Current Events in August 2020

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 4,826,861 (4,773,775)

Total U.S. deaths: 158,445 (156,906)

Total global cases: 18,851,834 (18,579,615)

Total global deaths: 708,540 (701,544)

New unemployment claims are a pleasant surprise

Finally, a glimmer of hope on the jobs front. The Labor Department reports that initial claims for unemployment benefits totaled 1.18 million last week. Only in the pandemic world could that be considered good news.

Since late March, when the U.S. economy shut down, more than a million people a week have signed up for unemployment benefits. Despite the recent upsurge in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, last week’s new unemployment claims were fewer than the week before. In fact, they were the fewest since the pandemic began.

Economists will get a clearer picture of the job market on Friday when the Labor Department issues its July employment report.

Will there be enough vaccine doses for everyone?

With nearly every major drug company working on a COVID-19 vaccine, it might seem strange to think there won’t be enough to go around. But public health officials are thinking ahead and trying to decide who should get priority treatment.

While it is assumed that health care workers and other frontline employees will get the first vaccinations, a presentation prepared by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assumes that the first batch of vaccine will cover only about 10 percent of this group.

The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. health officials are now trying to prioritize health care workers to determine who should be first in line. It goes without saying that the general public may have to wait until production ramps up before being vaccinated.

U.S. cases rising again

After several days of declines, the number of new cases of the coronavirus has ticked higher this week, rising above the 50,000 a day mark.

Nationwide, new cases exceeded 52,000 in the last 24 hours, increasing the total to more than 4.8 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The national death toll from the pandemic is now more than 158,000. 

Retailers worry about another shutdown

Despite some high profile bankruptcies in the last couple of months, many retailers have weathered the coronavirus storm. But the recent upsurge in cases across the country is a source of concern within the industry.

National Retail Federation (NRF) Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz says retail stores that weathered the shutdown in April and early May aren’t out of the woods yet. He worries that a resurgent virus could pose a serious threat to recovery efforts.

“Optimism about the economy and retail spending is being tested daily with the spread of the coronavirus,” Kleinhenz said. “Big questions are looming, and we are all grappling to discern what incoming data is telling us about the health of the economy and consumers. Depending on the data selected, the answers are not entirely clear.”

Nielsen report shows how Latinos have been culturally affected by COVID-19

Nielsen's latest Diverse Intelligence Series consumer report shows how Latinos are connecting while social distancing and otherwise adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Hispanics are a collectivist culture, placing strong value on the needs of the community as a whole and maintaining close connections with each other. As COVID-19 began to spread, the subsequent social distancing measures threatened the in-person social networks that Latinos relied upon," said Stacie de Armas, senior vice president of Strategic Initiatives & Consumer Engagement.

The report found Latinos, more than other groups, have embraced media and social channels more than ever to educate, inform, and entertain. Latinos are 57 percent more likely to use social media as a primary source of information about COVID-19.

Around the nation

• Virginia: Virginia has launched a new app for contact tracing, using technology produced by Apple and Google. State officials say they hope the app will help it detect cases faster, though the state still faces delays in getting test results.

• South Dakota: An estimated 250,000 people are planning to attend the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this weekend despite concerns about the coronavirus. Gov. Kristi Noem said she’s proud that her state is once again hosting the event.

• Texas: Gov. Greg Abbott is the defendant in a lawsuit filed by five Texas state legislators who say he overstepped his authority when he tapped a little-known firm to devise a tracking app. The lawmakers say the deal was rushed and lacked legislative input.

As the FDA continues to add to the list of hand sanitizers that could be fatal to consumers, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that people are getting sick and even dying after ingesting hand sanitizer. 

The CDC said Wednesday that four people have died and nearly a dozen others became ill after ingesting alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Three of the patients suffered vision impairment. 

Additional effects that could arise as a result of drinking hand sanitizer made with either methanol or ethanol include: headache, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of coordination and decreased level of consciousness. Health officials warned that methanol poisoning can also result in metabolic acidosis, seizures, blindness, and death. 

“Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizer products containing methanol can cause life-threatening methanol poisoning,” the CDC said in an advisory. “Young children might unintentionally swallow these products, whereas adolescents or adults with history of alcohol use disorder might intentionally swallow these products as an alcohol (ethanol) substitute.” 

Dangers of ingesting hand sanitizer

Between May and June, 15 adults in Arizona and New Mexico were hospitalized for methanol poisoning after consuming alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Poison centers in those states said four of the patients who were hospitalized from the poisoning died and three suffered visual impairment.

"Alcohol-based hand sanitizer products should never be ingested," the CDC said, adding that consumers should “avoid use of specific imported products found to contain methanol, and continue to monitor FDA guidance.” 

The FDA announced last week that it added methanol-based hand sanitizers manufactured in Mexico to an import alert because of their toxicity. The agency has advised consumers to double check its list of banned sanitizers before purchasing products either online or in-store.

In June, FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen M. Hahn said consumers must be “vigilant about which hand sanitizers they use.

“For their health and safety we urge consumers to immediately stop using all hand sanitizers on the FDA’s list of dangerous hand sanitizer products,” Hahn said. 

Companies that still rely on Windows 7 to conduct their business may want to quickly reconsider that decision. 

Earlier this week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) sent out a warning saying that a lack of support for the operating system has made it vulnerable to hackers. The agency says businesses that continue you to use it are opening themselves up to hacking attempts by malicious third-parties. 

"The FBI has observed cyber criminals targeting computer network infrastructure after an operating system achieves end of life status. Continuing to use Windows 7 within an enterprise may provide cyber criminals access into computer systems. As time passes, Windows 7 becomes more vulnerable to exploitation due to lack of security updates and new vulnerabilities discovered,” the FBI said in a private industry notification. 

Increased risk of being hacked

Microsoft announced earlier this year that it was ending support for Windows 7. The company said that the decision would mean that it would “no longer provide technical support, software updates, or security updates or fixes.”

That represents a huge risk to businesses who still rely on the operating system. Doing so greatly increases the risk of hackers being able to compromise internal systems and gain access to potentially sensitive information. 

"With fewer customers able to maintain a patched Windows 7 system after its end of life, cyber criminals will continue to view Windows 7 as a soft target," the FBI stated. 

The agency is advising companies to switch to an operating system that has active support to avoid additional hacking risks. Although making that switch may be inconvenient, agency officials say the risks of the alternative are too high. 

“Migrating to a new operating system can pose its own unique challenges, such as cost for new hardware and software and updating existing custom software. However, these challenges do not outweigh the loss of intellectual property and threats to an organization,” the agency stated. 

Recent studies have found that spending time in nature can affect consumers in countless ways, such as reducing stress and prompting healthier eating choices. 

Now, a new study conducted by researchers from North Carolina State University suggests that it’s important for parents to find outdoor activities that their kids can connect with if they want them to enjoy nature.

“In order to create a strong bond with nature, you need to provide kids with an opportunity to be alone in nature, or to experience nature in a way that they can personally connect with it, but you need to reinforce that with social experiences either with peers or adults,” said researcher Kathryn Stevenson. 

Creating bonding time

To get a feel for how kids make the most of their time outdoors, the researchers conducted a survey of over 1,200 participants between the ages of nine and 12. They were most interested in understanding what parts of being outdoors are most enjoyable to kids and what kind of relationship they already have with nature. 

Overall, the researchers learned that kids were more likely to have strong relationships with nature when they had experience being outdoors, whether that was with others or by themselves. Participating in activities like camping or fishing were more likely to result in a more positive attitude about being in nature. 

These findings are important because spending time outside, and enjoying that time, can be incredibly beneficial for kids as they develop into adults. The researchers explained that enjoying time in nature provides easy access to physical activity while also boosting overall well-being.

“There are all kinds of benefits from building connections to nature and spending time outside,” said Stevenson. “One of the benefits we’re highlighting is that children who have a strong connection to nature are more likely to want to take care of the environment in the future.” 

