Current Events in June 2020

In a letter to Congress, IBM said it’s shutting down its use of facial recognition technology and will no longer provide the controversial technology to police departments. 

Arvind Krishna, IBM's CEO, said the technology -- which can be used for racial profiling and mass surveillance -- could be used by police to violate "basic human rights and freedoms,” which wouldn’t align with the company’s values. 

"IBM no longer offers general purpose IBM facial recognition or analysis software," Krishna said in the letter. "IBM firmly opposes and will not condone uses of any technology, including facial recognition technology offered by other vendors, for mass surveillance, racial profiling, violations of basic human rights and freedoms, or any purpose which is not consistent with our values and Principles of Trust and Transparency."

Addressing racial inequity

In the wake of the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, Krishna said IBM believes “now is the time to begin a national dialogue on whether and how facial recognition technology should be employed by domestic law enforcement agencies.” 

The letter included Krishna’s suggestions on how technology like artificial intelligence could be used responsibly by law enforcement. Krishna suggested that the technology be thoroughly checked to ensure it’s free of bias. Police misconduct should also be met with tougher penalties, he said. 

"Congress should bring more police misconduct cases under federal court purview and should make modifications to the qualified immunity doctrine that prevents individuals from seeking damages when police violate their constitutional rights," Krishna said. "Congress should also establish a federal registry of police misconduct and adopt measures to encourage or compel states and localities to review and update use-of-force policies."

Controversial technology

In addition to its potential to be used in a way that violates human rights, facial recognition technology has been criticized for being less accurate in identifying people of color. Krishna cited the risk of producing discriminatory results as one of IBM’s key reasons for abandoning "general purpose" facial recognition software.

"Artificial Intelligence is a powerful tool that can help law enforcement keep citizens safe," he wrote to Congressional Democrats. "But vendors and users of AI systems have a shared responsibility to ensure that AI is tested for bias, particularity when used in law enforcement, and that such bias testing is audited and reported."

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 128 model year 2019 Clarity Fuel Cell, Clarity Electric, and Clarity Plug-in Hybrid vehicles with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism.

The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.

The seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seat belt assembly production dates, and replace the assemblies -- as necessary -- free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin July 13, 2020.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at (888)234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is Z7L.

Island Wear of Ocean City, Md., is recalling about 940 Umbrella strollers.

The strollers violate the federal Carriages and Strollers Safety standard as the location of the restraint system creates a large gap between the restraint and the seat. The child can slip through the gap, posing a fall hazard.

In addition, the covering on the grab bar can detach and expose foam, posing a choking hazard to children.

No incidents or injuries are reported.

This recall involves Island Wear umbrella strollers with a grab bar and footrest sold in blue and multi rainbow colors.

The strollers, manufactured in China, were sold at Paradise Island, Outrageous Outlet, and Grand Resort Wear in Ocean City, Md., from April 2019, through October 2019, for about $20.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and contact Island Wear for instructions on how to receive a full refund.

Consumers may contact Island Wear toll-free at (844) 449-4144 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday, or by email at Islandwearoc@gmail.com.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 38 model year 2020 GLE450s, GLS450s and GLS580s.

The seal in the rear shock absorber piston chambers may leak and allow the rear shock absorbers to fail prematurely.

Worn-out rear shock absorbers can affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear shock absorbers free of charge.

This recall is expected to begin August 4, 2020.

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

3. Weight bench

We all have several strength exercises that involve a weight bench, from a dumbbell bench press to the row. Although the back angle will be fixed, any kind of bench will work. Use a picnic, kitchen or even a piano bench. Another tip is to add a cushion or mat on the top for comfort.

4. Resistance bands

Resistance bands are an excellent option for weight training. They share similar weight lifting benefits while taking the pressure off your joints, allowing you to exert more power with less fear of injury. Although there are several inexpensive resistance bands online, you can test the workout by tying together any stretchy material — like pantyhose — and finding your favorite exercise.

5. Medicine ball

Several benefits come with using a medicine ball for weight training. For instance, it can improve your power, help with coordination and increase muscle mass. Unfortunately, we may not have one on hand, but we can make it with an old sports ball:

1. Make sure the ball is empty
2. Cut a small hole into one side of the ball
3. Fill it with sand to the desired weight
4. Reseal the new opening with heavy-duty tape

6. Barbell

Like the dumbbells, barbells are a staple of weight training. If you don't have a bar and weights for bench press, overhead press or squats, try various sizes of dog food bags. These bags are generally pretty tough, evenly weighted and you can shift the for comfort. Start with a 20-pound bag and move up from there!

