Current Events in November 2020

Cryptocurrencies have stuck another toe in the mainstream way of life. PayPal has announced that it’s allowing all users in the U.S. to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrency by using their PayPal account.

The company says the move was driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing interest in digital currencies from both consumers and banks. This is apparently not a test case scenario, either. PayPal says it will make digital currency available as a funding source for purchases at its 26 million merchants worldwide.

"The shift to digital forms of currencies is inevitable, bringing with it clear advantages in terms of financial inclusion and access; efficiency, speed and resilience of the payments system; and the ability for governments to disburse funds to citizens quickly," said Dan Schulman, president and CEO, PayPal. 

Initially, PayPal users will have access to Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin, and all available within the PayPal digital wallet. The company says it plans to expand the features to Venmo in the first half of 2021.

Is the world really moving toward cryptocurrency?

PayPal says it’s not jumping in the digital money game sight unseen. Company officials say they have been exploring and investing in the next generation of digital financial services for the last five years.

The clock is ticking for those among us who aren’t yet familiar with digital currencies. Facebook has decided that it wants part of the action, millennials have shown interest in it for years, and 1 in 10 central banks – which accounts for about one-fifth of the world's population – expect to issue their own digital currencies within the next three years, according to a survey by the Bank for International Settlements.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced Thursday that it is once again sending out warning letters to companies that have made unsupported claims that their products and services can help fight COVID-19. 

In total, the agency says that it has sent over 330 such letters in an effort to stop health-related COVID-19 scams. The latest batch of letters is the ninth set sent by the FTC, and it covers everything from copper water bottles to water treatment systems. 

If the companies do not retract their false claims, regulators say they will seek a federal injunction and demand that victims receive a refund. Details published by the FTC about the products being sold and the offending marketers are shown below:

Bead Bracelets

• Bombshell Beads, LLC (Mount Juliet, TN) 

Copper Water Bottles

• Copper H2O (Blaine, WA)

Fitness Classes/Personal Training

• Camp TUF (Pantego, TX) 

Indoor Tanning/Red Light Therapy/Intravenous Ultraviolet Light Therapy

• I B Tan (Citrus Heights, CA) 

• Vibrant Life Oklahoma (Claremore, OK) 

Peptide Therapies/Intravenous Vitamin Drips and Injections/Intravenous Laser Therapy

• Age Management Institute Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, CA) 

• MD Beauty Labs, P.A. (W. Palm Beach, FL) 

• Murfreesboro Bio Renew Clinic (Murfreesboro, TN) 

• Park Avenue Skin Solutions (New York, NY) 

• Revive Colorado (Denver, CO) 

• Tribeca Wellness Collective (New York, NY) 

Ozone Therapy/Stem Cell Therapy and Immunotherapy/Intravenous Therapy

• American Regenerative Clinic (Bingham Farms, MI) 

• Health and Wellness of Carmel (Carmel, IN) 

• Howard Robins, DPM (New York, NY) 

• The Fuel Stop (New York, NY) 

Supplements

• C’est Si Bon Company (Torrance, CA) 

• Integrative Health Carolinas (Charlotte, NC) 

• Robert O. Young (Valley Center, CA) 

Water Filtration Systems

• Hector Gotay Feliciano, dba Gotay’s Group Systems and Cebilon Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico) 

• Karen Martí Reyes, dba Cebilon Y Vivenso #1Germany Sistem “Premios Awars [sic]  2020” (Puerto Rico)

With November nearly halfway gone, consumers across the U.S. are gearing up to face Thanksgiving during a pandemic. While holiday gatherings will doubtless look different this year, retailers are still offering special deals to help people save money on holiday essentials. 

One such retailer, BJ’s Wholesale Club, has announced that it will be offering a coupon to members that they can use to get a free frozen or fresh Butterball turkey. The in-store coupons are being offered while supplies last from November 14 through November 25. 

The company said BJ’s members can take advantage of the free turkey deal by buying three qualifying items from a list of over 80 products that can be found at BJs.com/FreeTurkey. The offer is supposedly one of many that will be offered in the coming weeks.