Future environmental goals 

The researchers hope that these findings can help kids foster a deeper connection with the environment since it may encourage them to explore their environmental interests more deeply. Moving forward, the goal is to have more outlets for kids to spend time outdoors from both a leisure and educational standpoint. 

“When you think about recreation opportunities for kids, social activities are often covered; people are signing their kids up for sports, camp, and scouts,” said Stevenson. 

“Maybe we need more programming to allow children to be more contemplative in nature, or opportunities to establish a personal connection. That could be silent sits, or it could be activities where children are looking or observing on their own. It could mean sending kids to the outdoors to make observations on their own. It doesn’t mean that kids should be unsupervised, but adults could consider stepping back and letting kids explore on their own.” 

While researchers have found that changes to global temperature could expose consumers to billions of new infections, a new study is exploring how changes to land use could lead to similar dangers. 

Researchers from University College London say that land traditionally used by animals is being compromised by human intervention. This process forces animals into areas dominated by consumers and could increase the likelihood of future disease outbreaks. 

“The way humans change landscapes across the world, from natural forest to farmland for example, has consistent impacts on many wild animal species, causing some to decline while some others persist or increase,” said researcher Rory Gibb, PhD. “Our findings show that the animals that remain in more human-dominated environments are those that are more likely to carry infectious diseases that can make people sick.” 

Adapting to land changes

To understand the effect that these land changes can have on disease outbreaks, the researchers analyzed nearly 200 previous studies that examined roughly 400 potential sources of infection. This also included data on over 6,800 locations around the globe. 

The researchers explained that land is most often changed to create more opportunities for food production. Habitats where animals once roamed freely are often adapted for farming and agricultural processes. This is beneficial to consumers, but the animals that remain in the area create additional risks for disease when humans move in.

The researchers learned that animals left on untouched portions of land were less likely to carry diseases that could infect humans, whereas animals that were forced to adapt to changes in land use had a higher risk of carrying infectious diseases that could spread to humans. 

“Other studies have found that outbreaks of emerging zoonotic infectious diseases appear to be increasingly common -- our findings may help to explain that pattern, by clarifying the underlying ecological change processes that are interacting to drive infection risks,” said researcher Dr. David Redding. 

The researchers hope that these findings can be beneficial in changing the ways consumers are using and adapting land to suit their needs. While food production is both necessary and important, consumers’ health and well-being should also be taken into consideration. 

“As agricultural and urban lands are predicted to continue expanding in the coming decades, we should be strengthening disease surveillance and healthcare provision in those areas that are undergoing a lot of land disturbance, as they are increasingly likely to have animals that could be hosting harmful pathogens,” Dr. Redding said. 

Here’s one from the whodathunkit department: Walmart is going to turn its parking lots into drive-in movie theatres.

With only 16 percent of consumers saying they feel confident going to a movie theatre in the middle of the pandemic, the retail chain feels that families who have been playing by the rules are ready for some good, clean -- and safe -- fun.

The experience -- Walmart Drive-in -- is free and debuts in the parking lots of 160 Walmart stores in the U.S. starting August 14.

“We recognize the challenges our customers and their families have faced over the last few months, and we wanted to create an experience where they could come together safely to create new memories,” said Janey Whiteside, Walmart’s chief customer officer.

What’s on tap

Walmart is partnering with the Tribeca Film Festival to help make Walmart Drive-in a reality. The promotion will run from August 14 through October 21. 

All told, there will be 320 showings of movies with the following set as part of the line-up:

• Friday Night Lights

• The Karate Kid

• Space Jam

• Black Panther

• Pokémon Detective Pikachu

• The Lego Batman Movie

• Spider-ManTM: Into The Spider-Verse

• Spy Kids

• Teen Titans GO! To the Movies

• Wonder Woman

• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

• Ghostbusters

• Men in BlackTM: International

• Back to the Future

• Beetlejuice

• The Goonies

• The Wizard of Oz

• Dolphin Tale

• Selena

• Cars

• The Iron Giant

• The Lego Movie 

• Madagascar

Celebrity guest appearances 

The folks at Tribeca and Walmart promise that, as a bonus, filmmakers and special guests might swing by to say hi -- either live or virtually. Drew Barrymore will serve as virtual hostess for all events, but she’s committed to showing up in-person at one location. Families will also be treated to surprise virtual or in-person appearances from Jennifer Garner, LeBron James, and Chrissy Metz at select showings.

