Current Events in April 2021

During a Senate antitrust hearing on Thursday, Apple’s Chief Compliance Officer Kyle Andeer was grilled on the company’s apparent inability to combat subscription scammers on its App Store. 

Apple has argued that one of its reasons for requiring developers to pay App Store commissions is that the money goes toward helping to keep scams from proliferating in the marketplace. However, developers have claimed that Apple still isn’t effectively keeping scams off its App Store. 

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) said it’s “trivially easy” to find predatory scam apps on the company’s platform, yet Apple still appears to be unable to locate them. Ossoff said these scam apps are drawing in big bucks, and Apple makes money every time a scammer takes money from a consumer. 

Highlighting Apple’s efforts

Andeer noted that Apple spends “hundreds of millions” each year curating the store and reviewing each app “for privacy, safety, security and performance.” 

“Unfortunately, security and fraud is a cat-and-mouse game. Any retailer will tell you that. And so we’re constantly working to improve,” Andeer said. He added that Apple is investing in more resources and technologies aimed at fighting scams.

He noted that the App Store rejects thousands of apps each year that it deems to be a risk to consumers. Without Apple’s efforts, he argued that the situation would be far worse. 

” … No one is perfect, but I think what we’ve shown over and over again that we do a better job than others,” he said. “I think the real risks of opening up the iPhone to sideloading or third-party app stores is that this problem will only multiply. If we look at other app stores out there, we look at other distribution platforms, it scares us.”

Profiting off of scam billing practices?

Ossoff then circled back to his question about the scam apps and whether Apple profits off of them. “Apple is making a cut on those abusive billing practices, are you not?” he asked.

Andeer replied that he didn’t believe that was the case and reiterated that Apple strives to fight issues quickly after they’re found. “If we find fraud — if we find a problem, we’re able to rectify that very quickly. And we do each and every day,” he said.

Ossoff then asked if Apple refunds 100% of the money it makes from scam billing practices. In his response, Andeer stressed that Apple works hard to make sure that customers who report a scam or file a complaint are made “whole” -- but he stopped short of saying that Apple refunds “all customers.” 

“Senator, that’s my understanding. There’s obviously a dedicated team here at Apple who works this each and every day. But my understanding is that we work hard to make sure the customer is in a whole position. That’s our focus at the end of the day. If we lose the trust of our customers, that’s going to hurt us,” he said.

‘Non-answers’

Developer Kosta Eleftheriou, who has drawn attention to the fact that Apple is making massive amounts of money from scams on its App Store, said Apple’s “non-answers” should “anger all of us.” 

“They did not offer any explanation for why it’s so easy for people like me to keep finding multimillion-dollar scams that have been going on unchecked on the App Store for years,” he told TechCrunch. “They also gave no clear answer to whether they’re responsible for fraudulent activity in their store.” 

“Apple appears to profit from these scams, instead of refunding all associated revenues back to affected users when they belatedly take some of these down. We’ve been letting Apple grade their own homework for over a decade. I urge the committee to get to the bottom of these questions, including Apple’s baffling decision years ago to remove the ability for users to flag suspicious apps on the App Store,” Eleftheriou said.

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 31,931,027 (31,871,390)

Total U.S. deaths: 570,357 (569,518)

Total global cases: 144,878,978 (144,025,288)

Total global deaths: 3,075,042 (3,062,087)

Advisory committee meeting to review vaccine data

An advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is meeting today to review additional data about rare but serious side effects linked to Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. The committee could vote on a recommended course of action by the end of the day.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has paused the use of the vaccine after six women who received it suffered serious blood clots, resulting in one death. Since then, Reuters reports that the CDC is investigating the death of a woman in Oregon and the hospitalization of another vaccine recipient in Texas.

The Oregon Health Authority said the woman who died was vaccinated before the FDA issued the pause and formed blood clots within two weeks.

U.S. vaccination rate slows

This week, the U.S. hit President Biden’s goal of vaccinating 200 million Americans before the end of April. But as the U.S. hit that goal, the rate of vaccinating people began slowing down, according to the CDC.

The CDC data shows that the U.S. vaccinated 2.9 million people over the past seven days, the first time the number has dropped below 3 million a day in several weeks. But it could be the calm before the storm.

By now, nearly all seniors and frontline workers who want a vaccination have gotten one. At the beginning of the week, eligibility was opened to all adults. Many of them are only now making appointments to receive the vaccine.

California enjoys a sharp downward trend in cases

California was reeling from a surge in new cases of COVID-19 at the beginning of the year. Hospitals were at the breaking point, and businesses were forced to curtail activity again.

Now, just months later, restaurants are open and new cases of the virus have dropped just as fast as they rose. Health officials say they aren’t sure why.

Researchers have put forth a variety of explanations, but the California vaccination rate is far down the list. Some think the rate of infection was much higher in the state than officially reported, leading millions of California residents to build up some immunity.

Employees evenly divided over vaccination policy

As offices around the country prepare to reopen, employers face a thorny and potentially divisive question: Should they require all employees to show proof of vaccination?

