Current Events in July 2020

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 2,897,613 (2,841,124)

Total U.S. deaths: 130,007 (129,689)

Total global cases: 11,495,412 (11,304,534)

Total global deaths: 535,185 (531,659)

Stepped up testing on an antibody cocktail

Regeneron has announced that it has begun late-stage clinical trials to test the effectiveness of  REGN-COV2, its experimental double-antibody cocktail for the treatment and prevention of the coronavirus (COVID-19). 

The trial will evaluate the drug cocktail’s ability to prevent infection among uninfected people who have had close exposure to a COVID-19 patient. It’s being run with the participation of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Health officials say if the cocktail proves effective, it could serve as an interim means of protection against the virus until a safe and effective vaccine is developed. 

COVID-19 death risk could be double earlier estimates

A new study published in medRxiv suggests that the risk of death from the coronavirus in the U.S. is significantly higher than the death risk in many other countries. 

Researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene have concluded that New York’s death rate from the virus between March 1 and May 16 was 1.45 percent. In China and France, the death rate was 0.7 percent.

The new study finds mortality risk was highest among older adults, with an infection fatality rate (IFR) of 4.67 percent for 65 to 74-year-olds and 13.83 percent for people 75 and older.

Researchers document masks’ effectiveness

People are encouraged to wear a mask or face-covering in public places, but it turns out that not all face coverings carry the same amount of effectiveness. Researchers at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) studied all types of masks and ranked their effectiveness.

They conclude that loosely folded facemasks and bandana-style coverings stop germ-carrying droplets to some degree, but well-fitted homemade masks with multiple layers of quilting fabric and off-the-shelf cone style masks proved to be the most effective in reducing droplet dispersal. 

Their tests show that a bandana cuts droplet dispersal to 3 feet, 7 inches. A quilted cotton mask limits dispersal to 2.5 inches. 

How compliance affects infection.

Health officials have expressed growing concerns about the new surge in coronavirus cases in places like Texas, Arizona, California, and Florida. There have been a number of factors cited, including an early reopening and carelessness on the part of some residents.

Researchers at Penn State University have focused on geographic areas where there appears to be a reluctancy by many people to comply with preventive measures and sought to understand how it impacts the virus’ spread

They found survey respondents showed substantial, significant differences in their intent to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations across different cities; as compliance falls below 80 percent, the behaviors are less likely to be effective. 

Report shows many cases were spread in hospitals

The influx of COVID-19 cases taxed many U.S. hospitals to the limit in the early days of the pandemic, and many were simply not prepared with enough protective gear. As a result, government studies suggest some hospitals not only treated patients with the virus, they also spread it.

In an analysis of data provided by the CDC, The Wall Street Journal estimates that more than 5,000 cases of the coronavirus were acquired inside hospitals from May 14 to June 21. The Journal says the numbers could be higher since the reporting was voluntary.

Around the nation

• Texas: There’s mixed news out of the Lone Star state. Sunday saw a record 8,181 new hospital cases of COVID-19. At the same time, the number of newly recorded cases of the virus plunged from a record 8,258 on Saturday to 3,449 on Sunday.

• Arizona: Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego blames the state’s surge in new coronavirus cases on the fact that the state reopened its economy much earlier than was prudent. She also pointed to the 20 to 44 age group, saying it bears a lot of the responsibility by going to night clubs and not taking proper precautions.

• Indiana: Engineers at Delta Faucet in Carmel have designed and are producing two million flexible clips called "ear savers" that connect the straps of face masks behind the head. The clips, being distributed at no charge, are meant to encourage people to wear masks by making them more comfortable.

While consumers celebrated the Fourth of July over the weekend, the number of reported cases of COVID-19 increased dramatically in Florida and Texas.

Health departments in each state reported a sharp increase in confirmed cases. Florida reported 11,445 new cases and Texas reported 8,258 new cases on Saturday, the highest single-day figures for both states since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Other states also saw virus totals rise sharply over the weekend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that California and Arizona reported 5,410 and 3,536 new cases on Sunday, respectively.

