Current Events in June 2021

The European Union will soon lift entry restrictions on travelers from the United States. 

On Wednesday, EU member states reportedly agreed to drop all COVID-19 travel restrictions and allow nonessential travel from the U.S. A formal decision on the plan is expected on Friday, according to a Portuguese EU spokesperson cited by German press agency DPA. 

The list of countries with open borders will now reportedly be expanded to include Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Lebanon, the United States, Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong. The EU's whitelist already includes Australia, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand.

If approved, the new guidance would apply to both vaccinated and unvaccinated U.S. travelers. It would be up to individual EU countries to choose if they want to require a negative COVID-19 test or quarantine upon arrival. 

The European Council decides which countries to add to its whitelist based on epidemiological data. The data is reviewed every two weeks. Countries can be added if they have recorded fewer than 75 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 inhabitants over the past 14 days. The latest data shows that the U.S. rate is currently 73.9 cases per 100,000 people.

A formal decision on whether to add the U.S. to the list is expected on Friday. The travel rules would go into effect sometime after that. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia explored trends related to young adults’ driving habits. 

Their findings showed that when young people use their cell phones on the road, they’re more likely to adopt other impulsive, aggressive driving patterns. 

“This study found that frequent cell phone use while driving was only one indicator of a more general pattern of risky driving practices associated with prior crashes in young drivers,” said researcher Elizabeth Walshe, Ph.D. “Assessment of personality traits, such as impulsivity and sensation seeking, may be helpful to identify drivers most at risk in order to provide more targeted interventions promoting safe driving.” 

Identifying risky driving behaviors

For the study, the researchers surveyed nearly 400 young drivers from across the country. The group answered questions about their driving histories and styles, and they also took personality assessments to see how all of these factors influenced their habits behind the wheel. 

The researchers learned that using a cell phone in any capacity with driving was generally associated with more impulsive driving. Nearly three-quarters of the group reported using their phones while behind the wheel, which ultimately impacted other habits on the road. 

While cell phone use didn’t directly increase the risk of crashes, some of the other roadway behaviors that were associated with cell phone use may make accidents more likely. For instance, the study showed that young adults that use their phones behind the wheel were more likely to run red lights, exceed the speed limit, and make aggressive maneuvers.\

“It may be useful to treat cell phone use while driving as part of a group of risky driving behaviors, such as driving while impaired by alcohol,” said researcher Dan Romer, Ph.D. “For example, messages to enhance driver safety might focus on a large range of hazardous practices that place the driver and others at risk rather than citing only one, like cell phone use.” 

The economy is reopening, restaurants are at full capacity in most places, and retail stores are beginning to get crowded.

But look closely at your credit card receipt after your next night out or shopping trip. Chances are, there could be a credit card surcharge tacked onto your bill.

According to MyFico, businesses that were hard hit during the pandemic are trying to regain their footing by adding a surcharge to credit card purchases to help cover the swipe fee. Networks like Visa and MasterCard make money by charging fees to businesses every time a consumer pays with a credit card.

These fees can vary but most often range from 1.5% to 3.5% of the transaction. This cuts into a business’s profit margin, especially when it’s a small purchase.

When times are good, the business may absorb the fee or add it to the purchase price. But in highly competitive businesses they don’t always think they can do that. Adding a surcharge is a way to recoup the fee without raising prices or lowering profits.

They weren’t always legal

Surcharges weren’t always legal. A series of court decisions, including a 2017 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, made it legal for businesses to tack on credit card surcharges in every state except Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico.

Consumers can get around the surcharge by paying cash, something that fell out of favor during the pandemic. Some small businesses may display a sign at the cash register requesting cash payments instead of plastic.

Fortunately, surcharges are not applied to debit card purchases. Paying with a debit card keeps the convenience of plastic while avoiding the surcharge.

Some consumers may overlook surcharges as insignificant. After all, a 3% fee on a $20 purchase only adds 60 cents to the bill. If you’re using a rewards credit card that pays 3% cashback, you’ve broken even. Some consumers may consider it a worthwhile payment to help their favorite restaurant get back on its feet.

Businesses don’t normally advertise the fact they tack on a surcharge. There’s usually no way to know until you’re made that first transaction, then closely examined the receipt.

Blue Star Trading of Denver, Colo., is recalling about 300 children’s Barhee Fishing Hero toy games.

The metal rollers on the bottom of the flying dinosaur figures contain levels of lead that exceed the federal lead content ban. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health issues.

No incidents or injuries are reported.

