Current Events in June 2021

The U.S. Supreme Court has voted 7-2 to uphold the Affordable Care Act (also known as ObamaCare). The ruling came mid-morning on Thursday following a challenge from 18 Republican-held states, and it allows the landmark law to continue protecting millions of Americans with preexisting health conditions.

Republicans had pinned their argument against ObamaCare on the legislation’s tax penalty, which was created to prompt Americans to purchase health insurance. The GOP contingent maintained that the minimum essential coverage requirement was not severable from the rest of the Act. 

Before Joe Biden took over the White House, the Trump-led Justice Department had also urged the Supreme Court to strike down the law. 

The challengers tried playing two angles regarding the tax penalty: first, they claimed that Obamacare had no constitutional footing without the tax penalty, and should therefore be invalidated; secondly, they said President Trump’s tax cut in 2017, which zeroed out the penalty, made the provision unconstitutional in the first place.

“Hence, they believe the Act as a whole is invalid,” wrote Justice Stephen Breyer in delivering the opinion of the Court. “We do not reach these questions of the Act’s validity, however, for Texas and the other plaintiffs in this suit lack the standing necessary to raise them.”

Conservative justices side with liberal justices

The 7-2 decision turned out to be an interesting mix given the Court’s make-up. Fellow liberal justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor sided with Breyer, as did four of the court’s conservative-leaning justices -- Chief Justice John Roberts, along with Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, and Clarence Thomas.

For one of the two dissenting Justices -- Samuel Alito -- there were some sour grapes. 

“No one can fail to be impressed by the lengths to which this Court has been willing to go to defend the ACA against all threats. A penalty is a tax. The United States is a State. And 18 States who bear costly burdens under the ACA cannot even get a foot in the door to raise a constitutional challenge,” he wrote in his remarks.

“So a tax that does not tax is allowed to stand and support one of the biggest Government programs in our Nation’s history. Fans of judicial inventiveness will applaud once again. But I must respectfully dissent.”

President Joe Biden is set to sign a bill on Thursday that will establish June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day, officially making it the eleventh federal holiday observed by the U.S. government. It’s the first federal holiday to be established since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was accepted in 1983.

Juneteenth celebrates the day in 1865 when Black slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned that they were free under the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation. The Juneteenth legislation passed by a unanimous vote in the Senate on Tuesday, and that was followed by another passing vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday by a vote of 415 to 14. 

In 2020, a bill that attempted to establish Juneteenth as a federal holiday was blocked in Congress by Sen. Ron Johnson, who said its passage would cost U.S. taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. However, he put aside those objections this year after Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) reintroduced the bill in February.

“Although I strongly support celebrating Emancipation, I objected to the cost and lack of debate," Johnson said in a statement. "While it still seems strange that having taxpayers provide federal employees paid time off is now required to celebrate the end of slavery, it is clear that there is no appetite in Congress to further discuss the matter.”

A momentous day

Despite Johnson’s objections, many lawmakers celebrated the passage of the bill and described it as an important step in U.S. history. 

"Juneteenth commemorates the moment some of the last formerly enslaved people in the nation learned that they were free. Making Juneteenth a federal holiday is a major step forward to recognize the wrongs of the past. But we must continue to work to ensure equal justice and fulfill the promise of the Emancipation Proclamation and our Constitution,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in a statement.

“What I see here today is racial divide crumbling, being crushed this day under a momentous vote that brings together people who understand the value of freedom,” said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee ahead of Biden’s signature.

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 33,499,817 (33,487,415)

Total U.S. deaths: 600,669 (600,313)

Total global cases: 177,138,102 (176,721,173) 

Total global deaths: 3,835,167 (3,824,424)

Latest vaccination trial shows disappointing results

CureVac is the latest coronavirus vaccine maker to report the results of its clinical trial, and the results were disappointing. The efficacy rate was below 50%.

But the company said there were extenuating circumstances. An examination of the virus in each person who got sick showed only one case involving the original virus. The others were caused by various variants of the original virus.

“While we were hoping for a stronger interim outcome, we recognize that demonstrating high efficacy in this unprecedented broad diversity of variants is challenging,” said Dr. Franz-Werner Haas, CEO at CurVac. 

Unemployment claims drift higher

After several weeks of fewer people lining up to claim unemployment benefits, that number moved higher last week. The Labor Department reports that initial claims for jobless benefits rose to 412,000.

