Current Events in August 2021

T-Mobile has announced that it will shut down Sprint’s LTE network by June 30, 2022. 

The carrier acquired Sprint in April of last year for $26 billion. In the time since, T-Mobile has used Sprint’s spectrum and tower assets to further its 5G rollout. The company said it has already shifted about 33% of Sprint customers onto its T-Mobile network. 

"Moving customers who are on old networks onto modern, advanced high-speed networks means they will need to have phones and devices that can tap into the latest technologies and don't rely on older ones,” T-Mobile wrote on its website. “We'll ensure that we support our customers and partners through the transition. We began sending notifications late last year, and everyone who needs to act will be given advanced notice and hear directly from T-Mobile.”

Shutting down older network

Once Sprint’s LTE network is officially retired, T-Mobile says customers will still be able to use Sprint LTE and 5G devices. 

“The good news is most Sprint LTE and 5G devices are compatible with the T-Mobile LTE or 5G network and will continue to operate on T-Mobile's LTE and 5G networks,” the company said. 

Customers who want to continue using their old device can follow these steps: 

• Replace the Sprint SIM card with a T-Mobile SIM card;

• Ensure Voice over LTE (VoLTE) is enabled in device settings for voice calls (on applicable devices).

T-Mobile joins other wireless providers in shutting down older networks in order to free up resources for newer technologies. AT&T announced that it plans to shut down its 3G network early next year, and Verizon said it plans to shut down its 3G network at the beginning of 2023. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the American Heart Association explored how older consumers struggling with obesity can improve their health. 

According to their findings, there are two key factors that can improve heart health and lead to weight loss: cutting calorie consumption by 250 calories each day and making aerobic exercise a regular part of their routine.  

“This is the first study to assess the effects of aerobic exercise training with and without reducing calories on aortic stiffness, which was measured via cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) to obtain detailed images of the aorta,” said researcher Tina E. Brinkley, Ph.D. “We sought to determine whether adding caloric restriction for weight loss would lead to greater improvements in vascular health compared to aerobic exercise alone in older adults with obesity.” 

Improving heart health

For the study, the researchers had 160 older adults with inactive lifestyles join one of three different exercise-based intervention groups for 20 weeks. The first group stuck to their regular diet and incorporated moderate exercise, the second group restricted their daily food intake by 250 calories and added in exercise, and the third group cut their calorie intake by 600 calories each day and exercised. The researchers were primarily interested in seeing how these trials impacted the participants’ aortic stiffness, which is a significant indicator of future cardiovascular disease or episodes. 

The study showed that the group with the mild calorie restriction and aerobic exercise had the best heart health and overall health outcomes. The participants in the second group saw a significant amount of weight loss and also improvements to their heart health; this group experienced an 8% decrease in the speed that blood flows through the aorta and a 20% decrease in overall aortic stiffness. 

The researchers were also surprised to learn that the participants in both calorie-restricting groups had similar weight loss totals by the end of the study, but only the participants in the mild calorie restriction group experienced the heart health benefits. 

“These results suggest that combining exercise with modest calorie restriction -- as opposed to more intensive calorie restriction -- likely maximizes the benefits on vascular health, while also optimizing weight loss and improvements in body composition and fat distribution,” said Dr. Brinkley. “The finding that higher-intensity calorie restriction may not be necessary or advised has important implications for weight loss recommendations to improve cardiovascular disease risk in older adults with obesity.” 

General Motors is recalling 12 model year 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500s.

The front driver's side airbag module may be missing one or more metal tabs that secure the plastic airbag cover to the housing.

The missing tabs may prevent the airbag from deploying properly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag, and replace it -- if necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 16, 2021.

Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at (800) 222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212336560.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added 16 destinations to its "Level 4: Very High" COVID-19 risk level, including three popular travel destinations for Americans -- Greece, Ireland, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Those countries join other frequent international destinations like the United Kingdom, Spain, and The Netherlands. Destinations that fall into the "very high" risk category have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.

The agency emphatically stated that everyone should “avoid travel to these destinations. If you must travel to these destinations, make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel.”

"Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread Covid-19. However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some Covid-19 variants," the agency said.

How will this affect people with travel plans?

