Current Events in July 2020

Hyundai Motor America is recalling 272,126 model year 2011-2012 Elantra and Sonata Hybrids, and model year 2012 Accents and Velosters.

The 12V accessory socket outlet may have been over-tightened during installation, possibly disabling the thermal fuse and allowing the outlet to overheat with prolonged use, such as by using the Tire Mobility Kit air compressor to inflate a tire.

An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.

What to do

Hyundai is currently developing a remedy, which will be performed free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin August 28, 2020.

Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at (855) 371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 193.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 5,039 model year 2019-2020 C63 AMG, C63 AMG S, AMG GT 53, AMG GT 63, AMG GT 63 S, and model year 2020 GLC 63 AMG, GLC 63 AMG S vehicles.

An incorrect Electronic Stability Program (ESP) software version may cause the ESP system to react inaccurately.

Improper ESP reaction to a driving situation may increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the ESP software free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin August 28, 2020.

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

Google is set to begin banning ads from publishers pushing content that contradicts scientific consensus on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tech giant said Friday that it will begin prohibiting “dangerous content,” such as the claim that the COVID-19 vaccine is “an attempt to genetically modify the population,” starting August 18. 

Google said it will remove ads from pages that promote theories that aren’t supported by “authoritative scientific consensus” about the health crisis and its origins. Additionally, advertisers will not be allowed to create their own ads that promote coronavirus conspiracy theories. 

The company already prohibits the monetization of harmful medical misinformation, such as claims about “miracle” health cures or treatments or ads promoting the anti-vaccine movement. The policy update announced Friday builds upon the company’s existing efforts to combat misinformation. 

Tech giants clamping down on misinformation

Regulators recently sent letters to a number of major tech companies requesting actions to curb a “troubling rise of false or misleading information related to COVID-19.” 

“This disinformation has ranged from false statements about certain groups being immune from contracting the virus to unsubstantiated assertions about masks and vaccines,” a group of Democratic lawmakers said in letters to Google, Facebook, and Twitter last week. “This type of disinformation is dangerous and can affect the health and well-being of people who use this false information to make critical health decisions during this pandemic.” 

Facebook has announced that it plans to roll out a new “Facts About Covid-19” section to dispel common but inaccurate myths about the virus, such as the one that drinking bleach will cure the virus or that hydroxychloroquine can cure, treat, or prevent the illness. Facebook has also launched notifications encouraging everyone to wear a mask and has begun labeling misleading posts about the virus as false. 

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 3,592,316 (3,499,771)

Total U.S. deaths: 138,543 (137,420)

Total global cases: 13,859,486 (13,589,273)

Total global deaths: 591,157 (584,990)

Another day, another record

In the U.S., the coronavirus (COVID-19) shows no sign of slowing down. On Thursday, the nation logged 77,200 new cases, eclipsing the old record set July 10 by 10,000, according to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Tracking Project. 

New cases appear to be rising in nearly every state, including those that have taken strong mitigation measures to keep the virus in check. But three states -- California, Texas, and Florida -- reported half the nation’s new cases.

More troubling, hospitalizations are also on the rise. Since the beginning, a fairly stable percentage of coronavirus cases have required hospital care.

18 states may be in danger of closing down again

A group called The Center for Public Integrity has released what it says is an unpublished document prepared for the White House coronavirus task force, placing 18 states in “the red zone” when it comes to the spread of the virus.

The document recommends that those 18 states consider rolling back their reopening process to stem the surge in new cases. Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, said he thought the information and recommendations were mostly good.

“The fact that it’s not public makes no sense to me,” Jha told the non-profit journalistic entity. “Why are we hiding this information from the American people? This should be published and updated every day.”

“Wearing a mask will help the economy”

Another high-profile business executive is making a strong case for Americans to wear masks in public, arguing that it will help the economy recover faster. Blackrock CEO Larry Fink, appearing on CNBC, said it’s critical that the economy is not shut down again and that having everyone mask up offers the best chance to avoid that.