A poll suggests that they could disappoint about half their workforce no matter what they decide. Forty-nine percent of working Americans believe that employers should require vaccination proof, according to a survey by Eagle Hill Consulting.

"The good news is that the U.S. is making incredible progress when it comes to getting shots in arms, which is helping to drive business and economic recovery," says Melissa Jezior, Eagle Hill Consulting’s CEO. "But, we're continuing to see employee concerns and divided views on a wide range of COVID-19 issues, which creates an increasingly complicated  situation for employers."

White Castle is rewarding people who have been vaccinated

Who knew there were so many perks involved in getting a COVID-19 vaccination? Consumers can now add White Castle to the list of brands offering incentives to get the shot.

From now until May 31, the burger chain will provide a complimentary dessert-on-a-stick to anyone who can prove they have been vaccinated. In offering the incentive, the company joins other brands like Budweiser, which is giving away free beer, and Krispy Kreme, which is handing out free donuts.

"From the start of the pandemic, we've shared the message that there is 'unity in community,'" said Jamie Richardson, a vice president at White Castle. "We're thankful the vaccines are now widely available to all citizens 16 and over so that every adult can do their part to help our country return to all that we love and crave."

Around the nation

• Ohio: Senior care facilities across the state report that they can’t hire enough staff. Pete Van Runkle, executive director of the Ohio Health Care Association, blames the pandemic. “It's an emergency," Van Runkle told WKYC-TV. "We've lost a lot of staff. I was talking to a member this morning and they said they were paying starting nursing assistants $18 an hour or $18.25, and that's 50% higher than they would have made pre-pandemic.”

• Florida: Broward Health is suspending community vaccination events effective today due to low demand. "It has been our great privilege to serve our community these past months, and we are grateful for the numerous ways in which local businesses, public officials and you, our neighbors, have supported our efforts throughout the pandemic," the provider said in a statement

• Colorado: During the pandemic, there were lots of things you couldn’t do. But you could still play golf, and statistics show 2020 was a banner year for the state’s golf courses. Mile High Sports reports that rounds at Colorado’s public golf courses rose 20% last year.

Bitcoin values tumbled by 7.9% early Friday over fears that the government will increase taxes in the near future, putting it at $47,525 per coin. 

It was the first time the world’s largest cryptocurrency fell below the $50,000 level since early March. Smaller cryptocurrencies like Ether and XRP fell 3.5% and 6.7%, respectively. Experts anticipate more downslide in the days ahead. 

President Biden recently proposed increasing capital gains taxes for the wealthy (those earning more than $1 million per year) to 39.6 percent. Concern about the potential impact of higher taxes was mirrored in the market this week. Investors in Bitcoin already face a capital gains tax if they sell the cryptocurrency after holding it for more than a year.

"With a high growth rate in the bitcoin price, crypto holders that have accrued gains will be subjected to this tax increment," said Nick Spanos, founder at Bitcoin Center NYC. He sees bitcoin dropping further in the coming days.

Also contributing to Bitcoin’s Friday slump were regulatory concerns, fears over valuation, and “bullish exuberance at overbought levels,” according to Fawad Razaqzada, a market analyst at ThinkMarkets. Industry analysts say investors may want to brace for the possibility of more volatility ahead. 

“People have been talking about the capital gains tax and U.S. stock-market selloff being the catalyst of this,” Todd Morakis, co-founder of digital-finance product and service provider JST Capital, told Bloomberg. “If it is true we’ve moved too much -- but once Bitcoin gets a head of steam it is tough to stop unless you are at a technical area.”

Researchers at the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom have found that people can pass COVID-19 to their cats. In a study involving two cats of different breeds living in separate households, both cats contracted the virus after their owners exposed them to it. 

"We identified two cats that tested positive," said lead author Margaret Hosie, Ph.D., of the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research. "Both of them were from suspected COVID-19 households."

One of the cats exhibited mild COVID-19 symptoms and survived, but the other cat -- a four-month old Ragdoll kitten -- developed breathing difficulties and had to be put down. 

"These findings indicate that human-to-cat transmission of SARS-CoV-2 occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, with the infected cats displaying mild or severe respiratory disease,” Hosie said.

Monitoring routes of transmission

Although there is currently no evidence of cat-to-human COVID-19 transmission, Hosie said "we cannot rule out the possibility that the virus could be transmitted from cats to humans." 

She added that finding out if domestic cats can pass the virus to people will be difficult, "as we could never expose an uninfected person to an infected cat to determine whether cat-to-human transmission would occur."

At this time, scientists do not believe that cats or other domestic animals play a major role in the pandemic when it comes to transmission rates. However, previous research has found that cats can pass the virus to other cats.

The U.K. researchers said it will be “important to monitor for human-to-cat, cat-to-cat and cat-to-human transmission." Hosie and her colleagues said companion animals could possibly act as a “viral reservoir,” so it will be important to look into different routes of transmission to better understand the risks. 

The CDC has acknowledged that a “small number” of pets have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, mostly after close contact with people with COVID-19. The agency advises owners to treat pets “as you would other human family members” during the pandemic. 