The CDC’s new advice will certainly get the attention of anyone who plans on flying -- or cruising -- anytime soon. In particular, cruisers need to be aware that a number of stops on European and Mediterranean itineraries are impacted: Portugal, Spain, the U.K., the Netherlands, Greece, and Gibraltar. 

There are also several “Level 3” countries that could affect stopovers if the virus continues to spread. Those include Norway, Sweden, Finland, France, Italy, and Estonia in Europe, as well as most of the Caribbean nations.

What can travelers do to protect the cost of their trip?

The pandemic continues to create unique, troubling, and shifting scenarios that travelers have to face. Besides local restrictions and mandates that cruise lines and airlines might put into place, there is a slew of travelers who have made reservations and paid for vacations.

Is there anything a traveler can do to protect their investment? ConsumerAffairs reached out to insurance expert Michael Giusti of InsuranceQuotes.com to get his advice.

“Make sure to book your insurance policy early,” Giusti said. “Once you pay your deposits, the clock starts ticking. Many companies won’t write policies if you don’t buy it within just a few days of the trip being purchased. So, if you booked your trip in April but are now worried about the Delta variant, it is likely too late for travel insurance now.”

How does that affect the new CDC guidance? Giusti said government shutdowns typically aren’t covered by standard travel insurance policies. However, there is one insurance option that travelers can take called a “Cancel For Any Reason” policy. 

“These are more expensive, and they pay out a smaller percentage of your costs, but just like their name implies, they pay out for almost any reason you chose,” Giusti said. “This can be a great option if you are a timid traveler, or if you have a lot of unknown variables to consider.”

Travel insurance can really pay off

While travelers usually don’t have to file a travel insurance claim, it’s those you-never-know type of things that make travel insurance worth the investment. Corie from Nampa, Idaho, said it certainly paid off for them.

“I purchased flight protection on my flight just in case, my traveling partner ended up getting seizures and being admitted into the hospital, it was horrible we were all so stressed out and didn’t know what to do because we couldn’t go on our planned vacation,” they wrote in a review of Allianz Global Assistance. “The customer service and help that I got was awesome, it helped me so much and I definitely recommend this company for travel insurance!”

ConsumerAffairs has prepared a guide on travel insurance that might be worth reviewing if you’re planning a trip anytime soon. It’s available here.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 35,143,810 (35,007,771)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 613,834 (613,231)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 199,162,828 (198,519,853)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,240,761 (4,228,484)‌

The return of the mask mandate

One state, several counties, and a handful of retailers have begun to react to the latest mask guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), requesting even fully vaccinated people wear masks while indoors in public spaces.

Louisiana is the first state to reimpose a statewide mask mandate. Several San Francisco area counties have joined Los Angeles and Sacramento counties in doing the same.

McDonald’s and Home Depot are now requiring employees and customers to wear masks. Target has a mask mandate in areas of “substantial” or “high” spread.

CDC warns against travel to another 16 destinations

While travel has surged in the last two weeks, the spike in COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant threatens to keep more people at home. The CDC added 16 more destinations to places that have a “very high” risk of infection this week.

The additional destinations include Greece, Ireland, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The CDC said people traveling to those international destinations must be fully vaccinated.

“Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19,” the CDC said. “However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some COVID-19 variants.”

Some scientists question data used to revise mask guidance

Health experts at the CDC used a report of widespread infections at Provincetown, Mass., to revise their mask guidance. But the Wall Street Journal reports that some officials within the health agency question whether the data, which was not peer-reviewed, is actually meaningful. 

They reportedly argue that more testing needs to be done, including tests that measure how infectious virus particles are.

“There’s no one-to-one relationship between high viral load and infectivity, but we’re always making decisions based on imperfect data,” former CDC Director Tom Frieden told the Journal.

Around the nation

• New York: While some major cities and counties have reimposed mask mandates for everyone, New York City has not yet taken that step. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio says he “strongly encourages” everyone to wear a mask while indoors.

• Texas: The coronavirus is quickly spreading across Texas, but it’s infecting mostly the unvaccinated population. An analysis by the Texas Tribune shows that this group is mostly made up of white conservatives in rural areas and Black and Hispanic residents in large cities.

