Current Events in August 2021

The Senate on Tuesday passed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package aimed at addressing the maintenance of roads, bridges, and broadband internet access. 

The legislation, called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, includes $550 billion in new funding over the next five years -- $110 billion is set to go toward roads, bridges and other projects; $65 billion will go toward broadband, $66 billion will be spent on passenger and freight rail, $55 billion will support water infrastructure, $39.2 billion will be set aside for public transit, $47.2 billion will go toward resiliency purposes, $7.5 billion will fund electric vehicle infrastructure, and $21 billion will address pollution. President Biden announced the successful vote on Twitter. 

"Big news, folks," Biden wrote. "The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal has officially passed the Senate. I hope Congress will send it to my desk as soon as possible so we can continue our work of building back better."

Democrats pushing a paired deal

The measure was negotiated by a group of 22 bipartisan lawmakers and made it through the Senate in a 69-30 vote. Nineteen Republicans joined all 50 Democrats, but some members of the GOP expressed their opposition. 

“This isn’t exactly the bill I would have written on my own, in my office, and 99 of my colleagues would say the same. This is a compromise product crafted by colleagues with big, principled differences in a Senate with the narrowest possible split,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on the floor Saturday. 

The bill isn’t likely to be taken up by the House of Representatives until the fall. The House is out for recess until September 20. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has indicated that she will not take up the infrastructure bill until Democrats’ separate proposal to expand the social safety net is passed. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has expressed optimism that the two-track plan will work. 

Schumer stated that he intends to move quickly on the resolution, and he noted that the reconciliation process was used earlier this year to pass the COVID-19 relief package despite unanimous Republican opposition.

"Today the Senate takes a decades overdue step to revitalize America's infrastructure and give our workers, our businesses, our economy the tools to succeed in the 21st century," Schumer said. "Of course, we Democrats believe we need to do much more. We are moving on to a second track, which will make generational transformation."

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 35,983,375 (35,775,272)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 617,704 (616,864)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 203,708,052 (202,970,177)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,308,757 (4,298,791)‌

Pentagon to make vaccinations mandatory

Members of the U.S. armed services will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said he plans to ask President Biden to approve a vaccine requirement by the middle of next month. Biden has already signaled his support for such a move.

"I have every confidence that Service leadership and your commanders will implement this new vaccination program with professionalism, skill, and compassion," Austin said in the memo to armed forces personnel. 

Military vaccinations are voluntary unless the vaccine has full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That approval, for at least one vaccine, is expected by mid-September. If approval is not granted, the Defense Department has the option of seeking a waiver from the White House to make the vaccine mandatory.

CDC adds seven more destinations to risky travel list

People planning international travel need to pay close attention as the Delta variant spreads around the world. Risk levels seem to change daily and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added seven more countries to its list of risky destinations.

Aruba, Eswatini, France, French Polynesia, Iceland, Israel, and Thailand have risen to a Level 4 risk designation. People should avoid travel to locations carrying the "Level 4: Covid-19 very high" notice, according to CDC guidance.

"Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread Covid-19,” the CDC said in a statement. “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." 

Restaurants struggle due to surge in Delta cases

Perhaps no industry has had it as tough during the COVID-19 pandemic as restaurants. Many of them were closed at the beginning of the pandemic or went out of business entirely. As things began to reopen in the spring, they couldn’t find enough employees.

Now, just as things began to seem almost normal, the Delta variant has caused a surge in new cases, primarily in areas with low vaccination rates. The Wall Street Journal reports that many restaurants in those areas began curtailing operations late last month.

“All the fears that were in the background are just coming out,” Chelsea Gross, an industry analyst at Gartner, told the Journal. “It’s not great to have to adjust your business this many times.”

Around the nation

• Arkansas: Even as masks and vaccinations have become a highly-charged partisan issue, Gov. Asa Hutchinson is breaking with his fellow Republicans. Hutchinson, who signed a law earlier this year banning mask mandates, is asking the legislature to reverse the law. "In hindsight, I wish that had not become law,” said Hutchinson at a press conference. 