“Do not let pets interact with people outside the household,” the CDC said. “If a person inside the household becomes sick, isolate that person from everyone else, including pets.” 

The CDC added that masks should not be put on pets because it could harm them.  

The mystery of how a driverless Tesla crashed in Texas last weekend remains the focus of investigators probing the crash and safety advocates who have been critical of Tesla’s Autopilot feature.

The April 17 fiery crash near Houston killed two men who were riding in the car. Police investigating the crash report that one man was in the front passenger seat and the other was in the back seat. They said no one was behind the wheel.

As state and federal investigators began their probe, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that logs showed the car’s Autopilot was not engaged at the time of the crash, disputing the assumption that the occupants were misusing the technology, which is only intended to assist a driver and not take the place of one.

This week, Consumer Reports released a video demonstrating how one of its safety engineers was able to trick a Tesla’s Autopilot into thinking there was a driver when none was present. According to the video, the Autopilot could have disengaged when the car hit a tree and burst into flames.

Pressure from Washington

Pressure on Tesla may be increasing in Washington. The Wall Street Journal reports that two members of the U.S. Senate have raised safety concerns about the electric vehicle manufacturer in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is investigating the crash.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) reportedly urged the NHTSA to require Tesla to make improvements to its Autopilot feature and other driver-assist technology.

“We fear safety concerns involving these vehicles are becoming a pattern, which is incredibly worrisome and deserves your undivided attention,” the lawmakers reportedly told the safety agency.

Safety advocates have also stepped up their pressure on Tesla in the wake of several accidents in which the driver may have been misusing the Autopilot feature. Last July, researchers presenting at an “automated vehicle summit” recommended that Tesla install cameras in its cars to make sure drivers are not misusing Autopilot. They noted that driver-assist features developed by Ford and GM use video monitoring to assure compliance.

Recent studies have highlighted how climate change can affect everything from mental and physical health to fertility and even the economy. Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Arizona shows that climate change may also impact consumers’ decision to have kids. 

According to the team’s findings, the repercussions of rising global temperatures, greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution have led many consumers to second guess what the future of the planet will look like; this uncertainty has been added to a growing list of considerations when consumers contemplate having children. 

“For many people, the question of whether to have children or not is one of the biggest they will face in their lives,” said researcher Sabrina Helm. “If you are worried about what the future will look like because of climate change, obviously it will impact how you view this very important decision in your life.” 

What factors into decision-making? 

To better understand how the state of the environment factored into consumers’ decisions about having kids, the researchers conducted a two-part study. In the first part, the team went right to the source: they analyzed comments from an online article that discussed the ways that climate change has emerged as a major consideration in having children. In the second part of the study, the researchers interviewed participants between the ages of 18 and 35 to gain insight into their beliefs and decision-making processes. 

Ultimately, the researchers identified three major factors that factored into the participants’ thoughts on having kids: uncertainty about the future, overconsumption, and overpopulation. 

Many of the participants expressed fear about what the world will look like if climate change isn’t addressed soon, and they feel a sense of responsibility to not burden future generations with these issues. Participants also shared that they didn’t want their future kids to be part of the problem; because of how rapidly the environment is changing, more consumption of resources could put essentials like water at a greater deficit. Lastly, the group shared concerns about having kids because of the current rapid population growth; however, they did find a sustainable loophole. 

“Adoption was seen as the low-carbon alternative,” explained Helm. 

The researchers explained that many of the participants expressed feelings of anxiety and general worry about the future of the environment, and those worries factored into their decisions about potentially having children. To complicate things even further, many participants said they struggle to share these feelings with those closest to them. 

“It’s still a bit taboo to even talk about this -- about how worried they are -- in an environment where there are still people who deny climate change,” said Helm. “I think what’s been lacking is the opportunity to talk about it and hear other people’s voices. Maybe this research will help.” 

Is there hope for the future?

Not all of the participants’ responses about the future and the possibility of having kids were rooted in uncertainty or fear. The researchers found that some people in the group were hopeful that a future generation could tackle the issues of climate change that we’re currently struggling with.

“Many people are now severely affected in terms of mental health with regard to climate change concerns,” Helm said. “Then you add this very important decision about having kids, which very few take lightly, and this is an important topic from a public health perspective. It all ties into this bigger topic of how climate change affects people beyond the immediate effect of weather phenomena.” 

Wildfire smoke has been linked with a variety of health risks, and now a new study conducted by researchers from the University of California at San Francisco has found yet another way that consumers’ health can be compromised by these dangerous disasters. 

According to their findings, consumers exposed to wildfire smoke may be at an increased risk of developing skin disease. Their work showed that atopic dermatitis, or eczema, was more prevalent following California’s wildfires than in previous years. 

“Existing research on air pollution and health outcomes has focused primarily on cardiac and respiratory health outcomes, and understandably so,” said researcher Raj Fadadu. “But there is a gap in the research connecting air pollution and skin health. Skin is the largest organ of the human body, and it’s in constant interaction with the external environment. So, it makes sense that changes in the external environment, such as increases or decreases in air pollution, could affect our skin health.” 