• Pennsylvania: State health officials reported more than 3,000 new cases of the virus over the weekend, calling it a worrisome trend. But they point out that the number of new cases is still a fraction of what it was back in December when the state was reporting more than 10,000 new cases a day.

• Hawaii: The surge in the number of tourists flocking to Hawaii to escape COVID-19 stress isn’t sitting well with residents of the state. Officials said they are considering restrictions on the number of non-residents who will be allowed to visit Oahu.

• Oregon: As cases of the virus surge, Gov. Kate Brown has ordered state agencies to formulate rules requiring masks for anyone in an indoor school setting this fall. Many local school boards around the state denounced the move, saying it should be left to local control.

In the last decade, QR codes have become more common as a way to quickly connect consumers to apps and web pages. Scammers have noticed that trend and are now exploiting it.

The reason is simple. A link in a phishing email can be read, and the intended victim might quickly realize it isn’t taking them where they expect. A QR code, on the other hand, is a perfect disguise. QR codes are a square jumble of symbols that, when scanned with the camera of a smartphone, display a restaurant menu, help consumers track packages, or connect to an app.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says there has been an increase in the number of consumers reporting scams involving these codes. In most cases, the codes are being used in phishing schemes.

You might receive an email, a direct message on social media, a text message, or even a piece of mail that includes a QR code. In some scams, victims are taken to a phishing website. Once there, they’re often asked to enter personal information or login credentials.

The BBB also reports that con artists are using QR codes to automatically launch payment apps or follow a malicious social media account.

A wide range of scams

So far, QR codes are not confined to one particular scam. Criminals have simply found them to be an effective tool to fool consumers.

Scammers are hoping you will scan the code without thinking and without taking a closer look.  QR codes often appear to come from legitimate sources, so make sure any correspondence is legitimate before you scan the code.

One victim said they received a phony letter about student loan consolidation that contained a QR code. It appeared to link to the official Studentaid.gov website, but the BBB says it only helped the fraudulent letter appear more official.

What to do

There are several ways to avoid falling victim to these scams. First, treat a QR code in a message from someone you don’t know exactly how you would treat a link. Even if it comes from someone you know, confirm with the sender that the message is real.

Be aware that some advertising materials may have been tampered with. Scammers have been known to alter legitimate business ads by placing stickers on the QR code. Keep an eye out for signs of tampering.

If you find you are being bombarded by fake QR codes, consider installing a QR scanner with added security. Some antivirus companies have QR scanner apps that check the safety of a scanned link before you open it. They can identify phishing scams, forced app downloads, and other dangerous links.

Tyson Foods announced Tuesday that it will require its 120,000 U.S. workers to be fully vaccinated this year. 

At present, less than half of the company’s employees (about 56,000) have been vaccinated. To raise that number, the company is mandating vaccinations and will pay workers a $200 bonus after they have been vaccinated. 

Office workers have a deadline of October 1 to be fully vaccinated, and all other team members have until November 1. Tyson officials said exceptions to the mandate will be granted to workers with medical or religious reasons. 

“It is abundantly clear that getting vaccinated is the single most effective thing we can do to protect ourselves, our families and our communities,” CEO Donnie King said in a memo to employees.

Preventing future cases

COVID-19 has claimed the lives of at least 132 meatpacking workers, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers, which represents 24,000 Tyson workers. The nature of the job requires employees to work closely together, increasing the risk of contracting the virus. 

During the early stages of the pandemic, Tyson Foods -- the largest food company in the nation -- had to temporarily shut down its meat processing plants due to outbreaks. The closures ended up causing supply chain disruptions. 

"We did not take this decision lightly. We have spent months encouraging our team members to get vaccinated – today, under half of our team members are," King said. "We take this step today because nothing is more important than our team members’ health and safety, and we thank them for the work they do, every day, to help us feed this country, and our world."

The company’s decision to require workers to be vaccinated comes one day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that the seven-day average of new infections exceeded last summer’s pre-vaccine peak. Health officials are focused on encouraging more people to get vaccinated in order to combat the threat of the highly contagious Delta variant, which is driving the surge in cases.