This recall involves the Barhee Fishing Hero toy games for children.

The multicolor, plastic toy has a fishing table, slide, three dinosaurs, two fishing rods, two fishing nets and ten small fish. The fish come in blue, orange and yellow, and the dinosaurs are blue, green and red.

Fishing Hero, 2 in 1 Fishing Slide and an illustration of the toy are printed on the front and back of the toy’s box.

Model number 1577C and Made in China are printed on the side of the box.

The toy games, manufactured in China, were sold exclusively online on Amazon.com from February 2021, through April 2021, for about $30.

What to do

Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Blue Star Trading for a full refund. Blue Star Trading is contacting all purchasers directly.

Consumers may contact Blue Star Trading collect at (917) 300-8128 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (MT) Monday through Friday or by email at 1704411271@qq.com for more information.

Chrysler is recalling 447,985 model year 2012-2021 RAM 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles.

Incorrect information in the service and owner's manuals may cause the flanged lug nuts to be over-tightened, which could result in a broken wheel stud and possible wheel separation.

Wheel separation can cause a vehicle crash.

What to do

Dealers will update the torque specification in the owner's manual and other published service documents.

Dealers will also inspect the vehicle's wheel studs, replacing them -- if necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 16, 2021. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403.

Chrysler's numbers for this recall are Y26 and Y36.

Interstate Food Products of Lakewood Colo., is recalling Little Hatches Jalapeno Cream Cheese.

The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled product, which comes in a 14-oz, clear plastic package marked with UPC code 63818396147 and a sell by date of 05/21 on top of container, was sold in six Whole Foods stores in the Denver, Colo., metro area

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (720) 626-9917, Monday – Friday, 9:00am to 3:00pm (EDT).

Ford Motor Company is recalling 223 model year 2021 F-150 trucks.

The steering gear may have internal damage, which could result in difficulty steering, or the inability to rotate the steering wheel while driving.

Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Owners are advised to not drive their vehicles until the repair is complete. Vehicles will be towed in for service, and dealers will remove and replace the steering gear, free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed in June 2021.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S28.

What do you get when you add a hot rental car market with a consumer itching to take their post-pandemic vacation on the road? Scams.

The rental car market is at an all-time high, but low inventories are driving up prices. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning consumers that many scammers are laying in the discount weeds and are ready to cash in on the situation.

Pretending to be genuine rental car companies, scammers are going the extra mile by setting up legit-looking websites so they can advertise phony customer service numbers. Consumers get caught in the snare when they pre-pay for the rental, but how they pay is the gotcha. 

Like almost every other modern-day scam that involves the exchange of money, the scammers don’t want someone’s Visa or MasterCard number -- they want the victim to go buy a gift card or prepaid debit card. 

The rules of the road, anti-scam style

The FTC says that consumers can outwit scammers by following a few simple rules of the road:

• Do some homework: Do a search for the rental car company by adding in words like “scam,” “complaint,” or “review” to check if others have had a bad experience. You can also search ConsumerAffairs’ extensive list of legit car rental companies here. If the one you’re considering isn’t listed, that should be a red flag that they may not be the real deal.

• Verify deals with the company directly: “If you need customer support, look for contact info on the company’s official website,” says FTC attorney Emily Wu. “Don’t use a search engine result. Scammers can pay to place sponsored ads in search results, so they show up at the top or in the sponsored ad section.”

• Pay with a credit card if possible: Never pay with a gift card or prepaid debit card -- the PIN and serial number on those cards are what they’re looking for. You can dispute credit card charges, but gift cards and prepaid debit cards vanish in a heartbeat, just like cash. 

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

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 33,476,053 (33,464,566)

Total U.S. deaths: 599,975 (599,813)

Total global cases: 176,353,405 (176,040,344) 

Total global deaths: 3,814,010 (3,805,713)

AstraZeneca cocktail doesn’t stop virus

After a string of pharmaceutical victories comes a disappointment. AstraZeneca, which makes a coronavirus vaccine that is being successfully used around the world, reports that its antibody cocktail failed to deter the virus in a clinical trial.

The drug was tested as an alternative to vaccines as a way to prevent the virus. However, various antibody drugs have been shown to be an effective treatment for those who become infected.

Company officials say they hope future studies will show the drug’s usefulness. Five more trials are ongoing to test the antibody cocktail as treatment or in prevention.

Delta variant symptoms are different

Increasingly, new cases of the coronavirus are being caused by the so-called Delta variant that was first identified in India. Health officials say it is not only more contagious than the original virus, but it also has different symptoms.