The increase was sizable -- a gain of 37,000 from the previous week’s 375,000 new claims. Economists said the increase was unexpected since the numbers had fallen for six straight weeks and were below 400,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

In a bit of encouraging news, the report showed that the number of Americans still drawing unemployment benefits continued to go down last week, falling by more than 500,000.

Higher COVID-19 deaths among Black patients linked to hospital quality

From the start of the pandemic, the death rate among Black patients was higher than for other ethnic groups. Some researchers suggested it was due to higher incidences of diabetes and other chronic conditions among these patients.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have suggested another reason. They say Black COVID-19 patients tend to be treated in lower-quality hospitals.

The study concludes that the COVID-19 death rate for Black patients would be 10% lower if they had access to the same hospitals as white patients.

Report shows COVID-19’s impact on world turmoil

The pandemic has affected more than health and the economy. Researchers say it has also contributed to political instability and violence around the world over the last 12 months.

The Institute for Economics and Peace reports that the COVID-19 pandemic had a noticeable impact on violence. There were some improvements in categories like violent conflict, but the researchers said other indicators like violent demonstrations deteriorated (or rose) significantly. Three times as many countries deteriorated than improved, the team noted.

Civil unrest rose globally by 10%, with Belarus recording the largest deterioration. There were 14,871 violent demonstrations, protests, and riots recorded globally in 2020.

Survey shows the pandemic has changed snacking habits

Among the ways Americans coped with the pandemic last year, surveys have shown an increase in snacking. But choices of snacks varied widely.

A survey by the California Walnut Board suggests that many of these snaking habits are likely to continue past the pandemic. Nearly a third of snackers have found comfort in their favorite snacks during the pandemic, but they are also prioritizing healthier snack options.   

The survey suggests that consumers are choosing snacks based on the belief that what they eat impacts the way they feel. More people say they are choosing snacks based on qualities such as boosting energy levels and enhancing their mood.

Around the nation

• Louisiana: Several states have put an early end to enhanced unemployment benefits, but they have all been led by Republicans. Until now. Louisiana became the first Democrat-led state to follow suit when Gov. John Bell Edwards signed legislation that abolished an extra $300 per week payment.

• Minnesota: Resort areas throughout the state are reporting booking records now that warm weather has arrived and COVID-19 is in retreat. WCCO-TV reports that even larger hotels in non-resort markets, but with luxury amenities, are booked with local residents seeking a “staycation.”

• New Mexico: Health officials say the state is very close to hitting its goal of vaccinating 60% of the population. It has boosted vaccination efforts recently with a sweepstakes, gift cards, and other incentives.

Throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, scammers have come up with creative ways to exploit the global crisis at consumers’ expense. When the virus was raging across the country last year, these schemers pitched fake cures. Now that nearly half the country is vaccinated and fears of the virus are fading, they’ve come up with something new.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said her office is receiving reports that scammers claiming to be from drug companies are contacting consumers and asking them to take a survey about their vaccination experience. People who have recognized it as a scam report that the surveys are just attempting to gain access to people’s personal data, including date of birth and Social Security numbers.

“Please be on the lookout for mysterious emails, text messages, or phone calls claiming to be from Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson asking you to fill out a survey about your vaccine,” Moody said. “Reports of these fake survey scams are beginning to surface in Florida, and vaccinated Floridians need to make sure they do not fall for this scam.”

Moody said the scam is dangerous because it seems fairly innocent. However, she warns that any potentially sensitive personal information that consumers give away could be used to access bank accounts, set up credit card accounts, and steal identities.

The scammers have also been known to impersonate the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) when they send out these surveys. The request for information may offer money or prizes for filling out the phony survey after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

Adding to the danger of this particular scam, the CDC is actually conducting a legitimate survey about vaccinations. Moody says this is not a fake survey and is recommended by the CDC to help provide personalized health check-ins for citizens after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

Red flags

So how is someone supposed to tell the real survey from a fake one? Moody says there are several dead giveaways when you are dealing with a scammer.

• The survey asks for personal information, such as a Social Security number.

• The survey promises some type of compensation for participating.

• The email or text contains misspellings or poor grammar.

• The email asks you to click on a link.

Moody cautions that you should not trust the number or information displayed on a caller ID, noting that it is very easy to spoof phone numbers. A hacker from across the world can easily make a caller ID display the CDC’s number in Atlanta.

If you think you were called by the CDC but aren’t sure, the agency has information here on how you can verify the legitimacy of the survey.