President Biden's goal of getting 70% of American adults at least partially vaccinated was reached Monday, a month after Biden originally set out to achieve the milestone. The announcement was made on Twitter by Cyrus Shahpar, the COVID-19 data director for the Biden administration. 

The White House reportedly did little to celebrate the milestone. Instead, the administration focused on pushing vaccination numbers higher to combat the threat of the Delta variant. 

“Let’s continue working to get more eligible vaccinated!” Mr. Shahpar wrote on Twitter. 

The Delta variant is currently driving a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country. The situation has gotten to the point where several national retailers, along with one state and several counties, have reversed their guidance on masks. 

Case counts climbing

The president had hoped that, by July 4, the nation’s vaccination numbers would be high enough that the U.S. could mark “independence” from COVID-19. But by the time July 4 rolled around, fewer than half of U.S. states had achieved the 70% milestone.

Health officials have struck a more urgent tone lately regarding vaccination rates as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to fill hospital beds. 

The U.S. still hasn’t reached the government’s other goal of getting 165 million adults fully vaccinated. According to CDC data, 156.5 American adults have been fully inoculated. Meanwhile, new cases per day have increased to an average of nearly 80,000 -- their highest level in nearly three months. 

Reversing mask guidance

A week after the CDC said that fully vaccinated people should wear a mask when indoors in areas of “substantial” or “high” virus transmission, the state of Louisiana and several counties in the San Francisco Bay Area adopted rules requiring people to wear masks in public indoor spaces. 

Louisiana became the first state to reimpose a statewide mask mandate. Governor John Bel Edwards cited the need to avoid overburdening hospitals and protect public health.

“It has never been more clear that we are in an unchecked COVID surge that, in addition to threatening the health and wellbeing of many Louisianans, also threatens the capacity of our hospitals and medical facilities to deliver care to their patients,” Edwards said in a statement. “That is simply unacceptable.”

Elon Musk’s Starlink service continues to fire on all cylinders. Musk-owned SpaceX says its Starlink satellite internet company has grown to 90,000 users in 12 countries and continues to pick up more. If it maintains the growth rate of 20,000 subscribers it added in the past month, it would have close to a quarter-million users by the end of the year.

Starlink is a bit late to the game in the world of internet service providers, but its idea is novel. The service plans to build out a constellation with thousands of internet-beaming satellites that can bring high-speed internet to consumers no matter where they live around the world. To date, the company says it has launched 1,700 satellites into orbit.

In addition to delivering internet service to homes, the company has asked for regulators to give it permission to test out the possibilities for in-flight service and overseas/overland transportation like cargo ships and trucks.

Still to come

In its report to the FCC, SpaceX said its plans also include the rollout of “next-generation satellites” that will feature “faster speeds,” “lower latency,” and “more backhaul capacity” to greatly expand its user base. Latency is a key hurdle for the company and a negative for most satellite internet providers that are trying to compete with land-based cable or fiber delivery services.

However, the bigger hurdle for Starlink will be finding a price point that most consumers consider affordable. When ConsumerAffairs looked into what Starlink was charging for service, the hardware was $499, plus $99 a month for service, not to mention taxes and shipping. 

Compared to the $60 monthly average most people are paying, Starlink has a ways to go. It’s a hurdle that even Musk agrees is the company’s biggest challenge.

Amazon is offering $10 in promotional credit to those who sign up to its palm print payments system, Amazon One. 

The contactless payment option, which Amazon launched last September, lets customers link their card to their palm signature. The company has since brought the technology to 53 of its retail establishments across the U.S. 

The payment option can be found at Amazon Go convenience stores, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Go Grocery, Amazon Books, Amazon 4-star stores, and Amazon Pop Ups. Now, Amazon is seeking to expand the number of customers who use the technology at these locations. 

Shoppers who sign up to use Amazon One can get a $10 voucher. Amazon says the sign-up process takes less than a minute and that paying using the tech takes just a second. After linking a payment card to one or both palm signatures, customers can then begin paying for their items simply by hovering their palm over the reader device.

Privacy a priority

Amazon has promised to secure palm data using encryption, data isolation, and dedicated secure zones with restricted access control. The company has also promised to keep palm data separate from other Amazon customer data. 