In the U.K., the Delta variant is causing an estimated 90% of new cases. Patients complain of headaches, a sore throat, and a runny nose, much like a cold.

Most patients with the Delta variant don’t experience the traditional symptoms, which include cough, fever, and the loss of taste and smell.

Pandemic-related supply chain issues continue

U.S. consumers have faced shortages and higher prices for many goods since the economy began reopening, and there’s evidence that those problems could continue for a while.

China was the first nation to get the virus under control, but new variants are reportedly spreading through the country. Authorities have curtailed business activity in major port cities, disrupting the shipment of goods. 

“The disruptions in Shenzhen and Guangzhou are absolutely massive,” Brian Glick, CEO at supply chain integration platform Chain.io, told CNBC. “Alone, they would have an unprecedented supply chain impact.”

California drops most restrictions

California, one of the states that was hit hardest by the coronavirus, has removed most of its COVID-19 restrictions as of today. The state has ended capacity limits, physical distancing, and -- at least for those vaccinated -- mask requirements.

"I think the public health guidance on this has been fairly sound, at least in California and the Los Angeles area," said Dr. Michael Ben-Aderet, associate medical director of Hospital Epidemiology at Cedars-Sinai and an assistant professor of Medicine. "So, I feel very comfortable with the recommendations that are being made. Still, I think we should all keep our masks around for now, knowing that there may be some situations where we want to use them."

Masking will still be required in hospitals and health care settings, in many workplaces, and during travel. Ben-Aderet said guidelines are likely to continue evolving as health officials monitor the situation.

Pandemic crushes Girl Scout cookie sales

The Girl Scouts are having a fire sale on cookies. With the pandemic intruding into the cookie-selling season earlier this year, many troops have canceled sales events. As a result, the Girl Scouts have 15 million boxes of cookies they need to sell.

A spokeswoman for the organization said the surplus in cookies wasn’t unexpected. She said almost all of the cookies are sold by scouts in person, usually at events set up outside high-traffic retail locations.

Scout leaders say some of the troops employed creative methods to move cookies this year, including drive-thru booths and contactless delivery.

Around the nation

• Washington: Like some other states, Washington offered lottery prize opportunities to residents who got vaccinated. But state officials say 103 people who won during the first drawing didn’t bother to show up to claim their prizes. The prizes included tickets to a Seattle Seahawks game, 10 gift cards for camping at state parks, 27 Microsoft Xbox gaming systems, two Nintendo Switch Packs, and 15 Amazon Echo Dots.

• Hawaii: State health officials report that the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus has shown up in the islands. They say the virus was detected in a fully vaccinated individual from Oahu who traveled to Nevada.

• New York: In past years, astronauts, presidents, and sports heroes have gotten the ticker-tape parade treatment in New York City. In July, the city will throw such a parade for hospital workers who were on the front lines of the pandemic last year.

Best Buy has extended its product selection beyond electronics. The retailer announced Tuesday that it has started selling outdoor grills, patio sets, and luggage on its website and at a handful of its 1,000 U.S. stores. 

The consumer electronics retailer said customers will find a collection of Tumi laptop bags and luggage online, as well as Weber grills and other outdoor items. 

The addition of luggage and outdoor items coincides with an increase in travel among consumers, as well as an uptick in home buying. Last month, Best Buy said its sales have reflected an increase in home-related purchases, such as big-screen TVs. 

“Even with the elevated demand we have seen throughout the pandemic, we believe the nesting phenomenon will continue to drive demand for products and services that help customers improve their home experience,” CEO Corie Barry said last month on the company’s first-quarter earnings call.

Best Buy isn’t the only retailer to add to its merchandise in a bid to meet consumers where they are. Lowe’s has also added a number of new products -- including outdoor trampolines, small appliances, and exercise equipment -- in response to changing consumer wants. Walmart and Target have used third-party marketplaces as a way to boost online sales and expand into new categories and brands. 

Online sales growth last year

Best Buy said its online sales grew 144% last year. During the pandemic, U.S. consumers went to the retailer’s website and loaded up on products like tablets, kitchen appliances, and computer monitors to make working, learning, and cooking at home easier. 

Company executives say they’re expecting shoppers to spend more on activities outside the home now that vaccination rates are up. 

"We expect shopping behavior will evolve as customers are able to spend more time on activities like eating out, traveling and other events," Best Buy chief financial officer Matt Bilunas said last month. "It is difficult to know exactly how that impacts our business.” 