“We’re helping our members give thanks this holiday season by offering incredible savings on everything from fresh food and groceries to entertaining items and household essentials," said Michael Leary, BJ’s senior vice president of GMM, perishables, grocery, and beverages. "We’re committed to providing our members outstanding value in an easy one-stop holiday shop. That’s why we’re excited to announce our free turkey promotion to help members stress less and save even more this Thanksgiving,” 

Also included in a company press release was BJ’s upcoming holiday schedule. The retailer said it will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but it will be opening its doors for deals on Black Friday starting at 7 a.m. Consumers who want an even bigger jump on deals can shop for items on BJs.com starting at midnight on Thanksgiving. 

Gasoline prices were mostly flat for most of the week in most states, but an increase in demand at midweek is pushing prices at the pump slightly higher.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows that the national average price of regular gas is $2.13 a gallon, two cents more than last Friday. But in the last four weeks, the average price has dropped five cents. The average price of premium gas is $2.74 a gallon, also a penny higher on the week. The average price of diesel fuel is $2.38 a gallon, up from $2.36 last week.

Across the nation, prices were fairly stable over the last week, rising or falling by a penny a gallon in most states. South Carolina, where the price rose six cents a gallon, and Pennsylvania, which experienced a three cents a gallon increase, were outliers.

Fuel demand has been uneven lately, but it rose at midweek. Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, tweeted that demand on Wednesday was up 2.6 percent, according to Pay with GasBuddy data.

Demand could creep higher with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up. Despite health officials’ pleas to the public not to gather with family and friends and risk the spread of the coronavirus, a Cars.com survey suggests that many people will, in fact, travel over the holiday.

The survey found that 47 percent of Americans said they plan to travel during the Thanksgiving holiday, the overwhelming majority by car. A year ago, 68 percent of Americans said they planned to hit the road.

Despite the predicted uptick in travel over the holiday period, AAA still expects demand to weaken as we reach the end of the year. The spike in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases is causing some states to place new restrictions on travel.

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 ($3.26)

• California ($3.17)

• Washington ($2.77)

• Nevada ($2.59)

• Oregon ($2.56)

• Alaska ($2.50)

• Pennsylvania ($2.47)

• Utah ($2.32)

• Idaho ($2.30)

• Illinois ($2.24)

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 ($1.81)

• Oklahoma ($1.81)

• Arkansas ($1.83)

• Louisiana ($1.85)

• Alabama ($1.86)

• Tennessee ($1.87)

• Kansas ($1.88)

• South Carolina ($1.88)

National Herring Co. is recalling Adar brand Schmaltz Herring in Oil.

The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

There have been no illnesses reported to date.

The recalled product, which comes in a 300-gram container with UPC code 0 62451 00128 9, was sold in Canada's Quebec province.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but discard or return it to the store where purchased.

Consumers with question may contact the firm at (514) 274-4774 or by email at info@nationalherring.com.

Foreign Tire Sales is recalling 138 Otani OH-306 425/65R-22.5 commercial truck tires with DOT code 0320.

The tread may crack due to a manufacturing defect.

Cracks in the tread can lead to tread separation and a sudden loss of air pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Foreign Tire will notify owners and dealers will reimburse the customer for the affected tires.

The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for recall notification.

Owners may contact Foreign Tire customer service at (908) 687-0559.

Quality Bicycle Products of Bloomington, Minn., is recalling about 700 Salsa Cutthroat bicycles and forks sold in the U.S. and Canada.

The bicycle’s fork legs can crack or break, posing a fall hazard.

The firm has received seven reports of cracked forks. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves 2020 Salsa Cutthroat series bicycles, including: Salsa Cutthroat with model names GRX 810 Di2, GRX 810 1x, GRX 600, Apex 1, framesets, and Carbon Deluxe V2 aftermarket forks.

The model name is printed on the frame of the bicycles. The bicycles are sold in a variety of different colors and sizes.

This recall involves only Cutthroat bicycles, framesets and forks in which the fork serial number contains the letter G. A Cutthroat fork serial number is visible when the fork is removed from the frame.