Remember, weight training is a lifelong exercise. Take your time, increase weight at your own pace and always speak to your doctor about any change in physical activity. If you want to up your home gym experience, check out our guides on exercise equipment and exercise bikes.

​A group of Republican senators is calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take action on President Trump’s planned executive order on determining rules for social networks. 

In a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, Senators Marco Rubio, Kelly Loeffler, Kevin Cramer, and Josh Hawley urged the agency to take a “fresh look” at Section 230 of the Communication Decency Act and “clearly define” the protections social media would receive. 

“This request was made in light of recent troubling activities by social media companies, including partisan attempts to silence political speech and efforts to silence critics of the Chinese Communist Party,” the senators wrote in the letter. 

The senators said sites like Facebook and Twitter have used “politically motivated speech policing,” which blurs the lines between distribution and publishing.

“It appears that courts have granted companies immunity for editing and altering content even though the text of Section 230 prohibits immunity for any content that the company ‘in part … develop[s].’ These interpretations also deserve a fresh look,” the letter continued. “We therefore request that the FCC clearly define the framework under which technology firms, including social media companies, receive protections under Section 230.”

Taking aim at Section 230 protections

At the end of May, Trump announced that he planned to sign an executive order that would set rules for social media sites. The law would “remove or change” Section 230, which protects online platforms from legal liability for the content published by users. 

Trump signaled his intention for the order after Twitter fact-checked a tweet in which he made false statements about the mail-in voting process. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said the intent behind clarifying tweets is to “connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves.” 

Dorsey added that Trump’s tweets were subject to receiving clarification under Twitter’s Civic Integrity policy, as the tweets may have misled people into thinking they don’t need to register to get a ballot.

“We’re updating the link on @realDonaldTrump’s tweet to make this more clear,” Dorsey said.

Free speech on social media

The Senators wrote in the letter that although Trump “has the means to push back on unfair treatment, we worry about everyday Americans who are sidelined, silenced, or otherwise censored by these corporations.” 

In 2018, FCC Chairman Pai said he didn’t see a role for the agency to regulate platforms like Facebook or Twitter. 

“They are not going to be regulated in terms of free speech,” Pai said at a forum, according to Reuters. “The government is not here to regulate these platforms. We don’t have the power to do that.”

When Trump announced the executive order, Pai said “this debate is an important one” and that the FCC “will carefully review any petition for rulemaking.”

Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 1,988,491 (1,962,982)

Total U.S. deaths: 112,311 (111,097)

Total global cases: 7,283,709 (7,156,598)

Total global deaths: 412,745 (407,326)

Arizona hospitals implementing emergency plans

A number of states are loosening coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions and reopening, but health officials in Arizona are on alert after a spike in cases of the virus. Hospitals have been ordered to implement emergency plans after the state appeared on its way to becoming a coronavirus hotspot.

Banner Health, Arizona’s largest hospital network, warns that it is approaching capacity in its intensive care units (ICU). The Arizona Department of Health told hospitals to “fully activate” emergency plans, something that hasn’t been done since the beginning of the pandemic.

This week, Banner Health reported that the number of coronavirus patients on ventilators has quadrupled since May 15, when stay-at-home orders were lifted.

Consumers continue to see lower prices

The Labor Department reports that its Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell again in May as COVID-19 lockdowns continued to crush demand. The CPI fell 0.1 percent, much less than April’s 0.8 percent drop.

But not all prices were lower. Consumers continued to pay more for food last month, as the food index rose 0.7 percent, propelled by higher prices at the supermarket. Rent also went up.

Consumers saved month last month on cheaper car insurance, gasoline, and clothing. 

More hand sanitizer headed for meatpacking plants

Most meatpacking plants that shut down in April are back open, and food supplies are flowing to supermarkets again. The bad news is that coronavirus cases among employees have spiked.

A team from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is sending a new supply of hand sanitizer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for distribution to meat processing plants. The university has obtained large quantities of the product through its relationship with ethanol producers in the state.

“This project represents the true grit of Nebraskans and the innovative ways the agriculture community joins together to take care of one another,” said Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Steve Wellman. 

Travel high on consumers’ list of post-shutdown objectives

A Tripadvisor survey of consumer sentiment and online searches reveals that consumers are eager to hit the road again. Just over 40 percent of consumers are optimistic that they will take the same or more trips than last year.