“We are witnessing many, many states reopening, but reopening without wearing masks,” Fink said. “We need a world of compassion and that compassion is meaning wearing a mask.” 

Fink echoed the comments from Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who earlier in the week advised the public to wear masks. He said if everyone did so, the virus could be neutralized in three weeks.

Lyft adds partitions for some drivers

Lyft said it will provide plexiglass partitions to its most active drivers in an effort to protect them from the coronavirus. The partitions will be installed in cars later this summer.

In a blog post, the company said it has already established stringent guidelines, based on advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to promote the health and safety of everyone involved in ride-sharing.

“Building off this, today we’re beginning to roll out vehicle partitions to drivers over the course of the coming months,” the company said. “The CDC recommends using vehicles with partitions to help maintain distance between drivers and riders, when available.”

Mask advice

The American Lung Association, along with several medical groups, is weighing in on the use of masks with some “dos and don’ts.” Clearing up a common misconception, the association says wearing a mask protects others, not the person wearing it. It also advises consumers against purchasing N95 masks.

“The general public should not be using N95 masks so as not to deplete this resource for frontline workers,” the groups said in a statement. “The public should also avoid use of N95 masks with outlet valves or marked KN as they may not be fully protective.”

The statement also says people with normal lungs and even many individuals with underlying chronic lung disease should be able to wear a non-N95 facial covering without affecting their oxygen or carbon dioxide levels.

Around the nation

• Nevada: The state’s health department reports that at least 123 visitors to Nevada -- mostly to the state’s casinos -- have tested positive for the coronavirus, either after they arrived or shortly after returning home. Nevada saw a rise in cases shortly after the casinos reopened on June 4.

• Texas: Coronavirus cases are surging in Texas, but Gov. Greg Abbott has ruled out a second economic shutdown. Abbott walked back a previous statement that said if cases didn’t get under control the next step would be a lockdown.

• West Virginia: A Charleston Church, which had been holding in-person services for weeks, is resuming its online worship services after 24 members of the congregation tested positive. "We don’t want to discourage people from going to church but COVID-19 is still out there, said  Dr. Sherri Young, executive director of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department. 

Now that most of America has gotten their July 15 tax deadline out of the way, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) wants to remind taxpayers that there is no secret formula they can use to find out when their refund will show up in the mail or in their bank account.

Actually, there are several myths that the IRS would like to debunk, with each one representing a heading shown below.

Getting a refund this year means there's no need to adjust withholding for 2020

Not true. To help avoid being surprised next year, the IRS says taxpayers should make changes now. One suggestion consumers can follow is to adjust their tax withholding with their employer to help guarantee that neither too much nor too little tax is withheld from their paycheck. 

There’s also a tool called the Tax Withholding Estimator which will help taxpayers figure out the right amount.

Calling the IRS or a tax professional will provide a better refund date

Again, not true. You can call the IRS or a tax professional all you want, but that will not expedite getting a refund. If someone tells you they know someone on the inside at the IRS or their tax preparer can get you a refund faster, don’t take the bait. 

Sure, you can call the IRS’s automated refund hotline at 800-829-1954, but you’ll get the same information from the "Where's My Refund?" widget on the IRS’ website. If the IRS needs a taxpayer to call them, they will be notified via that same widget.

Ordering a tax transcript is a secret way to get a refund date

Another no. Ordering a tax transcript does nothing -- zero, zilch, nada -- to help taxpayers find out when they will get their refund, and it does not accelerate the issue date of a refund. 

The “Where's My Refund?” tool is wrong because there's no deposit date yet

Straight from the horse’s mouth, the IRS says this about that: 

“When Where's My Refund? shows the tax return status is received it means that we have received the tax return and are processing it. Some returns may take longer to process than others and needs further review. This includes when a return:

• Includes errors

• Is incomplete

• Is affected by identity theft or fraud

• Includes a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation, which could take up to 14 weeks to process”

If the IRS needs more information to process a tax return, they will contact the taxpayer by mail, not phone or email.

