTC says that isn’t how building credit works.

“Good credit isn’t for sale. This company charged people thousands of dollars based on hollow promises that ‘piggybacking’ on a stranger’s good credit would raise their credit score or help them get a mortgage,” said Andrew Smith, FTC director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection. 

The defendants reportedly charged between $325 to $4,000 in illegal fees for its services.

The settlement

In the FTC’s complaint, the defendants were charged with violating the Credit Repair Organizations Act, the FTC Act, and the Telemarketing Sales Rule. 

BMS will pay over $6.6 million under the terms of the settlement, but that amount will be largely suspended after a payment of just under $65,000 due to an inability to pay. The company is also barred from collecting advance fees for credit repair services and selling fake access to third-party credit accounts. 

Cases like these are prime examples of the importance of knowing how credit scores work. To learn more, visit ConsumerAffairs’ page here.

While recent studies have explored how consumers’ buying habits can affect their happiness, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Texas at Austin sought to find what kinds of purchases could bring the most positivity to shoppers’ lives. 

According to researchers, spending money on experiences over material products is more likely to bring consumers immediate happiness after purchase. 

“One issue that hasn’t really been examined much is what happens in the here and now -- are we happier spending our money on an experience or on a material item?” said researcher Amit Kumar. “The basic finding from a lot of experiments is that people derive more happiness from their experiences than from their possessions.” 

Chasing happiness

To better understand how certain purchases can affect consumers on an emotional level, the researchers had over 2,600 adults participate in the study. 

The participants were split up into two groups: those who were instructed to buy material things, like furniture or clothes, and another that was instructed to spend their money on experiences, like concerts or meals at restaurants.

After having the participants report on their happiness throughout the day and after their purchases, the researchers learned that experiential purchases yielded more positive feelings from the participants. The participants buying more material things weren’t as happy following their purchases. 

To confirm these results, the researchers created a second part to their study that gauged participants’ feelings after buying things from one of the two groups. Ultimately, they found the same results: participants were happier after spending their money on experiential purchases rather than on material things. 

“It would be unfair to compare a shirt to a trip, but when we account for price, we still see this result where experiences are associated with more happiness,” said Kumar. “If you want to be happier, it might be wise to shift some of your consumption away from material goods and a bit more towards experiences. That would likely lead to greater well-being.” 

Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling 6,517 model year 2019-2020 G550 4MATICs and G63 AMG 4MATICs.

An electrical resistor within the differential locking module may malfunction, interrupting communication between the control unit and the differential locking actuator, possibly resulting in the deactivation of the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Anti-lock Brake System (ABS).

Deactivation of the vehicle stability control system or anti-lock brakes while the vehicle is being driven may increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the differential locking modules and replace them as necessary free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin April 14, 2020.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at (800) 367-6372.

With the unanswered question of how long the coronavirus (COVID-19) is going to be with us, many consumers are asking themselves an even more important question -- what do we do about the travel plans we’ve already made?

If you’re on the fence about your travel plans, ConsumerAffairs did some digging to help you  decide.

Asking the right questions

Susan Wootton, MD, an infectious disease pediatrician at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) has a short list of questions that every traveler should ask themselves when deciding whether they should travel in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. 

Wootton says that if your answer matches the response to each question below, consider yourself good on that aspect and move on to the next question. If your answer differs, then you should reconsider traveling.

Are the travelers healthy? Answer: Yes.

Have the travelers received flu shots? Answer: Yes.

Do any of the travelers or anyone the travelers have come into contact with have any underlying high-risk conditions (for example: mom, who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)? Answer: No.

Are there any travel restrictions for your destination listed on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the U.S. Department of State page? Answer: No. 

Is the trip a cruise? Answer: Wootten answers that question with an emphatic “No.”

Are there any major events after the trip that would be problematic if you and your travelers were quarantined for a period of time? Answer: No.

Would anxiety during travel ruin the trip for you? Answer: No.

Are you reasonably able to implement common preventative measures (for example: wash hands, keep hands away from face, etc.) during travel? Answer: Yes.

Would your regret be manageable if you or a family member caught COVID-19? Answer: Yes.

Better safe than sorry

ConsumerAffairs reached out to one of our trusted resources, Phil Dengler at TheVacationer.com, to make sure we covered all the bases. Here are Dengler’s suggestions:

Listen to what the CDC is saying about avoiding international travel: Are you traveling to a country that the CDC is suggesting it might be best to avoid? Those countries include China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, and Italy. If so, Dengler advises the traveler to cancel the trip or postpone until the situation begins to resolve itself. 

What type of travel are you going to do? Are you going to be in an area where there will be a lot of people in a contained space? These are the types of situations that make containing the virus spread difficult and ones Dengler would advise avoiding. He recommends postponing or canceling any cruise trip right now and advises against long train trips, as they tend to stop in major cities where the virus is more likely to be present solely due to the increased number of people.