The recalled Salsa Cutthroat models include:

• Salsa Cutthroat GRX 810 Di2
• Salsa Cutthroat GRX 810 1x
• Salsa Cutthroat GRX 600
• Salsa Cutthroat Apex 1
• Salsa Cutthroat framesets
• Salsa Cutthroat Carbon Deluxe V2 aftermarket fork (Matte and Gloss)

The bicycles, manufactured in China, were sold at Salsa authorized bicycle dealerships nationwide from September 2019, through September 2020, for between $2,700 and $5,800.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bicycles, contact Salsa Cycles, and bring the recalled Salsa Cutthroat bicycles, framesets, and aftermarket forks to a Salsa authorized retailer for inspection and free installation of a replacement fork.

Consumers may contact Salsa Cycles toll-free at (877) 774-6208 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (CT), Monday through Friday or online at www.salsacycles.com click on “Safety and Support” at the top of the page, then “Recall” for more information.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 1,337 model year 2021 E350s & E450s, model year 2019-2021 AMG E53s, and model year 2020-2021 AMG E63s.

The front passenger seat may be missing the mechanical seat adjustment range limit stop, allowing the seat to move outside of the acceptable range in relation to the airbag.

If the front passenger seat is adjusted beyond the acceptable range in relation to the airbag, there could be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash with airbag deployment.

What to do

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect for the mechanical seat adjustment range limitation for the front passenger seat and install it -- if necessary -- free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 29, 2020.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at (800) 368-6372.

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 10,421,678 (10,272,929)

Total U.S. deaths: 241,949 (239,896)

Total global cases: 52,331,462 (51,684,237)

Total global deaths: 1,287,966 (1,275,995)

Hospitals at the breaking point

The daily increase in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the U.S. -- and there have been more than 100,000 each day this month -- is taking a toll on the nation’s hospitals, which faced the same crisis in the early days of the pandemic.

On Wednesday, the number of hospitalized patients exceeded 65,000, according to the COVID-19 Tracking Project. It broke the record set the day before, and no one expects that it will remain intact for very long.

Epidemiologists say many of the new infections have been among young people, many of whom rarely need hospital treatment. But they say young people are passing it on to older people, who are more vulnerable to the virus and usually need a hospital’s care.

Here’s where you’re most at risk of getting COVID-19

Cases of COVID-19 are rapidly increasing all across the country, seemingly without rhyme or reason. But new research is shedding light on infection risks and identifying where you’re most likely to get the virus.

Researchers at Stanford and Northwestern created models that predict where infection risks are the highest. They include full-service restaurants, gyms, hotels, cafes, religious organizations, and limited-service restaurants.

“Infections are happening very unevenly — that there are about 10 percent of points-of-interest that account for over 80 percent of all infections, and these are places that are smaller, more crowded and people dwell there longer,” Jure Leskovec, an associate professor at Stanford University, told reporters.

Pfizer’s vaccine could present logistical challenges

Pfizer’s announcement Monday that its vaccine candidate proved to be highly effective has given the world hope that the coronavirus pandemic can be overcome. But getting a vaccine to the global population always poses challenges.

Medical experts say that in the case of Pfizer’s vaccine, the challenges are bigger than usual. Pfizer’s vaccine must not only be transported around the country, but it has to be kept at subzero temperatures at all times.

Just how cold must the vaccine be kept? Minus 70 degrees Celsius or below. Breaking the cold chain could render the vaccine useless, experts say. 

Cruise lines may still face stormy seas

Pfizer’s vaccine news was a much-needed pick-me-up for the travel and hospitality industries that have been devastated by the pandemic. But the worst may not be over yet.

At midweek, a passenger on SeaDream Yacht Club's SeaDream 1 reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. Gene Sloan, a senior reporter for cruise and travel at The Points Guy, reported that he was aboard the ship. 

The ship turned back and returned to port. It was on its first sail since March, when the pandemic effectively shut down the cruise line industry.

