Current Events in May 2021

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 46 model year 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP & CCF, model year 2016-2017 Passat GP, model year 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and model year 2018 Atlas vehicles.

These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale.

Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash or fire.

What to do

Dealers will repurchase the vehicles.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 2, 2021.

Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at (800) 893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.

Cheyenne Industries of Rogers, Ark., is recalling about 795,000 Cheyenne Products Mainstay folding metal padded chairs and barstools.

The weld attaching the legs to the seat bottom can break, posing a fall hazard.

The firm has received 41 reports of incidents of the weld connecting the legs to the bottom of the chair breaking, resulting in 19 injuries, including four reports of fractures and one report of a torn ligament.

This recall involves multiple styles of metal folding chairs and barstools with padded seats upholstered in vinyl or microfiber and sold under the Mainstay brand name.

A white sticker label on the bottom of the seats includes the name Cheyenne Products or Cheyenne Industries and lists the production date by month and year.

Another white sticker label on the bottom of the seat displays a barcode with the model number printed above the barcode, and the UPC printed below the barcode.

A list of the recalled models may be found here.

The folding chairs and barstools, manufactured in China, were sold exclusively at Walmart stores nationwide and Walmart.com from January 2014, through April 2021, for between $30 and $42.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled folding chairs and barstools and contact Cheyenne for a full refund.

Consumers may contact Cheyenne toll-free at (833) 351-1707 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CT) Monday through Friday, by email at cheyennerecall@nbg-home.com, or online at www.cheyenneproducts.com and click on “Recalls” at the bottom of the page for more information and a complete listing of recalled styles.

Travelers who are stuck overseas and holding a recently expired U.S. passport are being rescued by the State Department. The agency announced on Tuesday that it is working with the Department of Homeland Security to facilitate their return home. The agency says the move will help reduce travel difficulties and unprecedented appointment backlogs created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Any U.S. citizen currently stranded overseas with a passport that expired on or after January 1, 2020, can use that passport anytime through December 31, 2021. There are certain criteria that apply, but the agencies ask that those travelers get in touch ahead of their trip home so that their eligibility for traveling can be confirmed and the paperwork can be processed before finalizing travel arrangements.

The agencies want travelers with expired passports to know that those documents cannot be used to travel from the U.S. to an international destination for any length of stay longer than an airport connection en route to the U.S. or to a U.S. territory (e.g. American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).

For those wishing to renew their passport upon their return to the U.S., current processing times can be found on the U.S. Passports website.

Reconsider travel abroad

Even though international travel is starting to trend upward as the pandemic trends downward domestically, the State Department continues to strongly recommend that Americans think twice about traveling abroad — especially to places where COVID-19 levels remain high.

“We also remind U.S. citizens who wish to return to the United States that proof of a negative COVID-19 test result, taken within 72 hours of their flight’s departure, is required for air travel to the United States,” the agency said. 

The agency also reminds travelers that processing times for passports are currently running at about 10-12 weeks — a timeline that could push international travel back to mid-to-late August. 

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 33,145,906 (33,120,470)

Total U.S. deaths: 590,758 (589,925)

Total global cases: 167,416,621 (167,261,131)

Total global deaths: 3,475,888 (3,465,583)

Moderna trial shows its vaccine works with adolescents

Children between the ages of 12 and 15 are currently receiving coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations with the Pfizer vaccine, but they could soon start receiving another vaccine option produced by Moderna.

Moderna reports that it has completed a clinical trial with that age group, and the vaccine proved to be safe and effective at preventing the virus. In the study, no cases of COVID-19 were observed in participants who had received two doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. 

The tests demonstrated a vaccine efficacy rate of 93% starting 14 days after the first dose. The company plans to submit the data to regulators globally in early June.

Half of all U.S. adults to be vaccinated by end of today

The White House is celebrating the decline in COVID-19 cases and predicts that half of all U.S. adults will be vaccinated by the end of today. New cases of the virus have fallen to lows not seen since last June.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently puts the vaccination rate among adults at 49.8%. Even more -- 61.5% -- have received at least one dose.