Before you know it, you’ll be able to walk into a grocery store at any time of the day or night, buy what you want, and check out using your phone without having to interact with anyone. On Tuesday, Amazon took a calculated leap in that direction. At its fourteenth U.S. Amazon Fresh store, the company is giving cashierless technology its first real-time, big store opportunity.

The company’s cashier-free Just Walk Out technology will get quite a sizable test when it debuts on June 17. The new Amazon Fresh location in Bellevue, Washington, is 25,000 square feet -- more than twice the size of the company’s Amazon Go Grocery stores.

What shoppers can expect

Amazon has designed its Amazon Fresh stores to resemble a traditional full-service grocery store to keep customers comfortable with the experience. But new additions like smart grocery carts and Amazon Echo devices will change up the game and help shoppers navigate the store’s aisles.

The cashierless part also comes into play rather innocuously. The beta test store will utilize a collection of cameras and sensors to log what shoppers put in their carts and remove the need for checkout lines. When a customer has finished shopping, all they have to do is scan their smartphone at the store’s exit and walk out. 

The shopper’s credit card will be charged after they leave, and they can input their email address at an in-store kiosk if they want a receipt. If they use the same credit card at a Just Walk Out-enabled store in the future, a receipt will be emailed to them automatically.

The shape of things to come?

Amazon’s 2018 forecast for launching cashierless stores was hopeful -- 3,000 by 2021 -- but the pandemic took a bite out of those plans. Nonetheless, the company appears to be moving forward with thoughtful baby steps.

Dilip Kumar, Amazon’s vice president of physical retail and technology, told Reuters that Amazon had no market forecast to share, but he left it to consumers to decide just how big the cashierless, automated niche will be. 

“Do customers like standing in lines?” he asked. “This has pretty broad applicability across store sizes, across industries, because it fundamentally tackles a problem of how do you get convenience in physical locations, especially when people are hard-pressed for time.”

One possibility Amazon is trying to leverage is selling its Just Walk Out technology to others; it has already set up shop to offer that. In his comments, Kumar said Amazon could “potentially” sell the service to big-box rivals like Walmart or Target, but he didn’t speculate further.

Do consumers want cashierless and tech-based shopping?

While Kumar may think that a cashierless service is a slam dunk, others say that might not necessarily be the case. One customer engagement expert says that Amazon may be moving too fast and too soon.

“The cashierless model allows Amazon to double down on the reputation it has built for convenience – starting with Prime, then Prime Now, and of course its cashierless convenience stores,” Stefan Read, SVP Engagement Advisory, Strategy Practice Lead at Jackman, told ConsumerAffairs. “Given the incredible rise in comfort with digital and contactless shopping models through the pandemic, this is going to be very attractive for certain customers.”

However, Read said he believes customers are now looking for more human interaction and connection. That presents an opportunity for traditional grocers to zig where Amazon has zagged by doubling down on human-to-human interactions in the shopping experience. 

“Cashierless is undoubtedly the right play for Amazon given what they stand for, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a fit for all grocers,” Read stated.

New research shows that Americans are driving their cars and trucks longer before replacing them, which is increasing the need for careful and regular maintenance.

A report from IHS Markit shows that the average age of light vehicles in operation (VIO) in the U.S. has risen to 12.1 years. That’s about two months longer than during the pandemic in 2020.

The report states that COVID-19 has played a major role in this trend. New cars are in short supply because of the shortage of computer chips, one effect of the pandemic. At the same time, prices of used cars have surged. Those two factors may have combined to persuade consumers to put off replacing their current vehicle.

“2020 was a radical departure from the norm and challenged assumptions about how vehicle owners use their vehicles and accumulate miles; from a vehicle fleet perspective, one of the real surprises was the number of vehicles that suddenly exited the active population,” said Todd Campau, associate director of Aftermarket Solutions at IHS Markit. 

More new cars coming soon

According to the company’s analysis, the rate and mix of vehicles no longer on the road raises the possibility that the number may be inflated by other factors. 

It was more difficult to register vehicles last year because many state offices were closed or limited hours. There’s also some evidence that some vehicles were put into storage due to COVID-19 restrictions in many locations and work-from-home initiatives.

The report’s authors don’t expect this trend to continue. Consumers have recently shown new enthusiasm for auto purchases, but sales have mostly been limited by a shortage of inventory. The team says this year will see a return of new vehicle registrations and increased activity in used registrations as the country gets back to normal.