The social isolation that consumers have experienced over the last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly taken a toll on mental health. Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania has identified one factor that could make social isolation easier to get through. 

According to their findings, consumers with a strong sense of life purpose were more likely to handle this period of isolation better; the study also found that purpose was associated with stronger adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols.  

“In the face of adversity, people with a stronger sense of purpose in life tend to be more resilient because they have a clear sense of goals that motivate actions that are aligned with personal values,” said researcher Yoona Kang, Ph.D. “People with strong purpose may also experience less conflict when making health decisions. We felt that the COVID-19 pandemic was an important context to test whether purpose in life relates to individuals’ willingness to engage in behaviors to protect themselves and others.” 

Having purpose helps combat loneliness

The researchers surveyed over 500 adults during the COVID-19 pandemic to determine what role life purpose played in how consumers handled extended time alone. The group answered questions about their lives pre-pandemic, including their levels of socialization and loneliness, how they were handling lockdown orders alone, their willingness to abide by safety measures, and their overall life purpose. 

The researchers learned that having a strong life purpose was associated with better attitudes about the pandemic and less intense feelings of loneliness. While participants with a strong purpose in life still reported feeling lonely during the pandemic, they also expressed hope that this time in isolation would be worth it and would ultimately be effective. 

Conversely, those with a weaker sense of purpose reported higher levels of loneliness. They were also less willing to follow COVID-19 safety protocols, and they reported greater doubt that these measures would help in the long run. 

“When faced with extreme loneliness and social isolation, like during the COVID-19 pandemic, wanting to connect with other people, despite the health risks, is a natural response,” Dr. Kang said. “And yet, amidst this drastic shift in social life, we found that people with a higher sense of purpose were more likely to engage in prevention behaviors. This is striking because it shows that purpose in life can empower people to make life-saving health decisions that protect their own health and those around them.” 

General Motors (GM) has already gone all-in when it comes to electric vehicles. Earlier this year, the automaker announced that it would only be selling these kinds of vehicles by the year 2035.

To help bolster that effort, the company announced on Wednesday that it will increase its spending on electric and autonomous vehicles to $35 billion through 2025. The company said the commitment represents a 75% increase from its initial commitment to these technologies.

“We are investing aggressively in a comprehensive and highly-integrated plan to make sure that GM leads in all aspects of the transformation to a more sustainable future,” said CEO Mary Barra.

Opening new battery factories

As part of its new investment, GM announced that it will be opening two new battery cell manufacturing plants in the U.S. The company is moving quickly to ensure it’s ready for what it believes will be a larger adoption of electric vehicles in the near future. 

“GM is targeting annual global EV sales of more than 1 million by 2025, and we are increasing our investment to scale faster because we see momentum building in the United States for electrification, along with customer demand for our product portfolio,” Barra said. 

“There is a strong and growing conviction among our employees, customers, dealers, suppliers, unions and investors, as well as policymakers, that electric vehicles and self-driving technology are the keys to a cleaner, safer world for all,” she added.

While GM is certainly making a bid to become a leader in the electric vehicle market, it has plenty of competition from other automakers. Tesla is still regarded by many as a leading automaker in the electric market, and other companies like Ford and Volvo are making their own investments to shore up their electric offerings. 

With new cases of COVID-19 dwindling, many consumers are getting more comfortable with the idea of traveling. For some, that might mean looking for a nice vacation house for an extended stay away from home. 

However, if your wanderlust is driving you to look for a timeshare, then you may want to read some recent advice that was published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The agency says many consumers wind up not getting what they want when they sign a timeshare contract, so it’s important to understand all the nuances of the agreement.

“Maybe you got a flyer in the mail with pictures of sunny beaches and beautiful resort suites. Sounds great, right? But before you sign a timeshare contract, make sure you understand what you’re getting into -- and how to get out of it,” advises Rosario Méndez, an attorney with the FTC’s Division of Consumer and Business Education.

Don’t get pressured into signing a contract

Timeshare purveyors don’t always rely on flyers and call-ins to find potential buyers. Most of us have probably heard about the stereotypical timeshare meeting in which a person agrees to come to a “quick presentation” that turns into a pressure-filled nightmare. Unfortunately, Méndez says these types of meetings do happen.

“Promoters might offer you a gift or delicious meal to attend a timeshare presentation. If you decide to go, the sales staff may make a lot of promises and pitches designed to get you to buy right then and there without giving you time to think about it or do any of your own research,” she said. 