State officials attributed the uptick in cases to people not following pandemic guidelines. Republican Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez called the increase in COVID-19 cases "extremely worrisome” and pinned some of the blame on the state’s early reopening. 

"There's no doubt that the fact that when we reopened, people started socializing as if the virus didn't exist," Suarez told ABC News.

Masks recommend

In the U.S., there have now been more than 2.8 million reported coronavirus cases and nearly 130,000 coronavirus-related deaths in the U.S., according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University researchers. 

For the past several weeks, the CDC has reported more than 20,000 new cases in the U.S. every day. But over the last three days, new cases totals were over 50,000 each day. 

Young people tend to believe they aren’t as likely to get the virus. However, in Florida, the median age of people who tested positive for COVID-19 was 35 as of Saturday. In Texas, a large number of those who tested positive were between 20 and 39 years old. 

In response to the increase in virus cases across the nation, many state governors have imposed mandatory face mask policies in public spaces. Governors in Texas and California were the most recent to require residents to wear face coverings in public. 

Nineteen states currently have strict face mask policies in place. Other states have varying policies but have been more lenient with the rule. CDC guidance states that everyone should wear face coverings in "public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain."

Studies have shown that the use of masks is highly effective in preventing the spread of the virus. 

“Up to this stage, we do not have a safe and effective vaccine. What remains practical is still either social-distancing measures or wearing masks,” said Dr. Yuen Kwok-yung, a leading microbiologist from Hong Kong University. 

The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that states can punish “faithless” electors -- members of the Electoral College who vote for a candidate other than the one who won the popular vote in their state. 

"Today, we consider whether a State may also penalize an elector for breaking his pledge and voting for someone other than the presidential candidate who won his State's popular vote. We hold that a State may do so," Justice Elena Kagan wrote in the majority opinion.

"It reflects a longstanding tradition in which electors are not free agents; they are to vote for the candidate whom the State’s voters have chosen," Kagan said, adding that allowing punishment of these electors was in line with the Constitution and American tradition.

"The Constitution's text and the Nation's history both support allowing a State to enforce an elector's pledge to support his party's nominee -- and the state voters' choice -- for President," she added.

The court’s ruling comes less than four months before the November 2020 elections. Holding electors to stricter rules addresses the possibility of a rogue elector voting for someone other than the one who won the state’s popular vote. In a tight election, an action like this could sway the election in a direction other than the one taken by the majority of voters. 

The ruling will help ensure the Electoral College votes in a way that is as aligned with the popular vote as possible. Penalties such as fines to electors are already in place in some states. Monday’s ruling will leave it up to each state to determine how to punish electors who dissent from the results of the popular vote in their state. 

Robocall-hating consumers got a huge kiss from the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday morning, as the Court upheld a federal ban on robocalls to mobile phones and renounced a bid by political consultants who wanted that medium left open for campaign ads and the like.

Most consumers might think that a decision like that would be a slam dunk, but the Court was actually divided. In his framing of the decision, Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that an exception to the ban created by Congress is actually unconstitutional under the First Amendment, therefore allowing for the overall ban to remain in place.

“Americans passionately disagree about many things. But they are largely united in their disdain for robocalls. The Federal Government receives a staggering number of complaints about robocalls -- 3.7 million complaints in 2019 alone,” Kavanaugh wrote.

“The States likewise field a constant barrage of complaints. For nearly 30 years, the people’s representatives in Congress have been fighting back. As relevant here, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA) ... generally prohibits robocalls to cell phones and home phones. But a 2015 amendment to the TCPA allows robocalls that are made to collect debts owed to or guaranteed by the Federal Government, including robocalls made to collect many student loan and mortgage debts.”

The argument

This case concerns robocalls to mobile phones only. The plaintiffs in this case -- political and nonprofit organizations that want to make political robocalls to cell phones and smartphones -- leaned heavily on the First Amendment, arguing that the 2015 government-debt exception unconstitutionally favors debt-collection speech over political and other speech. To get out from under that restriction, the plaintiffs wanted the court to invalidate the entire 1991 robocall restriction, rather than just invalidating that exception.