Some travel patterns may shift, however. The survey finds shorter trips to destinations closer to home are a recurring theme, with nearly half of consumers saying they are more likely to take a road trip.

"We're encouraged to see positive signs of recovery and are here to help our travelers and partners understand the pathway through this pandemic with clear insights and tangible data," said Kanika Soni, chief commercial officer for Tripadvisor, Inc. "Our path to recovery will depend on the steps the industry takes to prepare for the road ahead.

Johnson & Johnson speeds up vaccine testing

Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical unit is stepping up the start of human clinical trials of an experimental coronavirus vaccine, Ad26.COV2-S, recombinant. Initially scheduled to begin in September, the trial is now expected to get underway in the second half of July.

"Simultaneously, we are continuing our efforts to build important global partnerships and invest in our vaccine production technology and manufacturing capabilities,” said Dr. Paul Stoffels, chief scientific officer at Johnson & Johnson. “Our goal is to ensure we can deliver a vaccine to the world and protect people everywhere from this pandemic."

Around the nation

• Kansas: Summer is just getting started, but educators in Kansas are already thinking about the new school year. The state Department of Education has put together a set of guidelines on how schools should reopen, in some cases providing step-by-step instructions.

• Maryland: State health officials are reporting 500 new cases of the coronavirus, but, in an encouraging note, the number of hospitalizations continues to go down. Officials say the number fell below 1,000 on Monday for the first time since April and has gone down each day since.

• New Hampshire: While the state begins to reopen businesses closed by the pandemic, municipalities are considering strict requirements to wear masks in public. Nashua, however, faces a lawsuit after it enacted such an ordinance. 

Too much too soon? Possibly. The downward trend of the COVID-19 pandemic holds true for 24 states, is flat in seven states, but it’s still on the rise in 19 others, leading one -- Arizona -- to put all hospitals on emergency alert.

At the pandemic’s apex in Arizona, the level of intensive care unit beds in use was at 78 percent. But, as medical professionals noted, things can change quickly with COVID-19. The number of Arizona’s confirmed cases doubled in the last two weeks of May, keeping pressure on available hospital beds. 

It also forced Arizona's Director of Health Services, Dr. Cara Christ, to change her tune. On May 26, she blogged that “Arizona’s capacity is sufficient to meet the projected need for hospital beds and ventilators.” Now, however, she’s asking that hospitals "be judicious" in elective surgeries to ensure bed capacity.

Arizona’s not alone

The U.S. is dotted with pockets of spikes in cases of the coronavirus, putting the crunch on hospital space. The number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations in North Carolina is the highest it’s ever been at 774, according to the North Carolina Healthcare Association. 

While New Jersey’s number of positive cases is going in the right direction, CNN reports that Gov. Phil Murphy is cautioning his state’s residents that they’re not out of the woods quite yet. 

Across the country in California, the city of Los Angeles also asked its residents to hit the pause button. With the countless thousands of people who attended protests over the death of George Floyd and the possibility that the virus could spread even further in that setting, the city is asking everyone to keep a close watch for any of the typical COVID-19 symptoms.

"You could have an exposure and it will not come through a contact tracing system. Nobody knows that you were there, nobody has your name," Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said during a press conference on Monday.

An accident waiting to happen

As Dr. Anthony Fauci warned in early May, reopening too soon could cause future COVID-19 outbreaks. Researchers also waved the caution flag, saying that restrictions should be eased gradually.

While states are starting to lower the number of restrictions, the fact still exists that there is no vaccine in place to curb a reemergence. That, added to people starting to congregate in public places and throngs of people protesting shoulder-to-shoulder across the country, raises the potential even higher.

Vaccines will become available, but will people take them?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) disease experts are all on the same page about coronavirus vaccines. They think that there won’t be just one single vaccine -- such as remdesivir -- but multiple. As a matter of fact, by the Milken Institute’s count, there are 161 vaccines currently in development. That’s the upside of the situation. 

The downside according to Dr. Peter Marks, the director of the FDA’s Centers for Biologics Evaluation and Research, is that there won’t be enough people taking advantage of the availability of vaccines, therefore putting herd immunity at risk.

"If 30 percent or 40 percent of the population will not take this vaccine, even if the vaccine effectiveness is 70 percent to 80 percent, we will not be in a position to have herd immunity," Marks said.