Something is wrong when the refund amount is less than expected

There are instances when a taxpayer gets a refund that is smaller than what they think it should be. The IRS says that happens, but the agency has these reasons why:

• Taxpayer math errors or mistakes

• Owing federal or state taxes, child support, student loans, or other federal non-tax obligations

• A portion of the refund is held while IRS reviews an item claimed on the return

If and when this situation happens, the IRS will mail a letter explaining why adjustments were made. Some taxpayers may also receive a letter from the Department of Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service if their refund was reduced to offset certain financial obligations. If you’re curious about what those “financial obligations” are, the Treasury has a complete rundown here.

While many consumers simply think that meditation is an anxiety-coping skill, which it certainly is, it has also been found to improve focus and memory. Now, researchers have also found that the mindfulness practice has been associated with improving consumers’ physical health. 

According to a new study, practicing meditation can reduce consumers’ risk of cardiovascular disease by improving cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and promoting healthy habits overall. 

“I believe in meditation, as it can give us a sense of calm, peace, and stress reduction, leading to improvement of our emotional well-being,” said researcher Dr. Chayakrit Krittanawong. 

Improving physical and mental health

The researchers analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which included responses from over 61,000 participants. They were most interested in learning how many participants actively meditated, as well as their physical health status. 

Roughly 10 percent of the participants reported following a meditation practice, and these participants also had better physical health outcomes than those who didn’t meditate. 

When evaluating several health markers, the researchers learned that meditation lowered the risk for several factors that are closely linked with cardiovascular disease. Participants reported lower blood pressure levels, lower cholesterol readings, and were less likely to develop diabetes, coronary artery disease, or have a stroke. 

Though the researchers explained that this study can’t establish a direct cause and effect between meditation and heart disease, the findings do show a close correlation between the two.

An easy activity to incorporate

Meditating is an easy, cost-effective way for consumers to slow down and work to reduce stress levels -- especially while at home during the pandemic. 

The researchers recommend that consumers adopt a meditation practice, as doing so can be good for both their bodies and minds. 

In an effort to curb unwanted robocalls, T-Mobile has announced that it will offer a free scam-blocking service to all T-Mobile, Metro, and Sprint customers. 

The carrier said Thursday that it’s opting to offer the service for free, unlike rival Verizon, which charges many customers $7.99 per month for the service. 

"People are being robbed. People are being scammed," CEO Mike Sievert said on a call with reporters. "This industry shouldn’t be profiting from this phenomenon.” 

T-Mobile’s scam-blocking services are now part of a program called Scam Shield. The service includes free caller ID and call blocking, free enhanced caller ID (which lets people know when an incoming call is “verified”), and a free second “proxy” number to prevent scam calls from coming to personal phone lines. Customers can also change their number if they are getting too many spam calls.

Scam Shield is the first initiative to be taken by T-Mobile since it merged with smaller rival Sprint. 

“Now that Sprint is a part of T-Mobile, we can take on even bigger problems, so today, we’re taking on one of the biggest pain points in wireless — scams and unwanted robocalls,” Sievert said in a press release Thursday. 

He added that the COVID-19 pandemic has only increased the number of scam calls consumers are receiving. 

“Scam Shield has never been more needed than it is right now. Scammers see COVID-19 as an opportunity to take advantage of Americans at their most vulnerable. When we saw that happening, we knew we had to take bold, swift action. With Scam Shield, T-Mobile customers get fewer scam calls, period … and it’s all because of our advanced network.”

Walgreens continues its forward-thinking, consumer-centric advances. On Thursday, the company announced that it’s joining DoorDash to offer on-demand delivery to customers. Just two weeks ago, the company announced it was adding doctor offices to its stores.

Starting out, the plans are to put the collaboration in place in the Atlanta, Chicago, and Denver areas, then spread out to Cincinnati, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Sacramento, and Seattle.

