Current Events in November 2020

Former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Thomas Frieden has criticized a study that casts doubt on the effectiveness of surgical masks in protecting wearers from COVID-19. 

In an editorial piece published in response to a Denmark study published earlier this week, Frieden contended that masks are a significantly better virus mitigation tool than nothing at all. 

"Although no single strategy can control the pandemic, widespread masking in the community can mitigate spread as part of a comprehensive approach,” he wrote. “An N95 mask is better than a surgical mask. A surgical mask is better than most cloth masks. A cloth mask is better than nothing.” 

The study released Wednesday was carried out by researchers at the University of Copenhagen. The study involved nearly 5,000 participants who were separated into two groups: masks-wearers and non-mask wearers. 

In the end, 42 mask-wearers and 53 non-mask-wearers contracted the virus. The team said the study’s results were “inconclusive,” but the researchers later noted that it did not appear that surgical masks played a “statistically significant” role in reducing infection rates. 

Study caveats

In his response to the study, Frieden argued that the study was flawed because it relied on patient reported home tests during a period when infection rates in Denmark were low. Additionally, other virus prevention strategies had already been put into effect. 

Frieden’s belief that masks are an effective virus mitigation strategy is supported by a growing body of evidence from other studies that have found that wearing a mask is one of the most effective tools for protecting oneself and others. 

A report from the CDC released last week concluded that "adopting universal masking policies can help avert future lockdowns, especially if combined with other non-pharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing, hand hygiene, and adequate ventilation." On Monday, NIH director Francis Collins called masks a "lifesaving medical instrument.” 

Frieden agreed that wearing a mask is even more effective when paired with other COVID-19 safety measures. 

“Community mask use can substantially reduce risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission, especially when enough people use them and when mask use is combined with other effective public health and social measures,” he wrote. 

Hulu is raising the roof on its rates for their Hulu + Live TV package by $10 per month -- an aggressive 18 percent increase over the current $54.99 price. It’s the third major price hike for a live TV streaming service in 2020, and it brings Hulu up to the same price point as YouTube TV and FuboTV, both of which started charging $65 per month during the summer.

Hulu subscribers have reportedly been notified about the price increase and have until December 18 to fish or cut bait from the service. Hulu’s on-demand streaming service has 32.5 million subscribers for a total of 36.6 million Hulu subscribers. 

Streaming services are Disney’s new cash cows

The price jump comes just days after Disney CEO Bob Chapek praised Hulu’s live TV offering during the company’s quarterly earnings call, saying its subscription base was “growing rapidly.”

Actually, Chapek has several reasons to be happy. Disney has 120 million paid subscribers between Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+. If the company can get half of Hulu’s current 36.6 million subscribers to pay the extra $10 per month, it becomes a bonafide cash cow, bringing another $180 million a month to the table. 

“We’ve got a product that we’re really excited about and ... it really gives the utility that consumers might normally find from the cable or satellite subscriber and be able to get it over-the-top directly to their homes,” Chapek said on the call. 

ConsumerAffairs’ Hulu reviewers seem to agree with Chapek, giving the service close to a 4-star rating and applauding the service for everything he says it offers.

Is cord-cutting still worth it?

While bundling streaming services seems like a smart idea, by the time you add up a few to get what you consider the perfect little personal network, it may not be. Things can add up quickly when a service increases its rates a dollar here or there. A good case in point is Netflix, which has bumped up its subscription price five times in the last 10 years.

“Sad as it is, we shouldn’t be surprised,” mused cord-cutting watcher Jared Newman. “If there was any doubt left about how the pay TV industry would respond to cord cutting, this latest price hike makes the endgame clear: There will be no pivot toward flexible packages, lower prices, or the mythical a la carte cable TV service. The prevailing strategy is now a scorched earth one, with routine price increases imposed on a shrinking number of pay TV subscribers.”

The housing market is still soaring. Sales of existing homes jumped 4.3 percent last month, according to the latest data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Homes sold in October at an annual rate of 6.85 million units. While sales were up sharply from September, they were even higher when compared to last year, rising 26.6 percent over October 2019.

The numbers show a trend that began soon after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic began and the economy shut down for six weeks in the spring. Since then, people have been moving out of cities and buying homes in the suburbs and smaller cities.

“Considering that we remain in a period of stubbornly high unemployment relative to pre-pandemic levels, the housing sector has performed remarkably well this year," said Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist. 