Regular maintenance

In the meantime, consumers driving older vehicles should be mindful of maintenance needs. Regular oil changes -- at either 3,000 or 5,000 miles -- will provide an opportunity for a service tech to monitor your vehicle’s vital signs. Check your owner’s manual to determine when oil changes should occur.

It’s also important to monitor tire wear. Rotating the tires every 10,000 miles or so can prolong tire life. Performing a regular visual inspection is also a good idea to look for excessive wear that could pose a safety hazard.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that it is banning the importation of dogs that are at a higher risk of rabies. 

The CDC said its “temporary action” will apply to dog imports from more than 100 countries where rabies still spreads among dogs. The decision will affect dog rescue missions, imports from dog breeders, and people bringing in pets, the agency said.

"This suspension applies to all dogs, including puppies, emotional support dogs, and dogs that traveled out of the United States and are returning from a high-risk country," the CDC said in a statement. "This action is necessary to ensure the health and safety of dogs imported into the United States and to protect the public's health against the reintroduction of canine rabies virus variants (dog rabies). 

Requesting approval

The agency added that the suspension is temporary and will be reviewed periodically. In the meantime, the CDC said it may authorize the import of some dogs from high-risk countries under certain conditions with a written request. 

“Dogs from high-risk countries may be imported only with CDC’s advance written approval (CDC Dog Import Permit), including dogs imported from a country NOT at high risk if the dogs have been in a high-risk country during the previous 6 months,” the agency said. “Such approvals may be granted on a limited case-by-case basis at CDC’s discretion.” 

No appeals will be allowed if the CDC decides to deny a written request for dog import approval, the agency added. 

Spread through dog bites

The CDC said three factors contributed to its decision: the pandemic, a shortage of facilities for quarantining dogs, and three recent incidents of dogs infected with rabies that had been imported from other countries. 

Rabies kills an estimated 59,000 people every year, and the World Health Organization says that number is likely a “gross underestimate” due to underreporting. 

Once people start showing symptoms of rabies, they are almost guaranteed to die. Ninety-nine percent of people with rabies end up dying as a result of the illness due to the fact there’s currently no cure. Health officials say nearly all cases of rabies come from dog bites. 

In the last year of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been more important than ever for consumers to pay attention to their mental health. Now, researchers from Binghamton University are exploring how mental health can be affected by consumers’ diets. 

Their study looked at the ways healthy foods and unhealthy foods can affect mental health outcomes. They learned that unhealthy diets were harder on women’s mental health than on men’s, though both groups benefited from sticking to healthier foods. 

“We found a general relationship between eating healthy, following healthy dietary practices, exercise, and mental well-being,” said researcher Lina Begdache. “Interestingly, we found that for unhealthy dietary patterns, the level of mental distress was higher in women than men, which confirmed that women are more susceptible to unhealthy eating than men.” 

Physical health can benefit mental health

The researchers created an online questionnaire that was sent out to men and women over the age of 30. They reported on how often they exercised, what their typical diets consisted of, and general information about their mental health. 

The study showed that men and women had different experiences in terms of diet, exercise, and mental health. For both groups, making healthier choices and living a generally healthier lifestyle were associated with better mental health outcomes. However, when looking at unhealthy foods, skipping exercise, and other unhealthy behaviors, women were more hurt by these choices than their male counterparts. 

The findings highlight the importance of all consumers adopting healthy habits. However, they also suggest that women’s mental health may be more sensitive to unhealthy choices. The researchers explained that women should think carefully about when they’re eating, what they’re eating, and what their exercise routine looks like to maintain quality mental health. 

The study found that exercise may even trump healthy eating in terms of optimal mental health, and staying active can have significant benefits for women’s mental health. 

“Fast food, skipping breakfast, caffeine, and high-glycemic (HG) food are all associated with mental distress in mature women,” Begdache said. “Fruits and dark leafy green vegetables (DGLV) are associated with mental well-being. The extra information we learned from this study is that exercise significantly reduced the negative association of HG food and fast food with mental distress.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from Rice University explored how bosses can foster more resiliency among their employees. 

According to their findings, bosses that actively listen to their employees and encourage on-the-job training are the most likely to create a culture of resiliency among their workers. 

“Understanding what organizations can do to help employees become more resilient is the focus of our work in my Working Resilience Research Laboratory,” said researcher Danielle King. “This research project offered an opportunity to uncover the important role of leadership and employee voice in the resilience process.” 