The ax fell on robocalls to mobile phones thanks to the 1991 Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) a regulation that took the side of the consumer by trimming the use of automatic dialing systems and pre-recorded voice messages. TCPA had some serious bite -- a $1,500 fine for any call or text message made or sent without prior express consent -- but an exception was added in 2015 to excuse government debt collection services from that law.

The plaintiffs argued that the 2015 exception put both political consultants and government debt collectors on equal footing, but Kavanaugh was having none of that. 

"Severing the 2015 government-debt exception cures the unequal treatment and constitutes the proper result under the Court's traditional severability principles," Kavanaugh wrote.

The other side weighs in

One of the plaintiffs in the matter -- the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) -- begged to differ with the court’s decision.

Alana Joyce, AAPC Executive Director, told ConsumerAffairs that its members and candidates are actually helping citizens. 

“AAPC members help candidates and organizations effectively exercise their First Amendment right to free speech, the foundation of fair elections and citizen engagement in the legislative process,” Joyce said. “We are grateful that the Supreme Court recognized the importance of the First Amendment and the harms imposed by content-based restrictions on speech but are disappointed that the Court did not rule in favor of the AAPC entirely.”

Joyce said open questions still remain about what the TCPA means and how it applies to those who engage in First Amendment-protected policy and political discussions.  

“We hope the Court grants review to resolve those issues in the pending Facebook case, addressing the proper interpretation of the TCPA’s autodialer definition.   AAPC is committed to vigorously supporting our members' ability to deliver high quality, powerful services, through education, collaboration, and legal action where necessary. "

Have consumers already given their consent?

In essence, the Supreme Court said that you can’t restrict some robocalls and not others based on their content. 

“This actually stops the government from making robocalls to try to collect government-related debt, like student loans, without consent,” YouMail CEO Alex Quilici told ConsumerAffairs. “In theory, it should reduce the number of robocalls, since now those debt calls will require consent from the called party.”

“However, the question is how many people have given consent for those calls without knowing it. I suspect not a lot, since a lot of student debt is ‘old’ and Congress wouldn’t have passed this exemption in 2015 if the government had had the necessary consent to make those calls at the time. The question is whether the student debt forms for more recent loans actually require checking a consent box to get the loans,” Quilici concluded.

While recent studies have shown how cases of both allergies and asthma continue to increase among children, especially with larger quantities of air pollution, a new study conducted by researchers from the European Lung Foundation explored how sleep routines could also play a role in these conditions. 

According to researchers, the time that a teen goes to bed and wakes up could affect their likelihood of experiencing either allergy or asthma symptoms. The study revealed that these symptoms are more likely to be stronger for teens who like to stay up late into the night than for those who go to bed earlier. 

“Asthma and allergic diseases are common in children and adolescents across the world and the prevalence is increasing,” said researcher Dr. Subhabrata Moitra. “We know some of the reasons for this increase, such as exposure to pollution and tobacco smoke, but we still need to find out more. Sleep and the ‘sleep hormone’ melatonin are known to influence asthma, so we wanted to see if adolescents’ preference for staying up late or going to bed early could be involved in their asthma risk.” 

What role does sleep play?

To understand the relationship between sleep and asthma and allergy symptoms, the researchers had over 1,600 kids in their early teens participate in the study. The study was primarily survey-based, with the kids answering questions that assessed their preferred sleeping habits, as well as the severity and frequency of their asthma and allergy symptoms. 

The researchers learned that preferred bedtime did play a role in the kids’ asthma and allergy symptoms. Early sleepers were two times less likely to experience severe allergies and three times less likely to develop asthma. 

According to Dr. Moitra, it all boils down to hormones. Staying up later caused melatonin levels to be “out of sync,” whereas hormone levels were more balanced in those who had earlier bedtimes. 

While the researchers can’t definitively say that one variable has an effect on the other, their study did reveal a correlation between the two. Though getting teens to stick to a bedtime schedule can be difficult, doing so can be beneficial in terms of their health and well-being. 