Resilient net worth

The economy is still struggling with the effects of the pandemic. Unemployment remains at more than twice pre-pandemic levels, and new claims for unemployment benefits have begun rising again. Many Americans are facing economic hardships, but homeowners have seen their net worth remain remarkably resilient.

"The surge in sales in recent months has now offset the spring market losses," Yun said. "With news that a COVID-19 vaccine will soon be available, and with mortgage rates projected to hover around 3 percent in 2021, I expect the market's growth to continue into 2021." 

Yun expects the sales trend to continue, recently forecasting that existing-home sales will rise by 10 percent to 6 million in 2021.

Fewer homes to choose from

The demand for housing may spur homebuilders to increase the nation’s supply, but that is happening at a plodding pace so far. That means there are fewer available homes to purchase, and those on the market are carrying higher price tags.

The median existing-home price for all housing types in October -- including condos and co-ops -- was $313,000, up 15.5 percent from October 2019. NAR said prices were up in every region of the country.

The nation’s inventory of homes on the market continued to shrink. At the end of October, total inventory was 1.42 million units, falling 2.7 percent from September.

Taken with the rise in sale prices, that presents a challenge to people trying to purchase a home. According to NAR, unsold inventory sits at an all-time low 2.5-month supply at the current sales pace, down from 2.7 months in September and lower than the 3.9-month figure recorded in October 2019.

The price of gasoline remained stable during the week as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grew dramatically across the country. Despite the spread of the virus, fuel demand continued to rise.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows the national average price of regular gas is $2.11 a gallon, two cents less than last Friday. The price is down five cents over the last four weeks.

The average price of premium gas is $2.73, one cent less than a week ago. The average price of diesel fuel is $2.39, two cents less than seven days ago.

AAA suggests the slight increase in price at the pump in a handful of states is a reaction to government data showing demand is rising, when analysts predicted it would fall because of the spread of the virus. Several states in the last week took steps to curb activity, including placing restrictions on restaurants and other businesses.

“Following a jump in demand, we’ve seen a number of state gas price averages increase on the week. However, the majority of these increases were just a few pennies,” said Jeanette Casselano McGee, a AAA spokesperson. “With many states seeing rising COVID-19 case numbers and a number of officials warning against holiday travel, demand is likely to see a dip in coming weeks.”

But despite suggestions that people stay home on Thanksgiving -- the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a stern request Thursday -- surveys have shown as much as half the country plans to go somewhere on the holiday, mostly by car. Rising demand could keep upward pressure on prices, at least for a while.

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 ($3.25)

• California ($3.17)

• Washington ($2.76)

• Nevada ($2.59)

• Oregon ($2.59)

• Alaska ($2.50)

• Pennsylvania ($2.46)

• Utah ($2.30)

• Idaho ($2.30)

• Arizona ($2.22)

The states with the cheapest regular gas

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

• Missouri ($1.77)

• Mississippi ($1.80)

• Texas ($1.80)

• Oklahoma ($1.81)

• Arkansas ($1.83)

• Louisiana ($1.84)

• Alabama ($1.86)

• Tennessee ($1.86)

• Kansas ($1.88)

• South Carolina ($1.88)

General Motors is recalling 7,516 model year 2020 Buick Enclaves Cadillac XT5s, GMC Acadias & Chevrolet Traverses, and model year 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500s and GMC Sierra 1500s.

The vehicles may have been manufactured with Continental tires that were overcured.

Overcured tires may experience a carcass break in the sidewall resulting in a sudden air loss, or could develop a belt edge separation that could lead to partial or full tread/belt loss.

Either condition increases the risk of a crash.

What to do

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect vehicles and replace tires that have DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 21, 2020.

Owners may contact GMC customer service at (888) 988-7267, Buick customer service at (800) 521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at (800) 222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at (800) 458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202319030.

BMW of North America is recalling 83 model year 2020 X5 sDrive40i, xDrive40i, X5 M50i, X5M, X7 xDrive40i, X7 M50i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 M50i & X6M vehicles and model year 2021 X5 xDrive45e vehicles.

The weld between the front axle support and the right front control arm bearing bracket may separate.

If the weld between the front axle support and the right front control arm bearing bracket separates, vehicle handling and control may be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle support free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 28, 2020.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at (800) 525-7417.

With the second wave of COVID-19 underway, health officials are advising Americans not to travel this Thanksgiving. 