• Florida: Gov. Ron DeSantis is doubling down on his fight with school districts that want to require school employees and students to wear masks. DeSantis now says he may withhold the pay of school board members who defy his order against mask mandates.

• Wisconsin: Gov. Tony Evers says he has given Wisconsin hotels $70 million in federal coronavirus relief as the state continues to get back on its feet amid the Delta variant surge. Evers said grants of up to $2 million went out Friday to 888 lodging businesses around the state.

• Illinois: The state is dealing with a surge in COVID-19 cases among children. While the state’s vaccination rate is high, the rate among children is low. “Our 12 to 17-year-olds had an increase in their case counts of 704%,” said Dr. Sarah Patrick of the Illinois Department of Public Health. “And the 18 to 22-year-olds had a 1345% increase.”

• Connecticut: More Connecticut towns and cities are requiring face masks in municipal buildings. The percentage of people testing positive Monday was 3.33%, and hospitalizations continued to increase, rising by 34.

Are you planning on traveling outside of the U.S. anytime soon? If you are, then you should be aware that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just added seven international destinations to its “Very High” COVID-19 travel risk list. 

Just a week ago, the CDC added 16 to the highest level of its riskiest places to visit.

At the top of the list is France, where more than 3 million Americans visit each year to take in the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Euro Disneyland, and sip on a little Beaujolais. The other six include Aruba, Eswatini (aka Swaziland), French Polynesia, Iceland, Israel, and Thailand.

To be clear, the CDC doesn’t say you “can’t” go to these places. Rather, it says you should “avoid” traveling to these places. But if you “must,” the agency says you should be fully vaccinated before traveling.

Delta variant flips Iceland on its head

One might look at that list and question why Iceland was mentioned. Yes, the same country that was a shining example of protecting its own citizens and monitoring travelers against the coronavirus has now reversed course. 

Less than two months ago, the average number of new daily COVID-19 cases in Iceland was… one. Pandemic watchers say that was primarily a result of the country’s vaccination rate -- 96% of females and 90% of males 16 years or older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, making it the third-highest vaccinated country in the world behind Malta and the U.A.E.

In fact, things were so good that the Reykjavík government felt that it had beaten the pandemic and lifted almost all restrictions. Then came the Delta variant, and all bets were off. Iceland’s 7-day average for new cases is now well over 100.

The positive impact of vaccination

While travelers who’d like to go to Iceland might have to press pause for a while, the country feels that its high vaccination rate is paying dividends when it comes to reducing the impact of the Delta variant. 

“Evidence shows that the vaccines used in Iceland protect about 60% of those fully vaccinated against any kind of infection caused by the Delta variant of the virus and over 90% against serious illnesses,” Iceland’s Director-General Bryndís Kjartansdóttir said.

Kjartansdóttir reported that nearly 97% of those infected have experienced mild or no symptoms. While that’s a good selling point, the country as a whole has decided to wage an all-out war on the virus. It’s preparing to roll out the Pfizer vaccine among 12- to 15-year-olds, bring back travel and social distancing restrictions, and once again require masks.

“This and other pandemics are here to stay,” Páll Matthíasson, director of Iceland’s National University Hospital, reminded the Icelanders. “We must strengthen the healthcare system so that it is not always on the brink of collapse. We are all in the same boat in this society. It’s a pretty good boat despite everything, but we must work together to ensure success.”

Starting September 1, Amazon will pay customers who suffer injury or damages caused by products sold by its third-party sellers. It will not admit liability and will limit claims to $1,000.

The policy is intended to head off lawsuits that consumers have filed over the years that seek to hold the multi-billion dollar company responsible for damages or injuries caused by small businesses that use its platform. Amazon’s position has been that the third-party seller is responsible, and the courts have generally agreed.

To a casual consumer, everything for sale on Amazon may look like it is an Amazon product, but the number of third-party sellers on the platform has been increasing over the years. By some estimates, more than 50% of products sold on the platform are now offered through third-party sellers.

Consumers have sometimes complained about the quality and safety of these products. Recently Tim, of Schenectady, N.Y., posted a ConsumerAffairs review about a fold-away football goal for his son that was purchased from a third-party Amazon seller.