Pollution’s impact on skin health

The researchers compared patient data at a dermatology clinic from October through February of 2015, 2016, and 2018. This dataset is unique because the 2018 information came during the San Francisco Camp Fire wildfires. 

While nearly 8,000 patients received health services at this clinic across the three years, the researchers found that general itchiness and eczema surged during the wildfires compared to the other two years. These findings are important for several reasons, not least of which is that the overwhelming majority of these patients had no history of eczema or other skin issues prior to their clinic visits. 

“Fully 89% of the patients that had itch during the time of Camp Fire did not have a known diagnosis of atopic dermatitis, suggesting that folks with normal skin also experienced irritation and/or absorption of toxins within a very short period of time,” said researcher Dr. Maria Wei. 

Prior to these findings, experts had identified a link between higher levels of air pollution and an increase in eczema and other skin irritations. With this new information, experts can show that the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that was present in the air following the wildfires had a significant impact on consumers’ skin health. It’s also important to note that this skin response occurred quickly after exposure to smoke and air pollution. 

While there are serious health risks to consider when thinking about the implications of wildfires, the researchers hope these findings highlight how skin health should also be taken into consideration following a natural disaster. 

“A lot of the conversations about the health implications of climate change and air pollution don’t focus on skin health, but it’s important to recognize that skin conditions do affect people’s quality of life, their social interactions, and how they feel psychologically,” Fadadu said. “I hope that these health impacts can be more integrated into policies and discussions about the wide-ranging health effects of climate change and air pollution.” 

With pandemic restrictions easing and more people getting vaccinations, gasoline demand is sharply higher than at this time last year. Even so, gas prices showed little movement this week.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows the national average price of regular gas is $2.88 a gallon, two cents higher than last Friday. That’s more than a dollar higher than this time last year, when much of the nation was on lockdown due to the pandemic.

The average price of premium gas is $3.48 a gallon, also two cents more than a week ago. The average price of diesel fuel is $3.08 a gallon, a penny more than last week.

Consumer demand for gasoline has been rising for several weeks but Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis, reported on Twitter at mid-week that the latest numbers show demand is stalling.

Cooling demand would be good news for prices at the pump since this time of year normally sees a seasonal rise in fuel prices. It also helps that oil refineries are finally busier.

“Refinery utilization is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, and with gasoline stocks seeing builds in the last month amid lower crude oil prices, motorists have benefited from mostly flat gas prices,” said Jeanette McGee, AAA’s spokesperson. “However, crude started to see some upward movement this week, which could translate to small increases at the pump by the end of April.”

The states with the most expensive gas

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

• California ($3.98)

• Hawaii ($3.76)

• Nevada ($3.43)

• Washington ($3.39)

• Oregon ($3.24)

• Utah ($3.14)

• Alaska ($3.17)

• Illinois ($3.10)

• Idaho ($3.10)

• Arizona ($3.06)

The states with the cheapest regular gas

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

• Mississippi ($2.57)

• Texas ($2.59)

• Louisiana ($2.60)

• South Carolina ($2.60)

• North Carolina ($2.63)

• Alabama ($2.63)

• Oklahoma ($2.66)

• Missouri ($2.66)

• Arkansas ($2.68)

• Virginia ($2.70)

Olymel of Quebec, Canada, is recalling approximately 6,804 pounds of ready-to-eat ham.

The product may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

The following item, packaged on November 5, 2020, is being recalled:

• 12-lb. plastic film vacuum package of “Celebrity EXTRA LEAN IMPORTED HAM 98% FAT FREE” with product codes “20309 11 – 91”, “20309 21 – 91”, “20309 31 – 91”, “20309 41 – 91” or “20309 51 – 91” printed on the side of the packaging.

The recalled product, bearing Canadian establishment number 180 inside the Canadian inspection mark located below the ingredient list, was shipped to distributors in California for further distribution for institutional use.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume it, but discard or return it to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact Richard Vigneault at (514) 497-1385 or by email at rvigneau@videotron.ca.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling six model year 2021 E350s, E450s, E450 Wagons and AMG E63s.

The parking control unit may fail to display the rearview camera image and cause the parking sensors to misidentify or fail to detect objects.

An inoperative rearview camera display and/or parking sensors can reduce the driver's view and awareness of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the parking control unit free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin May 31, 2021.

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

Those who lost a loved one to COVID-19 should be aware that scammers are out there offering to “help” people register for assistance with funeral expenses.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it has received reports of bad actors posing as FEMA representatives saying they can offer financial assistance to people with loved ones who died of COVID-19. 

In an advisory, the Federal Trade Commission said consumers should know that FEMA does things differently than scammers. Here are a few red flags that could indicate a scam, according to the FTC: 

• Being contacted out of the blue. FEMA won’t contact you until you have called the agency or have applied for assistance. The FTC advises consumers never to give their own or their deceased loved one’s personal or financial information to anyone who contacts them out of the blue. 

• Being asked to pay anything. Real federal employees won’t ask you to pay anything in order to receive financial assistance with funeral expenses. 