“We need to know more about why asthma and allergies are rising in children and teenagers and, hopefully, find ways to reduce these conditions,” said researcher Thierry Troosters. “This is the first study to examine the possible role of different sleep preferences in teenagers’ risk of asthma and allergies, and it opens up an interesting new line of research. We already know that sleeping well is important for physical and mental health, so we should continue to encourage teenagers to get a good night’s sleep.” 

Efforts to end the threat of the novel coronavirus could result in one million extra deaths from other diseases, according to a soon-to-be-published report by the International AIDS Society. 

As researchers devote their time to stopping COVID-19, the organization says efforts to respond to HIV, TB, and other diseases worldwide have come to a halt. 

"The social distancing efforts and lockdowns to control the spread of it [coronavirus], have disrupted HIV prevention and treatment programs and put vital HIV research on hold," said Dr. Anton Pozniak, president of the International AIDS Society said last week, according to CNN. 

Disrupting progress

A projection released last month by the Stop TB partnership estimated that a two-month lockdown followed by a two-month recovery could lead to more than 1.8 million extra cases of TB across the globe. 

Researchers from the Imperial College London say malaria deaths are also likely to go up, reaching more than 760,000 deaths this year -- twice as many as there were in 2019. 

“Much of the gain made in malaria control over the last decade has been due to the distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, which many Sub-Saharan Africa countries planned to distribute in 2020,” the researchers wrote. “However, the COVID-19 pandemic will likely disrupt these distributions, as well as other core health services, resulting in more malaria cases and deaths.” 

Efforts to control HIV/AIDS have also been derailed. Over the next two years, sub-Saharan Africa could see an additional 500,000 deaths from AIDS and related diseases due to the six-month interruption in health services and treatment medications that occurred due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to models released by the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization. 

Pozniak noted that models like these are just estimates based on certain assumptions, meaning what actually happens could end up being better or worse. 

"It could be worse than they say and that would be disastrous," he said. "But we hope that the efforts organizations are putting in place will mitigate any loss."

After getting jilted by Grubhub, Uber Technologies Inc. took one of the next best bets in the food delivery business and has come to terms on a deal to acquire Postmates in a $2.65 billion all-stock takeover.

While Grubhub would’ve catapulted Uber into a near-unreachable lead in food delivery, Postmates is still a great addition. When ConsumerAffairs surveyed data from Statista, we found that by adding Postmates’ 9 percent share to its existing 27 percent share of the food delivery market, Uber will now have about a 10-point lead over Grubhub. 

"Uber and Postmates have long shared a belief that platforms like ours can power much more than just food delivery -- they can be a hugely important part of local commerce and communities, all the more important during crises like COVID-19," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a press release. 

The rising tide of food delivery

The rest of the world might be hoping for an end to the coronavirus, but cabin fever has been a cash cow for food delivery. Edison Trends recently reported that food delivery sales have increased by 51 percent since March 2. At Uber’s end of the table, Khosrowshahi said that bookings on Uber Eats were up more than 100 percent during the second quarter.

The amount of money that consumers drop on food delivery is hefty. According to Edison, Grubhub customers spent an average of $41 per transaction. DoorDash customers followed at $36, and UberEats users spent an average of about $31.

Nothing changes on the consumer side

Internally, Postmates and Uber Eats are likely to dovetail some of their existing systems, but consumers won’t see any difference, 

“Consumers will benefit from expanded choice across a wider range of restaurants and other merchants,” Uber noted. “Following the closing of the transaction, Uber intends to keep the consumer-facing Postmates app running separately, supported by a more efficient, combined merchant and delivery network.”

Though many consumers’ regular exercising routines are currently compromised because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s still as important as ever to get moving and get the blood flowing. 

Researchers from The Physiological Society found that something as simple as stretching daily can help prevent diseases like diabetes and heart disease. These findings are encouraging because they provide an accessible option for consumers looking to stay active while at home. 

“This new application of stretching is especially relevant in the current pandemic period of increased confinement to our homes, where the possibility of performing beneficial training to improve and prevent heart disease, stroke, and other conditions is limited,” said researcher Emiliano Ce. 