“It came folded in a thin fabric bag, as we opened it snapped open, the plastic/composite bars that were folded in tension burst out, all them were snapped from the metal bars that held them together and so their spiked edges flew out almost catching me in the eye,” Tim wrote.

Going after counterfeiters

Amazon’s third-party marketplace has often been accused of being riddled with unsafe and counterfeit products. Along with the new policy on claims, Amazon said it is launching a crackdown on counterfeiters.

The company joined GoPro in a lawsuit against seven individuals and two entities on Tuesday, accusing them of counterfeiting GoPro’s popular camera accessories, including the floating hand grip, “The Handler,” and the “3-Way” grip, extension arm, and tripod mount. 

The suit claims that the defendants attempted to offer the infringing products on Amazon’s platform, violating the company’s policies, infringing on GoPro’s trademarks, and breaking the law.

"When counterfeiters attempt to sell in our store, they not only violate the intellectual property rights of companies like GoPro, they also mislead consumers and harm Amazon's reputation as a place to buy authentic goods,” said Kebharu Smith, director of Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit.

The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. It claims that nine defendants used GoPro’s registered trademarks without authorization “to deceive customers about the authenticity and origin of the products and create a false affiliation with GoPro.”

Amazon said it has closed the defendants’ selling accounts and has refunded affected customers.

Ford is facing an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that’s focused on the timing of its rearview camera system recall, Automotive News reports.

The agency is reportedly looking into whether Ford acted swiftly enough when it recalled nearly 700,000 vehicles last year to fix faulty rearview cameras. The agency is also investigating whether the recall was far-reaching enough. 

Ford initiated the recall last September, saying the backup camera displays can show a blank or distorted image. The models covered in the recall included the Edge, Escape, Expedition, Explorer, F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Mustang, Ranger, and Transit vans.

But according to documents posted on the NHTSA’s website, Ford was aware of warranty claims regarding the rear camera issue as early as February 2020. The problem was passed on to an internal safety committee at Ford on May 12, 2020, but Ford didn’t issue a recall until September. 

Now, NHTSA officials say they’re focused on finding out whether the recall was initiated quickly enough and whether it was sufficient in terms of scope. It’s also planning to look into Ford’s internal reporting policies to ensure that they’re in line with NHTSA standards. 

Ford said Friday that it is cooperating with investigators, but the automaker could face fines if the NHTSA determines that they are warranted. 

In an open letter to Apple, thousands of security and tech privacy advocates pushed back against Apple’s plan to scan iPhones for images of child sexual abuse. 

Apple recently announced a plan to use technology capable of searching for matches of “Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)” in images stored on iCloud. The company claimed the accuracy of its system “ensures less than a one in one trillion chance per year of incorrectly flagging a given account.” 

But as of Monday evening, nearly three dozen organizations and over 6,600 individuals (ranging from cryptographers and researchers to security and legal experts) had signed the open letter urging Apple not to go through with its plan to use the tech.

Critics cite privacy risks 

Apple said last week that it’s main goal in employing the system was to “protect children from predators.” The company said user privacy would be kept at the forefront. 

“Instead of scanning images in the cloud, the system performs on-device matching using a database of known CSAM image hashes provided by NCMEC and other child safety organizations,” Apple said in a statement announcing the new policy. “Apple further transforms this database into an unreadable set of hashes that is securely stored on users’ devices.”

However, critics argue that the system could be exploited by authoritarian governments or even make it possible for malicious parties to open a “backdoor” for wider surveillance. 

“While child exploitation is a serious problem, and while efforts to combat it are almost unquestionably well-intentioned, Apple's proposal introduces a backdoor that threatens to undermine fundamental privacy protections for all users of Apple products,” the letter reads.

The signatories request that Apple table its proposed policy and issue a statement “reaffirming their commitment to end-to-end encryption and user privacy.”

“Apple's current path threatens to undermine decades of work by technologists, academics and policy advocates towards strong privacy-preserving measures being the norm across a majority of consumer electronic devices and use cases,” the letter said. “We ask that Apple reconsider its technology rollout, lest it undo that important work.”

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Georgia explored the social repercussions associated with spending too much time on smartphones. 