To reserve a space for the Walmart Drive-in, customers can visit TheWalmartDriveIn.com to pick their desired date and location. Once confirmed, customers will receive an email with a QR code, which will grant their vehicle entry on the day of the event.

Twitter has disclosed details of a new security vulnerability that may have exposed the direct messages of its Android device users. The company said Wednesday that the vulnerability could have exposed the data of Twitter users running devices with Android OS versions 8 and 9.

“This vulnerability could allow an attacker, through a malicious app installed on your device, to access private Twitter data on your device (like Direct Messages) by working around Android system permissions that protect against this,” Twitter said in a blog post. 

The issue, which is now fixed, was related to an issue that only a small fraction of Twitter users experienced. Twitter said it was linked to an Android OS security issue that only affects systems 8 and 9. Around 96 percent of people using Twitter for Android already have a security patch for this vulnerability, Twitter said. 

The issue didn’t impact users running Twitter for iOS or Twitter.com.

Notices sent to affected users

The social media platform said it doesn’t currently have any evidence that the vulnerability was exploited, but it “can’t be completely sure” that it wasn’t. In an effort to protect the small group of potentially vulnerable users, the company rolled out an update to its Android app to ensure external apps can’t access in-app data. 

Twitter also sent in-app alerts to those affected and required them to update their app to the latest version. Going forward, Twitter has promised to identify “changes to our processes to better guard against issues like this.”

“To keep your Twitter data safe, please update to the latest version of Twitter for Android on all Android devices that you use to access Twitter,” the company said. “Your privacy and trust is important to us and we will continue working to keep your data secure on Twitter.”

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has taken a heavy toll on retailers, triggering a wave of bankruptcies since March.

This week there were two more -- Lord & Taylor and the parent company of The Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank are seeking Chapter 11 protection after the pandemic crushed sales.

Retailers that have stayed open and are seeing strong customer traffic also face hardships because of the extra costs of implementing health and safety protocols to protect employees and customers.

National Retail Federation (NRF) Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said retail stores that weathered the shutdown in April and early May aren’t out of the woods yet. He worries that the recent spike in coronavirus cases now being seen in most parts of the country could pose a serious threat to the recovery.

“Optimism about the economy and retail spending is being tested daily with the spread of the coronavirus,” Kleinhenz said. “Big questions are looming, and we are all grappling to discern what incoming data is telling us about the health of the economy and consumers. Depending on the data selected, the answers are not entirely clear.”

Next few months will be critical

Kleinhenz said the next few months will be critical to the retail sector. He says it’s not clear whether retailers that have started to recover can keep up the momentum.

“The pace of improvement appears to be slowing,” he said. “Could it be that we are at or heading back to the same spot we were at two months ago?”

Friday’s July employment report may provide some clues. If the economy continues to lose jobs it may be the retail stores consumers rely on that pay the price. 

A second concern is the expiration of CARES Act benefits and the stalemate in Congress over some type of extension. The NRF says a new COVID-19 relief bill would not only help consumers, but also the stores where they shop.

Just like the housing market, the new and used car market is moving sharply higher after the coronavirus (COVID-19) depressed sales and prices in April.

Sales have yet to get back to pre-pandemic levels but prices have. Kelley Blue Book reports that the estimated average transaction price (ATP) for light vehicles in July was $38,378. That’s down $473 from June but about 2 percent higher than in July 2019.

"While up from last year, new-car transaction prices are finally starting to dip from last month," said Steve Lind, vice president of operations for Kelley Blue Book. "This could be a result of supply shortages of highly contented, more desirable vehicles, which may cause some consumers to select second-choice trims. Shoppers' aversion to luxury vehicles continues with prices down 1 percent from last month."