• Being asked to give personal information in an insecure way. The government won’t call, text, email, or contact you on social media and ask for your Social Security number, bank account information, or credit card number. 

Financial assistance is available 

Consumers in need of financial assistance with funeral expenses because of COVID-19 should know that there is a legitimate government relief program that can help. 

FEMA’s Funeral Assistance program, which just began yesterday, will pay up to $9,000 for funeral expenses that people have paid since January 20, 2020, for loved ones who died of the virus. 

“Survivors can apply for benefits by contacting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 844-684-6333,” the FTC stated. “The program is open to American citizens, nationals of U.S. territories, and non-citizens legally admitted to the United States, regardless of income.” 

Those who apply will need to be prepared to show certain documents, including receipts for your expenses and a death certificate that says the death happened in the United States or its territories and was likely caused by COVID-19.

Baby food manufacturer Beech-Nut Nutrition Company has been slapped with a lawsuit by Washington D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine over claims that it misled customers about the health and safety of its products.

In the lawsuit, Racine alleges that Beech-Nut’s slogan “real food for babies” is anything but. “It reassures parents of the safety of its products through the use of words and phrases in its marketing and advertising such as ‘natural,’ ‘naturals,’ ‘100% natural,’ ‘organics,’ ‘just sweet potatoes’ (as an example), ‘non-GMO project verified,’ and ‘nothing artificial added.’” 

However, the suit contends that Beech-Nut foods contain high levels of toxic heavy metals, contradicting Beech-Nut’s vow that it “conduct[s] over 20 rigorous tests on our purees, testing for up to 255 pesticides and heavy metals (like lead, cadmium, arsenic and other nasty stuff).” 

Racine went on to accuse Beech-Nut of speaking out of both sides of its mouth when it signaled to consumers that it is “aware of no higher standards in the industry than the ones we employ,” and that “Just like you would, we send the produce back if it’s not good enough.”

“Parents across the District and the country trusted Beech-Nut when it advertised its baby food products as organic and safe. But the reality is much different, as parents unknowingly fed their babies food containing high levels of toxic metals which can lead to lifelong health complications,” Racine stated. 

“No company should profit by illegally deceiving parents about products that actually jeopardize the health and safety of their children. We are seeking to put a stop to it and put other baby food companies on notice that they must provide truthful and complete information about their products. Additionally, federal regulators and Congress need to take action to help ensure baby food is safe.”

Baby food lawsuits and congressional concerns are rolling in

Adding to Beech-Nut’s woes is its inclusion in a class action lawsuit filed in February that claimed the company (and others) misrepresented the heavy metals in their baby food. 

In fact, baby foods in general have had a rough year so far. AboutLawsuits reports that at least 38 proposed baby food class action lawsuits have been filed throughout the federal court system since February. All of the lawsuits involved allegations that popular baby food products contained high levels of arsenic, lead, and mercury.

The Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy in the U.S. House of Representatives also released a report in February called “Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury.” In that report, the Committee requested internal documents and test results from seven of the U.S.’ largest manufacturers of baby food, including:

• Nurture, Inc., which sells Happy Family Organics, including baby food products under the brand name HappyBABY

• Beech-Nut Nutrition Company 

• Hain Celestial Group, Inc., which sells baby food products under the brand name Earth’s Best Organic

• Gerber

• Campbell Soup Company, which sells baby food products under the brand name Plum Organics

• Walmart Inc., which sells baby food products through its private brand Parent’s Choice

• Sprout Foods, Inc. 

Plaintiffs in 43 lawsuits over toxic metal contamination in baby foods filed a motion in March asking for the cases to be consolidated in New York federal court.

Consumers weigh in

When ConsumerAffairs took a look at past consumer sentiment regarding Beech-Nut baby food products, the company mustered slightly more than a one-star rating, coupled with a significant number of negative comments by reviewers.

One reviewer -- Heidi of Buckley, West Virginia -- said her “mommy intuition” kicked in when she noticed that no “pop” occurred when she opened a jar of Beech-Nut pineapple pear avocado. “To check the taste I took the lid and licked the remaining product from it. While the flavor itself was suspicious, I was immediately aware that I had something crunchy in my mouth. I spit into my hand and found a small but very obvious shard of glass.”

M. of Albuquerque, New Mexico, claimed that she found yellow fat floating on top of a new jar of Beech-Nut chicken. “Consistency also was lumpy, like fine fibrous oatmeal. Can see coarse chicken fibers in it, that shouldn't be there in a first food,” they said.

“M” said they called Beech-Nut’s consumer relations but that a representative “refused to apologize or offer to make it right.”

--- 

Update

The Beech-Nut Nutrition Company has released the following statement to the media regarding its pending litigation:

"We want to assure parents and caregivers that Beech-Nut products are, and have always been, safe and nutritious. That said, we do not comment on specific, pending litigation. Beech-Nut Nutrition looks forward to continuing to work with the FDA, in partnership with the Baby Food Council, on science-based standards that food suppliers can implement across our industry. Beech-Nut is committed to continually refining its internal standards and testing processes as technology and knowledge develops. Beech-Nut has been, and will continue to be, a leader in providing high-quality baby food products.”