In new guidance issued on Thursday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that traveling for Thanksgiving could increase the risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19. 

“Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others this year,” the CDC said. 

The new guidance comes amid a surge in coronavirus cases. Just in the past week, over 1 million new infections have been reported in the U.S. The CDC says indoor household gatherings could cause case numbers to rise even more dramatically. 

"We’re very concerned about people who are coming together sort of outside their household bubble,” said Henry Walke, the CDC’s COVID-19 incident manager, on a call with reporters.

Consider the risks before traveling

The CDC recommends making other plans, such as hosting a virtual gathering or delaying travel -- especially if someone you plan to visit will be at an increased risk of severe illness if they contract COVID-19.

The agency’s guidance is similar to Dr. Anthony Fauci’s, who last month recommended either holding off on Thanksgiving gatherings or keeping them just between immediate family. 

The CDC now defines “household” family members as those that have been living with you for the past 14 days. Under this definition, older relatives or college students may not count as household members.  

Fauci said gatherings of any size should involve safety measures to limit the spread of the virus. "Make sure you do it in a way that people wear masks and you don't have large crowds of people,” he said. 

Additional precautions “strongly” recommended by the CDC include enhancing ventilation and using hand sanitizer during family gatherings. 

The rollercoaster ride of the COVID-19 pandemic is tough enough for the average Joe, but it’s even more of an up-and-down existence for businesses, especially airlines.

Just three days after United Airlines appeared to feel good about testing a program that guaranteed passengers that the crew tested negative before departure, the company is now moaning that the spike in positive COVID-19 cases is starting to impact air travel once again.

According to a report from CNN, United warned in a filing Thursday morning that it has witnessed a drop in bookings and, concurrently, a rise in canceled reservations. It blames these two developments on the increased infection rates across the country.

Back to the chopping block

The potential outcome of what United is witnessing could lead to even bigger cuts to its fourth quarter schedule, far beyond the planned cut of 55 percent. To try and save themselves from bleeding any more red ink, seven major U.S. airlines (including United) lobbied Congress on Thursday for a new cash infusion to help keep them afloat.

United was the first major U.S. airline to pare back its domestic schedule in early spring when the initial stateside outbreak first started affecting air travel. Delta and American quickly followed suit. 

United didn’t mention job cuts in its filing, but it’s proven that it’s not shy about taking a knife to those, either.

Other airlines feel the heat

Speaking of American, it, too, mentioned a downturn in recent bookings. However, it did not tie that dip to a rise in reservations being canceled. Vasu Raja, American Airlines chief revenue officer, told investors at a conference on Tuesday that his airline also has "definitely seen a flattening of ticket sales."

"It's been nowhere near to the kind of negative effects we saw either in July or in the March-April period," he said. "But now we're at a place where we can absolutely anticipate it and plan a network ... around that. We've seen it."

In a report sent to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last week, Southwest said it has experienced a “deceleration in improving revenue trends for November and December 2020 in recent weeks.” 

“While the Company expected the election to impact trends, it is unclear whether the softness in booking trends is also a direct result of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. As such, the Company remains cautious in this uncertain revenue environment,” the company said.

Apple has agreed to pay $113 million to settle lawsuits stemming from the battery throttling scandal, better known as “batterygate.” 

In 2017, a barrage of customers accused Apple of deliberately slowing the speed of older iPhones. Apple said the feature was designed to protect and extend the lifespan of aging devices, but customers contended that Apple was in the wrong because it didn’t state upfront that it would slow the speed of older models.

To make amends, Apple offered $29 battery replacements and tweaked its settings to make its battery-management practices more clear to users -- but that didn’t stop the lawsuits from pouring in. The company agreed to a $500 million class action settlement earlier this year, and now it has agreed to a second settlement. 

The tech giant will pay an additional $113 million as part of a settlement with 34 states. In this suit, state attorneys general argued that Apple concealed the battery-throttling feature from iPhone owners knowing that it could profit off of consumers who thought they needed to buy an entirely new iPhone rather than just a new battery.

“Big Tech must stop manipulating consumers and tell them the whole truth about their practices and products,” Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in a statement. “I’m committed to holding these goliath technology companies to account if they conceal the truth from their users.”

Apple has not admitted wrongdoing, and the settlement doesn’t require it to do so. 