It won’t completely replace being inside a Walgreens store, but the companies are trying to replicate that experience as closely as possible. To begin with, more than 2,300 over-the-counter medications and household essentials will be available. Then, the goal is to keep adding products one by one until the number of available products reaches 5,000 -- hopefully, by the end of this summer.

“Our collaboration with DoorDash is the latest example of our ongoing focus on enhancing our customer experience with new convenient, accessible and safe shopping and delivery options,” said Stefanie Kruse, vice president, digital commerce and omni-channel at Walgreens. 

“We continue to offer additional ways to get essential retail products into the hands of customers at their door stoop or wherever and whenever is most convenient for them.”

Delivery fees

For consumers who’ve used DoorDash for things like meals, using the platform for Walgreens won’t be any different.

Walgreens delivery will be available on DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service. DoorDash members will get unlimited free delivery fees and reduced service fees if their order from Walgreens is $12 or higher.

To celebrate the new venture with Walgreens, DoorDash is offering customers 20 percent off of Walgreens items via the DoorDash app and website on their first order of $15 or more (up to $5 maximum savings).

In light of the ongoing threat of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has extended its “no sail order” for cruises in U.S. waters. 

The health agency announced on Thursday that the ban will now be in effect through September 30. The agency previously said the no-sail order would terminate on July 24, but crowded spaces remain risky and no vaccine is currently available. 

CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield stated that at least 2,973 COVID-19 infections or illnesses with coronavirus-like symptoms originated on cruise ships since the CDC began collecting this information earlier this year. 

“These data have also revealed a total of 99 outbreaks on 123 different cruise ships, meaning that 80% of ships within U.S. jurisdiction were affected by COVID-19 during this time frame,” Redfield wrote. “In addition, 9 ships still have ongoing or resolving COVID-19 outbreaks on board.”

Cruise ships facilitate spread 

In April, cruise industry officials stressed that cruises aren’t the source or the cause of COVID-19. The virus just tends to spread from person to person more easily in crowded spaces, such as cruise ships.  

“The tragic reality is that even the best efforts of all—cruise ships, hotels, concert venues, movie theaters, universities, conferences, and even cities—could not keep this virus from affecting settings where people come together to socialize and enjoy shared experiences,” Laziza Lambert, an official with the Cruise Lines International Association, told ConsumerAffairs. 

“There is no doubt that we, along with the rest of the world, will emerge from this crisis stronger for the challenges we have faced, and the lessons learned.”

The CDC said Thursday that it would “continue to consult with international maritime public health partners on ways to reduce COVID-19 transmission on ships and will continue to monitor the global COVID-19 situation.” 

As more states try to get back to normal after a coronavirus (COVID-19) shutdown, consumers are driving more miles. In the last week, prices rose slightly in nearly every state.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey puts the national average price of regular gasat $2.20 a gallon, about a penny more than last week but much lower than mid-July 2019. The average price of premium gas is $2.80 a gallon, one cent more than last Friday. The average price of diesel fuel is $2.43 a gallon, the same as a week ago.

Motorists are driving a little more, and refineries are cutting back on supplies. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported at mid-week that gasoline stockpiles fell by more than 3 million barrels in the previous week. But compared to this time a year ago, supplies are up nearly 7 percent.

Jeanette Casselano, a spokesperson for AAA, says supply and demand appear to be in a state of flux, especially since some states, such as California, are in the midst of reclosing parts of its economy. 

“The Energy Information Administration’s data shows gasoline demand and supply continue on a roller coaster ride,” Casselano said. “As motorists react to unfolding COVID-19 information, we are seeing driving behaviors related to filling-up ebb and flow.”

As a result, gasoline prices, though slowly rising, have been stable over the last few weeks, with Indiana, Michigan, and Delaware among the states experiencing the largest increase in price at the pump this week.

