Current Events in July 2020

Recent studies have highlighted how eating more plant-based foods can have a significant impact on consumers’ health, improving both overall heart health and lowering the risk for heart disease. 

Now, a new study has found that consumers who include more plant proteins in their diets could lower their risk of death from all causes. 

“These findings have important public health implications as intake of plant protein can be increased relatively easily by replacing animal protein and could have a large effect on longevity,” the researchers wrote. 

Improving overall health

To understand how plant proteins can benefit consumers’ health, the researchers evaluated results from over 30 different studies. The analysis provided data on over 700,000 participants’ diet choices and followed up with health check-ins to assess for possible disease or death. 

The researchers learned that diet played a role in participants’ health and longevity. The study revealed that the risk of death was eight percent lower for those who consumed the highest levels of plant proteins. 

In looking at specific causes of death in relation to the participants’ diet choices, the researchers learned that higher consumption of plant proteins lowered the risk of cardiovascular-related deaths by 12 percent. This is important because several recent studies have shown how consumers’ diet choices can lower their risk of heart disease. 

Although this was an observational study and it’s impossible to say that plant protein intake has a direct link on disease and longevity, the researchers explained that the nutrients found in plant proteins have been linked with countless health benefits. Their results revealed that important health indicators, like cholesterol and blood pressure, were better when participants consumed more plant-based proteins. 

“Our findings therefore strongly support the existing dietary recommendations to increase consumption of plant proteins in the general population,” the researchers wrote. 

Firearms manufacturer Remington has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in two years. 

Remington has been looking for a buyer, but its negotiations with the Navajo Nation apparently fell through in recent weeks. There is a possibility that the company’s firearms and ammunition businesses could now be sold off separately, a source with knowledge of the matter told The Wall Street Journal. 

The company’s finances were dealt a major blow by product liability issues connected to the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The Supreme Court said last year that a suit filed by the families of Sandy Hook shooting victims could move forward. 

The families allege that the company’s Bushmaster rifle, which was used in the attack, was improperly marked. Remington’s Model 700 rifle is also being investigated for possible safety issues.

At the time of its first bankruptcy filing in 2018, Remington cited declining sales. Although there has been an increase in interest in guns lately due to the pandemic and widespread social unrest, Remington’s finances apparently haven’t buoyed enough to avoid a second restructuring attempt. 

JCPenney, one of the U.S. retailers thrown into bankruptcy by the coronavirus (COVID-19), will reportedly merge with Belks, a retailer with 300 stores, mostly in southern states.

The New York Post quotes sources close to the deal as saying that Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm, has submitted the highest bid for JCPenney in a bankruptcy auction. The firm, which owns Belks, also owns retailers Talbots, Staples, and The Limited.

Like JCPenney, Belks has also been struggling amid declining sales during the pandemic. Both were facing difficulty even before the virus struck, as consumer preferences changed and more shopping moved to online channels.

“JCP is the lifeboat for Belks, which wants to compete with Macy’s nationally,” the source told the Post.

All three bids are close

According to the newspaper, Sycamore Partners will likely land the 118-year-old retailer with a bid of $1.75 billion. The Post’s sources said Saks Fifth Avenue owner Hudson’s Bay Company is also still in the running with a $1.7 billion bid along with a pair of mall operators that offered $1.65 billion. 

“The three bids are being analyzed and because there’s not a big difference between them, it means that all three are seeing a similar valuation,” a source told the Post. It will be up to the bankruptcy court to decide which firm acquires the retailer.

At last report, JCPenney operated 850 stores in 49 states and Puerto Rico. It filed for bankruptcy in May after temporarily closing most of its stores. Its stores serve as anchors at many malls across the U.S., and the department store’s fate was seen as critical to the future of many malls.

A combination with Belks could give the combined enterprise a much larger footprint. Due to the challenges facing retail, the sources told the Post that Sycamore Partners planned to rebrand 250 JCPenney stores as Belks and liquidate the rest.

Sycamore Partners offered $1 billion for a major stake in Victoria’s Secret before the pandemic struck but backed away from the deal as the U.S. economy shut down, accusing the firm’s owner of violating the terms of the agreement.

The pandemic has resulted in a wave of bankruptcies in the retail industry. Besides JCPenney,  J. Crew, Neiman Marcus, Brooks Brothers, and New York & Company have filed for Chapter 11 protection in the last four months.