Cultivating strong workplace relationships

For the study, the researchers analyzed boss-employee interactions from nearly 50 different teams from five Canadian start-ups. The team paid close attention to what kind of environment leaders fostered among their employees and how different workplace cultures handled things like making mistakes, learning new things, and communicating. 

While everyone makes mistakes at work, how bosses handled their employees’ mistakes said a lot about the team’s overall resiliency. The researchers learned that employees felt the best in their roles and were more likely to put in the most effort when their bosses were encouraging and attentive listeners. When employees felt that they had a voice in conversations with their bosses, it was associated with the best workplace outcomes. 

Additionally, leaders that made it a point to prioritize learning on the job cultivated better teams. It was important for employees to feel that it was okay to try new things and mess up along the way, so long as the opportunity was used for growth and future development. 

The researchers hope that organizations can learn from these results. The way that bosses interact with their employees can greatly impact everyone’s success, and having workers that feel appreciated and encouraged is an important part of that puzzle. 

“Knowing that you have a leader who is focused on learning and not just on performance outcomes is critical,” King said. “It’s also important for them to be intentional about communicating this regularly to employees, as it can make all the difference in building more resilient teams. 

“Leaders need to verbally reward a learning mindset. For example, when a boss responds to an employee who makes an on-the-job error by saying, ‘Great, now you can learn from this experience,’ rather than berating them for making a mistake, it makes a big difference.” 

For the second time in just over a year, the American Red Cross is warning that the U.S. faces a severe blood shortage.

The first time came during the early days of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic when churches and civic groups canceled blood donation events. With the virus fading in most areas of the country, that’s no longer an obstacle.

Instead, the Red Cross says demand for blood plasma is sharply higher, in part because elective surgeries postponed during the pandemic are being rescheduled. But a bigger driver, the group says, is that the country’s hospitals are facing a spike in trauma cases from car accidents to gunshot wounds.

"Our teams are working around the clock to meet the extraordinary blood needs of hospitals and patients – distributing about 75,000 more blood products than expected over the past three months to meet demand – but we can't do it without donors. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood," said Chris Hrouda, president of Red Cross Biomedical Services.

Compared to this time during 2019, hospitals and emergency trauma centers around the country are so busy that demand for plasma is up 10%. According to the Red Cross, 20% to 40% of trauma deaths that occur after hospital admission involve massive hemorrhaging. 

These types of emergencies require huge amounts of blood products. Doctors may need hundreds of blood products, depending on the severity of the trauma, to help save a life.

Rescheduled surgeries

Another major factor is the scheduling of thousands of operations and medical procedures that should have been performed last year but weren’t because of the pandemic. In some cases, those delays caused conditions to worsen and to require increased blood transfusions.

"Some hospitals are being forced to slow the pace of elective surgeries until the blood supply stabilizes, delaying crucial patient care,” Hrouda said. “As we return to pre-pandemic activities and resume travel to visit loved ones, we want people to remember the needs of patients this summer and the power so many of us have to help save lives." 

The Red Cross said all blood types are needed but type O, one of the rarest blood types, is in especially short supply. With less than half a day supply available of type O blood in recent weeks, there is an emergency need for type O donors, Red Cross officials said. 

Type O positive is the most transfused blood type and can be transfused to Rh-positive patients of any blood type. Type O negative is the universal blood type and what emergency room personnel reach for when there is no time to determine the blood type of patients in the most serious situations.

The Red Cross said people who can help by donating a pint of blood can schedule an appointment by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Milan Provisions of Corona, N.Y., is recalling approximately 6,000 pounds of heat-treated, not fully cooked, not shelf stable chorizo sausage.

The product did not undergo federal inspection.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

The following item, produced from April 13 – 16, 2021, is being recalled:

• 14-oz and 22-oz vacuum-packed packages containing “MILAN PROVISIONS MEXICAN BRAND MADE IN NEW YORK CURED CHORIZO JALAPEÑO” with expiration dates of “JUN 12 21”, “JUN 13 21”, “JUN 14 21” and “JUN 15 21.”

The recalled product, bearing establishment number “EST. 4335” inside the USDA mark of inspection, was shipped to retail stores in New York.

What to do

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

Consumers with questions may contact Salvatore Laurita at (718) 899-7678.

Daimler Vans USA (DVUSA) is recalling 2,016 model year 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters.

The screws for the front door hinges may not have been tightened properly.

Loose door hinge screws could change the gap between the door and vehicle body, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

What to do

Dealers will check the screws and tighten them as necessary free of charge.

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

Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at (877) 762-8267. DVUSA's number for this recall is VS3TURSCHA.