Unemployment claims keep falling

The Labor Department reported today that initial claims for unemployment benefits totaled 709,000 last week, 48,000 fewer than the week before. Economists say the numbers are moving in the right direction and suggest that the job market, disrupted by the coronavirus, is beginning to recover.

While new claims reflect recent layoffs, continuing claims provide a picture of overall employment. In the most recent week, continuing claims totaled  21,157,111, a decrease

of 374,179 from the previous week.

Around the nation

• New York: Gov. Andrew Cuomo has reimposed new restrictions on bars, restaurants, and gyms as the state grapples with a big increase in COVID-19 cases. "Any establishment with a state liquor license, including bars and restaurants, must close" for in-person dining at 10 p.m. starting on Friday night, Cuomo said in his announcement.

• Ohio: Gov. Mike DeWine says Ohio will reinstate its mask order, originally ordered July 23, with several new provisions. Among them is the caveat that the state will take over the responsibility of mask rules enforcement from the local counties.

• California: As cases approach the 1 million mark, concern is growing at hospitals in the state about their ability to handle the load of COVID-19 patients. Members of the California Nurses Association held rallies at hospitals across the state this week. They’re calling for better staffing as winter, the holidays, and an expected spike in cases occur. 

The number of baby boomers who are deciding to retire is at a record pace, at 3.2 million more from 2019-2020 than in previous years. However, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of monthly labor force data, the makeup of those retirees is starting to change. 

The recent increase is more pronounced among Hispanic and Asian American boomers -- up four and three points, respectively. On the geographic side of the equation, the increase is coming from those living in the Northeast U.S. -- up from 35 percent in February to 38 in September.

Job loss may be a factor

Pew researchers say job losses may be a dominant factor in this wave of retirements, probably at the hands of the COVID-19 recession. Since February 2020, the number of retired boomers has increased by nearly 1.1 million. 

Pew couches that number by saying that some of this increase could reflect seasonal change in employment activity. But running the numbers from February to September period in 2019, the population of retired boomers increased by only about a fourth of what happened last year.

Another interesting metric is that the share of retiring boomers differs by education attainment. The number of boomers who finished their education when they graduated from high school are up two points since February, and those who completed a four-year degree are up one point. For those who had some college education, but didn’t walk away with a diploma, there’s been no change at all. 

Will boomers have enough money to retire?

Baby boomers and retirement savings go hand in hand, and many of those new retirees face mounting challenges regarding their savings nest. Navigating that can of worms comes with things like supplemental Medicare insurance.

Baby boomers have an average of $152,000 pegged for retirement, according to the 19th Annual Retirement Survey of Workers conducted by the TransAmerica Center for Retirement Studies. While that may seem like a decent number when it stands alone, it’s not nearly enough to last through most people’s retirement. Based on information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, adults between ages 65 and 74 spend $48,885 per year on average, which means they would blow through that $152k in less than four years.

Does this mean that boomers should be sounding the alarm? Not exactly, but the situation does beg a reassessment of how long a boomer’s savings can last. It also begs the question of what adjustments can be made to soften a boomer’s cash outlay.

"Aside from solely relying on Social Security, looking to downsize your home, moving to a more affordable state, relying on public transportation, and having a robust budget that itemizes discretionary and non-discretionary items are all a good start,” Mark Hebner, president and founder of Index Fund Advisors, Inc., told Investopedia.

“The most important thing is that retirees have the right mindset about their lifestyle in retirement. This is why it is important to start making lifestyle adjustments before you retire."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a new investigation into an outbreak of E. Coli that has sickened consumers in six states.

The investigation, different from one that began in late October, has focused on romaine lettuce as the possible source of the outbreak. The agency notes that Tanimura & Antle recalled its packaged single-head romaine lettuce last week after officials in Michigan identified E. coli 0157:H7 in the product during routine sampling.

The single head of romaine lettuce with the UPC number 0-27918-20314-9 and labeled with a packed on date of Oct. 15, 2020, or Oct. 16, 2020, was sold in Alaska, Oregon, California, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Nebraska, Missouri, Tennessee, Wisconsin, New Mexico, South Carolina, Washington, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, and Illinois.