A study of recent car buying trends suggests that dealerships’ transition to digital sales during the pandemic will become a permanent fixture in the process.

Researchers at Cars.com also say that six trends that have altered how dealers and consumers interact have changed the process for the better.

"The current climate drove dealerships across the country to quickly adapt to meet the changing needs of American car buyers," said Alex Vetter, president and CEO of Cars.com. "It has been incredible to witness an industry as large and established as automotive respond with new technology and adopt new processes to ensure a safe and frictionless car-buying experience.

Vetter is referring to the business model quickly adopted by dealers. Dealers already had new and used vehicle inventories online, so websites were modified to allow consumers to select a car and have it delivered to their home for a test drive.

Consumers seemed to like that approach, as people continue to purchase cars during the height of the economic shutdown, albeit at a slower rate than before. Dealers also like the approach since it makes their salespeople more productive, enabling them to handle several transactions simultaneously.

Ridesharing less attractive

Vetter says the pandemic also appears to have stopped another automotive trend dead in its tracks. After years of ridesharing ascendency, consumers are increasingly interested in personal transportation.

“As the pandemic continues into the second half of 2020, more people will turn to car ownership to safely get around while social distancing,” Vetter said. “And I believe we will see durable changes to car buying and selling that deliver an improved experience for all."

Digital buying is one of those durable trends. Consumers have long used the internet to shop for cars, but Cars.com predicts that the sales process will stay online long after the pandemic.

By May, car sales through Online Shopper, a digital sales platform, were up 63 percent compared to before the pandemic hit. According to Cars.com research, 71 percent of car shoppers want to complete some, if not all, of a car purchase online.

AI chatbots

The report also shows that AI chatbots were widely deployed at the beginning of the pandemic to support digital sales. That trend, the company predicts, will continue.

Thirty percent of American car shoppers want their local dealerships to offer at-home test-driving, while 31 percent want dealers to deliver their car at home after the purchase.

After years of decline, the sedan is making a comeback. Cars.com reported a 14 percent uptick in sedan search activity from April to June.

Finally, consumers appear to be focusing more on the used car market. Cars.com reports that the highest average search price fell from $39,000 to $27,000 between March and June. 

Amazon announced on Monday that it’s starting to roll out a revamped version of its Alexa app. The app will be available for iPhones, tablets, and smartphones running Google's Android platform, as well as for Amazon’s Fire tablets.

The redesigned app will have a new home screen featuring a more personalized experience. Instead of emphasizing third-party skills, the new homepage will focus on “how consumers are actually using Alexa.”

The new home screen will be updated with personalized recommendations based on how each individual utilizes their Alexa device. For example, users who play music frequently will see music commands featured on their home screen. Previously, users may have seen irrelevant prompts on the home screen. The redesign de-prioritizes third-party voice apps or skills. 

Meanwhile, first-time users will see suggestions on how to get started with Alexa, how to add to their Amazon shopping list, or how to use other services like Amazon Music. Amazon said it’s also moving the Alexa button from the bottom of the app to the top in the interest of making it easier to find.  

Amazon expects all users to be granted access to its updated digital assistant by late August. 

Ford Motor Company is recalling about 70 model year 2020 Ford Escapes and Transits sold in the U.S. and Canada.

The curtain airbag may not inflate properly during deployment, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Ford is not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries.

What to do

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain airbag modules.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's reference number for this recall is 20S35.

Real Clean Distribuciones SA de CV is recalling all lots of the following brand names of hand sanitizers:

• Born Basic ANTI-BAC HAND SANITIZER,
• Scent Theory KEEP CLEAN Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer,
• Scent Theory KEEP IT CLEAN Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer, and
• Lux Eoi Hand Sanitizing Gell.

The products may contain methanol (wood alcohol), which can produce nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death.

There are no reports of adverse events to date

The following items, used as hand sanitizers and marketed to help decrease bacteria on the skin when soap and water are not available, are being recalled:

What to do

Consumers who purchased the recalled product should stop using and return it to the place of purchase. Because they are considered hazardous materials, the recalled products should not be destroyed.

Consumers with questions may contact Stericycle at (866) 512-4073 Sunday – Saturday, 08:00 am – 8:00 pm (EST) pr by email at Realclean4107@stericycle.com.