Health officials credit the vaccination rate with vastly reducing the number of COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the year, while other nations like India and Japan continue to struggle. President Biden has set a goal of having 70% of eligible Americans vaccinated by Independence Day.

Americans are returning to the skies

With COVID-19 restrictions falling by the wayside after more than a year, more Americans are seeking to travel and to get there the fastest way possible. United Airlines reports that domestic leisure bookings are now ahead of where they were in 2019.

That doesn’t mean things are back to normal revenue-wise. The company said revenue per available seat mile would likely be down 12% for the second quarter, but that’s an improvement over its previous forecast of a 20% decline.

Unless you booked your flight weeks ago, you’re probably paying more for an airline ticket. A report from Bernstein shows that U.S. fares are up 9% since April 1, and international fares are up 17%.

Study finds lasting protection from mild COVID-19

If you had a mild case of COVID-19 -- and millions have -- then you probably have lasting antibody protection from the virus. That’s the conclusion of a new study by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis.

“Last fall, there were reports that antibodies wane quickly after infection with the virus that causes COVID-19, and mainstream media interpreted that to mean that immunity was not long-lived,” said senior author Ali Ellebedy. “But that’s a misinterpretation of the data.”

The findings, published May 24 in the journal Nature, suggest that mild cases of COVID-19 leave those infected with lasting antibody protection and that repeated bouts of illness are likely to be uncommon.

Lawn investments surged during the pandemic

With Americans spending so much time at home over the last year, it might not come as a surprise that there was a lot of home improvement spending. TruGreen, a national lawn care provider, reports that much of that spending was focused on the exterior of the home.

Its survey shows over half of respondents said they updated or added new plants and/or garden additions to their homes over the past year.

"From creating little everyday moments to adding up to $10,000 in value to homes, trees and shrubs are a meaningful – and worthwhile – investment,” said Brian Feldman, director of technical operations and certified arborist at TruGreen. “But protecting these investments can require challenging maintenance.”

Around the nation

• New Jersey: Gov. Phil Murphy has announced that the state will lift its mask and social distancing mandates this week in time for Memorial Day weekend activities. Murphy said he waited to take the action because he wanted to be sure it was safe. 

• Ohio: Money talks, or at least it does in Ohio. State officials have revealed that the vaccination rate has risen throughout the state following the launch of a $1 million lottery for those who have been fully vaccinated.

• South Dakota: Few officials are willing to suggest the pandemic is over, but the question is being raised in South Dakota, where 54% of the eligible population has been vaccinated. “Our case numbers are at a point where they are very manageable, we have seen great vaccination rates amongst our elderly population,” said South Dakota Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon.  

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many consumers’ living situations, including prompting many young adults to return home to live with their parents. 

Now, researchers from North Carolina State University are working to make this transition a more positive situation for consumers. According to findings from their recent survey, adults who move back in with their parents don’t have to feel shame about the decision if they properly frame and plan it out.

“People move back in with their parents for a lot of reasons, and the trend is increasing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic woes,” said researcher Lynsey Romo. “We launched this study before the pandemic happened because we wanted to learn more about how adults who move back in with their parents manage that process. How do they think about it? How do they talk about it?” 

Coping with moving back home

The researchers surveyed 31 adults between the ages of 23 and 31 to understand how young adults handle moving back home with their parents. Participants discussed their decision to move back home and the things that have helped them view the move as something positive rather than a setback. 

The discussions ultimately boiled down to four main points that can help consumers stay positive about this decision: creating a timeline, detailing expectations, being mature, and contributing to household duties. 

Planning for the future is an important part of adults moving back in with their parents. Making it clear how long the arrangement will last and what adults hope to gain by the move are two good ways to maintain positivity and strong relationships in the home. 

In terms of expectations, the participants shared that it’s crucial for adults to hash out the details with their parents. This includes discussing everything from responsibilities around the house to financial obligations, and even curfews. 