As a result of its massive data breach in 2017, Equifax has expanded free access to consumers’ credit reports.

The credit reporting agency had previously announced that it would give consumers free access to six Equifax credit reports during any 12-month period for the next seven years. That agreement was part of settlements of lawsuits over the exposure of personal records on an estimated 147 million people.

This week, the company announced a change that makes it simpler for consumers to access their free reports. They can do so by going to AnnualCreditReport.com, the government portal where everyone may view their credit reports from all three agencies once a year.

By making the additional free reports available through the government site, Equifax says it won’t be necessary to have a MyEquifax account.

Weekly reports

Equifax, along with TransUnion and Experian, is also offering weekly credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com to help Americans cope with the financial aspects of COVID-19. 

In a recent joint statement, the CEOs of all three credit agencies said Americans need to safeguard their credit now more than ever. This service will remain in place through April 2021.

"These are unprecedented times facing the world,” the CEOs said in their statement. “People are feeling scared and uncertain about the future. To help play our part and reduce some of that anxiety, we are uniting as an industry to help people know the facts about their financial data. We are making credit reports more accessible more often so people can better manage their finances and take the necessary steps to protect their credit standing." 

Critical documents

Credit reports are critical documents since they contain details of a consumer’s credit history. These reports are used by lenders, creditors, service providers, and other businesses to extend credit and other financial opportunities to people.

It’s a good idea to review your credit reports once a year using the government’s free portal. Now, it’s possible to check even more often for incorrect information. 

Reviewing credit reports is also an important way to discover identity theft. If someone uses your identity to open credit accounts in your name, those accounts will appear on your credit report.

Tesla’s chief Elon Musk says the company is primed to start on full bore production of its all-electric Class 8 Tesla Semi truck.

According to a report from CNBC, Musk had memoed company workers and told them to prepare for full production of the vehicle. 

“It’s time to go all out and bring the Tesla Semi to volume production. It’s been in limited production so far, which has allowed us to improve many aspects of the design. Production of the battery and powertrain would take place at Giga Nevada, with most of the other work probably occurring in other states,” Musk reportedly said.

TechCrunch reported that it also took a look at the memo, but it noted that the message lacked details such as when this volume production might begin. Musk held back on where the truck would be produced, saying that the battery and powertrain would be built at Tesla’s factory in Sparks, Nevada with “most of the other work probably occurring in other states.”

Fits and starts

Since Musk unveiled the Class 8 truck nearly three years ago and called the truck “the safest, most comfortable truck ever,” the road to now has been a bit bumpy. Tesla’s original intention was to have the trucks available for sale sometime in 2019. 

However, in its third quarter 2019 earnings report, Tesla tempered those expectations by saying it planned to produce limited volumes of the Semi in 2020. Then, just this April, the company again delayed production and deliveries of the trucks until 2021. 

While early detection is key for consumers struggling with Huntington’s disease, finding comprehensive therapies can be difficult. Now, a new study conducted found that antihistamines can be an effective way to combat symptoms related to Huntington’s in the early stages. 

“It was already well-known that dopamine signaling goes away in Huntington’s disease, but we and other research teams have shown more recently that dopamine receptors and histamine receptors are found together and control signaling in the brain,” said researcher David Moreno-Delgado. 

“Because dopamine receptors are found in many normal cells throughout the central nervous system, we proposed that targeting dopamine signaling through the histamine receptor might be a more effective strategy to slow the progression of Huntington’s disease.” 

Tracking the effect of antihistamines

To better understand the effect that antihistamines could have on patients with Huntington’s, the researchers conducted their study on mice. 

They gave a group of the mice the antihistamine thioperamide and then observed what effect the drug had on functions that are typically altered as Huntington’s progresses, including memory, movement, and learning. 

They observed that the mice given the antihistamine showed better memory outcomes than those that hadn’t been given the drug, and their movement quality was on par with healthy mice. 

The researchers then looked at the relationship between the dopamine and histamine receptors (D1R-H3R) in mice at various junctures of their Huntington’s journeys. Before the mice started showing symptoms, the two proteins were working together; however, the researchers observed that as the disease progressed, which was typically around the six- to eight-month mark, they were no longer working cohesively. 

When applied to their experiment, they learned that implementing this treatment plan as early as possible after diagnosis will yield the best results. When they tried giving mice an antihistamine during that six- to eight-month period, they saw no improvements in their symptoms. However, the group that had been given the antihistamine in the earliest stages showed improvements at that same stage. 