In other words, more buyers are selecting cheaper models, which lowers the ATP. Sales data from June suggests that consumers are turning back toward sedans after that model type fell out of favor in recent years.

Subaru saw the biggest increase in average price from June, while Nissan cars and trucks posted the biggest price increase over July 2019.

Big increases for used vehicles

After falling sharply in April, used cars and trucks have posted big price increases this summer. According to automotive publisher Edmunds, it’s the result of unique market conditions created by the pandemic.

Edmunds reports that the average listing price for all used vehicles climbed to $21,558 in July, marking a $708 increase compared to June. Edmunds experts call it an unprecedented historical shift in the used vehicle market, since listing prices typically fall during this time period due to depreciation.

"We're seeing evidence of more typical new-car shoppers gravitating toward the used car market than usual during the pandemic due to a combination of factors,” said Ivan Drury, Edmunds' senior manager of insights. “Consumers are being more financially responsible, interest rates and CPO (Certified Pre Owned) offers have been extremely favorable, and inventory has been severely limited on the new side." 

Dealers are in the driver's seat

Because of that increase in demand, Drury says used car dealers are able to command higher prices than they normally do during the summer months.

Edmunds analysts focused on the 2017 model year and found that prices increased from June to July, regardless of the make or model. Some of the biggest price increases were found for large and midsize trucks, sports cars, and luxury midsize cars.

That puts consumers shopping for a new or used car in a tight spot, with less leverage for negotiation than they would have had in April or May. 

"If you're in the market for a used car, what you see in terms of pricing is likely what you're going to get,” Drury said.

If you have your heart set on a particular vehicle, Drury says you should do your research and be prepared to act quickly.

America Honda Motor Co. is recalling about 324,194 model year 2018-2020 Odysseys.

Water may enter the outer door handle cables for the sliding doors. If this occurs, the outer door handle cables may freeze in cold temperatures, preventing the front and rear sliding door latches from securely latching.

A power sliding door that fails to latch may open while the vehicle is moving, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power sliding door outer handle cables free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin September 23, 2020.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at (888) 234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is A88.

SmithFoods is recalling 16-oz pint packages of Earth Grown Vegan Non-Dairy Almond Based Frozen Desserts.

The products may contain cashews, an allergen not declared on the label.

There has been one reported incident of an allergic reaction.

The recall includes the following products:

The recalled products were sold at ALDI stores in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

They were also available for purchase by ALDI customers through the company’s partnership with Instacart, a grocery delivery service.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should stop using and return them to the place of purchase for a refund.

Consumers may contact the company at (800) 776-7076 Monday through Friday from 8a-5p ET.

A coalition of 34 state attorneys general has sent a letter to federal health agencies, urging them to take action to make the coronavirus (COVID-19) treatment drug remdesivir cheaper and more widely available.

Gilead Sciences developed remdesivir several years ago as a potential treatment for Ebola. The drug was not effective against that disease but in clinical use during the pandemic, it has been shown to reduce deaths and speed up recovery times.

In a letter to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the state officials urge the federal health agencies to use their legal authority under the Bayh-Dole Act to increase the availability of remdesivir, noting that the U.S. government provided financial support for the drug’s development.

“Despite millions and millions of taxpayer-funded assistance, Gilead has neither established a reasonable price nor met the health and safety needs of the public,” said Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. “So our bipartisan coalition is calling on the federal government to exercise its rights to help increase the supply of remdesivir and lower its price.”

‘A fraction of patients can access it’

As of this week, more than 4.7 million Americans have contracted COVID-19 and 155,000 have died. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong says Gilead is expected to produce only 2 million treatments by the end of 2020.

“Remdesivir can save lives, but only a fraction of patients can access it right now,” Tong said. “Our federal funding and expertise made this lifesaving treatment possible. Now we need to use every federal tool available to make sure it is affordable and available.” 

The consumer group Public Citizen said its investigation had found the U.S. government had invested at least $70.5 million to assist Gilead’s development of remdesivir. The group, which applauded the attorneys general’s action, contends the cost of remdesivir treatment should be no more than $1 a day.