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 11,558,241 (11,419,204)

Total U.S. deaths: 250,898 (249,430)

Total global cases: 56,435,244 (55,997,737)

Total global deaths: 1,354,205 (1,344,557)

U.S. deaths exceed 250,000

Just weeks after cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) exploded in the U.S., the number of deaths from the virus has also risen sharply, moving past the 250,000 mark. The U.S. has moved from recording fewer than 1,000 deaths per day to seeing nearly 2,000 people a day succumb to the virus.

One expert told CNN that the increase in cases of the virus is directly connected to the rising death toll, which he said is only going to get worse in the weeks ahead.

“If you're alarmed at the 1,700 deaths today, two to three weeks from now, we're going to see 3,000 deaths a day," said Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a professor at George Washington University School of Medicine.

More good vaccine news

This week has brought a wave of good news about the various COVID-19 vaccines being developed around the world. Here’s some more: The vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca is safe, and it triggers a similar immune response among all adults.

The promising results from early-stage trials were published today in the British medical journal, The Lancet. It showed that not only is the vaccine safe, but it produced the same immune response in subjects, regardless of their age.

The news follows Pfizer’s completion of its Phase 3 clinical trial with a 95 percent success rate. Moderna’s preliminary results showed that its vaccine protected 94 percent of the people getting it.

Unemployed claims jumped last week

The labor market is struggling to get back to normal and appears to have hit a roadblock. The Labor Department reports that initial claims for unemployment benefits increased last week to 742,000 -- 30,000 more than the previous week.

Since August, the trend has been towards a lower number of claims each week. Last week’s number, while higher, is significantly less than the 1 million claims the government reported through most of the spring and summer.

To put the numbers in perspective, Americans typically filed around 200,000 new claims each week before March, when the pandemic began to shut down businesses.

Macy’s may close more stores

Macy’s, a struggling retailer before the pandemic hit, says it may temporarily close more stores in the coming weeks. It recently closed a store in a mall in El Paso, where cases of the coronavirus have ballooned in recent weeks.

In a conference call with analysts, CEO Jeff Gennette said the nationwide surge in cases of the virus has impeded the company’s recovery. Supply chains have improved, he said, but problems remain.

Unlike Target, Macy’s has seen a significant drop in foot traffic at its brick-and-mortar locations. The flagship store in New York’s Herald Square has been particularly hard-hit, Gennette said, because of a decline in tourism and the closure of offices.

Stricter protocols on the gridiron

The Hill reports that the NFL is imposing stricter coronavirus protocols starting Saturday. The new rules will require all 32 teams to strictly follow protocols to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

The Hill said it obtained a memo from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell that told teams they must all follow intensive protocols to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 among players and other employees. 

The new protocols require masks to be worn in all team facilities, including during practice and in the weight rooms. Group meals are prohibited, and meetings must be held virtually unless they are held outdoors or in an approved large indoor space. 

Around the nation

• Illinois: Like other Midwestern states Illinois has seen its case numbers surge. But Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike says the people in her state getting the virus most are not the ones dying from it. She said the disease is spreading fastest among people in their 20s.

• Ohio: Three of the state’s four largest cities have issued stay-at-home orders for residents. The orders come one day after Gov. Mike DeWine announced a statewide curfew starting today to slow the spread of COVID-19.

• New Mexico: During the shutdown at the beginning of the pandemic, most big box stores were considered “essential” and stayed open. But as New Mexico reacts to a surge in cases, some big box stores, such as Ross Dress For Less and Hobby Lobby, have been ordered to close.

Seven of the U.S.’ biggest airlines are begging Congress for another bailout, claiming the $25 billion payroll assistance they received earlier in the government’s COVID-19 rescue mission is not enough to get them through the end of the year.

The letter to congressional leaders was sent by lobbying group Airlines for America (A4A) on behalf of Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and JetBlue Airways. 

No help could lead to more cuts

Airline executives claim that they’ve done all they can to curtail furloughs, reductions in workforce, and cuts to service, but they say there could be an even greater slashing of jobs and services unless Capitol Hill writes some new checks for the industry.

Then, there’s the situation with a coronavirus vaccine. Airline officials say they think their companies will play an important role in the distribution process.

“As the nation looks forward and takes on the logistical challenges of distributing a vaccine, it will be important to ensure there are sufficient certified employees and planes in service necessary for adequate capacity to complete the task,” the letter said.

'We respectfully ask that you come together and extend the successful PSP (payroll support programs) this year so that we can continue to support our critical aviation workforce and infrastructure. Your leadership is needed before the close of the 116th Congress so that this bipartisan and incredibly effective COVID-relief measure can continue to save American jobs and allow us to continue our significant role in the health of our US economy.”