Light movement, big benefits

The researchers had nearly 40 participants involved in the study, half of whom underwent a 12-week stretching routine while the other half carried on with their routines as usual. 

The stretching program involved passive leg stretching five times per week. Passive stretching involves either a partner or a prop, like a resistance band or the wall. The person stretching can stay still in one position, while the person or the other active force can put the pressure on the muscle that needs stretching. 

All participants had their blood flow measured at the beginning and end of the study, and the researchers also evaluated blood pressure and other vitals to understand the effect that stretching had on the body. 

The researchers learned that stretching regularly left the participants with numerous health benefits. They observed improved blood flow in key areas, including the upper arm and lower leg. The participants also reported less pain and tightness in the areas that were stretched. 

Because of the improvements to the participants’ blood flow, the researchers think that these findings have revealed an important piece of the puzzle regarding heart disease. Because stretching doesn’t require a great deal of physical exertion, it can be a great way for those struggling with heart health to get the blood flowing and improve overall health outcomes.

Is there a “contactless” credit or debit card in your wallet? During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it might be a handy thing to have.

It’s possible you have one and don’t realize it. A recent survey by CompareCards found that nearly half of consumers couldn’t identify the contactless symbol, which is made up of four curved lines, indicating the card simply has to be waved over or tapped on a terminal in order to record a sale.

The survey found that men were more likely than women to be familiar with the symbol, and millennials were more familiar with the symbol than other generations. The use of contactless payment systems has become more popular as more people try to limit touching objects as much as possible.

The survey confirmed that about one in three consumers said they were using more contactless payments – either mobile payments or contactless credit cards – because of the coronavirus outbreak. MasterCard reports recent increases in contactless spending, with about a 40 percent increase in contactless payments in the first quarter.

Age gap

Even with the increase, there’s a rather large age gap among those who said they were using contactless payments more frequently. Consumers between the ages of 18 and 54 were more than twice as likely to say they've increased their usage of contactless payments as those 55 and older.

Whether through a card or an app on your mobile device, contactless payments systems use radio-frequency identification (RFID) or near field communication (NFC) to make wireless payments, removing the need to insert a card into a terminal and punch in a code.

An embedded chip and antenna enable consumers to wave their card, fob, or handheld device over a reader on the point of sale terminal. Consumers who have contactless payment capability seem to like it.

The survey shows that about 39 percent of consumers now say contactless payment is their preferred means of making a purchase. About an equal number prefer paying the old fashioned way. CompareCards predicts that contactless payment use would be much higher if more people recognized the symbol on their card.

Both your card and the checkout terminal need to have the four curved lines. If you don’t have a contactless payment card, you can turn your smartphone into one by downloading Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay.

The cost of financing a home has never been lower. Freddie Mac reports that the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit a record low last week.

The rate fell to 3.07 percent, a decline of six basis points from the previous week but more than a half-point lower than the first week of July in 2019.

In reporting on the rate decline, Freddie Mac said mortgage rates could drift even lower over the next few weeks. Before the end of the year, it says the average rate could fall below 3 percent for the first time.

“On the economic front, incoming data suggest the rebound in economic activity has paused in the last couple of weeks with modest declines in consumer spending and a pullback in purchase activity,” Freddie Mac said in a statement explaining the trend.

Rates are linked to bond yields

Mortgage rates are keyed to the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond. Bond yields have remained near historic lows during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as investors have sought a safe haven from economic uncertainty.

Lower mortgage rates tend to make homes more affordable since they lower the monthly payment. Lowering your rate by 1 percent on a $160,000 mortgage can trim the monthly payment by nearly $100.

Lower rates, plus pent-up demand from the coronavirus shutdown earlier this year, has sparked a sharp increase in home sales. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported last week that pending home sales rose more than 44 percent in May. 

“This has been a spectacular recovery for contract signings, and goes to show the resiliency of American consumers and their evergreen desire for homeownership,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “This bounce back also speaks to how the housing sector could lead the way for a broader economic recovery.”