“Gilead’s monopoly control of remdesivir leads to shortages and rationing and keeps prices high,” Public Citizen said in a statement. “Taxpayers funded remdesivir’s development from the drug’s early days. Generic competition would help expand supply and ensure reasonable pricing.”

Current pricing

In late June Gilead Sciences disclosed its pricing formula for remdesivir. As with nearly all drug prices, it’s not that simple.

A Wall Street Journal analysis showed the typical hospital patient with commercial insurance would be charged $3,120 for an average course of treatment, but what the consumer ends up paying would depend on their health benefits coverage.

The government would pay the lowest price for people covered by Medicare and Medicaid. The cost would be $390 per dose, which works out to $2.340 for the shortest treatment period. For cases that take longer to treat, the total cost could be $4.290.

The price of gold hit a new record high of $2,048.00 per ounce on Wednesday as a result of a weakening dollar and other coronavirus-related factors, the Financial Times reported. 

Over the past few years, the price of gold has “tracked closely with falling global long-term interest rates,” Wells Fargo analysts told the FT. This year, analysts say the 30 percent rise in the price of gold can be attributed to “coronavirus fears and excessive global money printing.” 

As coronavirus cases continue to climb, some investors have bought gold for protection amid fears that stimulus from central banks could fuel inflation in the coming months.  

“More recently, gold has hopped on the US dollar train; rallying above $1,900 as the US dollar has become one of the weakest currencies on the planet,” analysts said. 

Silver prices also soared to a seven-year high of $27.195 per ounce this week. 

At the end of July, the price of gold hit a then-record high of $1,944 per ounce. Economists said gold could very well go as high as $2,000 per ounce due to political uncertainty and the U.S. dollar losing value -- and it did just that.

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

DoorDash announced on Wednesday that it will be entering the competitive grocery segment with a new line of virtual convenience stores. 

The new “DashMart” stores will exist purely in the virtual world, with no physical brick-and-mortar locations. The company says customers will be able to access the stores through the DoorDash app to buy household items and grocery store products, which will then be delivered to their homes. 

“On DashMart, you’ll find thousands of convenience, grocery, and restaurant items, from ice cream and chips, to cough medicine and dog food, to spice rubs and packaged desserts from the local restaurants you love on DoorDash,” the company said in a blog post. 

Supporting consumers and businesses during the pandemic

DoorDash has experienced a surge in business during the COVID-19 pandemic because consumers have increasingly come to rely on home delivery. 

While thriving for its own sake is a positive, the company points out that it has also allowed other businesses to remain open during these uncertain times. In its announcement, DoorDash claims that restaurants that use its service during the pandemic are four times more likely to stay open. 

“During these trying times, our platform has become a critical lifeline to those we serve, and we’ve been hyperfocused on building new products that meet the immediate needs of our customers while helping our merchant partners thrive in new ways,” the company said.

The new DashMart stores will first be available in eight select U.S. markets — Chicago, Illinois; Columbus, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; the greater Phoenix, Arizona area; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Redwood City, California. 

COVID-19 has brought the first airline to its knees. Virgin Atlantic has filed for bankruptcy in the United States as it does everything in its power to put the finishing touches on a $1.5 billion plan that it hopes will rescue it from the coronavirus calamity.

The UK-based company filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday. Chapter 15 allows cooperation between the U.S. and foreign courts, sheltering the U.S. assets of foreign companies that are undergoing restructuring proceedings in their home country. The airline also filed a similar claim in the UK and has penciled in August 15 for a meeting with creditors to vote on the restructuring plan.

Not exactly a surprise

In publicly discussing its post-COVID future in early May, Virgin was blunt about its situation, saying, “Our path forward must change. To emerge from this crisis, against an uncertain backdrop, the airline must radically adapt, so that it can continue to thrive, while always keeping its people and customers at the heart of everything it does.”

At the time, the airline said it would make shifts in aircraft, airports, the number of employees, and destinations so that once the crisis subsided it could regain its footing.