Will push come to shove?

When the first round of checks were sent, some U.S. senators thought they were large enough to help airlines stay alive without having to resort to job cuts. However, airlines wrestled with the strings attached to receiving the aid -- namely, that they would need to keep a certain level of workers employed. 

Later, when Delta and JetBlue decided to reduce employee hours to cope with their loss of revenue, lawmakers were quick to say they would be violating the goal of the Payroll Support Program. More than a dozen U.S. senators fired off letters to airline CEOs pushing for an immediate end to the “potentially illegal” action. 

In late September, as the airline’s commitment to the payroll support program came to an end and airlines threatened to make even more cuts, congressional leaders took another swing at an additional infusion of cash, but it went nowhere, despite President Trump’s support.

“Time already ran out for U.S. airlines and many of our employees, yet there is a glimmer of hope that our leaders in Washington will act and save these jobs before it’s too late to turn back the clock,” A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio said at the time.

“Some U.S. airlines may be able to reinstate employees if they receive direct payroll assistance from the federal government soon, but that becomes increasingly challenging with each passing day. Extending the Payroll Support Program is a critical step for preserving jobs, rebuilding the travel industry and restoring the economic health of our country.”

As they say, fasten your seatbelt. This turbulence is likely to continue.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts have found that consumers are using their Google searches a bit differently. In recent months, more consumers have researched “chest pains” and “anxiety,” and according to a new study, sleeping troubles can also be added to the list. 

According to researchers from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, online searches for “insomnia” skyrocketed in the early months of the pandemic when consumers were mandated to stay at home. 

“I think it’s safe to say, based on our findings as well as those from survey studies showing an increased level of insomnia symptoms in certain populations, that a lot of people were having trouble sleeping during the first months of the pandemic,” said researcher Kirsi-Marja Zitting.

Widespread sleeping issues

The researchers analyzed Google search data from 2004 through 2020 to better understand how consumers’ search histories translated to real-life sleep issues. They were specifically interested in the word “insomnia,” and they looked at how frequently it was searched in recent months. 

The researchers learned that in the early part of 2020, there were fewer searches for insomnia than in recent years. However, by March, Google searches for the sleeping condition surged. By the end of May, the term insomnia had been searched 60 percent more often than in the past three years by the same point. The study revealed that searches for insomnia neared three million before the year was half over. 

The researchers explained that this massive increase in insomnia searches coincided with when stay-at-home orders were at their strictest, and when daily deaths were at some of the highest figures. With new cases and deaths rising sharply in recent weeks, there could be reason to believe that this uptick in searches may come back.

Insomnia has been linked with several other health complications; in addition to not sleeping, consumers could be at an increased risk of heart disease or stroke. Moving forward, the researchers are worried that the pandemic will continue to affect consumers’ sleep over the long-term. 

“While acute insomnia, typically triggered by stress or a traumatic event, will often go away on its own, I am worried that the longer this pandemic drags on, the greater the number of people who go on to develop chronic insomnia,” said Zitting. “And unlike acute insomnia, chronic insomnia can be difficult to treat.” 

Royal Caribbean International has announced that 100,000 people have volunteered to test out the ship’s COVID-19 protocols before the cruise line opens its books to the public. 

The volunteers will get to cruise free of charge in early 2021 while putting CDC-instituted cruise ship protocols to the test. 

"Just like that…100,000 people have volunteered! We can’t wait to start this next phase with you all,” Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley said in a post on his official Facebook page. “It has been so gratifying to receive literally thousands of emails and calls offering to volunteer.”

U.S. cruise lines are required by the CDC to test their coronavirus safety measures through simulated voyages with volunteer guests prior to resuming operations, Cruise Industry News reported. 

Volunteers will have to sign a written form acknowledging they risk contracting COVID-19. The test voyage will take passengers to Royal Caribbean’s private island, CocoCay. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected consumers’ physical and mental health, and now researchers from the European Society of Cardiology have discovered how social isolation created by current conditions can be detrimental to health and wellness. 

According to findings from a new study, mandatory social isolation measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have led to an increase in high blood pressure cases in emergency rooms. 

“After social isolation began, we observed that more patients coming to emergency had high blood pressure,” said researcher Dr. Matías Fosco. “We conducted this study to confirm or reject this impression.” 