Ongoing investigation

The agency said whole genome sequencing revealed that the sample of romaine was the same as the strain identified among people who got sick during the outbreak. However, the CDC stopped short of identifying the lettuce as the source of the infection, saying the data alone is not enough to prove a link.

“The investigation is ongoing to determine if ill people got sick from eating recalled Tanimura & Antle packaged single head romaine lettuce,” the agency said in its investigation notice.

The CDC said its probe is different from one launched by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that hasn’t pinpointed a cause. In late October, the FDA said it didn’t know what food was causing the illnesses or even if a food product was responsible.

The outbreak being investigated by the CDC has reportedly sickened 12 people in six states, with five of the illnesses being serious enough to require hospitalization. No deaths have been reported.

Advice to retailers and consumers

• Do not eat, sell, or serve Tanimura & Antle’s recalled external icon packaged single head romaine lettuce.

• For retailers and distributors: the produce traceability Initiative (PTI) sticker is 571280289SRS1 and 571280290SRS1.

• If you have symptoms of an E. coli infection, talk to your health care provider and write down what you ate in the week before you got sick.

The CDC is asking consumers who get sick to contact their state health department and report the illness.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed just about everything this year, including the way consumers will do their holiday toy shopping. Experts at the industry trade publication The Toy Insider say the pandemic presents twin challenges this year.

"It's more important now than ever to go into your holiday shopping with a game plan — not just to shop safely, but also to avoid the disappointment of a sold-out toy," said Laurie Schacht, chief toy officer at The Toy Insider. 

Social distancing is easy if you shop online, but remember millions of other consumers probably have the same plan. Schact says shipping delays and supply chain glitches are good reasons to get an early start.

"After you check everyone off your holiday list, we also advise that you think about stocking up on games and activities to keep kids and families entertained inside as the weather gets colder and we're being advised to stay home,” she said. “These types of items sold out in the spring, so get ahead of the rush while you can."

This year, Schact says parents need a strategy before they start shopping for toys. Do your research to find the best, age-appropriate toys. Don’t forget to look for reviews on sites like ConsumerAffairs.

Time is of the essence

Don’t hesitate. When you see the toy you want, grab it. It might not be there if you wait. 

Retailers are offering deals all season long to cut down on the big crowds that normally show up on Black Friday. The Toy Insider says hot toys are sure to sell out quickly, and there's no guarantee that a toy will be discounted later on, as they have in past years.

Know what the hot toys are and what they should cost. Target offers this Hot Toy Guide, broken down by ages. It also has a handy section for Top Toys under $30, which is helpful for staying on budget. 

RetailMeNot’s Hot Toy Guide spans most of the major retailers, not only cluing you into the in-demand toys but also helping with price comparisons. 

Knowing the MSRP (manufacturer suggested retail price) will help you avoid overpaying for a toy. This year especially, experts say there could be more third-party sellers or "toy scalpers" who hike up the price of hard-to-find toys, especially right before Christmas.

Hot toys

On RetailMeNot’s hot toy list this year are:

• Star Wars The Child Animatronic Edition, for kids age five and up, selling for $59 at Amazon

• Pets Alive Fifi the Flossing Sloth, for kids age three and up, marked down to $19.88 at Amazon

• CuliGirls, for kids age three and up, selling for $9.99 at Amazon

The Toy Insider has also published a guide to holiday toy shopping that you can find here. It has a special section on STEM toys, such as Botley 2.0, the coding robot, for ages five and up.

Before buying any toy, industry experts say you should make sure the toy isn't a knockoff, which could pose safety issues and may not perform the way it should. Look for the correct name and spelling of the product and its manufacturer to make sure you're buying the real thing.

Ford Motor on Thursday unveiled its new electric transit van, which it says was designed specifically for its commercial and work customers. 

The van, called the “E-Transit,” is expected to debut in late 2021. Its creation coincides with an increase in the number of businesses that have announced plans to phase out gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles. 

Ford executives said the automaker has seen a “lot of demand” for all-electric commercial vehicles. The company is planning to invest $11.5 billion in electric vehicles over the next three years. 