A small subset of “anonymous” palm data will be used to help Amazon improve its system. Amazon said that data will be "protected using multiple layers of security controls." The company also said it will delete palm signature data in the event that an Amazon One ID is canceled or if a user hasn’t interacted with one of its palm scanners for two years. 

“Customer trust is our top priority. We treat your palm signature just like other highly sensitive personal data and keep it safe using best-in-class technical and physical security controls,” Amazon said. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the American Academy of Neurology explored the cognitive benefits associated with consumers’ diet choices. According to their findings, eating foods high in flavonoids, which include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, may help protect against cognitive decline. 

“There is mounting evidence suggesting flavonoids are powerhouses when it comes to preventing your thinking skills from declining as you get older,” said researcher Dr. Walter Willett. “Our results are exciting because they show that making simple changes to your diet could help prevent cognitive decline.” 

Cognitive benefits of a healthy diet

For the study, the researchers worked with nearly 50,000 women and more than 27,000 men for over two decades. The participants regularly answered questions about their diets and their cognitive abilities, and the researchers compared how rich the participants’ diets were in flavonoids with their cognitive outcomes. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that diets high in flavonoids were linked with the best cognitive outcomes. Participants who ate the most flavonoid-rich foods were 20% less likely to experience cognitive decline when compared to those who ate the lowest quantities of flavonoid-rich foods. 

In terms of quantities, the study showed that consuming 600 milligrams of flavonoids per day was considered to be a high level of consumption. Participants who ate the lowest amounts of flavonoids consumed roughly 150 milligrams per day. 

The researchers also found that eating different foods led to different cognitive outcomes for the participants. Findings showed that consuming anthocyanins and flavones contributed to a 25% and 40% reduced risk of cognitive decline, respectively. Anthocyanins are any purple, red, and blue-hued fruits and vegetables, and flavones are found in any yellow and orange fruits and vegetables. 

Promoting long term brain health

Moving forward, the researchers hope these findings encourage consumers to change up their diets to include more fruits and vegetables. 

“The people in our study who did the best over time ate an average of at least half a serving per day of foods like orange juice, oranges, peppers, celery, grapefruits, grapefruit juice, apples, and pears,” said Dr. Willett.

“While it is possible other phytochemicals are at work here, a colorful diet rich in flavonoids -- and specifically flavones and anthocyanins -- seems to be a good bet for promoting long-term brain health. And it’s never too late to start, because we saw those protective relationships whether people were consuming the flavonoids in their diet 20 years ago, or if they started incorporating them more recently.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the Wake Forest School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital Colorado explored the health risks associated with children’s exposure to marijuana. According to their findings, kids exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke may have an increased risk for respiratory infections. 

“The negative impact that exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke can have on children’s health has been extensively studied but the impact of secondhand marijuana smoke on young children is unclear,” said researcher Adam Johnson. 

“Our findings identify the potential for increased respiratory infections in children exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke. This could have significant health care implications as more states in the U.S.A. move towards legalizing recreational marijuana use.”  

Health risks of marijuana exposure

For the study, the researchers analyzed survey responses from nearly 1,500 parents and caregivers living in Colorado -- a state where marijuana is legal for both medical and recreational purposes. All of the parents involved in the study had a child under 12 years old visit the emergency room between 2015 and 2017. They answered questions about their children’s medical histories and their marijuana and tobacco use, including where they typically use the drugs and their children’s level of exposure. 

Roughly 10% of the caregivers involved in the study reported using marijuana on a regular basis, compared to more than 19% of parents who reported regularly smoking tobacco. Ultimately, this impacted their children’s health. Parents who smoked marijuana reported that their children experienced viral respiratory infections more frequently than parents who didn’t smoke. 

However, the researchers also found that side effects that are typically tied to primary marijuana use, including asthma flare-ups or ear infections, weren’t impacted by secondhand exposure to marijuana. Additionally, none of the parents reported an uptick in trips to the emergency room as a result of exposure to marijuana smoke. 

While the researchers plan to do more work in this area, especially in areas where marijuana isn’t legal, they hope that these initial findings highlight some of the risks associated with exposing children to secondhand marijuana smoke. 