It’s important that you don’t let that sales pitch overwhelm you. When deciding if a timeshare is right for you, the FTC says there are several questions you should ask yourself. They include:

• If the timeshare is only for a specific property, is this where I want to vacation every year?

• Can I afford this timeshare, even if the maintenance fees go up?

• Do I have the time to deal with issues that may arise if I can’t book the resort I want during the time I want to travel?

• If I no longer can afford or want the timeshare, how can I sell it?

If you can’t get a satisfying answer to any of these questions, then it’s probably best to pass on the timeshare offer. To help you begin your own research, ConsumerAffairs has compiled a list of the best timeshare companies here.

Gold tumbled below $1,800 an ounce on Wednesday -- the lowest value in six weeks -- as the U.S. dollar continued to gain strength and Federal Reserve officials laid out interest rate projections for the next two years.

In the new forecast, 11 out of 18 Fed officials estimated that there will be at least two quarter-point interest rate hikes by the end of 2023. That end date is sooner than some people anticipated. If it happens, it could help boost the U.S. dollar and U.S. bond yields, but it could also take a bite out of gold. 

Spot gold had fallen to $1,784.2608 an ounce by 8:30 a.m. (EST) on Thursday before inching back up to $1.786.57 as of 9:30 a.m. 

“A big grain of salt”

While the Fed’s hawkish turnabout might throw investors off, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the interest rate forecast “should be taken with a big grain of salt” and that any discussion about raising interest rates would be “highly premature.” Powell’s not alone in telling investors to back away from the panic button. 

“On the face of it, this is a classic market overreaction,” said Investing.com’s Andrew Lane. “Usually when headlines like this break, the market overextends in one direction, and it settles out a few days later.”

Lane says not a lot has really changed from a fundamental perspective. He firmly believes that the Fed will increase rates nominally sometime in the next year and a half, and doing that rests on the economic situation. 

“Volatility is expected in this market, as is patience. Remove the emotions and remember the bigger picture. Our view is this is nothing other than a buying opportunity.”

With homes selling the first weekend they hit the market and a shortage of available listings driving home prices to record highs, you might think homebuilders would be busy. They aren’t.

The Commerce Department reports that applications for new building permits for future residential construction fell in May to a seven-month low. The number of homes that were completed also fell, suggesting that there won’t be any relief for buyers in the immediate future.

The only good news in the report for people hoping to buy a home was an increase in housing starts. Groundbreaking activity rose 3.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.572 million units last month. 

Industry analysts say builders have faced a number of headwinds since the economy reopened. There’s been a shortage of building materials like lumber, which has skyrocketed in price and cut into profit margins. The labor shortage has also limited operations and contributed to higher costs.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) says there’s a “housing supply crisis” and is calling for a government response. The group has issued a report that traces the problem to the crash of the housing market during the financial crisis of 2008. 

At least 5.5 million more houses needed

Since 2008, home building has occurred at about half its previous rate. The NAR report estimates that the U.S. has built 5.5 million to 6.8 million fewer homes than needed since 2000.

"The state of America's housing stock is dire, with a chronic shortage of affordable and available homes [needed to support] the nation's population," the report states. "A severe lack of new construction and prolonged underinvestment have led to an acute shortage of available housing.”

The bottom line, the report concludes, is that building levels have declined while demand has risen, creating an “enormous” supply gap. The authors say a major national commitment is needed to produce all types of housing. Among specific policy recommendations, they said Congress must work to expand access to resources, remove barriers to and incentivize new development, and make “housing construction an integral part of a national infrastructure strategy.”

"There is a strong desire for homeownership across this country, but the lack of supply is preventing too many Americans from achieving that dream," said Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist. "It's clear from the findings of this report and from the conditions we've observed in the market over the past few years that we'll need to do something dramatic to close this gap."

Recent studies have highlighted the health risks associated with both pregnant women and children’s exposure to air pollution. 

Now, researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder have found that women who are exposed to air pollution during pregnancy may have an increased risk of bearing children who struggle with obesity. The team explained that air pollution was linked with excess weight gain, which can last through childhood and adulthood. 

“Higher rates of obesity among certain groups in our society are not simply a byproduct of personal choices like exercise and calories in, calories out,” said researcher Tanya Alderete. “It’s more complicated than that. This study and others suggest it can also relate to how much of an environmental burden one carries.” 