Lastly, the participants said acting like an adult, even when around parents, can help give agency to adults living in their childhood homes. Being able to maintain maturity can help identify new roles in the house; though many adults may see moving in with their parents as a step backwards, it’s important to establish new boundaries in a familiar place. 

“On one hand, study participants were certainly aware of the stigma associated with moving back in with one’s parents as an adult,” said Romo. “However, it was equally clear that framing the decision to move back in with one’s parents as an investment in the future helped people think about the decision in a positive way and communicate about it in a positive way.” 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that these findings are beneficial to adult consumers that have moved back in with their parents or are planning a move back. There are ways to positively frame this situation, and having the right mindset can make all the difference. 

“Moving back home is a reality for a lot of people right now,” Romo said. “Hopefully, this work will make them make the most of that circumstance and avoid any stigma associated with it.” 

The Biden administration announced on Tuesday that it will open up parts of the Pacific coast to commercial-scale offshore renewable energy development. 

This will be the first time a major wind project is launched on the West Coast. Two areas are being honed in on: one at Morro Bay and another near Humboldt County. These areas could generate up to 4.6GW of energy, which the White House says is enough power for 1.6 million homes over the next decade. 

“I believe that a clean energy future is within our grasp in the United States, but it will take all of us and the best-available science to make it happen,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said in a statement today.

Floating offshore wind technology

Since waters off the West Coast get deeper faster, the Biden administration plans to deploy floating wind farms. The Department of Energy says it’s invested more than $100 million into researching, developing, and demonstrating floating offshore wind technology. 

Biden’s goal is to get America to 100% clean electricity by 2035 and the entire U.S. economy to clean energy by 2050. California is also taking aggressive steps to combat the climate crisis. Governor Gavin Newsom has set a clean energy deadline for the economy of 2045. In a statement, he described Biden’s wind project as “game changing” for California.  

“Developing offshore wind to produce clean, renewable energy could be a game changer to achieving California’s clean energy goals and addressing climate change – all while bolstering the economy and creating new jobs,” he said. “This historic announcement, which could provide clean power for up to 1.6 million homes over the next decade, represents the innovative approach we need for a clean energy economy that protects the coasts, fisheries, marine life and Tribal and cultural resources we value so much as Californians.”

More wind projects are currently awaiting federal approval. All of them are located off of the East Coast. The first commercial-scale offshore wind farm received approval earlier this month. 

DC Attorney General Karl Racine has filed an antitrust suit against Amazon, accusing the company of limiting competition by placing restrictions on what third-party sellers can do outside of its marketplace. 

In the suit, Racine accused Amazon of abusing its market dominance and unlawfully stifling competition, leading to higher prices and fewer choices for consumers. 

“Amazon’s online retail sales platform benefits from, and is protected by, Amazon’s anticompetitive business practices,” the lawsuit stated. “Far from enabling consumers to obtain the best products at the lowest prices, Amazon instead causes prices across the entire online retail sales market to be artificially inflated, both for products sold on Amazon’s online retail sales platform and on its competitors’ online retail sales platforms.” 

Less innovation

The suit, which was filed in DC Superior Court, alleges that Amazon holds onto its market dominance by barring third-party sellers from offering products at lower prices on competing platforms. The suit claims that these “most favored nation” agreements have led to higher prices for consumers and less innovation in general. 

“Amazon’s policies have prevented competing platforms, including sellers’ own websites, from competing on price and gaining market share,” Racine said in a press call. “The loss of competition results in less innovation.”

The suit noted that there is a clause that prohibits independent sellers from “offering their products on a competing online retail sales platform, including the TPS’s own website, at a lower price or on better terms than the TPS offered the products on Amazon.”

Policing big tech 

Racine is calling on Amazon to stop engaging in this anticompetitive conduct by doing away with the strict rules that independent sellers must agree to.  

“As a direct and proximate cause of Amazon’s exclusionary scheme, District residents have been injured because they have been denied a competitive marketplace for online retail sales and paid higher prices for products than they would have paid absent Amazon’s anticompetitive acts,” the suit said. “District consumers are deprived of choosing from a full, competitive range of online retailers who may have offered lower prices.” 