‘Spectacular recovery’

Despite the increase in sales, Joel Kan, associate vice president of Economic and Industry Forecasting at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), says mortgage applications paused in late June, falling nearly 2 percent from the previous week.

“The weakening in activity is potentially a signal that pent-up demand is starting to wane and that low housing supply is limiting prospective buyers' options,” Kan said. “The average purchase application loan size increased to a record high in our survey - more proof that tight inventory conditions are leading to faster price growth." 

Shopping around for the mortgage with the best terms and the most attractive rate will pay off over the life of the loan. To make that process easier, ConsumerAffairs has collected reviews on the top mortgage lenders here.

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 2,688,246 (2,638,338)

Total U.S. deaths: 128,104 (127,485)

Total global cases: 10,729,336 (10,512,383)

Total global deaths: 517,052 (512,114)

U.S. sets record for new cases in a single day

The United States set a record Wednesday, and not the good kind. The country recorded more than 50,000 new cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in a single day, the most so far during the pandemic.

According to the semi-official tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. recorded at least 50,700 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed U.S. cases to more than 2.68 million. No other country has as many official cases as the U.S.

But Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former director of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is one of many health experts who believe the total is far higher. Gottlieb has said it’s likely the U.S. has tens of thousands of new cases a day that go undiagnosed and untested.

Apple and McDonald’s rethink reopening plans

McDonald’s has hit the pause button on plans to reopen its dining rooms because of June’s unexpected and severe spike in coronavirus cases. Some locations now offer limited dine-in service, but McDonald’s said today it won’t add any more locations for at least three weeks.

Meanwhile, Apple has announced that it is reclosing 30 more of its stores because of concerns about the virus. That’s in addition to the 50 that were reclosed earlier.

For customers who have already placed orders at the stores scheduled for closing, Apple is allowing in-store pickup through Friday.

Employment continued to pick up in June

The Labor Department reports that the nation’s economy added 4.8 million jobs in June as businesses around the country continued to reopen. But some analysts are wondering if it can last in the face of renewed outbreaks.

Hiring in the hospitality and leisure sector led the way, adding 2.1 million jobs and accounting for about two-fifths of the gain in total nonfarm employment. But it’s precisely these businesses that may be at risk of another shutdown.

Strong employment among restaurants and bars could stall in the weeks ahead if more states order bars to close and renew restrictions on dine-in restaurants.

Trump administration against national mask mandate

President Trump says he’s all for masks but isn’t sure there should be a nationwide requirement to wear one. Vice President Mike Pence strengthened that stand today, telling CNBC that the White House doesn’t need to take that action.

“There are some areas of the country, large areas of the country, where we have very low number of cases at all,” Pence said in an interview. “It’s not a one-size-all approach whether it be on testing or on supplies and on mitigation efforts. What we want to do is empower governors and local officials to give the guidance to the people in those communities that are most appropriate to those circumstances.”

Some economists, however, say a national mask mandate makes economic sense. A national face mask mandate could reduce the prevalence of COVID-19 infections and potentially prevent lockdowns that would subtract as much as 5 percent from the economy, according to economists at Goldman Sachs. 

Happy Independence Day. Just be careful

With the three-day July 4th holiday, many health experts are fearful that a lax approach to social distancing could make the current spike in coronavirus cases that much worse. 

“I am very concerned, especially given this coming weekend, that the same types of spikes, the same types of surges could be seen not just in the places that are currently experiencing surges, but in places that have already experienced surges, and in ones that haven't yet,”  Joshua Barocas, assistant professor of medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine, told The Hill.  

Some health policymakers have linked the current spike in cases to the Memorial Day weekend holiday at the end of May.

Around the nation

• Tennessee: Gov. Bill Lee has identified four counties in Tennessee as areas of concern as the state recorded 1,800 new coronavirus cases Wednesday. Rutherford, Macon, Sevier, and Bradley counties have gone on the watch list.

• Nevada: Weeks after Las Vegas reopened casinos on The Strip, cases of COVID-19 have jumped in Nevada. State health officials report that the number of cases has tripled since late May.