According to their findings, consumers are more likely to snub their friends in person by spending too much time on their phones -- and certain factors can increase that likelihood even further. 

“I observed that so many people use their phones while they are sitting with their friends at a cafe, any dining time, regardless of the relationship type,” said researcher Juhyung Sun. “People are really sensitive to their notifications. With each buzz or sound, we consciously or unconsciously look at our phones.” 

‘Phubbing’ becomes widespread

The researchers were most interested in understanding which factors most influenced consumers to snub their friends in favor of their smartphones -- a phenomenon they call “phubbing.” The team looked at personality traits and mental health factors to see how this trend impacts consumers’ relationships. 

They found that even though many people think it's disrespectful to be on their phones while with a group of people, but that doesn’t appear to change consumers’ behavior. Instead, they found that phubbing occurs most often when there are at least three people around. 

“It’s ironic that while so many people believe that phubbing behavior is rude, they still do it,” said Sun. “A majority of people phub others, and in a group, it may seem OK, because it’s just me, the speaker doesn’t notice I’m using the phone. The number of people in a group can be one reason.” 

Personalities and mental health also play a role

The study also showed that some personality traits may impact the likelihood of phubbing. For instance, participants who tended to be more agreeable, trusting, selfless, and cooperative were less likely to prioritize their phones over their in-person interactions. 

“They have a high tendency to maintain social harmony while avoiding arguments that can ruin their relationships,” Sun said. “In face-to-face conversations, people with high levels of agreeableness consider phubbing behavior rude and impolite to their conversation partners.” 

Mental health also played a role in the likelihood of people ignoring their friends and opting for their phones. The researchers learned that people with high levels of anxiety or depression are more likely to distract themselves on their phones. 

Moving forward, the researchers are curious how the massive shift to the online world during the COVID-19 pandemic will impact future in-person interactions. One of their suggestions for consumers is to turn off their phone’s notifications or even just turn the device over on the table, which signals to everyone that they’re present and engaged. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Edith Cowan University explored the heart health benefits associated with consuming more vitamin K. According to their findings, following a diet rich in vitamin K can reduce the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular disease by nearly 35%. 

“Current dietary guidelines for the consumption of vitamin K are generally only based on the amount of vitamin K1 a person should consume to ensure that their blood can coagulate,” said researcher Dr. Nicola Bondonno. “However, there is growing evidence that intakes of vitamin K above the current guidelines can afford further protection against the development of other diseases, such as atherosclerosis.” 

Promoting quality heart health

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 50,000 people enrolled in the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study. They tracked the participants’ diets and heart health outcomes over the course of two decades. 

The researchers learned that participants who ate the highest levels of vitamin K had the best heart health outcomes by the end of the study. The results were broken down between consumption of vitamin K1 and K2, and the study showed that eating more vitamin K1 was linked with the greatest health outcomes. 

The researchers found that consuming a high amount of vitamin K was associated with a 34% lower risk of any heart disease related to atherosclerosis. Specifically, eating more vitamin K1 lowered the risk of heart disease by more than 20%, while eating more vitamin K2 lowered the risk of heart disease by nearly 15%. 

“These findings shed light on the potentially important effect that vitamin K has on the killer disease and reinforces the importance of a healthy diet in preventing it,” said researcher Dr. Jamie Bellinge.  

While the researchers plan to do more work in this area to better understand how vitamin K effectively boosts heart health, they encourage consumers to follow a healthy, balanced diet to achieve optimal health outcomes. For consumers looking to incorporate more vitamin K into their diet, vitamin K1 is found in leafy green vegetables, like kale, brussels sprouts, and spinach. Vitamin K2 is found in dairy products, meat, and other animal products. 

“Although more research is needed to fully understand the process, we believe that vitamin K works by protecting against the calcium build-up in the major arteries of the body leading to vascular calcification,” said Dr. Bondonno. 

In 2019, Mintel, a research and consulting firm reported that online grocery shopping and delivery had begun to slow. Months later, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in America and that changed almost overnight.

Now that the economy has reopened and consumers are reverting to much of their 2019 behavior, one thing that hasn’t changed is consumers’ appetite for grocery delivery services.