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 4,238,500 (4,212,057)

Total U.S. deaths: 146,968 (146,732)

Total global cases: 16,296,665 (16,128,334)

Total global deaths: 649,662 (645,699)

Moderna begins expedited vaccine trial

Moderna is receiving another $472 million from the U.S. government to expedite a Phase 3 clinical trial of its experimental vaccine against the coronavirus (COVID-19). The Phase 3 study, called the COVE (Coronavirus Efficacy) study, is being conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).

The study will involve 30,000 participants who will receive two doses of the vaccine or a placebo. Participants won’t know whether they have the vaccine or placebo. They’ll then be monitored as they go about their daily lives in areas of high infection.

“We are indebted to the participants and investigators who now begin the work of the COVE study itself,” said CEO Stéphane Bancel. “We look forward to this trial demonstrating the potential of our vaccine to prevent COVID-19, so that we can defeat this pandemic.”

Survey finds Americans concerned about returning to the office

The latest IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) survey of U.S. consumers suggests that Americans still have worries about returning to the workplace while the pandemic continues. Compared to the June survey, Americans appear to be slightly more cautious about being back among their co-workers.

"The results from our ongoing survey underscore that consumer attitudes continue to shift as the effects of the virus fluctuate around the country, and consumers are preparing themselves for more permanent changes in behavior," said Jesus Mantas, senior managing partner, IBM Services. 

The findings appear to reinforce an emerging consensus among businesses that a remote workforce has been surprisingly productive. Some business leaders have suggested some elements of the workforce will continue to operate remotely. Google today extended its work from home policy through summer 2021.

Scientists find 21 potential treatments for COVID-19

Drug companies are working to find new treatments for the coronavirus, but an international team of scientists says there are plenty of existing drugs that may do the job. The scientists analyzed drugs that appeared to block the replication of the virus causing COVID-19. They narrowed down the list to 21 drugs that were effective against the virus at concentrations that could safely be given to patients.

The scientists — led by Sumit Chanda, Ph.D., professor at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute — discovered that four drug compounds worked in concert with remdesivir, a current standard-of-care treatment for the coronavirus.

“Remdesivir has proven successful at shortening the recovery time for patients in the hospital, but the drug doesn’t work for everyone who receives it. That’s not good enough,” Chanda said.

Economists see COVID-19 setting back employment gains

A Reuters survey of economists shows that there is a rising level of pessimism about the economy’s short-term prospects, particularly in hiring. Employment rebounded sharply in May and June, but many economists don’t expect that to continue.

As states deal with a surging number of coronavirus cases, some have backtracked from their reopening plans. Some, like California, have ordered many businesses that had reopened to close again.

The poll showed a majority of economists either downgraded their forecasts or left them unchanged from last month. Goldman Sachs Chief Economist David Mericle said a delay in reopening the economy “might cause longer-term damage to businesses and the labor market.”

Alabama church event produces 40 cases of the virus

The pastor of a Baptist church in Alabama reports that 40 members of his congregation who attended a nearly week-long revival meeting have tested positive for the coronavirus.

“The whole church has got it, just about,” Pastor Daryl Ross told AL.com.

Ross said the church practiced social distancing during the church service but did not require anyone to wear a mask. It also did not discourage congregation members from shaking hands or embracing.

Around the nation

• Minnesota: Gov. Tim Walz’s order requiring residents to wear masks in public took effect over the weekend. Minnesota joins 30 other states requiring face coverings while in indoor public spaces.

• Florida: Florida has now edged past New York when it comes to the total number of coronavirus cases in the state. More than 423,000 people have tested positive, putting Florida in second place behind California.

• Texas: Some of the states that experienced surges in coronavirus cases in June are getting some relief at the end of July. Health officials in Texas report that new cases of the virus have declined over four straight days.

The White House and Congressional Republicans have reached agreement on a $1 trillion stimulus measure that has key differences with the Democrats’ version. But on two issues directly affecting consumers, the two sides are in agreement

Larry Kudlow, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, told CNN on Sunday that the White House supports another round of $1,200 per adult direct payments and an extension of the moratorium on home evictions.

But the authorization for an extra $600 a week in unemployment benefits runs out at the end of the month, and Kudlow says the GOP and Democrats haven’t been able to agree on an extension. Kudlow says the Republican bill would not offer a flat rate of $600 in benefits.