Tech companies have faced a slew of antitrust lawsuits in recent years. At the end of 2020, 48 state attorneys general and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Facebook for allegedly buying up companies that it may have perceived as competitive threats. 

Not long after that suit was filed, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an antitrust suit against Google for allegedly abusing its market power in the online advertising space. 

Moderna said Tuesday that its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and appears to be effective in adolescents aged 12 to 17, based on the results of its trial. 

The company said the blood samples of the 3,732 children involved in the clinical trial showed that the vaccine generated an immune response that was equivalent to earlier findings in adults. 

Moderna said none of the children who got the vaccine contracted COVID-19 beginning 14 days after their second dose. Four of the children in the placebo group tested positive for COVID-19. Moderna said that finding is "consistent with a vaccine efficacy of 100%." 

"We will submit these results to the U.S. [Food and Drug Administration] and regulators globally in early June and request authorization" for use in kids from age 12 to 17,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement.

Potential side effects were mild 

The trial results come approximately two weeks after the FDA said adolescents are now eligible to receive Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. 

Moderna said the side effects of its vaccine are similar to that of Pfizer’s and tend to be on the mild or moderate side. The company said the vaccine was “generally well tolerated,” and side effects included headache, fatigue, muscle pain, and chills following the second dose. 

In addition to submitting the findings to the FDA for emergency use authorization for adolescents, Moderna said it will submit the data to a peer-reviewed publication. 

The FDA and other federal health officials were quick to approve the use of Pfizer’s vaccine in adolescents, in part because vaccine experts have seen that it has been used safely in adults. The timeline will likely be similar for Moderna. 

Moderna and Pfizer are also testing their vaccines in younger children (those aged 6 months to 11 years). However, that testing and approval process will likely take longer since elementary age children may require different doses. 

Earlier studies have identified the ways that regular exercise can benefit older consumers’ brain health and cognitive function. Now, experts from Boston Children’s Hospital are exploring the brain benefits teens can gain from consistently engaging in physical activity. 

According to their findings, teens that exercise on a regular basis are more likely to have better brain function. 

“It didn’t matter what kind of physical activity children were involved in -- it only mattered that they were active,” said researcher Caterina Stamoulis, Ph.D. “Being active multiple times per week for at least 60 minutes had a widespread positive effect on brain circuitry.” 

The benefits of being active

To understand the brain benefits related to teens’ exercise habits, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 6,000 adolescents enrolled in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The team tracked the participants’ physical activity, analyzed MRI scans of their brains, and evaluated their body mass indices (BMIs). 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that physical activity was associated with better brain function. They focused on the brain connectome, which is a diagram of the organ’s internal connections. Teens that were exercising regularly had MRIs that showed the strongest brain function, including a better ability for the brain to organize. This indicates that each section of the brain is communicating efficiently with each other. 

“This organization optimizes the efficiency of information processing and transmission, which is still developing in adolescence and can be altered by a number of risk factors,” said Dr. Stamoulis. “Our results suggest that physical activity has a protective effect on this optimization process across brain regions.” 

The researchers hope these findings serve as another resource for parents who want to encourage their kids to become more physically active. Exercise is an important component of an overall healthy lifestyle, and keeping kids active can have benefits on their brain health at a pivotal developmental age. 

“Early adolescence is a very important time in brain development,” said Dr. Stamoulis. “It’s associated with a lot of changes in the brain’s functional circuits, particularly those supporting higher-level processes like decision-making and executive control. Abnormal changes in these areas can lead to risk behaviors and deficits in cognitive function that can follow people through their lifetime.” 

Memorial Day weekend is traditionally one of the biggest new car shopping times of the year. But in 2021, it might be a little different.

Dealers would love to sell you a car, but don’t expect a lot of generous incentives -- and they may hold closer to the sticker price, or even ask more. That’s because there’s a shortage of new cars due to the continuing shortage of computer chips. It’s a situation Kelley Blue Book calls “uncharted territory.”