“While some new online grocery shoppers will revert back to stores, conversion will stick for many as in-store safety concerns linger and newfound purchase habits become routines. Leading retailers will continue to invest more in infrastructure improvements including tools and technology, fulfillment space and personnel,” Mintel said in its latest report, which shows 90% of British shoppers plan to continue online grocery shopping.

In a recent report of its own, Instacart, a food delivery service, said consumers developed a strong bond with the company in the early days of the pandemic when fear and anxiety kept many people in their homes.

‘Sense of gratitude’

“However, feelings of fear and uncertainty were paired with and eventually gave way to an overwhelming sense of gratitude toward the essential shoppers picking and delivering their groceries,” said Instacart’s Laurentia Romaniuk, when the report was issued in April. “Use of the word ‘grateful’ increased across Instacart shopper chats to six times its normal usage and remains much higher than pre-pandemic averages a full twelve months later.”

Reliance on grocery delivery services also shows up in reviews posted at ConsumerAffairs. Robbin, of Grand Blanc, Mich, recently told us she has come to rely on Walmart’s grocery delivery service.

“I'm disabled so the home grocery delivery service is vital to me,” Robbin wrote in a recent post. “Everything that I order is always in stock, if not Walmart always makes up for it with substitutes of equal price or greater value.”

The future of grocery delivery appears to be bright enough that companies are investing in infrastructure to support it. Vroom Delivery has announced it is partnering with Tortoise to launch a last-mile grocery delivery service in Dallas in the months ahead.

The companies say the autonomous delivery pods will provide grocery staples such as milk and eggs, as well as beverages, ice cream, and snacks.  Most will be delivered in one hour or less.

Nissan North America is recalling 4,083 model year 2021 Rogue Sport vehicles.

The seat belt automatic locking retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, reducing the protection offered to an installed child seat.

A seat belt retractor that does not function as intended can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the front passenger seat belt and -- as necessary -- both outer rear seat belts free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 14, 2021.

Owners may contact Nissan customer service at (800) 867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is RT049 & RT050.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 51 model year 2021 F-150 trucks.

The electronic brake booster may leak brake fluid into the electronic control unit, which could result in reduced braking performance.

Reduced braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the electronic brake booster assembly, free of charge.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S33.

McCormick & Company is recalling McCormick Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning, McCormick Culinary Italian Seasoning and Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Ranch Seasoning.

The products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The four products subject to this recall include:

• McCormick Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning 1.31-oz bottle UPC 052100049731, item number 901582629, best by MAY 26 24 K, best by MAY 27 24 K, best by JUN 04 24 K, best by JUN 05 24 K.
• McCormick Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning 2.25-oz bottle UPC 052100038254, item number 901455463, best by JUN 30 24 H, best by JUL 01 24 H
• McCormick Culinary Italian Seasoning 1.75-lbs. Bottle, UPC 52100325743, Item number 932574, best by Jun 12 24 H
• Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Ranch Seasoning 153-g bottle UPC 066200021047, item number: 901543520, best by MA 2022, SEP 06

The recalled products were shipped from June 20, 2021, through July 21, 2021, Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, Bermuda and Canada.

What to do

Consumers do not need to return the recalled product to the store where it was purchased. Instead, they should discard it along with the container.

For a replacement or full refund, and general inquires consumers may contact McCormick at (800) 635-2867, weekdays from 9:30 AM to 8:00 PM (ET).

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 542 model year 2021 CLS450s, AMG E53s, AMG CLS53s, E350s, E450s, AMG GT43s & AMG GT53s, model year 2020 S450s, S560s, G550s & AMG GLC63s, and model year 2020-2021 GLC300s, and AMG G63s.

The side crash sensor connectors may come loose, which could delay the activation of airbags and seat belts in a side impact crash.

Airbags and seat belts that don't function as intended can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace -- as necessary -- the side impact crash sensors free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 10, 2021.

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

Here’s a head-scratcher for the Amazon shopping aficionado: Have you ever noticed that there are some inexpensive, unbranded products that score a huge number of glowing 4- and 5-star reviews but never seem to get hit with less-than-positive 1- or 2-star reviews?