• Connecticut: State health officials are expressing relief at the latest coronavirus statistics. The rate of positive tests dropped to 0.5 percent Wednesday, with 58 new cases reported out of 11,448 tests. That makes Connecticut the state with the third-lowest rate of infection.

A national face mask mandate could reduce the prevalence of COVID-19 infections and potentially prevent lockdowns that would subtract as much as 5 percent from the economy, according to economists at Goldman Sachs. 

In an analysis, the investment bank found that requiring face masks would "likely increase face mask usage meaningfully,” which would in turn curb transmission and have a positive effect on the economy.

"If a face mask mandate meaningfully lowers coronavirus infections, it could be valuable not only from a public health perspective but also from an economic perspective because it could substitute for renewed lockdowns that would otherwise hit GDP [Gross Domestic Product]," the researchers wrote. 

Positive economic impact 

The researchers’ data showed that both infections and deaths increased for residents in countries that didn’t reach widespread mask usage.

"We find that face masks are associated with significantly better coronavirus outcomes," Jan Hatzius, chief economist at Goldman Sachs, wrote in in the report.

To date, there are more than 10 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the globe and at least 2.68 million cases in the United States. On Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said coronavirus cases could snowball to 100,000 a day in the U.S. if Americans don’t heed health and safety guidelines. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its mask guidance to state that Americans should wear masks in “all public settings when around people outside of their household,” as opposed to just places like pharmacies and grocery stores. 

On Thursday, the Treasury Department said it has agreed on terms for coronavirus loans with five major U.S. airlines. The loans were part of a $25 billion emergency loan program established by Congress in March. 

The airlines that have signed letters of intent for the loan terms are American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Sky West Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines. 

“We are pleased that major air carriers intend to use this important program and for Treasury to use its authority under the CARES Act to provide much-needed financial assistance, while ensuring appropriate taxpayer compensation,” Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in a statement. “Conversations with other airlines continue, and we look forward to finalizing agreements as soon as possible.”

Airlines that borrow money will have to maintain employment levels and limit employee compensation, dividends, and share repurchases to qualify for the CARES Act loans. Carriers will have until September 30 to decide whether to take the loan.

The airline industry was hit hard by the pandemic, and consumers still aren’t particularly confident about resuming air travel. Despite dampened demand for plane tickets, airlines are gradually increasing numbers of available seats and assuring customers that they have enhanced their health and safety procedures. 

While researchers have found how early menopause can be linked with heart disease, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Queensland explored how the presence of these symptoms after menopause could be cause for concern. 

The researchers learned that vasomotor symptoms (VMS), which include night sweats and hot flashes, increase the risk for cardiovascular disease among postmenopausal women. 

“Until now, it’s been unclear if VMS is associated with cardiovascular disease, but now we know it to be true,” said researcher Dr. Dongshan Zhu. 

Identifying the risks

The researchers analyzed data from the InterLACE Consortium and looked primarily at six studies that included information from over 23,000 women. 

Study participants reported on how severe and how often they experienced hot flashes and night sweats, when they experienced them (before or after menopause), and how long they lasted. The researchers also looked at the participants’ medical records to determine how such symptoms affected their cardiovascular health. 

The study revealed that there certainly was a relationship between VMS and cardiovascular disease. The biggest factor that came into play was the severity of these symptoms. Women who reported extreme episodes of night sweats or hot flashes were more likely to have a cardiovascular issue than those whose symptoms weren’t as severe but occurred more frequently or lasted longer. 

“We found that women with severe VMS were more than twice as likely to experience a non-fatal cardiovascular event compared with women who had no symptoms,” said Dr. Zhu. 

The researchers explained that menopause, and more specifically the way sex hormones change at this point in life, increases women’s risk of heart disease and cardiovascular health. Because these symptoms are so common among women, the researchers hope that these findings can help them, and their medical professionals, be more aware of the risks associated with them. 

“This research helps to identify women who are at a higher risk for the development of cardiovascular events and who may need close monitoring in clinical practice,” said researcher Gita Mishra. 