“Our commercial business in general is absolutely key to the company,” Ted Cannis, Ford North America general manager of commercial business, told CNBC. “We were targeting customers that have to do real work.”

Estimated range of 126 miles

Ford’s new electric van is set to claim a spot in a new fleet of all-electric work vans used by companies like Amazon and UPS for deliveries, maintenance, and other services. The smallest version of the vehicle will have a range of 126 miles.

While that estimated range is lower than current gas-powered models, Ted Cannis, Ford North America general manager of commercial business, told CNBC that many commercial van owners only average 74 miles per day. 

“They’re not driving all the time. They tend to have many fixed and local routes,” Cannis said. “They’re stopping at customers during the day.”

In addition to announcing the forthcoming “E-Transit,” the automaker said Tuesday that it will be ramping up production of its all-electric F-150 pickup by 50 percent. Ford said it's seen “strong early interest” in the model. The new truck will arrive in U.S. dealerships by mid-2022 at the earliest. 

“Our electric vehicle business is a dynamic source of growth. We’re setting ourselves up for profitable business now and in the future,” said John Savona, vice president, North American manufacturing.

When the concert world fully reopens, some music lovers can expect to have to show their vaccine status, as well.

With the news that Pfizer’s vaccine has proven 90 percent effective, Ticketmaster is working ahead of a hopeful 2021 concert reopening season by announcing a novel plan to check concertgoers’ vaccine statuses prior to attending concerts.

Ticketmaster’s strategy involves its ticket app, which is being built to collect third-party health information using databases like IBM’s Digital Health Pass and CLEAR Health Pass; it will also check information from testing and vaccine distribution providers such as Labcorp or the CVS Minute Clinic. As the company explained to Billboard, the goal is to ensure safety by verifying fans’ vaccination status and whether they’ve tested negative for COVID-19 within a 24-to-72-hour window.

Connecting the dots for the sake of safety

Ticketmaster has added more layers of health security by linking a ticket to the buyer’s identity and using a SmartEvent system to help encourage social distancing and contact tracing. 

Event/concert organizers also have some input in this initiative. They’ll have the ability to establish specific prevention protocols like sanitation, mask compliance, and social distancing for individual shows.

To avoid sticking their toe over the line of personal privacy, Ticketmaster made it known that it will not store any attendee’s personal health information and will comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Instead, it will let the third-party health care providers store that info securely and encrypted. The only personal data Ticketmaster would receive is if a fan is cleared to attend an event on a specific date. 

Ensuring safety while remaining flexible

The company noted that this is not a one-size-fits-all measure because different states have different requirements, and it understands that it will have to address those differences.

“We imagine there will be many third-party health care providers handling vetting -- whether that is getting a vaccine, taking a test, or other methods of review and approval -- which could then be linked via a digital ticket so everyone entering the event is verified,” Ticketmaster President Mark Yovich told Pitchfork.

“Ticketmaster’s goal is to provide enough flexibility and options that venues and fans have multiple paths to return to events, and is working to create integrations to our API and leading digital ticketing technology as we will look to tap into the top solutions based on what’s green-lit by officials and desired by clients.”

A recent study by German scientists is good news for live music fans. In an experiment on transmission of the coronavirus at concerts, the researchers found that the risk of spreading the coronavirus at indoor concerts is “low to very low” -- just as long as concertgoers adhere to the standard hygiene protocols and the venue has good ventilation and limits the number of concertgoers.

Walmart has started selling pet insurance from Petplan and connecting customers to pet sitters and dog walkers through a partnership with Rover. 

The retailer has revamped its website to include a new section called Walmart Pet Care, through which consumers can get pet supplies and find pet care services, including insurance. 

Melody Richard, vice president of Walmart Pets, said Walmart customers can save up to 10 percent on insurance policies by going through Walmart. They’ll also get Walmart gift cards in exchange for booking pet sitting or dog walking through Rover on the Walmart website. 

“We’re focused on bringing our customers and the beloved pets in their lives trusted, convenient and affordable programs at one destination,” Richard said. “And we’ll continue to focus on that.”