Identifying health risks

The researchers compared health records for more than 120 mother-infant pairs with air pollution data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality System. The team was primarily concerned with the infants’ weight gain and where they stored their fat. 

“We found that greater exposure to prenatal ambient air pollution was associated with greater changes in weight and adiposity, or body fatness, in the first six months of life,” said researcher William Patterson.

This was true for all of the infants, though the researchers found that male and female babies distributed weight gain differently. While male infants had more belly fat, female infants tended to gain more fat around their waists. 

The researchers explained that exposure to air pollution can heighten the body’s inflammatory response, which ultimately impacts other bodily functions and processes and leads to excessive weight gain. While the team plans to do more research in this area, they said that exposure to air pollution in utero can impact infants’ DNA make-up and affect the health of future generations. 

“This period, either during pregnancy or shortly after birth, is a critical window of development and adverse exposures can program the infant to have a host of problems in later life,” Patterson said. 

BRP U.S. of Sturtevant, Wis., is recalling about 4,600 model year 2021 Can-Am Outlander and Renegade ATVs.

The steering knuckle can detach from the lower arm, resulting in a loss of control of the vehicle, posing a crash hazard.

The firm has received one reported incident of a detached steering knuckle resulting in the rider losing control and crashing. No injuries were reported.

This recall involves 44 model year 2021 Can-Am Outlander and Renegade models sold in various colors.

The model name is printed on the side panels of the vehicles.

The vehicle identification number (VIN) is printed on the frame under the seat in the middle and on the frame behind the right front wheel.

A list of the recalled ATVs may be found here.

The ATVs, manufactured in Mexico, were sold at Can-Am dealers nationwide from January 2021, to May 2021, for between $8,500 and $15,000.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled vehicles and contact a Can-Am 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 https://can-am.brp.com/off-road/us/en/owner-zone/safety-recalls.html for more information.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 4,436 model year 2021 F-150 trucks.

The two-piece driveshafts may have been improperly assembled, which could result in driveshaft separation.

Driveshaft separation may result in a sudden loss of drive power, or unintended vehicle movement if the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect the driveshaft, and replace it -- if necessary -- free of charge.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S25.

Legacy Food Company of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., is recalling approximately 67,895 pounds of beef jerky.

The product contains sesame oil, which is not declared on the product label.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

The following items, produced from July 20, 2020, through May 14, 2021, are being recalled:

• 10-lb. packages containing “N4 Vua Kho Bo Curry Beef Jerky.”
• 10-lb. packages containing “N8 Vua Kho Bo Flank Steak Beef Jerky Fish Sauce.”
• 10-lb. packages containing “N9 Vua Kho Bo House Special Beef Jerky Fish Sauce.”
• 10-lb. packages containing “Vua Kho Bo Hot Beef Jerky.”
• 10-lb. packages containing “Hot Peppered Beef Jerky.”
• 16-oz packages containing “Formosa Brand Hot Peppered Beef Jerky.”

The recalled 10-lb products, bearing establishment number “Est. 8256” and the 16-oz product, bearing establishment number “EST 2446” inside the USDA mark of inspection, were sold online and shipped to retail stores in California.

The 10-lb products are sold in bulk packaging and removed from their original packaging and repackaged and relabeled for online sales.

Retail stores remove the products from their original packaging and display them in bins for sale.

What to do

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

Consumers with questions may contact Kevin Yang Legacy Food Company, at (909) 244-0865.

On Tuesday, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution establishing June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day, a holiday commemorating the day in 1865 that slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom. 

If the legislation passes the House, it will be sent to President Biden’s desk and will likely be designated as a federal holiday. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy has said he will support the bill when it comes to the floor, and Biden has previously said he recognizes the significance of commemorating Juneteenth. 

Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) reintroduced the bill in February. 

The legislation encountered opposition in 2020 when Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson blocked it. Johnson argued that establishing it as a day off for federal employees would cost U.S. taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. This week, he dropped his objection but stood by his concerns. 

"Although I strongly support celebrating Emancipation, I objected to the cost and lack of debate," he said in a statement. "While it still seems strange that having taxpayers provide federal employees paid time off is now required to celebrate the end of slavery, it is clear that there is no appetite in Congress to further discuss the matter."

Acknowledging the wrong that was done

If passed by the House and signed by President Biden, the federal holiday would mark the day -- June 19, 1865 -- that Major General Gordon Granger of the Union Army landed in Galveston, Texas, and delivered the news that enslaved people were free under the Emancipation Proclamation.