“The imbalance of dopamine signalling in disease progression represents a potential ‘point of no return’ for Huntington’s disease patients as it can eventually lead to nerve-cell dysfunction and death,” said researcher Peter McCormick. “In this study we show that D1R/H3R complexes are found within the brain at early- but not late-disease stages and that targeting these complexes could potentially slow the progression of early-stage diseases.”  

Nintendo disclosed on Tuesday that 300,000 accounts have been compromised by hackers since the beginning of April. 

In a statement on its website, originally written in Japanese, the company said a higher number of malicious attackers used users’ Nintendo Network IDs without their permission than previously believed. 

In April, the company said 160,000 accounts were breached. On Tuesday, the company said it found, after continuing its investigation, that the figure is actually around 300,000. However, Nintendo said only a small number of hacked accounts were used to make purchases or to buy items on Nintendo's platform.

Nintendo says credit card information wasn’t exposed, but multiple reports said hackers gained access to “PayPal funds linked to the Nintendo eShop and used them to purchase game currencies like Fortnite’s ‘V-bucks’ and, in some cases, hundreds of dollars worth of games,” the Deseret News reported in April.

Emailing affected users

Nintendo said it is almost done issuing refunds to customers whose accounts were used to make fraudulent purchases. 

Affected users will receive an email from the company urging them to update their passwords. Users can also set up two-factor authentication for additional security. People who previously used a Nintendo Network ID to log in are now urged to use their Nintendo account email address instead. 

When Nintendo first announced the breach, it promised to “make further efforts to strengthen security and ensure safety so that similar events do not occur.” 

Researchers have found how certain antibiotics and other prescription drugs can increase the likelihood that newborns will have birth defects, and now a new study has explored how exposure to a popular chemical can also increase the risk for this issue. 

According to researchers from the University of Georgia, the chemical polybrominated biphenyl-153 (PBB153), which is commonly found in flame retardants, has been closely linked with birth defects. The study revealed that men’s exposure to this chemical could be particularly harmful to a baby. 

“It is still a relatively new idea that a man’s exposures prior to conception can impact the health of his children,” said researcher Katherine Greeson. “Most studies where a toxic effect is observed in children look only to the mothers and the same has been true of studies conducted on PBB153.” 

Steering clear of chemicals

Exposure to PBB153 has been linked with a slew of health concerns, but most previous studies have focused on those who have had direct exposure to the chemicals and how women's exposure could be passed down genetically.

For this study, Greeson and her team wanted to understand how men's exposure to PBB153 could pose a similar risk to their kids. In the lab, the researchers were able to expose sperm cells to PBB153 and then observe the effect of the chemicals on the genetic make-up of the cells. 

They quickly observed that cells that had been exposed to the chemical were genetically much different than those that hadn’t been exposed to the chemical. 

“PBB153 causes changes to the DNA in sperm in a way that changes how the genes are turned on and off,” said Greeson. “PBB153 seems to turn on these genes in sperm which should be turned off.” 

These findings are particularly concerning because many of the cells that were affected in this way were linked to bodily development, and such exposure could impede how kids’ organs or muscles develop. 

The researchers hope that these findings highlight just how much of an effect these types of exposures can have on future generations. 

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a record-setting $225 million fine against health insurance telemarketers Jakob Mears and John Spiller. 

The FCC is seeking to punish the duo for placing roughly 1 billion spoofed robocalls during a five-month period in 2019. 

The agency said Spiller admitted to the USTelecom Industry Traceback Group that he knowingly called consumers on the Do Not Call list as he believed that it was more profitable to target these consumers. Together, Spiller and Mears made millions of calls per day posing as major insurance providers like Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield. 

Deceptive and illegal calls

In one call, consumers were asked if they were looking for affordable health insurance from one of these well-known health insurance companies. 

“Policies have all been reduced nationwide such as Cigna, Blue Cross, Aetna, and United just a quick phone call away,” the call stated. “Press 3 to get connected to a licensed agent or press 7 to be added to the Do Not Call list.”  

If consumers did press 3, they were steered toward a call center with no affiliation to the companies. Call center representatives would then attempt to convince the consumer to purchase an insurance product sold by one of Rising Eagle’s clients.  

“Rising Eagle’s largest client, Health Advisors of America, was sued by the Missouri Attorney General for telemarketing violations in February 2019,” the agency noted.  