"Shoppers are expecting high prices and limited choices, and that's exactly what they're finding," said Vanessa Ton, senior industry intelligence manager at KBB. "But even with the tough buying conditions, Kelley Blue Book's data shows most consumers expect to push ahead with a purchase, even in a difficult and competitive marketplace."

KBB has done a little research and has found that consumers for the most part are aware of what they’re up against, with 73% of people looking for a new car expecting to pay higher prices. 

Despite that, 60% of consumers in the market for a car said they are not planning to delay their vehicle purchase and may visit a dealer this weekend.

Sticking with their first choice

The shortage doesn’t appear to be changing people's minds on what to buy, either. Despite high prices and limited selection, most consumers are not considering smaller or less expensive vehicles. Eighty-one percent said they’ve picked out what they want and are sticking to it.

“At this point, shoppers who can wait to buy a car probably should,” said Matt DeLorenzo, senior managing editor for KBB. “But for those who can't afford to wait, it's more important than ever to shop smart.”

Under current circumstances, there are some car buyers that dealers prefer over others. For example, because of the surging price of used cars, if you are trading in a three- to- five-year-old vehicle, dealers will try to get your business. For dealers, it’s a double win. They not only sell a new car but gain a used car they can sell for a nice profit.

Cash is not king

If you plan on paying cash, keep that information to yourself until you’ve negotiated a deal. Financing packages are profitable for dealers and if you’re paying cash, they’d much rather sell a vehicle that’s in short supply to someone who is financing it.

The customer who may get the least amount of love from a car dealer right now is one who is paying cash and who has no trade-in.

Savvy consumers will do their research before visiting the dealership. And despite the tough market out there, DeLorenzo says bargain shoppers will still be able to find a few deals.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 2,503 model year 2019 Transit T150s, T250s and T350s with aluminum alloy wheels.

The wheel mounting surface of the axle flange may be warped and cause the wheel studs to fracture.

Fractured studs may allow the wheel to detach, increasing the risk of crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and -- if necessary -- replace the rear axle shaft assembly axle shaft mounting bolts and rear wheel lug nuts free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 21, 2021.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S21.

BRP U.S. of Sturtevant, Wis., is recalling about 2,700 model year 2021-2022 Ski-Doo snowmobiles sold in the U.S. and Canada.

The snowmobile’s muffler can overheat and cause the upper right-hand vent grill to melt and drip plastic on the exhaust, posing a fire hazard.

The firm has received ten reports of overheating mufflers, including three incidents that resulted in fires. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves model year 2021 and 2022 Ski-Doo Backcountry, Expedition, MXZ, Renegade, Skandic and Tundra snowmobiles equipped with a 600 EFI engine.

The vehicles were sold in a variety of colors. Ski-Doo and the model name are printed on the side panels of the vehicles.

The vehicle identification number (VIN) is on the decal located on the right-hand side of tunnel.

A list of the recalled models may be found here.

The snowmobiles, manufactured in Canada were sold exclusively at Ski-Doo dealers nationwide from August 18, 2020, through March 18, 2021, for between $8,000 and $11,000.

What to do

Consumers should stop using their recalled vehicles immediately and contact a Ski-Doo dealer for a free repair. BRP is contacting all known purchasers directly.

Consumers may contact BRP toll-free at (888) 272-9222 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (ET) Monday through Sunday, or online at www.ski-doo.com and click on “Owner Zone” on the left side of the page, and then “Safety Recalls” for more information.

On Monday, the U.S. State Department said Americans should avoid traveling to Japan in light of the fact that the country is under a state of emergency. 

Japan is currently dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak in connection with its low vaccination rate. Just 3% of the country’s population has been vaccinated, according to Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker. 

The State Department said Japan now falls under its “Level 4: Do Not Travel” category. In its advisory, the department cited "a very high level of COVID-19 in the country.” The advisory applies even to those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

“Because of the current situation in Japan even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Japan,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrote in a notice.