“It’s going to cap the assistance at a level that is consistent with people going back to work,” Kudlow told the network.

Republicans have said they want to cap the extra unemployment benefits at 70 percent of the recipient’s lost income -- a formula that might be difficult for states to determine. Democrats have called for extending the full $600 per week payments until January.

“What they’re saying to essential workers is you have to go to work because you’re essential,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “If you don’t go to work because you’re afraid of being sick, you don’t get unemployment insurance.”

Other provisions

The GOP bill, which is expected to be made public on Monday afternoon, is also said to contain back-to-work tax credits, K-12 education support, and provisions that would shield some small businesses from COVID-19 liability lawsuits.

According to Politico, Democrats have issues with that part of the bill as well. While not completely ruling out some kind of protection for businesses, Democrats have said the provision crafted by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is not adequate.

The GOP bill would provide no additional aid to state and local governments, though it would grant them more flexibility in using existing federal assistance. The Democrats’ proposal provides nearly $1 trillion to state and local governments to fill budget gaps opened by loss of revenue and growing expenses because of the recession.

The two sides do appear to be in firm agreement on a second round of direct payments to Americans. As provided for in March’s CARES Act, each adult would receive a payment of $1,200, and families would receive smaller payments for each child in the household.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidance supporting a reopening of the country’s schools this coming fall semester. 

In guidelines posted Thursday, the CDC said families and policymakers should “consider the full spectrum of benefits and risks of both in-person and virtual learning options.” The agency said studies show that children aren’t as likely to suffer much from COVID-19. Moreover, they are far less likely than adults to spread the virus to others. 

Given current scientific evidence, the agency argues that a reopening of schools would be both safe and beneficial to the country.

"It is critically important for our public health to open schools this fall," said CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield, who previously said he would “absolutely” send his grandchildren back to school.

The CDC also argued that children suffer from being out of school. 

"School closures have disrupted normal ways of life for children and parents, and they have had negative health consequences on our youth,” the agency wrote. “CDC is prepared to work with K-12 schools to safely reopen while protecting the most vulnerable."

Reopening with precautions

The CDC said studies show that if children get COVID-19, “they are far less likely to suffer severe symptoms.” Death rates among youths are “much lower than among adults” and kids appear to transmit the virus at a lower rate than adults, the agency added. 

The CDC added that "there have also been few reports of children being the primary source of COVID-19 transmission among family members.” 

Reopening schools would be in the nation’s best interest, the CDC argued, as it “creates opportunity to invest in the education, well-being and future of one of America's greatest assets -- our children -- while taking every precaution to protect students, teachers, staff and all their families.” 

However, agency officials recommended that local officials should consider closing schools -- or keeping them closed -- if there is “substantial, uncontrolled transmission” of the virus. 

In its updated guidance, the CDC recommended against screening all students for coronavirus symptoms because children experiencing COVID-19 symptoms could have another type of sickness and therefore shouldn’t be in school at all. 

"Parents or caregivers should be strongly encouraged to monitor their children for signs of infectious illness every day," the guidelines read. "Students who are sick should not attend school in-person.”

Schools play a ‘critical role’

The agency concluded that the “best available evidence indicates that COVID-19 poses relatively low risks to school-aged children.” Schools also provide meals to children who might not otherwise get them, as well as social, physical, behavioral, and mental health services.

“School closure disrupts the delivery of these critical services to children and families, and places additional economic and psychological stress on families, which can increase the risk for family conflict and violence,” the CDC said. 

Pharmaceutical companies are intensely focused on efforts to develop treatments for the coronavirus (COVID-19), but a study published in Nature identifies 21 existing drugs that scientists say can already significantly reduce its severity. 

The scientists analyzed drugs that had shown indications that they could block the replication of the virus causing COVID-19. They narrowed down the list to 21 drugs that were effective against the virus at concentrations that could safely be given to patients.

The scientists — led by Sumit Chanda, Ph.D., professor at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute — discovered that four drug compounds worked in concert with remdesivir, a current standard-of-care treatment for the coronavirus.

“Remdesivir has proven successful at shortening the recovery time for patients in the hospital, but the drug doesn’t work for everyone who receives it. That’s not good enough,” Chanda said.