The companies the robocallers were posing became “overwhelmed with angry call-backs.” One company’s phone network even became temporarily “unusable,” the FCC said. 

In recent years, the FCC has been working to curb the rising tide of nuisance robocalls. The agency noted that it’s issued a “number of very large fines and proposed fines for spoofing violations.” 

Additionally, the FCC said it has permitted phone companies to block suspected robocalls before they get to consumers and encouraged providers to use STIR/SHAKEN standards to prevent these calls. 

Nissan North America is recalling 1.8 million model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altimas.

If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.

Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. If the primary latch is inadvertently released again and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while the vehicle is being driven, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

What to do

The remedy for this recall is still under development.

Nissan will provide an interim notice to instruct owners how to properly maintain the latch and include a reminder to close the hood fully and engage the primary hood latch each time before driving.

This recall is expected to begin June 22, 2020.

Owners may contact Nissan customer service at (800) 867-7669.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 1,962,982 (1,951,722)

Total U.S. deaths: 111,097 (110,771)

Total global cases: 7,156,598 (7,068,144)

Total global deaths: 407,326 (404,142)

WHO clarifies comments about asymptomatic spread

The World Health Organization (WHO) raised some eyebrows when it issued guidance saying that it doesn’t appear that many coronavirus (COVID-19) cases are spread by people who are asymptomatic.

The health agency has now clarified its statement, saying how the disease spreads is a “complex question” that needs more study. But the original statement is in line with a previous study suggesting most people with the virus are not contagious.

“The majority of transmission that we know about is that people who have symptoms transmit the virus to other people through infectious droplets. But there are a subset of people who don’t develop symptoms,” said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHO’s emerging diseases and zoonosis unit. “To truly understand how many people don’t have symptoms, we don’t actually have that answer yet.” 

Racing for a cure

The pace of drug development to fight COVID-19 infection has surprised even many health researchers. Gilead’s remdesivir is already being administered to patients with good results.

AstraZeneca has announced plans to move two potential COVID-19 antibody-based therapeutics into clinical trials in the next two months. Antibodies come from the blood of patients who have recovered from the virus, and the treatment has been shown to be effective in helping sick patients recover.

AstraZeneca said it obtained antibodies from Vanderbilt University with a plan to turn them into a potential combination therapy for both the prevention and treatment of the virus

There may be more cases than we think

At just under 2 million, the United States has significantly more cases of the coronavirus than any other country. But some health officials think there may be many more sick people than what is estimated in the official count.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that at least 28 states are not following CDC guidelines, which include reporting “probable” cases and those that have been confirmed. Probable cases are those that show evidence of infection but have not been confirmed by a test.

The CDC says some of the largest states -- including California, Florida, New York, and Texas -- are among those not recording probable cases.

Macy’s leads retail resurgence

Retail stores have bounced back from the coronavirus shutdown, and Macy’s so far is leading the parade. The retailer reported preliminary first-quarter earnings today, noting sales have risen faster than initial estimates.

In spite of temporarily closing all of its stores, Macy’s online channel continued to rack up sales that kept the chain afloat while shoppers were homebound.

“By June 1, we had approximately 450 stores reopened, with the majority opened in their full format,” said Jeff Gennette, Macy’s chairman and CEO. “Our reopened stores are performing better than anticipated. Importantly, we are receiving positive feedback on the curbside pickup experience and our efforts to create a safe and welcoming shopping environment."

Airbnb benefits from uptick in travel

Not only are hotels and airlines seeing their business pick up as consumers -- cooped up at home for weeks begin to travel -- Airbnb bookings have surged in recent weeks. 

In an interview with Bloomberg News, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said the company saw more nights booked for U.S. listings between May 17 and June 3 than the same period a year ago. 

Chesky says that while global and domestic bookings aren’t on the same pace, they’re getting close in places like Germany, New Zealand, Portugal, and South Korea. 

Around the nation

• New Jersey: The state health department has issued guidelines for the operation of summer day camps. Gov. Phil Murphy approved the camp reopenings to help parents who are returning to work obtain child care during the coronavirus.

• Texas: Cases of the coronavirus have spiked in the last week after the state reopened for business. There was a record number of hospitalizations on Monday as the governor plans to reopen more businesses this week and increase capacity.

• Ohio: Amusement parks in the state are scheduled to begin reopening July 2, but some safety groups are expressing concern about that timetable -- not because of the virus but because of safety. They point out that many of the state employees who inspect amusement park rides have been laid off.