“Our findings highlight the prevalence of marijuana use among parents and caregivers and indicate which children may be more likely to be exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke in a U.S. state where recreational and medical marijuana use is legal,” said Johnson. “These findings could be used to help target and shape public health messaging aimed at parents and caregivers in order to raise awareness of the potential negative impacts that secondhand marijuana smoke exposure can have on children’s health.” 

A week after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its mask guidance, several national retailers, along with one state and several counties, have adopted new mask guidance.

The CDC guidance said fully vaccinated people should still wear a mask when indoors in areas of “substantial” or “high” virus transmission. The state of Louisiana and several counties in the San Francisco Bay Area have adopted rules requiring everyone to mask up when in public indoor spaces.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has temporarily reimposed a statewide mask mandate, the first state to do so. 

“It has never been more clear that we are in an unchecked COVID surge that, in addition to threatening the health and wellbeing of many Louisianans, also threatens the capacity of our hospitals and medical facilities to deliver care to their patients,” Edwards said in a statement. “That is simply unacceptable.”

Meanwhile,  seven San Francisco Bay Area counties will require that people wear masks indoors in public spaces starting today. Masks are required in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Sonoma counties, along with the city of Berkeley. Those jurisdictions join Los Angeles and Sacramento counties that reinstated mask rules last week.

Retailers put masks back on

A growing number of retailers have also turned back the clock and are requiring customers and employees to mask up. McDonald’s and Home Depot both have mandated masks for all employees in customers in most areas of the country.

Target said it would require employees and customers, regardless of vaccination status, to wear masks at its stores in areas of substantial or high transmission. In some states, such as Mississippi, that’s the entire state.

Late last week, Kroger said all employees would be required to wear masks in its stores and “strongly encouraged” all customers to do so.  

These changes are all in response to the rapid spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus that is sweeping the country. It appears to be affecting vaccinated and unvaccinated alike, but in different ways.

Vaccinated people have less severe symptoms

While hospitalizations are up, it is mostly the unvaccinated who are experiencing severe symptoms. Anecdotal evidence suggests vaccinated people have mild or no symptoms.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is the latest high-profile COVID-19 case. Graham said he tested positive after attending a social gathering that included several other lawmakers.

The 66-year-old senator is fully vaccinated and said he is suffering only mild symptoms. “I feel like I have a sinus infection and at present time I have mild symptoms,” Graham said. “I will be quarantining for ten days."

Give and Go Prepared Foods (U.S.A.) is recalling various muffin products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

There are no reports of illnesses to date.

A list of the recalled products, sold in retail stores nationwide, may be found here.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them, but discard them, and make a note of the lot code of the product found on the label, and provide it if they contact the firm.

Consumers may contact the company at (84) 366-1171 24 hours a day for more information. Consumer Relations specialists are available Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm (EST).

Hours after the federal eviction moratorium expired on Saturday, top House Democrats urged the Biden administration to take immediate action in extending it. 

Given the threat of the Delta variant, top House Democrats believe an extension allowing financially strapped Americans to remain in their homes is the best course of action. 

“Action is needed, and it must come from the Administration. That is why House leadership is calling on the Administration to immediately extend the moratorium,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) and Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (D-Md.) wrote in a joint statement.

With Delta driving a rise in COVID-19 case numbers nationwide, the group said the eviction freeze should be extended through at least October 18. 

“As the CDC doubles down on mask-wearing and vaccination efforts, science and reason demand that they must also extend the moratorium in light of the delta variant,” the lawmakers wrote. “Doing so is a moral imperative to keep people from being put out on the street which also contributes to the public health emergency.”

Pushing for an extension

Three days before the scheduled end of the eviction ban, President Biden called on Congress to extend the order “without delay” given the circumstances. 

"Given the recent spread of the Delta variant, including among those Americans both most likely to face evictions and lacking vaccinations, President Biden would have strongly supported a decision by the CDC to further extend this eviction moratorium to protect renters at this moment of heightened vulnerability. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court has made clear that this option is no longer available," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on Thursday.

"In light of the Supreme Court's ruling, the President calls on Congress to extend the eviction moratorium to protect such vulnerable renters and their families without delay.”

The eviction moratorium ultimately expired at midnight on Saturday after the House left for recess two days earlier without having previously reached any sort of deal on an extension. 