The European Union is reportedly preparing legal action against vaccine maker AstraZeneca for not supplying enough doses of its COVID-19 vaccine. 

Last September, AstraZeneca agreed to put forth its “best reasonable efforts” to deliver 180 million doses to the EU during the second quarter of 2021. However, the firm has so far only delivered 31 million doses. The European Commission told the 27 European ambassadors at a meeting this week that it was considering legal action because the company’s delivery issues have hampered vaccine distribution efforts. 

"What matters is that we ensure the delivery of a sufficient number of doses in line with the company's earlier commitments," European Commission spokesperson Stefan De Keeresmaecker said Thursday. "Together with the member states, we are looking at all options to make this happen.” 

Politico first reported that the commission is considering legal action. CNBC said it spoke to unnamed sources who said the action could be just days away. 

“The commission wants to move fast. It is a matter of days,” one EU official told the publication. The official added that there has been “large support” from the ambassadors for the legal action, but “a few legal questions” are being examined before the process can move forward.

Holding AstraZeneca to its promises 

The commission is reportedly focused on making sure that upcoming deliveries are in line with the number the company committed to earlier. However, several countries have said they’re concerned that launching a lawsuit against AstraZeneca wouldn’t ensure that the EU got more doses. 

"What can we do in practical terms if AstraZeneca says, 'Take a closer look at our production sites: We just have no vaccines,'" one EU diplomat said, according to Politico.

AstraZeneca executives said earlier this year that the delays in vaccine deliveries were being caused by low yields at EU production plants.

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 31,871,390 (31,802,046)

Total U.S. deaths: 569,518 (568,572)

Total global cases: 144,025,288 (143,128,250)

Total global deaths: 3,062,087 (3,047,754)

Michigan’s surge in new cases finally slows

Despite some of the toughest coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions in the country, Michigan has recorded a surge in new cases just as the national trend began to fall. Fortunately, the latest numbers suggest the rise may have peaked.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the seven-day average of new cases in the state fell from 551.8 per 100,000 people on April 14 to 483 per 100,000 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, health officials are trying to learn why the state has been hit so hard this spring.

In an interview with Scientific American, Dr. Benjamin Stix, an anesthesia critical care medicine fellow at the University of Michigan, said he thinks the surge was related to timing, not behavior. He said the state began to open up right as the U.K. variant became widespread. 

“There was, all of a sudden, all these people who were, right as the state was opening up, exposing themselves to the community more, essentially. And now we’re in a really bad, bad situation,” Stix stated.

New jobless claims go down again

Despite an uptick in COVID-19 cases around the nation, the labor market continues to improve. The Labor Department reports that initial claims for unemployment benefits fell again, dropping more than most economists expected.

There were 549,000 new claims for benefits last week, 39,000 fewer than the week before and the lowest number since the pandemic began in March 2020.

Last week’s total is part of an improving trend. The four-week moving average was 651,000, a decrease of 27,750 from the previous week's revised average. 

Cigna rolls out vaccination incentives

Cigna, a health services company, has introduced what it calls “a broad range of new initiatives” to encourage and expand access to COVID-19 vaccinations. As many other corporations have done, Cigna is offering paid time off to receive the vaccination.

The company is also offering an incentive award for employees who are fully vaccinated and transportation to vaccine appointments at no cost for most Medicare Advantage customers.

"Even as vaccination rates increase, we are in a race against more contagious variants, and we must remain vigilant," said Dr. Steve Miller, Cigna's chief clinical officer. 

Survey shows 90% of nurses have been vaccinated

As the COVID-19 vaccine rolled out late last year, a surprising number of health care professionals expressed skepticism. A large number of nurses at a Houston hospital told pollsters they weren’t going to get the shots, giving a variety of reasons.

Attitudes appear to have softened. Feedtrail, a service provider to the health care industry, has released a national survey showing that 90% of nurses have already been vaccinated. Another 82% said they were willing to urge others to be vaccinated.

Meanwhile, the White House has announced that the Biden administration has reached its goal of having a total of 200 million Americans vaccinated before the end of April.

Pandemic-led camping trend may continue

With bars, restaurants, and movie theaters mostly off-limits over the last year, millions of Americans rediscovered the great outdoors. Sporting goods manufacturers and campgrounds reported a big increase in camping, and sales of recreational vehicles (RV) surged.

Now that the economy is reopening, a new survey suggests that camping enthusiasm may stick around through most of 2021. New research from Kampgrounds of America (KOA) shows a strong outlook for both the RV and camping industries, with more people identifying as RV campers, more people buying RVs, and a very strong increase in interest year-over-year.

"One of the most encouraging trends of this year's data is the continued growth of diverse communities engaging in camping for the first time and becoming even more engaged, like Black campers having the highest intent of all camper sub-groups to purchase an RV this year," said Toby O’Roark, CEO of KOA.