Blood pressure concerns

To understand what effect the pandemic has had on consumers’ blood pressure, the researchers analyzed patient data from Favaloro Foundation University Hospital in Argentina. They compared emergency room data from the first three months of the pandemic with figures from the three months preceding the pandemic and three months from 2019. 

The researchers learned that the first three months of the pandemic were linked with an increase in patients in the ER with high blood pressure issues. Between March and June of 2019, just over 15 percent of ER patients presented with high blood pressure. However, in that same time span in 2020 -- when the pandemic had just started -- nearly 24 percent of patients were experiencing high blood pressure problems in the ER. 

“There are several possible reasons for the connection between social isolation and high blood pressure,” said Dr. Fosco. “For example, increased stress because of the pandemic, with limited personal contact and the onset or exacerbation of financial or family difficulties. Changed behaviours may have played a role, with higher intake of food and alcohol, sedentary lifestyles, and weight gain.” 

The researchers hope that these findings prompt consumers to put their heart health at the forefront, and take the necessary actions to maintain healthy blood pressure levels -- during the pandemic and beyond. 

“Blood pressure control helps prevent heart attacks and strokes and serious illness from COVID-19, so it’s essential to maintain healthy lifestyle habits, even under social isolation and lockdown conditions,” said Dr. Fosco. 

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a home-buying binge that has significantly raised the price of the average single-family home. But it has also reduced what landlords can charge for rent, and Generation Z appears to be taking advantage of it.

New research from Zillow shows that vacancy rates in New York and other large cities rose sharply as families moved to the suburbs during the spring and summer. Young people, many of whom were living with their parents, have begun moving in.

They’re being drawn by concessions like a free month's rent and are either renting a place for the first time or moving up from a smaller apartment. According to Zillow, most of the move-ups say they moved because they got a better deal.

"What we're seeing is that renters who might have been in a small apartment are instead looking at larger units -- maybe a two-bedroom instead of a one-bedroom," said Zillow Premier Agent Kenny Truong, founder of Fast Real Estate in the San Francisco Bay Area. "Some others are moving to a rental with a view or a yard for a similar price." 

Rising vacancy rates creating deals

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the rental home vacancy rate rose from 5.7 percent in the second quarter to 6.4 percent in the third quarter as apartment dwellers suddenly working from home decided they needed more space. At the same time, the owner-occupant vacancy rate shrank to 0.9 percent.

The Zillow survey found more than a third of Gen Z renters who moved in the past year reported moving from the home of a family member or friend. That's up from 20 percent who reported the same in an April survey. This data is consistent with previous Zillow research that found the number of young adults living with parents or grandparents was beginning to fall in September, after rising dramatically in the spring.

The survey found that Gen Z renters who moved from an existing apartment they were renting to another paid more for their new home, but many said it was a better value that gave them more home for their money.

On a national basis, the typical monthly rent was nearly 1 percent higher in September but lower than last year in seven major metro areas. This suggests that a glut of empty apartments has pulled rents lower in some areas.

Starbucks, which recently reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings, is investing some of that revenue in its personnel. A corporate memo cited by Bloomberg News said the company is increasing pay for its front-line workers by 10 percent starting Dec. 14.

Bloomberg reports that it has seen a memo from Starbucks Executive Vice President Rossann Williams that increases pay by at least 10 percent for baristas, shift supervisors, and cafe attendants hired on or before Sept. 14.

The memo also said that starting pay for new employees will go up by 5 percent to help store managers attract and retain talent during the pandemic, when working conditions have become more challenging.

The company also said it will increase the extra amount above the minimum wage it pays employees in the U.S. markets where it has stores.

The pay raises come at a time when other retail and service sector businesses have faced difficulty hiring and retaining workers. Target raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour in July and gave employees who worked during the pandemic a $200 bonus at the end of that month.

The increase in payroll didn’t seem to hurt Target’s bottom line. The retailer this week reported same-store sales surged more than 20 percent in the third quarter.

In September, Walmart announced across-the-board pay hikes for its 165,000 hourly employees. It also announced the creation of new hourly and salaried leadership positions at its supercenters. 

Up to $30 an hour at Walmart

Pay for these new “team leader” positions range from $18 to $21 an hour, and some will pay up to $30 an hour. The new system will result in a boost in pay for tens of thousands of the company’s hourly workers, Walmart said.