“We have weathered many storms since our first flight 36 years ago, but none has been as devastating as COVID-19 and the associated loss of life and livelihood for so many,” Shai Weiss, CEO, Virgin Atlantic commented. 

“However, to safeguard our future and emerge a sustainably profitable business, now is the time for further action to reduce our costs, preserve cash and to protect as many jobs as possible. It is crucial that we return to profitability in 2021.”

A full recovery won’t come any time soon

The numbers -- not just for Virgin Atlantic but for every airline -- are hard to fathom. The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) latest number crunching says its members are $419 billion in the hole, with 7.5 million flights cancelled, and consumer demand is down 54 percent.

IATA estimates that things might not return to normal until 2023, possibly as late as 2024. An IATA survey showed that 66 percent of travelers are likely to travel less in the post-pandemic world and 64 percent said they’re completely postponing travel until both travel and economic factors improve for -- not only for themselves, but for the economy at large.

A new study conducted by researchers from Penn State found that products containing cannabinoids can affect the activity of other prescription drugs. The researchers explained this was true of popular CBD products like oils or creams, as well as marijuana, whether used medically or recreationally. 

“Unregulated products often contain the same active ingredients as medical cannabinoids, though they may be present in different concentrations,” said researcher Kent Vrana. “The drug-drug interaction information from medical cannabinoids may be useful as medical professionals consider the potential impact of over-the-counter or illicit cannabinoid products.” 

Identifying drug-drug interactions

The researchers’ goal with the study was to identify potential drug-drug interactions. This occurs when ingredients found in commonly used prescriptions could interfere with ingredients found in CBD or marijuana. 

This led to a list that consists of nearly 60 medications, all of which could be affected should consumers use them with a product that contains cannabinoids. The researchers compared prescribing information of popular cannabinoid products with the prescribing information of the various prescription medications. Prescribing information details for consumers how to use their medication, and highlights any potential side effects that could occur. 

The researchers explained that the therapeutic index is what medical professionals need to consider when prescribing medication to patients using products with cannabinoids. The therapeutic index is the safety of the medication, which ensures that patients are taking proper levels that won’t cause them harm. Cannabinoids can alter the therapeutic index and ultimately change how the medication affects consumers. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that these findings can open up a dialogue between consumers and their healthcare professionals to ensure that medications don’t interfere with any other supplements they’re taking. Every product counts -- whether it’s a CBD oil or marijuana. The more the doctor knows, the better they can tailor the treatment options so consumers receive optimal benefits. 

Though the list of drug-drug interactions is ever-changing, the most up-to-date information is available here.

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 4,773,775 (4,727,879)

Total U.S. deaths: 156,906 (155,814)

Total global cases: 18,579,615 (18,340,451)

Total global deaths: 701,544 (695,318)

New York will set up entry checkpoints

If you’re coming to New York City from out of state be prepared to fill out some paperwork. Mayor Bill de Blasio says the city will set up entry checkpoints to enforce quarantine orders for residents of certain states where coronavirus (COVID-19) cases are widespread.

“Travelers from certain states will be required to fill out forms to support contact tracing efforts,” the mayor’s office said in a statement.

Checkpoints will be at bridge and tunnel crossings and at Penn Station. They will be put in place on Thursday.

Moderna, J&J price their vaccines

Getting a coronavirus vaccination using the vaccine produced by Moderna will cost some customers from $32 to $37. The company said it’s an example of “pandemic pricing.”

Moderna is one of several drug companies working on a vaccine. Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said his company is working with governments around the world to make the vaccine accessible and affordable.

Johnson & Johnson is also working on a vaccine. The company says it will sell 100 million doses to the U.S. government for a little more than $1 billion.

States push for cheaper remdesivir prices

Thirty-four state attorneys general have petitioned federal health agencies to take action to make the coronavirus treatment drug remdesivir cheaper and more widely available.

Gilead Sciences developed remdesivir several years ago as a potential treatment for ebola. It didn’t work for that but in clinical use during the current pandemic, it was been shown to reduce deaths and speed up recovery times.