Around the nation

• Virginia: Colleges in the state are planning to reopen campuses in the fall but are undecided about whether they can require all students to be vaccinated. Legal advisers have pointed out that the vaccines don’t have full FDA approval -- only emergency use authorization.

• Arkansas: The state legislature this week took steps toward prohibiting any requirements to show proof of vaccination or to impose mask mandates. The GOP-backed bill cleared the Senate by a wide margin.

• Vermont: Vermont has some of the strictest COVID-19 restrictions still in place, but some may be loosened as the summer tourism season approaches. However, visitors who have not been vaccinated must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken three days prior to arrival.

People paying off mountains of student loan debt may be heartened by a recent talk in Washington about student loan “forgiveness.” President Biden is reportedly studying whether he can wipe out billions of dollars of debt by executive action.

But the Better Business Bureau warns that scammers have picked up on the trend as well and hope to cash in with bogus debt forgiveness schemes that will steal victims’ personal data, as well as their money.

“Watch out for companies promising to reduce debt by lowering payments through enrollment in student loan forgiveness or other programs,” the BBB warned in a recent scam alert. “They may also falsely promise to apply monthly payments to consumers’ student loans and to improve credit scores- all you have to do is pay a small fee so they can negotiate with the lender on your behalf.”

The BBB said it has received reports of yet another version in which dishonest collectors claim they can save people money by consolidating loans in exchange for a minimal fee.

FTC weighs in

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has also documented these kinds of scams that will probably increase as the government moves closer to providing relief to borrowers. Its list of red flags include:

• Upfront fees: The FTC reminds you that it’s illegal for a company to charge you before they provide help. If you pay upfront, you are unlikely to get any help or a refund.

• Big promises: According to the FTC, “only scammers promise fast loan forgiveness” or any kind of “guarantee.” Currently, student loan forgiveness is hard to get. The exceptions are loans to attend schools that are no longer operating or have been found to be in violation of consumer law.

• You must act now: Regardless of the scheme, scammers always try to create a sense of urgency. If you are told you must act immediately, it means they don’t want you to have time to think about it or seek advice.

Clever packaging

Don’t be fooled by clever packaging. Student debt forgiveness scammers have been known to use official-looking names, seals, and logos. They may claim to have special access to certain repayment plans, new federal loan consolidations, or loan forgiveness programs. 

They don’t. If you have federal loans, go to the Department of Education directly at www.StudentAid.gov.

Finally, the FTC cautions student loan borrowers to not share any personal information, especially their FSA ID. Dishonest people could use that information to get into your account and take control of your personal information.

If you have student loan debt, pay attention to the news over the next few months. Current proposals call for eliminating between $10,000 and $50,000. If the government adopts that policy, you will not be required to pay a fee or work with any specific company to receive debt reduction.

To help workers who feel they can’t take time off work to get their COVID-19 vaccination, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department are offering tax credits to help small businesses offer that allowance. The offer was first announced by President Biden on Wednesday. 

“Businesses and employers ... should be supported for doing the right thing. So to make sure this policy comes at no cost to small- or medium-sized businesses ... the IRS is posting instructions for how employers can get reimbursed for the cost of providing paid leave for their employees to get vaccinated and recover from the side effects if they have any. That reimbursement, which comes through a tax payment, is thanks to the program I launched in the American Rescue Plan,” Biden said.

Eligible employers may claim those tax credits for any sick leave or family leave paid to employees, including leave taken to receive or recover from COVID-19 vaccinations. However, this is not a forever offer. The paid leave has to take place between April 1, 2021, and September 30, 2021.

Eligibility and limitations

The IRS says businesses will need to have fewer than 500 employees in order to be eligible for the program. An eligible employer also includes tax-exempt organizations and a governmental employer. The agency notes that to be considered eligible, a governmental employer must be one “other than the federal government and any agency or instrumentality of the federal government that is not an organization described in section 501(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code.” 

As an example, the IRS said if an eligible employer offers employees a paid day off in order to get vaccinated, then that employer can receive a tax credit equal to the dollar amount of wages paid to employees for that day -- up to certain limits.

“The tax credit for paid sick leave wages is equal to the sick leave wages paid for COVID-19 related reasons for up to two weeks (80 hours), limited to $511 per day and $5,110 in the aggregate, at 100 percent of the employee's regular rate of pay,” the agency stated.

The IRS said the tax credit for paid family leave wages is equal to the family leave wages paid for up to 12 weeks, but it also has limitations: a max of $200 per day and $12,000 in the aggregate, at two-thirds of the employee's regular rate of pay. The agency said the amount of those tax credits can be increased by other items such as health plan expenses, contributions for certain collectively bargained benefits, and the employer's share of Social Security and Medicare taxes paid on the wages. Self-employed individuals are also eligible for similar tax credits in their Individual Form 1040 tax return.

For complete details on every facet of the offer, the IRS has created a guide to help employers and self-employed individuals dot all the I’s and cross their T’s correctly. That guide is available here.

At the beginning of a virtual climate summit, President Biden announced that he’s committing the United States to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50%-52% below its 2005 emissions levels by 2030. 