Two years ago, Amazon raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour. The e-commerce giant said in a statement that the new minimum wage will benefit more than 250,000 full-time and part-time Amazon employees across the country, as well over 100,000 seasonal workers.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Starbucks authorized extra pay and benefits for employees affected by the health crisis, including sick pay, to encourage people who might be infected with the virus to stay home.

The improvement in hourly pay, long championed by organized labor, could remain in place once the pandemic passes. The state of Florida this year mandated a higher minimum wage and President-elect Joe Biden is on record supporting a $15 an hour minimum wage.

Nissan North America is recalling 2,214 model year 2020 Altima S grade vehicles with Continental ProContact TX tires, size 215/60 R16 H, with TIN date code 3320 and Mold ID S-419149.

The tires may have been overcured.

Overcured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle's tires to see if they are affected, replacing them -- as necessary -- free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 10, 2020.

Owners may contact Nissan customer service at (800) 8677669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC765.

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 11,419,204 (11,218,305)

Total U.S. deaths: 249,430 (247,263)

Total global cases: 55,997,737 (55,243,538)

Total global deaths: 1,344,557 (1,330,930)

Pfizer completes vaccine clinical trial

A day after Moderna reported preliminary results of its coronavirus (COVID-19) clinical trial, Pfizer has reported final results showing that its two-shot vaccine was 95 percent effective against the virus.

The company said there were 10 severe cases of COVID-19 observed in the trial, with nine of the cases occurring in the placebo group and one in the group that received the vaccine. The group monitoring data said it found no serious side effects.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are similar, and so far have achieved similar results, though Moderna has yet to complete its trial. The Pfizer vaccine faces tougher logistical challenges, however, since it must be kept at extremely cold temperatures.

Vaccine reality check

The last 10 days have been filled with optimism due to impressive results from Pfizer’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine trials. But the company partnering with Moderna to actually produce the vaccine has some sobering observations.

Swiss drugmaker Lonza says there are “big challenges” in producing the Moderna vaccine at scale and distributing it around the world. Company Chairman Albert Baehny told CNBC his company will have to greatly expand to meet the need.

“We can only produce more than 500 million doses a year if we install additional manufacturing lines, so it is clear that we need additional investments in installation if we want to produce more than 500 million (per year) in the future,” he told the network.

North Dakota sets world record

North Dakota may have a small population, but people there are dying from the coronavirus at the highest rate in the world. That’s the assessment of the Federation of American Scientists, which conducted an analysis of mortality data. 

The analysis shows North Dakota has a rate of 18.2 deaths per 1 million people. South Dakota is not far behind, with 17.4 deaths per million. That ranks as the third-highest rate in the world.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum last week ordered a new set of restrictions on businesses and imposed a new mandate in certain settings. “Our situation has changed, and we must change with it,” he said.

Pulling the emergency brake in California

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is reimposing restrictions on public activities after coronavirus cases and resulting hospitalizations spiked. Last week, California became the second state, after Texas, to record a total of 1 million cases of the virus.

“We are sounding the alarm,” Newsom said. “The spread of COVID-19, if left unchecked, could quickly overwhelm our health care system and lead to catastrophic outcomes. That is why we are pulling an emergency brake in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.”

Twenty-eight California counties are moving back into Tier 1 -- the most restrictive category -- covering 94 percent of the state’s population. 

Listening for signs of the virus

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first COVID-19 test that can be taken at home, but health experts believe it may be possible to test for the virus simply by listening.

Researchers at Mayo Clinic have teamed up with an artificial intelligence (AI) company to scan voices for signs of illness. The technology hones in on certain frequencies in the voice and identifies certain vocal biomarkers to screen and detect patient health.

“The body is sending us a lot of signals that we’re not paying attention to,” said the clinic’s Dr. Amir Lerman. “When we talk about voice, it’s not exactly what you and I can hear. The voice is a spectrum of a lot of frequencies.”

Around the nation

• New York: Law enforcement in New York City will step up patrols on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving, traditionally a big party night for young people in the city. Police said they will respond to reports of large gatherings at private homes.

• Wisconsin: Wisconsin is one of the Midwestern states where cases of the virus are surging. The state set records for COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations Tuesday and reported more than 7,000 new coronavirus cases after receiving a record number of tests.

• Colorado: Gov. Jared Polis said several counties in the state are soon going to be moving to a new, more restrictive phase of coronavirus limits. That means 15 counties, including the Denver metro, will soon stop indoor dining at restaurants.