Remdesivir itself is a repurposed drug. It was developed by Gilead Sciences to treat ebola. It was not effective at doing that, but it has shown good results in treating coronavirus patients when combined with plasma antibodies from recovered patients.

Effective and affordable

The Nature study was designed to not only identify effective drugs but single out medications that are affordable. The researchers identified drugs that could be combined with remdesivir to treat people with severe cases of the virus, as well as drugs that could be taken on an outpatient basis at the first appearance of symptoms.

Of the existing drugs that were effective at blocking viral replication, the scientists found:

• 13 have previously entered clinical trials for other indications and are effective at concentrations, or doses, that could potentially be safely achieved in COVID-19 patients.

• Two are already FDA approved: astemizole is used to treat allergies and clofazamine is a leprosy medication.

• Four worked synergistically with remdesivir, including the chloroquine derivative hanfangchin A (tetrandrine), an antimalarial drug that has reached Phase 3 clinical trials.

Vaccine still months away

The researchers say their work can help expand current options for safely treating COVID-19.

“This report provides the scientific community with a larger arsenal of potential weapons that may help bring the ongoing global pandemic to heel,” Chanda said. 

In their study, the research team noted that the development of an effective vaccine will probably take at least 12 to 18 months. Approval of a vaccine has been known to take as long as 20 years.

The researchers say repurposing known drugs may offer the best chance to deal with the virus in the months ahead, making it much less of a health threat.

Google is telling its 200,000 full-time and contract employees to sit tight from a remote location, at least until July 2021, according to the Wall Street Journal. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai reportedly made the call last week following a meeting with company brass.

Google had previously announced plans to reopen some of its offices for a limited number of employees starting on July 6, but the move was strictly optional for its employees.

Pichai’s new timeline allows employees to better plan their personal lives, an aspect especially important for parents of school-aged children as school districts try to figure out whether going virtual or establishing new safeguards is the best path for them to follow.

“To give employees the ability to plan ahead, we’ll be extending our global voluntary work-from-home option through June 30, 2021 for roles that don’t need to be in the office,” Pichai said in his message to employees. “I hope this will offer the flexibility you need to balance work with taking care of yourselves and your loved ones over the next 12 months.”

The new norm continues to expand

The shift to remote life -- especially for tech and investment companies -- is quickly becoming part of the new norm. A solid 65 percent of all workers are doing their jobs away from the office all the time, frequently, or very often. 

Google joins Amazon, Zillow, PayPal, Salesforce, and others Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, Capital One, Zillow, Facebook, Slack, Amazon, PayPal, Salesforce, and others that have extended their work-from-home options, according to SHRM, a human resources organization. However, Google is the first to extend the mandate out so far.

The most conspicuously absent brand on that list is Apple. It was a little slow on its embrace of working from home, but it recently opted to convert its retail associates to remote-based customer assistants.

Garmin has confirmed that a ransomware attack was behind a system outage that customers dealt with for five days starting July 23. 

"Garmin is currently experiencing an outage that affects Garmin services including Garmin Connect," the company said in a statement last week. "As a result of the outage, some features and services across these platforms are unavailable to customers."

On Monday, the company said an external cyberattack “encrypted some of our systems” and disrupted many of its services.

“As a result, many of our online services were interrupted including website functions, customer support, customer facing applications, and company communications,” the statement read. “We immediately began to assess the nature of the attack and started remediation.”

Garmin said it has “no evidence” that any customer data, including activity and payment information, was compromised or stolen. The fitness tracker and GPS maker said it’s restoring service, but it will take a few days before everything is completely back to normal. 

Sources told tech websites ZDNet, TechCrunch, and Bleeping Computer that the outage was caused by ransomware called WastedLocker, which is run by a cybercriminal group known as Evil Corp. 

Following Walmart’s lead, Target has announced that it will be closing on Thanksgiving. The retailer said in a blog post on Monday that it made the decision in the interest of making the holiday shopping experience “simple, safe and stress-free.”

“The investments we’ve made in our business and our incredible team have enabled us to move with flexibility and speed to meet guests’ changing needs during this global pandemic,” Target CEO Brian Cornell said in a statement. 

“This year more than ever, a joyful holiday will be inseparable from a safe one, and we’re continuing to adjust our plans to deliver ease, value and the joy of the season in a way that only Target can.”