Virus ‘still a threat’

Top House Democrats argued over the weekend that it wouldn’t be “sufficient” to extend the measure in the House because the Senate wouldn’t have the ability to pass a bill. 

“On Thursday, the President asked Congress to pass an extension of the eviction moratorium. Sadly, it is clear that the Senate is not able to do so, and any legislation in the House, therefore, will not be sufficient to extend the moratorium,” the leaders wrote.

The group of Democratic lawmakers urged the Treasury Department to “indicate how the funds that it has already transferred to states and communities can be more effectively distributed to renters and landlords.”

“The virus is still a threat. The moratorium must be extended, and the funds Congress allocated to assist renters and landlords must be spent. An extension of the moratorium is based on public health and the delta variant. It will also give more time to allow the money that Congress allocated to finally flow,” the lawmakers added.

Are you planning on going out of the country anytime soon? If you don’t have an updated passport, get ready to wait a while because there’s a serious backlog of applications at the passport office.

How long is the waiting period? The agency says applicants need to allow at least six months before any planned international travel. It says some of the backlog is a result of prioritizing customers with life-or-death emergencies. 

The first recommended steps

According to a passport application guide published by Scott’s Cheap Flights, anyone planning to fly out of the U.S. should first check their current passport if they have one. Passports are good for 10 years for those over the age of 16; they’re good for 5 years for those under 16. Scott Keyes, founder of the airfare deal service, says there’s more to check than the expiration date though. 

“Many countries require that your passport be valid for 3-6 months beyond your travel dates, and that you have at least one blank page (it varies by country, some require more),” Keyes told ConsumerAffairs.

“For example, if you roll up to the airport for a trip to any of the countries in Europe’s Schengen Area and your passport isn’t valid for at least three months beyond your trip, you’re gonna get some bad news.”

The Department of State Travel says appointments must be scheduled by phone: Call 1-877-487-2778 or 1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, Mondays through Fridays. The agency’s appointment line is closed on weekends and federal holidays. 

What to expect after that

The U.S. Passport office says applicants should expect delays of up to 18 weeks (4 ½) months from the day an application is submitted to the day a new passport is received by the applicant. Mind you, it might not take that long, but the agency is playing it safe. 

It says the 18-week timeframe includes up to 12 weeks for processing and up to 6 weeks for mailing times on the front and back end. Regarding those mailing times, the agency says processing times begin the day it receives your application, not the day you mail it. If you’re in a hurry, an additional $60 will get you expedited service, but it won’t save you much time -- only about six weeks. 

“If that’s still not soon enough, there are two dozen passport agencies around the US where you can get an Urgent Travel or Life-or-Death Emergency appointment,” Keyes suggested. “To cast the widest net, visit the USPS passport site and look for available appointments within 100 miles of your zip code.” 

Here are some other suggestions the Passport office offers:

• Send your application via trackable mail so you can track your application before it enters the office’s system. The agency said that can be done regardless of whether you apply at an acceptance facility or by mail.

• Pay an extra $17.56 for 1-2 day delivery for the return of your completed passport.

• Use the agency’s Self-Service Tools Online. This will allow you to get immediate answers to your questions, and you can check online for your passport status. However, consumers should note that customer service representatives do not give status updates over the phone. 

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 35,007,771 (34,981,891)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 613,231 (613,164)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 198,519,853 (198,060,664)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,228,484 (4,220,776)‌

Cases surge in Florida

Florida had a rough weekend. On Saturday, the state set a record for the number of daily new cases; on Sunday, it set a record for hospitalizations.

More than 10,000 COVID-19 patients started the week in Florida hospitals, eclipsing the previous record set in July 2020. The virus has been quickly spreading across the state for several weeks.

The Florida Department of Health reports that cases have risen 50% over the last seven days, with 110,477 infections from July 23 to July 29. As the number of U.S. cases surpassed 35 million, the White House said Florida now accounts for one out of every five new cases nationwide.

Deaths declined in July despite spread of Delta variant

Masks are back on in many areas as health officials grow increasingly concerned about the rapid spread of COVID-19 caused by the highly contagious Delta variant. But despite the large increase in cases of the virus, deaths declined in July.