Increase in pet ownership

Walmart’s expanded roster of pet services coincides with an uptick in the number of consumers who recently got a new pet. The pandemic spurred a wave of pet adoptions as consumers sought companionship and found that they had more time at home. 

Subsequently, demand for pet supplies has increased, and pet supplies and seasonal costumes are expected to be popular gifts this holiday season. 

Walmart estimates that 90 million pet owners shop at Walmart. Last year, the retailer introduced Walmart PetRx, an in-store and online pharmacy that sells prescriptions at prices “significantly below competitors.” 

The company says its new Walmart Pet Insurance offering “provides coverage for veterinary fees due to accident, injury or illness, including chronic and hereditary conditions.” Customers can also file claims and schedule appointments through Petplan and get access to “$1000 worth of online virtual vet appointments at no additional charge.” 

A Microsoft executive is urging users to move away from phone-based multi-factor authentication (MFA) mechanisms and instead embrace newer security technologies, like app-based authenticators and security keys.

In a blog post, Alex Weinert, Director of Identity Security at Microsoft, said app-based two-factor authentication provides greater security.

Weinert said telephone-based multi-factor authentication (MFA) solutions -- like one-time codes sent via SMS and voice calls -- are “based on publicly switched telephone networks (PSTN), and I believe they’re the least secure of the MFA methods available today.” 

“That gap will only widen as MFA adoption increases attackers’ interest in breaking these methods and purpose-built authenticators extend their security and usability advantages,” he said. “Plan your move to passwordless strong auth now – the authenticator app provides an immediate and evolving option.” 

MFA is ‘essential’

In 2019, Weinert penned a blog post in which he said that internal Microsoft statistics showed that users who enabled MFA blocked around 99.9 percent of automated attacks against their Microsoft accounts. 

In a follow up blog post earlier this week, he stressed that MFA itself is essential -- but the way people use it should change. If users have to choose between multiple MFA mechanisms, he said they should avoid phone-based MFA which can be intercepted by attackers. 

Weinert said a good place to start is by using Microsoft’s Authenticator MFA app. For even greater security, hardware security keys can be used. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the Karolinska Institute explored what factors could contribute to young people developing lung disease. 

According to their findings, consumers in their mid-twenties are likely to experience lung disease from a combination of influences from their childhoods, including a history with asthma, smoking, or exposure to air pollution.

Identifying risk factors

The researchers analyzed results from over 4,000 participants who were involved in the BAMSE (Child, Allergy, Milieu, Stockholm, Epidemiological) birth cohort study in Sweden. The researchers evaluated their health records when they reached 24 years old, and they were primarily interested in chronic lung disease, which included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, and irreversible airflow irritation. 

The researchers identified three primary factors that increase young adults’ risk of developing chronic lung disease: childhood asthma, exposure to air pollution, and smoking. Current smokers were responsible for nearly 40 percent of the chronic bronchitis cases, and nearly half of the participants who experienced chronic bronchitis also self-reported more respiratory infections than those without the condition. 

“To our surprise, we found the prevalence of chronic bronchitis and irreversible airflow irritation to be rather high (5.5 percent and 2 percent, respectively), considering the young age of the study participants,” said researcher Erik Melen. “Those diseases are usually diagnosed in patients older than 50 years of age,” added researcher Anders Linde. 

Rural consumers less at risk

Though this study focused on a young population, the results highlight just how powerful -- and preventable -- these risks are. The findings suggest that it doesn’t take years of smoking to develop lung disease; in fact, only a brief window of exposure was enough to greatly affect the participants’ lung function. Similarly, the researchers explained that lung disease related to air pollution exposure was the worst for those who lived close to high-traffic areas, which indicates that those in more rural areas could have better health outcomes. 

“The levels of air pollutants in the current study mainly reflect local emissions from road traffic, which implies that this preventable risk factor may play an important role in the development of chronic lung disease in young adults,” said Melen. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that these findings highlight how preventative measures taken in the early part of life could benefit consumers’ lung health as they move through young adulthood. 

“The take-home message is: If you want to prevent disease, early prevention is the key to success,” Melen said.