In the wake of the mass exodus of advertisers on Facebook, CEO Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t appear to be any closer to making any major policy changes. 

More than 600 advertisers recently chose to pull ads from the platform over concerns that Facebook wasn’t doing enough to remove hateful content. The boycott was part of the “Stop Hate for Profit” movement started by civil rights groups that include the Anti-Defamation League, NAACP, and Color of Change.

Although Zuckerberg recently agreed to take part in a meeting to be held Monday with the groups behind the movement, internal communications at the company suggest the CEO isn’t too worried about the situation. 

Details of a private meeting with Facebook staff were recently leaked to the news site The Information. During an in-house video town hall meeting last Friday, Zuckerberg reportedly told employees that the advertiser boycott was a "reputational and a partner issue" rather than a financial one.

"We're not gonna change our policies or approach anything because of a threat to a small percent of our revenue, or to any percent of our revenue,” Zuckerberg said. “My guess is that all these advertisers will be back soon enough.” 

Not likely to make a large dent

Zuckerberg added that “large advertisers participating in the boycott make up a small portion of Facebook’s overall revenue.” Analysts agree that the boycott isn’t going to have a significant impact on the company’s revenue, and some even believe it could make the company stronger. 

“By reducing Facebook’s $70.7 billion in annual revenues, even by a tiny bit, corporate bosses get to flip off the advertising business at relatively little cost to themselves — or, really, to Facebook,” wrote Politico’s Jack Shafer in an op-ed.

“The loss of annual Facebook revenue from the July boycott might be as low as 5%,” Shafer added. “Every Fortune 500 advertiser on Facebook could plummet into a volcanic fissure, and the company would still be minting gold.” 

Last week, Facebook agreed to begin “prohibiting a wider category of harmful content in ads.” Politicians won’t be exempt from the change. Facebook said it will delete posts designed to suppress voter turnout and take down ads that make calls to violence or express racism, although some of these changes may have been in the works prior to the advertiser boycott.

“We believe there is a public interest in allowing a wider range of free expression in people's posts than in paid ads,” Zuckerberg wrote. “We already restrict certain types of content in ads that we allow in regular posts, but we want to do more to prohibit the kind of divisive and inflammatory language that has been used to sow discord.” 

A Facebook spokesperson said the company takes these matters “very seriously” and respects the feedback from its partners. However, the spokesperson doubled down on the fact that Facebook makes policy changes “based on principles, not revenue pressures."

JetBlue and a pilots union have reached a deal to sidestep any involuntary furloughs until at least May 2021.

In a memo seen by CNBC, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA)’s JetBlue chapter signed off on a letter of agreement  that “protects all JetBlue pilots from involuntary furlough -- under any circumstances -- until May 1, 2021.”

There’s never a perfect time for a tete-a-tete with a union, especially with airlines trying to find their way out of the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. Just two weeks ago, JetBlue said it was adding 30 new domestic routes to serve customers in markets where leisure and travel for visiting friends and relatives were showing some signs of strength. 

The essence of the deal

In the memo, the pilots’ union and the airline shook hands on some “short-term changes” but added an asterisk on an “earlier snapback if demand for flying recovers.” The memo also made the point that there aren’t any planned changes to the collective bargaining agreement that governs pay rates or “significant modifications” to work rules.

“Airline pilots have been on the front lines of this public-health crisis and were part of the first wave of those directly impacted by the associated economic fallout,” the union said in a statement to CNBC.

ConsumerAffairs reached out to JetBlue for comment but had not received any by press time.

Other airlines may face similar situations

In mid-April, U.S.-based airlines accepted billions in coronavirus aid in a bid to keep workers afloat with the intent of avoiding involuntary furloughs. The deadline for that promise will come September 30. It’s like that a large number of layoffs will also occur at that time. 

American Airlines told employees earlier this week that it anticipates having 8,000 more flight attendants than it needs come fall -- almost a third of its 2019 levels.

Delta Air Lines also warned its pilots about possible furloughs and urged any pilot eligible to take an early retirement package to give it serious consideration.