"Juneteenth commemorates the moment some of the last formerly enslaved people in the nation learned that they were free," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. "Making Juneteenth a federal holiday is a major step forward to recognize the wrongs of the past. But we must continue to work to ensure equal justice and fulfill the promise of the Emancipation Proclamation and our Constitution."

In a statement, Sen. Markey said the U.S. has "failed to acknowledge, address, and come to grips with our nation’s original sin of slavery."

"Today’s Senate passage of our legislation to commemorate Juneteenth as a federal holiday will address this long-ignored gap in our history, recognize the wrong that was done, acknowledge the pain and suffering of generations of slaves and their descendants, and finally celebrate their freedom," he stated.

Researchers have found that the Peloton Bike+ had a flaw that rendered it vulnerable to being remotely hacked. The product isn’t yet commercially available, but researchers said the flaw would enable hackers to spy on riders -- and even their surroundings -- in public spaces such as a hotel or a gym. 

Software security company McAfee said the flaw in the stationary bike stemmed from the Android attachment that accompanies it. Researchers said attackers could access the bike through the port and install phony versions of popular apps like Netflix and Spotify. The fake apps could then be used to dupe users into entering their personal information. 

"The flaw was that Peloton actually failed to validate that the operating system loaded," said Steve Povolny, head of the threat research team. "And ultimately what that means then is they can install malicious software, they can create Trojan horses and give themselves back doors into the bike, and even access the webcam.

"Not only could you spy on riders but, maybe more importantly, their surroundings, sensitive information," Povolny said.

Peloton reportedly patched the issue on June 4, and researchers said there aren’t currently any indications that the flaw has been exploited. Prior to being fixed, the report said the flaw might have left users vulnerable to being watched.

“An unsuspecting gym-goer taking the Peloton Bike+ for a spin could be in danger of having their personal data compromised and their workout unknowingly watched,” the report stated.

Previous dangerous flaw

This isn’t the first time Peloton has confirmed a flaw. Last month, the company recalled all of its Tread+ and Tread treadmills over safety concerns after 70 consumers were injured and a child died after being sucked under the belt. Officials addressed the issue by updating the products’ software to require users to enter a code to restart the belt if it has been left unmoving for up to 45 seconds.

Peloton confirmed that the flaw researchers recently found on the Bike+ was also found on the recalled Peloton Tread. On its security and compliance page, the company warns that “no matter how much effort we put into system security, there can still be vulnerabilities present.”

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 33,487,415 (33,476,053)

Total U.S. deaths: 600,313 (599,975)

Total global cases: 176,721,173 (176,353,405) 

Total global deaths: 3,824,424 (3,814,010)

U.S. death toll tops 600,000

Even with the virus in decline and fewer people being treated for it in hospitals, the U.S. has passed another grim milestone. Total deaths from the virus, going back to early 2020, now exceed 600,000.

The daily death toll in the U.S. peaked in early January when it averaged around 3,300. But it soon began dropping as the population aged 65 and over -- the most vulnerable to the virus -- began to be vaccinated. 

An analysis of data collected by The COVID-19 Tracking Project at Johns Hopkins University shows that the U.S. has averaged fewer than 500 deaths a day since the beginning of this month.

Experts: America’s COVID-19 dangers aren’t over

The U.S. may be entering a new phase of the pandemic, with state after state lifting restrictions that have been in place for over a year. But some health officials say the virus will be with us for years to come and will have to be carefully managed.

About 44% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, and that number should rise when the vaccine is cleared for young children. But the rapid spread of the disease in other countries raises the possibility of new mutations in the future.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s chief medical adviser for the pandemic, told the Wall Street Journal that the virus will be a part of life as long as there is a significant number of Americans who refuse to be vaccinated

Regeneron’s antibody drug is 20% effective

Drugmaker Regeneron reports its coronavirus (COVID-19) antibody drug was 20% effective in improving the survival of patients lacking an antibody response. 

The large clinical trial, carried out in the U.K., found that adding investigational REGEN-COV to usual care reduced the risk of death in one out of five patients who had not mounted a natural antibody response on their own against SARS-CoV-2, compared to usual care on its own.

"These results are very exciting,” said Sir Peter Horby, Professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford. “It is wonderful to learn that even in advanced COVID-19 disease, targeting the virus can reduce mortality in patients who have failed to mount an antibody response of their own."