May affect the Olympics

The CDC advises people who must travel to Japan for essential reasons to get vaccinated if they’re not already and to protect themselves as much as possible while in the country. Recommendations include wearing face coverings, social distancing, practicing good hygiene, and avoiding contact with sick people. 

The recommendation to avoid traveling to Japan comes just two months before the planned start of the Tokyo Olympics. 

The Olympics didn’t take place as scheduled last year due to the pandemic. Now, Japan is trying to convince its residents, as well as participants and spectators from other countries, that it is ready to host the competition starting July 23. Organizers will decide next month whether to allow spectators to watch the event in person. 

Public health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are taking a look into recent outbreaks of salmonella infections linked to backyard poultry.

To date, the CDC reports that 163 people in 43 U.S. states have reported becoming ill -- with 34 hospitalizations and no deaths so far. One-third of the reports are for children under the age of five. 

However, those numbers may be underplaying the situation. The CDC says the real number of people who have salmonella infections is likely much higher because either people recover without medical care or are not tested for salmonella at all.

One of the last major salmonella outbreaks linked to poultry happened in 2017, when 961 infections, 215 hospitalizations, and one death were reported.

Looking clean and healthy doesn’t always mean clean and healthy

One of the biggest problems with raising chickens in your backyard is visually recognizing when a chicken -- or a duck -- is carrying salmonella. Salmonella germs can be on a bird even if they look healthy and clean. Those germs can easily spread in areas where they live and roam, so the likelihood of infection increases when people go to collect eggs or feed their birds.

The CDC says not recognizing a chicken that has salmonella is common, regardless of whether you are building your first coop or are a seasoned backyard poultry owner. The agency advises poultry owners that if they follow four simple rules of the roost, their likelihood of staying healthy increases exponentially.

1. After touching the flock or flock supplies, make sure you wash your hands for 20 seconds.

2. Keep both the chickens and their supplies outside the house to prevent spreading germs into your house.

3. Don’t let anyone younger than 5 years old touch the birds (including chicks and ducklings) or anything in the area where the birds live and roam.

4. It may be cute to kiss or snuggle your birds, but make sure you don’t bring them near your face. Doing that is a surefire way to spread germs to your mouth and make you sick.

TheHappyChickenCoop adds that washing the eggs taken from backyard poultry is a must. That’s not because what’s inside the shell might be contaminated; it’s because harmful bacteria can get into the egg if a contaminated shell is cracked without being cleaned first.

Salmonella on the rise

While most of the attention media outlets have been giving the CDC relates to COVID-19, the agency has sent out three other alerts regarding salmonella poisonings in the last two months alone. 

Those include illnesses coming from three sources:

• Wild songbirds

• Cashew brie cheese

• Ground turkey

Most people recover from salmonella poisoning within four to seven days, and the CDC says most do so without treatment. However, for some people, the illness may be so severe that the patient requires hospitalization. Children younger than 5 years old, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely groups to experience a severe illness.

If you have questions about cases in a particular state, the CDC advises that you call your state’s health department. A complete list of those agencies is available here.

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 33,120,470 (33,089,091)

Total U.S. deaths: 589,925 (589,133)

Total global cases: 167,261,131 (166,515,132)

Total global deaths: 3,465,583 (3,432,173)

Researchers train dogs to detect the virus

As pharmaceutical companies race to find new fast-results coronavirus (COVID-19) tests, they may have a hard time beating the one that nature developed. It’s called a dog.

Research published today says that dogs can be trained to sniff the virus, and researchers recommend deploying canines at airports to test departing and arriving passengers. Dogs are already trained to detect other diseases like cancer, and previous research has shown their ability to smell the virus.

Researchers from the London School of Tropical Medicine used samples of clothing and face masks from people who had tested positive for COVID-19 and said they were able to train six dogs to correctly identify them.

Why it’s important to get that second dose

Some people who got the first dose of one of the two-dose vaccines have skipped the second. A new study suggests that they are giving up protection against the new COVID-19 variant that originated in India by doing so.

A study led by Public Health England found that two shots of either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine provide effective protection against the variant, which is highly contagious. However, both vaccines were much less effective with just one dose.