The states with the most expensive gas

These states currently have the highest prices for regular gas, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Survey:

• Hawaii ($3.23)

• California ($3.13)

• Washington ($2.79)

• Nevada ($2.64)

• Oregon ($2.65) 

• Alaska ($2.52)

• Colorado ($2.47)

• Pennsylvania ($2.44)

• Illinois ($2.39)

• Idaho ($2.34)

The states with the cheapest regular gas

The survey found these states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas:

• Mississippi ($1.84)

• Louisiana ($1.87)

• Arkansas ($1.90)

• Texas ($1.92)

• Alabama ($1.90)

• Missouri ($1.93)

• Oklahoma ($1.91)

• South Carolina ($1.94)

• Tennessee ($1.94)

• Kansas ($1.98)

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 12,964 model year 2013-2018 Audi S8s and A8s.

The seal around the engine compartment may come loose and contact hot engine components, increasing the risk of a fire.

What to do

Audi will notify owners, and dealers will install a retaining plate to prevent the engine compartment seal from loosening.

The recall is expected to begin September 4, 2020.

Owners may contact Audi customer service at (800) 253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 51G6.

DaVinci of Pico Rivera, Calif., is recalling about 3,300 DaVinci Bailey bassinets sold in the U.S. and Canada originally recalled in December 2019.

The bassinet’s mattress support can become disengaged, posing fall and entrapment hazards to babies.

The firm has received 13 reports of the mattress support becoming disengaged. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves wooden DaVinci Bailey Bassinets for infants sold in gray (M0934G), espresso (M0934E), natural (M0934N) and white (M0934W). The model number “0934” is printed on a white label attached to the mattress support board and on the external product package.

The assembled bassinets measure 38 inches long by 20 inches wide by 30 inches high, and each weighs about 21 pounds. The bassinets were sold with a 1-inch waterproof cradle pad.

“DaVinci” is printed on the product packaging, instruction manual and product registration card.

The bassinets, manufactured in Taiwan, were sold online at Amazon.com, buybuybaby.com, Target.com jcpenney.com and other online retailers from August 2018, through September 2019, for about $110.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bassinets and contact DaVinci for a free repair kit that will reinforce the mattress support. In the meantime, parents should find an alternate, safe sleeping environment for the child, such as a crib that meets current safety standards. DaVinci is contacting all known purchasers directly.

Consumers may contact DaVinci toll-free at (833) 932-0208 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PT), by email at bailey@milliondollarbaby.zendesk.com or online at www.davincibaby.com/baileyrepair or www.davincibaby.com and click on “Recalls” under the Help tab at the bottom of the page for more information.

In March, as the coronavirus (COVID-19) began to spread across the U.S., some states responded more quickly than others.

New research suggests that the states that took immediate measures have thus far suffered the fewest deaths from the pandemic, a finding researchers say should help inform policymakers’ decisions about how to deal with the second wave of the virus.

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine have studied the efficacy of social distancing in the early days of the pandemic and have found that states that were slow to implement strict mitigation orders saw a larger number of COVID-19 deaths.

Their findings were published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

The study focused on approximately 55,000 coronavirus deaths in 37 states between January 21 and April 29. Measuring deaths against a timeline of emergency declarations and school closings, they found that each day of delayed intervention led to an increase in deaths of between 5 and 6 percent.

"Before this study, we assumed social distancing worked based on modeling and studies of prior pandemics, but we didn't have substantial quantitative data to show its effectiveness for COVID-19," said Dr. Nadir Yehya, lead author and an assistant professor at CHOP. "Our analyses demonstrate that states that issued emergency declarations earlier helped curb the spread of the disease. These results confirm how important it is to implement social distancing measures early to reduce Covid-19 deaths."

Shedding light on the pattern of mortality

The researchers said they were able to adjust for multiple factors -- including population density, age, and demographics -- but they were unable to adjust for other factors like outbreaks in long-term care facilities. Their findings may help health experts understand why some states suffered significantly more deaths than others, even if they had smaller, less dense populations.

"The implementation of social distancing measures is fundamentally political, as the process is decided upon by elected officials," Yehya said. "Real-time, scientific evidence of the efficacy of these measures will be helpful for informing future policy decisions."  