Eight Royal Caribbean crew members test positive

Royal Caribbean International has postponed the maiden voyage of its Odyssey of the Seas cruise ship after eight crew members tested positive for the virus. The company put off departure “out of an abundance of caution.”

"During routine testing, eight crew members received a positive test result for Covid-19," company CEO Michael Bayley said in a statement on Facebook. "All 1,400 crew onboard Odyssey of the Seas were vaccinated on June 4th and will be considered fully vaccinated on June 18."

To protect the remaining crew and prevent any further cases, the company says all crew members will be quarantined for 14 days and routine testing will continue. Bayley said guests and travel partners will be notified and given several options to consider. “While disappointing, this is the right decision for the health and well-being of our crew and guests,” he said.

Putting off that vaccination can be costly

If you’ve been meaning to get a COVID-19 vaccination but just can’t seem to find the time, here’s some advice from professional golfer Jon Rahm: find the time.

You may recall that Rahm was recently cruising to a certain victory in the PGA Memorial golf tournament when he was informed during the final round that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and had to drop out, forfeiting a $1.5 million purse. 

“I guess I wish I would have done it earlier, but thinking on scheduling purposes and having the PGA and defending Memorial, I was just — to be honest, it wasn't in my mind,” he told reporters ahead of the U.S. Open. “I'm not going to lie, I was trying to just get ready for a golf tournament.”

Around the nation

• North Carolina: Gov. Roy Cooper has issued a new executive order extending certain COVID-19 response measures. Among other things, the new order extends Executive Order 215, which lifted many COVID-19 restrictions but left in place some face-covering mandates. 

• New Jersey: Like many states, New Jersey’s COVID-19 numbers have improved significantly in recent weeks. But  Gov. Phil Murphy is urging more people to get vaccinated, saying the state has a COVID-19 "pandemic of unvaccinated individuals.”

• Wisconsin: The state assembly has passed a bill prohibiting businesses in the state from mandating proof of vaccination against COVID-19. The measure must still get through the state senate, and Gov. Tony Evers has indicated he would veto it.

Travelers booked on Southwest Airlines flights were confronted with thousands of cancellations and delays this week thanks to technical issues that impacted the airline’s systems. 

The issues revolved around problems with feeds from a third-party weather data provider on Monday. That was followed by a network connectivity issue on Tuesday afternoon that affected its reservation system. Southwest doesn’t believe the two issues were connected, but it's still investigating that possibility.

With its hands full, Southwest asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its help on Tuesday. The agency tweeted that it issued a temporary nationwide grounding at the airline's request. By late afternoon on Tuesday, the FAA stated that Southwest was "in the process of resuming normal operations." 

When all was said and done, 500 Southwest flights were estimated to be canceled, and somewhere between 900 and 1,300 flights were delayed.

Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines also affected

According to a variety of media reports, Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines also suffered technical issues that impacted their booking apps and sites. Delta sent ABC News a statement on the issue on Monday night. 

"Delta teams are working to quickly address a technical issue that is making it difficult for customers to purchase flights on delta.com, the Fly Delta app, and through our Reservations Call Center. The ability to check in for flights is not affected. We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience this is causing," the airline said.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia analyzed the rate of COVID-19 reinfection among 9,000 patients across the country. They found that less than 1% of patients with severe first cases were reinfected with the virus. 

While reinfection was still technically possible, patients who contracted the virus twice remained healthy for more than three months on average following their first positive test. 

“This is one of the largest studies of its kind in the U.S., and the important message here is that COVID-19 reinfection after an initial case is possible, and the duration of immunity that an initial infection provides is not completely clear,” said researcher Dr. Adnan I. Qureshi. 

What is the likelihood of reinfection?

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 9,000 patients from more than 60 health care facilities across the country. Patients were tested on a regular basis over the course of nearly a year, and the researchers monitored their health progress. Reinfection was determined by two positive tests with at least 90 days in between. 

Ultimately, less than one percent of the patients with severe cases of COVID-19 were infected a second time. Patients remained healthy for nearly four months in between positive COVID-19 tests, and second cases were generally mild; just over 60 patients were infected a second time, and two of them died from reinfection. 

“Our analysis also found asthma and nicotine dependence were associated with reinfection,” Dr. Qureshi said. “However, there was a significantly lower rate of pneumonia, heart failure, and acute kidney injury observed with reinfection compared with primary infection.”