Is the travel essential right now or can it be postponed? If you are traveling to see work clients and it is not essential, Dengler recommends postponing the trip for the foreseeable future. For example, if you work for a company that sees clients or visits different company offices a couple times a year, it makes sense to cancel or postpone your current trip and reschedule in a few months as more information about the virus develops. 

What are the refund policies for your travel? Many airlines have announced that they are trying to work with customers for zero charge change fees. If you research your airline tickets, hotel accommodations, and other travel expenses, what are the refund policies right now? Keep in mind that as COVID-19 spreads, companies are working to evolve these policies. If the refund policies for your trip are favorable and your schedule this year is flexible enough to change your travel right now, then Dengler recommends doing so.

The former FDA commissioner weighs in

As you can see, there’s no hard and fast answer when it comes to whether you should stay or go on a trip. Both Wootton and Dengler’s insights are good places to start, but at the end of the day, it’s the traveler who has to make -- and live with -- the decision.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, member of the boards of Pfizer and biotech company Illumina and former FDA commissioner, went on CNBC on Monday to weigh in with his perspective on traveling while the virus is still endemic.

“I don’t think we’re at the point where people should shut down their travel right now, and I don’t think we should ever get to the point where we should corridon off parts of this country and prevent people from travelling,” Gottlieb said. 

“I do think that people need to be more aware of being in crowded environments. And on airplanes, it’s not the air quality that worries me. I don’t think this spreads easily through the air on an airplane. It’s more of the touching of the surfaces and the unclean surfaces -- the passing things back and forth between passengers.”

What Starbucks did to stop coronavirus was brilliant in Gottlieb‘s mind. The company stopped refilling cups that customers brought in to ensure that potentially sick customers weren’t passing on germs to its workers, who in turn touch cups that go to other customers.

“If all businesses started with steps like (what Starbucks is doing) to reduce transmission, we could really have an impact on this,” Gottlieb said.

Both Uber and Lyft, who classify their drivers as independent contractors, are nonetheless offering them something normally available only to employees -- a type of sick leave.

With fears of the coronavirus -- codenamed COVID-19 -- building throughout the world, the two ridesharing companies say they will compensate their drivers if they become affected by the disease.

Uber said drivers for both Uber and Uber Eats who become sick or are quarantined over fears that they have contracted the virus will be eligible for up to 14 days of paid leave. For its part, Lyft says it will “provide funds to drivers infected or quarantined by a public health authority.”

The policies are reportedly in effect for drivers in the U.S. and around the world.

The move represents a departure from both companies’ position that they are not a taxi service with employees but an app that enables independent contractors to earn money by giving rides to consumers. California is one state that has pushed back against this interpretation, claiming that the drivers are employees who are eligible for benefits.

While both Uber and Lyft are providing somewhat similar support, it may differ in important ways. Drivers are urged to contact the company they drive for to get details.

More cases in the U.S.

Reuters reports that both DoorDash and Instacart are discussing ways in which they can provide COVID-19 compensation for their drivers. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reports the number of confirmed coronavirus cases around the world went over 105,000 Sunday with infections spreading to some new parts of the U.S.

Washington, DC, along with Missouri, Vermont, and Connecticut reported their first cases over the weekend. The latest data from Johns Hopkins University puts the confirmed cases in the U.S. at nearly 500 with 21 deaths.

The majority of the deaths in the U.S. have occurred in Washington state where the virus has killed several elderly consumers who resided in an assisted living facility.

Problems with high blood pressure are common among consumers who have trouble managing their diet or stress levels, but low blood pressure can be just as bad -- especially for older consumers. 

In fact, a recent study suggests that low blood pressure can be even more dangerous than high blood pressure for seniors over the age of 75. Researchers from the University of Exeter found that blood pressure levels below 130/80 increased risk of death by 62 percent if an older person could be described as “frail.”

"Internationally, guidelines are moving towards tight blood pressure targets, but our findings indicate that this may not be appropriate in frail older adults,” said Jane Masoli, a geriatrician and lead author of the study. 

Low blood pressure could be more dangerous

The researchers came to their conclusions after analyzing electronic medical records on over 400,000 consumers. In addition to their 130/80 mortality finding, the team discovered that health outcomes for people with low blood pressure were often worse when compared to those who had high blood pressure. 

Although high blood pressure is associated with certain cardiovascular issues like heart attack and stroke, the researchers said that mortality rates for those over the age of 75 who had this condition did not increase. In those over the age of 85, they actually reduced the risk of death. Masoli says that these findings could have implications for how medical professionals treat seniors with blood pressure issues. 

“We need more research to ascertain whether aggressive blood pressure control is safe in older adults, and then for which patient groups there may be benefit, so we can move towards more personalised blood pressure management in older adults," she said.

"We know that treating blood pressure helps to prevent strokes and heart attacks and we would not advise anyone to stop taking their medications unless guided by their doctor," she added as a precaution.

The full study has been published in the journal Age and Ageing.

As many healthcare providers warn against the risk of antibiotic resistance, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Manchester explored the unexpected risks associated with high numbers of antibiotic prescriptions. 