The White House climate summit is taking place on Thursday and Friday, and it’s being attended by 40 other world leaders. Climate scientists have said that slashing emissions by half is key to achieving the goals set under the Paris climate agreement, which president Biden rejoined upon taking office. 

Biden kicked off the climate summit with an address focused on his plans for creating a more sustainable economy. He said it’s crucial for all sectors to take climate change seriously and that doing so will help create more jobs. 

"When people talk about climate, I think jobs," Biden said. "Within our climate response lies an extraordinary engine of job creation and economic opportunity ready to be fired up.

"That's where we're headed as a nation, and that's what we can do if we take action to build an economy that's not only more prosperous but healthier, fairer and cleaner for the entire planet.”

Spurring action

Biden encouraged other world leaders to take their own preventative steps, saying “countries that take decisive action now to create the industries of the future will be the ones that reap the economic benefits of the clean energy boom that's coming."

"We're looking for people to make announcements, to raise their ambition, to indicate next steps that they intend to be taking to help solve the climate problem," an administration official said earlier this week.

At the summit, the president also reiterated his goal of achieving 100 percent carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035 under his $2 trillion green infrastructure proposal. The proposal pushes for the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs and places addressing the climate crisis at the forefront. Biden has said he’s focused on reducing emissions and building a "modern, resilient and fully clean grid."

Online banking got a significant boost during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic because nearly all banks closed their lobbies. But a new study of digital banking suggests that only accelerated a trend that had already been taking hold.

A consumer digital banking study by FICO, an analytics firm, found that U.S. and Canadian consumers have embraced a wide range of digital banking features. More of them are opening accounts online instead of going to a nearby branch. They are also increasingly open to biometric identity procedures such as fingerprints and face scans.

"In an effort to help stop the spread of the virus, consumers across North America have accelerated their move from brick-and-mortar branches to digital banking channels," said Liz Lasher, vice president, FICO.  "As a result, consumers' expectations have shifted, placing higher priority on having a seamless and engaging digital experience, which includes establishing account security.”

For financial service providers, Lasher says the message is clear. Providers will have to have a solid digital platform to not only deliver good customer service but also improve fraud protection and financial crime compliance.

Rising expectations

The study found that consumer expectations have risen along with the shift to online banking. The authors say bank customers expect a seamless, uninterrupted experience when opening accounts digitally when using a website or a mobile app. 

They also don't want to be forced to use another channel to complete tasks, particularly those associated with proving their identity. The survey of consumers found that 25% of Americans will go to a competitor or abandon the application completely if they are asked to mail documents, visit branches, or send scanned documents by email 

Banks are also finding themselves in increased competition with fintech firms that provide many of the same financial services but are completely digital.  A recent report by Research and Markets found that fintech firms have a significant head start over traditional banks and are now employing artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain to improve the customer experience.

“AI interfaces and chatbots have primarily redefined customer service, and its expanding business will enable AI-oriented fintech market to grow at an impressive rate through 2025,” the authors predicted.

Following a healthy sleeping routine has been linked with several health benefits for consumers. However, the opposite is also true: inconsistent sleep can increase risks for several health conditions.  

Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the European Society of Cardiology found that regular sleep disruptions may be associated with an increased risk of early death, and this poses a bigger threat for women than for men. While being awake in the middle night is fairly common, the team says the risk of early death rises when consumers are consistently awake for long stretches of time and several times throughout the night. 

The risks associated with disrupted sleep

The researchers analyzed data from more than 8,000 participants enrolled in three different studies: the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Sleep Study, the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, and the Sleep Heart Health Study. All of the participants wore sleep monitors during the study, and the team followed up with them over the course of several years. 

The researchers were primarily interested in how many times the participants woke up throughout the night and how long they stayed awake; they dubbed this trend “arousal burden.” Women involved in the two studies had higher arousal burdens than any of the men enrolled in the studies, and this was linked with a higher risk of early death. 

When men’s arousal burden was approaching 9% of their total night’s sleep time, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) was 1.3 times higher; comparatively, when women’s arousal burden was around 7% of their total night’s sleep, the risk of cardiovascular-related death was doubled. There were similar risks linked to all-cause mortality among men and women. 

The researchers found that both body mass index (BMI) and age can heighten consumers’ arousal burden. The team encourages adopting a consistent sleep routine to ensure optimal health. 

“For me as a physician, a high arousal burden helps to identify patients who may be at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease,” said researcher Dr. Dominik Linz. “We need to advise our patients to take care of their sleep and practice good sleep ‘hygiene.’ Measures to minimize noise pollution during the night, lose weight, and treat sleep apnea could also help to reduce arousal burden.” 

The team hopes that more work is done in this area to see how physicians can best go about treating patients and promoting long-term health benefits. 

“Even though many knowledge gaps on the relationship between sleep and CVD remain to be studied in the coming years, this study provides solid evidence supporting the importance of sleep quality for a better CV health,” the researchers wrote. “What remains to be determined is whether an intervention aiming at improving sleep quality is able to reduce the incidence of CV events and mortality. While awaiting these trials, we wish you sweet dreams.”