Of the two vaccines, the one developed by Pfizer and BioNTech was more effective than AstraZeneca’s, offering 88% efficacy to AstraZeneca’s 60%.

Unvaccinated consumers are driving the economic recovery

The economy is improving as more Americans get vaccinated, but new research suggests that the two are not necessarily related. It says the unvaccinated population is engaging in more activity than those who are fully protected against the virus.

Market research firm Cardify said it discovered that the unvaccinated population is more likely to go to bars and restaurants and seek entertainment than their counterparts who have received the shots. That may be because people who haven’t been vaccinated tend to be younger and more tolerant of risk.

 “As places open up, they’re the ones leading the charge,” Cardify CEO Derrick Fung told the Wall Street Journal.

United Airline offers an incentive to get the shots

Members of United Airline’s loyalty program now have another incentive to get vaccinated. Fully vaccinated members will have a chance to win free flights for a year's worth of travel.

The promotion is called "Your Shot to Fly.” Any new or existing MileagePlus member who uploads their vaccination records to the airline's mobile app or website between today and June 22 can be entered to win a roundtrip flight for two, in any class of service, to anywhere in the world United flies. 

United said it will give away 30 pairs of tickets throughout the month of June. On July 1, United will also announce five randomly selected MileagePlus members who entered the sweepstakes for a grand prize of travel for a year for themselves and a companion – also in any class of service to anywhere in the world United flies.

Binge-eating while binge-watching an unhealthy combination

During the pandemic, millions of Americans binge-watched streaming videos while bingeing on food. A survey conducted by Google found that nearly 40% of Americans admitted to overeating last year while watching TV, often consuming an extra 1,500 calories per show.

"That's enough to put on five pounds per month," said Glenn Livingston, Ph.D., who supervised the study.

Livingston says dieting is not the way to shed the extra pounds since people using food to soothe emotional trauma have created a strong emotional link to food. Instead, he says you should work first on not bingeing. Keeping the fridge stocked with healthy food, he says, can also help.

Around the nation

• Texas: State health officials say the effort to vaccinate children is off to a good start. More than 100,000 adolescents aged 12-15 got their shots last week in pediatricians’ offices, vaccine hubs, and school gyms across Texas.

• New Hampshire: More than 45% of people in the state are now vaccinated, and officials say that’s one reason cases of the virus are at their lowest level since October. There were 79 new COVID-19 cases statewide Sunday and no reported deaths from the virus.

• Colorado: Colorado has dropped its mask mandate for fully vaccinated people, but some businesses still require them. Colorado Public Radio reports that some businesses and their employees are getting pushback from consumers, but they point out that the state still has one of the highest infection rates in the country.

United Airlines has announced that passengers who upload their vaccination record to its app or website will be entered to win a year of free flights. The “Your Shot to Fly” sweepstakes will run from May 24 through June 22. 

During the month of June, United plans to give away 30 pairs of tickets. Then, on July 1, the airline will randomly select five MileagePlus members who have entered the contest as the winners of its grand prize of free flights for a full year. 

Winners will get to fly with one other person, be seated on any class of service, and travel to any location across the globe. The grand prize is limited to a total of 26 round-trip flights taken during the year.

“We’re proud to do our part to incentivize people to get their shot," United CEO Scott Kirby said in a press release. "Thanks to the vaccine, more and more destinations are opening up for travel and we know our customers are eager to fly. We’re excited to give people one more reason to get vaccinated so they can reunite with friends and family or take that long-awaited vacation which all could be just one shot away.”

United joins other companies offering incentives for customers to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Krispy Kreme is giving free doughnuts to vaccinated customers, Budweiser is running a free beer giveaway, and Shake Shack announced Friday that it plans to expand its vaccination promotion of free fries nationwide. 

Uber and Lyft have also joined the effort to encourage people to get vaccinated. Last week, the ride-sharing giants announced a new partnership with the White House through which they will offer free rides to anyone going to a vaccination site to get their COVID-19 shot.