Currently, the focus is on states that lifted restrictions early in the shutdown. Some states that did so, such as Florida, Texas, and Arizona, have experienced a spike in new cases, though not an increase of deaths. In fact, U.S. deaths from the virus have been trending lower. 

In the 24-hour period between July 14 and July 15, the U.S. recorded 1,005 deaths from the coronavirus. In the same period between June 14 and June 15, the U.S. recorded 1,872 deaths, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Millions of Americans who lost their jobs during the coronavirus (COVID-19) shutdown will face a double-whammy by the end of the month.

Not only is the extra $600 a week unemployment benefit scheduled to expire on July 31, but mortgage forbearance programs may also expire soon. An eviction moratorium will also disappear on July 25. 

For many, it poses the risk of serious credit score damage and, even worse, the loss of a home.

Forbearance programs authorized under the CARES Act allow homeowners to defer payments if they live in homes with a federally-backed mortgage. The same legislation provided similar protection to renters for 120 days. Unless Congress acts to extend the program, renters could be the first to feel the pain.

Government data suggests that about 12 million people live in rented homes and skipped their last rent payment, and most don’t think they can make the next one. Until now, they have been able to defer their rent payment without the threat of eviction. 

However, people who are still without a job may suddenly find the rent is now due but with no way to pay it.

“They all had jobs, and they had economically viable jobs, but we told them they couldn’t work—to protect us—and now we’re going to kick them out of their houses,” Shamus Roller, executive director of the National Housing Law Project, told The Wall Street Journal.

Mortgage forbearance programs

Homeowners could also face a day of reckoning as mortgage forbearance programs expire. People in forbearance programs established by lenders were given three to six months in which they could defer mortgage payments. 

With the expiration of these programs, homeowners will be expected to start making payments again. But homeowners who are still out of work may find they are unable to do that.

The advice from MyFICO, a personal finance publisher, is to contact the lender as quickly as possible. Explain your circumstances and your need to extend the deferred payment plan or enroll in a new one. 

It’s also important to make contact before the program expires. If not, your credit score could take a hit and you may lose any opportunity to extend forbearance.

More help from Washington is possible

It’s possible that Congress and the Trump administration will reach an agreement on a way to not only extend increased jobless benefits but also renew housing forbearance programs that will keep people in their homes. 

The White House has reportedly signaled its willingness to extend increased benefits at a reduced level.

In May, House Democrats approved a bill to extend a moratorium on all evictions for up to a year and provide $100 billion in rental assistance. The measure is currently under consideration by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

A Russian hacking group is reportedly targeting organizations carrying out research on a COVID-19 vaccine, according to intelligence agencies from the U.S., U.K., and Canada. 

In an advisory published Thursday by the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), security officials warned that a hacking group called APT29 (also called “the Dukes” or “Cozy Bear”) is targeting health care organizations in the three countries.

The group is using malware and spear-phishing attacks to try to steal coronavirus vaccine research. Officials didn’t say how much vaccine information the Russian group has stolen or how the group’s actions have impacted research efforts.

"APT29's campaign of malicious activity is ongoing, predominantly against government, diplomatic, think tank, healthcare and energy targets to steal valuable intellectual property," a press release on the advisory said.

History of hacking

The hacking group previously carried out a phishing attack on Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta in 2016. 

“APT29 has a long history of targeting governmental, diplomatic, think-tank, health care and energy organizations for intelligence gain, so we encourage everyone to take this threat seriously,” said Anne Neuberger, the National Security Agency’s cybersecurity director.

Dominic Raab, the U.K.’s foreign secretary, said it’s “completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic.”

“While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behavior, the UK and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health,” Raab said in a statement, adding that the U.K. will "continue to counter those conducting such cyber attacks.” 

The NSA said it remains “steadfast in its commitment to protecting national security by collectively issuing this critical cybersecurity advisory as foreign actors continue to take advantage of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”