The study revealed that patients are more likely to end up in the hospital when they receive the same prescription multiple times. 

“We don’t know why this is, but overuse of antibiotics might kill the good bacteria in the gut (microbiota) and make us more susceptible to infections, for example,” said researcher Tjeerd van Staa.

The risk of antibiotics

The researchers analyzed patient data from the National Institute for Health Research and the Connected Health Cities Programme, which spanned from 2000 through 2016. 

With data from over two million patients, the researchers evaluated antibiotics prescribed for several conditions, including urinary tract infections and upper respiratory infections. Ultimately, the study revealed that patients had a higher likelihood of ending up in the hospital if they were prescribed more antibiotics over a three-year span.

For example, patients who received two prescriptions in three years were 1.2 times as likely to land in the hospital, whereas those who received between five and eight prescriptions in that time frame were roughly 1.8 times as likely to be admitted into the hospital. 

“[General practitioners] care about their patients, and over recent years have worked hard to reduce the prescribing of antibiotics,” said van Staa. “But it is clear that GPs do not have the tools to prescribe antibiotics effectively for common infections, especially when patients have already used antibiotics.” 

This correlation between antibiotics and hospital visits remains unclear for the researchers, and they explained that more biological research has to be done to identify the cause. However, they do hope that these findings help medical professionals rethink their traditional courses of treatment and take their patients’ prescription history into account. 

“GPs often have little time to get to grips with the detail of a patient’s history,” said researcher Francine Jury. “But what makes it even more difficult is that little official guidelines exists for patients who are already in the recent past had several courses of antibiotics for common infections.” 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) added another chapter to Boeing’s sleeplessness in Seattle on Monday, telling the aviation company that the wiring bundles in its 737 MAX jets are “not compliant.”

However, according to CNBC, people familiar with the decision say Boeing claims that the bundles don’t pose a potential safety threat.

“The FAA continues to engage with Boeing as the company works to address a recently discovered wiring issue with the 737 Max,” a spokesman for the agency told CNBC. “The manufacturer must demonstrate compliance with all certification standards.”

How big of a concern is this?

The jury is out on whether the wiring bundles are actually an issue. Boeing contends that after 200 million hours of flight, if something was wrong with the wiring bundles, it would’ve reared its ugly head by now. Nonetheless, the FAA is concerned that there’s a possibility that the wiring bundles could short-circuit. If that happens, pilots could lose control of the plane.

For everyone’s benefit -- most importantly, the safety of the traveler -- the FAA is holding steady on when Boeing’s beleaguered jet will fly again. 

“The aircraft will be cleared for return to passenger service only after the FAA is satisfied that all safety-related issues are addressed…Regardless of the final determination on this matter our estimate for a mid-year return to service of the MAX is unchanged,” the FAA spokesman said.

The federal tax-filing deadline is just over a month away, which means tax preparation activity is reaching a peak. Unfortunately, so are tax scams.

A danger that has increased over the last decade is tax-related identity theft. Criminals who steal a taxpayer’s Social Security number or other identifying information can file a false return and claim a large refund in the victim’s name.

"Identity theft can happen at any time, but tax season presents a unique opportunity for criminals because the complexity of the process leaves many people feeling overwhelmed and uncertain if they have done everything correctly," said Jennifer Leuer, CEO of CyberScout, a company providing identity theft resolution, data defense, and employee benefits and services.

To protect themselves, consumers should remain vigilant. Scammers often resort to impersonating Internal Revenue Service (IRS) personnel or bank officials to carry out these schemes by using email, text messages, and even voicemail. 

Bogus claims

CyberScout also urges taxpayers to be wary of offers to speed up tax refunds. Some tax preparers now offer this service to their clients, and scammers are seeking to take advantage of that by posing as a legitimate business that can expedite refunds.

Vulnerable groups like non-native English speakers often fall victim to these scams and end up paying a fee for non-existent services that compromise their personal information.

Other well-known tax scams include phone calls and other communications that make outrageous claims. These claims can sound good -- such as the promise of a larger refund. They can also be used to strike fear, such as threatening immediate arrest on some made-up charge.

A big red flag is when a taxpayer gets an unsolicited phone call, email, or text message from the IRS. The tax collection agency doesn’t communicate that way. If it sends you information, it will come in the form of a letter sent through the U.S. Mail.

Your Social Security number isn’t being suspended

Lately, CyberScout has seen scammers threaten potential victims by claiming their Social Security number is being suspended. The Social Security Administration doesn’t do that. The scam is aimed at tricking consumers into revealing sensitive personal information.

Finally, scammers are even impersonating Taxpayer Advocate Services -- the IRS office that helps taxpayers. Victims have reported receiving phone calls that spoof their caller ID to make it appear like the call is coming from a real IRS hotline.

If you need help with your taxes, never respond to one of these calls. There are plenty of local resources that you can contact directly. This link to the IRS website is a good place to start.

If you’re looking for a company to help you prepare your taxes, ConsumerAffairs has collected thousands of reviews about the best tax preparation companies and software here.