‘Stretching out the savings’

Target also said it will make more than 20,000 additional products available for pickup and delivery, including fresh and frozen groceries.

While stores will be closed on Thanksgiving, Target said shoppers will have plenty of opportunities to score great deals on merchandise. The retailer said it's "stretching out the savings" starting in October for safety reasons and to give shoppers greater flexibility.

"Historically, deal hunting and holiday shopping can mean crowded events, and this isn’t a year for crowds," Target said in its release. "That’s why our biggest holiday deals will be available earlier than ever, so you can shop safely and conveniently without worrying about missing out on deals that usually come later in the season."

Walmart also closing on Thanksgiving

Last week, Walmart announced that it will be closing all of its Walmart and Sam’s Club locations this Thanksgiving to give associates some well-deserved time off. 

“We know this has been a trying year, and our associates have stepped up. We hope they will enjoy a special Thanksgiving Day at home with their loved ones,” said John Furner, President and CEO of Walmart U.S. “We are certainly thankful to our people for all of their efforts.”

The decision marked a major departure from the retailer’s previous holiday season schedule. Walmart has not been closed on Thanksgiving Day since the late 1980s. 

Dick's Sporting Goods has also announced that its stores and distribution centers will be closed on Thanksgiving due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

While researchers continue to warn consumers about the dangers associated with antibiotic resistant bacteria, a new study has discovered yet another place that these dangerous microbes could be lurking. 

According to researchers from the American Society for Microbiology, consumers are likely to come into contact with high levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria at the gym; they found that shared gym equipment was a hotspot for these types of germs. 

“These results suggest regularly contacted surfaces in different recreational environments can harbor multi-drug resistant S. aureus (MDRSA) and should be disinfected frequently to best maintain public health and community well-being,” said researcher Chase A. Weikel. 

Improving disinfecting efforts

To understand what kinds of bacteria live on shared gym equipment, the researchers studied samples taken from two university gyms. They analyzed samples from frequently used gym equipment that often sees lots of different hands and germs. The team said that the specific pieces of equipment they looked at aren’t cleaned often unless gym-goers disinfect them themselves.

Overall, 45 different pieces of equipment were tested for traces of S. aureus. This type of bacteria can cause staph infections that often lead to serious health complications. 

The researchers learned that the equipment they tested contained large traces of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Over 460 bacterial isolates were extracted from the equipment, and the study revealed that over 70 percent proved to be resistant to at least two types of antibiotics. Additionally, over 40 percent of the isolates were resistant to the penicillin family of antibiotics. 

As COVID-19 continues to spread, amping up disinfecting efforts is at the forefront of many consumers’ minds. Gyms, which are shared public spaces, are no exception. Like Weikel explained, staying on top of sanitizing the equipment is key to ensuring that consumers can exercise without fear of contracting a life-threatening infection.

While recent studies have found the ways pets can help consumers ease stress levels -- particularly in families with children with autism -- a new study is exploring how service dogs can benefit veterans. 

Researchers from Purdue University found that service dogs provide countless benefits to veterans struggling with PTSD, though dispelling anxiety is the number one benefit. 

“There has been some debate on what kind of training PTSD service dogs need to be effective and how their assistance may be different than what a pet dog can provide,” said researcher Kerri Rodriguez. “This study suggests that veterans are, in fact, using and benefitting from the specific trained tasks, which sets these dogs apart from dogs or emotional support dogs.” 

Improving quality of life

The researchers conducted a survey of over 215 veterans for this study. They were looking to assess how the dogs were aiding the veterans on a daily basis and what kinds of specific roles the dogs were fulfilling. 

The study revealed that service dogs are trained to assist their owners in a myriad of ways. Whether in public, at home, or in the middle of the night, these dogs are always ready to help their owners through troubling experiences. 

The biggest takeaway from the study was that service dogs were most useful in helping their owners get through anxiety-ridden moments. Though the dogs can’t completely cure their owners of anxiety or make it go away forever, they’re trained to draw their owners’ attention away from the present, stressful moment. 

“These service dogs offer valuable companionship, provide joy and happiness, and add structure and routine to veterans’ lives that are likely very important for veterans’ PTSD,” said Rodriguez. 