A ConsumerAffairs analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University showed that 8,426 deaths were attributed to the virus during July, an average of 272 deaths per day. In June, the university’s COVID-19 Tracking Project reported 9,907 deaths, averaging 330 fatalities per day.

New evidence suggests that fully vaccinated people are still vulnerable to infection. However, previous research has suggested vaccinated individuals are protected from serious illness in most cases.

Gallup poll shows optimism is fading

The increase in new coronavirus cases is causing businesses to ask customers to put masks back on, and it appears to be weighing on the American psyche. A new Gallup Poll shows that optimism about the end of the pandemic has plunged.

For the first time since January, more U.S. adults have been pessimistic than optimistic about the COVID-19 situation. It’s nearly back to the levels seen during most of 2020, a time before vaccines were available. In November, 73% said the situation was deteriorating amid a dramatic surge in cases last fall.

While the current infection numbers may look discouraging, at least one health expert sees some hope. In an interview last week, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), predicted that the Delta variant would be significantly diminished in the U.S. in about three weeks.

Around the nation

• Missouri: Despite a low vaccination rate that has made Missouri a COVID-19 hotspot, two Kansas City restaurants say they will require customers to show proof of vaccination. Hamburger Mary’s Kansas City and Woody’s KC will both start requiring proof of vaccination starting Tuesday.

• New Hampshire: The U.S. government is continuing to close off the border with Canada, and businesses in New Hampshire say they’re feeling the pain. Business leaders have told  U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen that the ban on non-essential cross-border travel is costing the state millions of dollars.

• Georgia: When it comes to masks, Gov. Brian Kemp and the state’s largest school districts are at odds. Kemp has said there will be no mandate for students and staff to mask up this fall. The city of Atlanta and surrounding school districts say they plan to require masks.

• Mississippi: The CDC’s new mask guidance is based on areas of high transmission rates of COVID-19. County statistics show that nearly the entire state of Mississippi falls into that category.

• Kentucky: Health officials in Eastern Kentucky say the surge in cases caused by the Delta variant is causing many vaccine-hesitant residents to roll up their sleeves. “We are having a lot of calls, a lot more calls about vaccine, taking some appointments,” said Jelaine Harlow with the Lake Cumberland District Health Department. 

The shift back to wearing face masks has made another strong turnabout. Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) and California’s policy changes regarding masking up, Walmart has decided to address the issue for its employees. 

Effective immediately, all company employees must wear face coverings while on the job inside of a Walmart store located in an area of “substantial or high transmission.” That designation is determined by the CDC and even applies to fully vaccinated workers. Shoppers are strongly encouraged to wear masks in stores, but they will not be required to.

Walmart says the CDC is its main guidepost, but it’s also basing its decisions on guidance issued by local health experts. The company also said it will soon implement a new process for verification of vaccine status for U.S. associates.

“We continue to watch with deep concern the developments of the pandemic and the spread of variants, especially the Delta variant,” commented Donna Morris, Chief People Officer, and Dr. Cheryl Pegus, Executive Vice President, Health and Wellness, in announcing the change.

“We know vaccinations are our solution to drive change. We are urging you to get vaccinated and want to see many more of you vaccinated. We realize there is a small number of our associates who cannot get vaccinated due to medical issues or religious reasons.”

Other companies changing mask policies

ConsumerAffairs found the following when researching other companies that are changing mask policies:

Publix: Effective August 2, Publix is requiring associates, regardless of their vaccination status, to wear face coverings over their noses and mouths while inside any Publix location.

Theme Parks: At Disney World and Busch Gardens, face coverings are once again required for all guests aged 2 and up while indoors. Universal is again mandating masks for employees, and non-vaccinated guests will have to wear masks while inside any building. Vaccinated guests will not be required to wear a mask when they’re at Universal.

Kroger: In a statement provided to ConsumerAffairs, Kroger said its current mask policy requires unvaccinated employees to wear masks and “requests” that unvaccinated customers wear masks when shopping in stores. 

“In light of the Delta variant and updated CDC recommendations, we strongly encourage all individuals, including those who are vaccinated, to wear a mask when in our stores and facilities. We will continue to abide by all state and local mandates and encourage all Americans to get vaccinated, including our associates,” a company representative said.