In a letter to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the state officials urge the federal health agencies to use their legal authority under the Bayh-Dole Act to increase the availability of remdesivir, noting that the U.S. government provided financial support for the drug’s development.

Families have changed vacation plans

New research from Vrbo shows families have changed their vacation habits, with summer vacations extending into the fall. The short-term rental platform says families are booking vacation rental trips later in August, September, and October, are considering staying longer to mix work and play, and are often getting better value in high-demand locales.

There is little doubt the change is due to the pandemic. Fifty percent of those surveyed said that flexible school schedules provide more flexibility in vacationing, while 48 percent said they can now work from anywhere.

"This summer, we've seen countless families switch to road trips and rent private vacation homes instead of taking traditional vacations,” said Vrbo president Jeff Hurst. “What's interesting is the shift in when people are traveling and how families are blending vacation time with working from home or remote learning,"  "Families can use this flexibility as an opportunity to travel outside of peak seasons and try new experiences, like seeing the mountain leaves change, catching the first snow of the season, or visiting the beach when it isn't as hot."

Dr. Fauci is still the one

From the beginning of the federal response to the pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) emerged as a trusted spokesman. A new survey shows his reputation hasn’t diminished over the last four months.

The University of Southern California Center for the Digital Future found 44 percent of Americans rely on Fauci more than any other individual for information about the pandemic. After Fauci, 19 percent of people rely on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Meanwhile, a June study found 43 percent of Americans said the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic was poor, an increase from 39 percent in April.

Around the nation

• Florida: State and local officials say cases of the coronavirus, which spiked early last month, appear to be on the decline in August. Miami-Dade County, Mayor Carlos Gimenez says hospitalizations in the area have trended lower over the last two weeks.

• Michigan: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed an executive order to step up enforcement of previous pandemic-related executive orders. They include limitations on capacity and the requirement to wear a mask when entering a Michigan business.

• Arizona: A superior court judge in Maricopa County has ruled that commercial gyms in the country should have the right to reopen their facilities. Mountainside Fitness filed for temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions to remain open despite COVID-19 health measures from the State of Arizona.

While some consumers could be looking for warning signs linked to cognitive decline, recent studies have found ways to slow cognitive decline, including certain games or staying engaged with several different activities. 

Now, researchers from Ohio State University have found that baby boomers are showing signs of cognitive decline much earlier than previous generations at the same age. Their study revealed that previous trends indicated that consumers’ cognitive functioning improved after age 50, but this wasn’t the case with baby boomers. 

“It is shocking to see this decline in cognitive functioning among baby boomers after generations of increases in test scores,” said researcher Hui Zheng. “But what was most surprising to me is that this decline is seen in all groups: men and women, across all races and ethnicities and across all education, income, and wealth levels.” 

Assessing cognitive function

To get a sense of how cognitive function changed over time, the researchers analyzed nearly two decades worth of data from the Health and Retirement Survey. This included responses from over 30,000 participants. As part of the study, participants completed various assessments that evaluated their mental sharpness. 

In looking at the results, the researchers learned that baby boomers were outperformed by earlier generations taking similar cognition tests at the same age. 

“Baby boomers are already starting to have lower cognition scores than earlier generations at age 50 to 54,” said Zheng. 

The researchers dug a little deeper to determine what was causing these lower scores, and identified several risk factors that could affect cognitive functioning. Losing a spouse, low physical activity levels, poor heart health, and an overall feeling of loneliness were all major players in the participants’ declining cognition. 

“If it weren’t for their better childhood health, more favorable family background, more years of education, and higher likelihood of having a white-collar occupation, baby boomers would have even worse cognitive functioning,” Zheng explained. 

What this means for the future

Moving forward, the researchers are concerned about what these findings could mean for dementia and Alzheimer’s diagnoses in the coming years. 

“With the aging population in the United States, we were already likely to see an increase in the number of people with dementia,” said Zheng. “But this study suggests it may be worse than we expected for decades to come.”