Having realistic expectations

The majority of the veterans interviewed for this study already had service dogs at home; however, the researchers also interviewed a group of over 80 veterans on a waiting list for a service dog. The researchers compared the responses of both groups of veterans and found that those on the waiting list were overly optimistic about the ways a service dog could help them. 

While the researchers don’t want to understate the benefits of a service dog, they do want to stress that these companions can’t cure PTSD alone. 

“Veterans on the waitlist may have higher expectations for a future PTSD service dog because of feelings of hope and excitement, which may not necessarily be a bad thing,” said Rodriguez. “However, it is important for mental health professionals to encourage realistic expectations to veterans who are considering getting a PTSD service dog of their own.” 

The price of gold continues to roar. Its value has hit a new record high as investors scurry to find a safe haven to stash their money until the coronavirus pandemic decides where it’s going and the economy regains its balance.

The price of gold hit $1,944 per ounce early Monday -- topping its previous record of $1,921 from 2011 -- before settling in at $1,888. Its value has increased around 27 percent so far in 2020. 

"Gold is the clear beneficiary of safe haven demand," Stephen Innes, chief global markets strategist at AxiCorp, said in a research note. 

Other financial analysts are starting to come around to Innes' position. On Friday, Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management, said that gold is one of the best-performing assets this year. He went on to say that the price of gold could go as high as $2,000 per ounce due to political uncertainty and the U.S. dollar losing value.

Blame it on the virus

The main driver behind much of what happens in the market these days is the pandemic, and gold investors benefited greatly from that. A faltering U.S. dollar is a dark cloud that seems to follow the U.S. economy everywhere it goes, especially overseas where the dollar is trading at nearly a two-year low against the euro and a four-month low against the Japanese yen.

"That's partly driven by a sense that the US is having a harder time controlling the virus than others, which will see the US economy under-perform," Kit Juckes, chief strategist at Societe Generale, told CNN.

“There is mounting evidence that America's fragile economic recovery is already stalling, as the number of coronavirus infections and deaths spike,” wrote CNN’s Hanna Ziady. “Jobless claims are rising again for the first time in months and there are worries that the expiration of Washington's $600 boost to unemployment benefits, set to end on Friday, will deal another blow to consumer spending.”

Struggling economy

Ziady and Juckes aren’t by themselves in this longview. A new poll by Reuters lays out the inconceivability that a rebound can be sustained as the U.S.economy tries to crawl out of the largest economic hole since the Great Depression.

The poll showed that the economy shriveled by nearly 34 percent year-over-year in the second quarter of 2020. Analysts forecast that the economy may rebound with a 17.8 percent growth in the third quarter, then rise another 6.5 points from October through December. While that might seem like a positive note, it’s actually weaker than the 18.5 percent and 8 percent growth predictions that the same economists made a month ago, the survey said.

Another factor looming large is the iffyness of COVID-19’s life expectancy. “Epidemiologists believe there is a strong likelihood of a second wave of infections in the fall/early winter. This is a typical pattern for respiratory infections,” said Daniel Bachman, senior U.S. economist at Deloitte. Bachman’s forecast is the most bleak in the poll, predicting a renewed contraction in the fourth quarter of 2020, by 9.7 percent.

The Manhattan Toy Company of Minneapolis, Minn., is recalling about 22,100 Manhattan Balls.

The toy’s plastic tubes can detach from the center ball and release the small silicone teethers that are threaded on the tubes, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Manhattan Toy has received six reports of the plastic tubes detaching from the center ball. Two of the six reports included a silicone teether being separated from the toy. The firm also reported one incident of a child mouthing the silicone teether after it came off.

This recall involves Manhattan Ball plastic activity toys with a hard plastic center ball with 12 soft plastic tubes inserted into the center ball and seven silicone teethers threaded on the tubes.

“The Manhattan Toy Company” and lot code 325700EL or 325700IL are printed on the center ball.

The balls, manufactured in China, were sold exclusively at Target stores nationwide and online at Target.com from July 2019, through June 2020, for about $10.

What to do

Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy away from children and contact Manhattan Toy or return it to any Target Store for a full refund.

Consumers may contact Manhattan Toy at (800) 541-1345 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CT) Monday through Thursday, by email at help@manhattantoy.com, or online at www.manhattantoy.com and click on “Recall Information” at the bottom of the page for more information.