That very question caught the attention of the Wall Street Journal. When it investigated the matter, it found that some sellers are flipping the scenarios of the poor reviews by offering refunds or gift cards to unhappy buyers in exchange for revising or deleting their negative reviews. Once you eliminate the bad reviews from the bunch, the overall average star rating for a product can rise exponentially.

It’s a no-no, but…

Amazon sellers take an oath that they won’t reach out to customers outside of Amazon’s official channels, but the Journal’s investigation suggests that they do. As an example, the publication told the story of Amazon customer Katherine Scott, who purchased an oil spray bottle for cooking based on close to 1,000 impressive, 4.5-star reviews of the product. However, when the $10 sprayer arrived, Scott said the item didn’t work as advertised.

“It was like a Super Soaker gun instead of a spray-paint can, which defeats the purpose of the product,” she said.

Scott left a negative review for the product, but a week later, and despite Amazon’s policy, she supposedly received an email from someone claiming to be from the customer service team at the company that makes the oil sprayer. 

“We are willing to refund in full,” the representative wrote. “We hope you can reconsider deleting comments at your convenience okay?” Then, came the kicker: “When we do not receive a response, we will assume that you did not see it, and will continue to send emails.”

Buyer beware

Amazon says that while it does not share customer email addresses with third-party sellers or brands, both are permitted to communicate with buyers through Amazon’s built-in messaging platform, which hides the customer’s email address. The company says sellers and brands also aren’t allowed to ask customers to remove negative reviews.

In Scott’s situation, she reportedly told the representative who contacted her that she would accept a refund but that she wouldn’t delete her review. The next day, another representative reached out and declined her refund request.

“A bad review is a fatal blow to us,” read the email. “Could you help me delete the review? If you can, I want to refund $20 to you to express my gratitude.” (twice what Ms. Scott paid.) A few hours later, she received another plea from the same email address.

“It was so creepy. They emailed me directly about it over and over,” Scott told the Journal.

When ConsumerAffairs reached out to Amazon about the Journal's story, a spokesperson said the company takes its reviews seriously.

"We have clear policies for both reviewers and selling partners that prohibit abuse of our community features, and we suspend, ban, and take legal action against those who violate these policies," they said. Bad actors that attempt to abuse our system make up a tiny fraction of activity on our site and we use sophisticated tools to combat them and we make it increasingly difficult for them to hide."

The official confirmed that paying users to edit or delete reviews is a violation of its community features.

What should consumers do when this happens?

Nicole Nguyen, the Journal’s personal tech columnist, says there are several things consumers can do to avoid getting wrapped up in this kind of situation.

Don’t use your name in Amazon reviews. “I encourage people to leave as many Amazon reviews as possible. But if you do, keep your real name or initials out of the write-up to prevent the seller or brand from contacting you off-platform,” she wrote.

Change your public name on Amazon. Nguyen says Amazon users can change their public name on Amazon’s platform by going to their account page and clicking on their Amazon profile under “Ordering and shopping preferences.” The process is simple: Click “Edit your public profile,” and then select “Edit privacy settings” to manage what appears on your profile. You can also choose to hide all your activity as an added protection.

Save all of your communications. If someone -- like a seller or a brand company behind a product -- sends you a questionable or abusive email, download or make screenshots of the messages so you can share them with Amazon’s customer service team. They can take the matter from there.

Report abuse to Amazon. Nguyen says she found out during her conversation with Amazon that customers can report abuse by emailing community-help@amazon.com. Users should include every detail they can about the negative experience and include any screenshots they may have taken. Next to product reviews, there is a “Report Abuse” link you can use as well.

Block their email address. Nguyen warns Amazon users against contacting a brand or company that sends you these kinds of messages because it may only confirm that you’re a real person -- and that could prompt them to send even more messages. To block emails in Gmail, click the three dots in the top right corner of the email message. If you use Outlook, select a message, then in the menu bar, go to Message > Junk Mail > Block Sender.

Amazon’s other review issues

Pulling back the curtain on bad actors trying to game Amazon’s review process may complicate what the company is already going through with officials from the U.K. Earlier this summer, regulators opened an investigation into Amazon and Google over the companies’ failure to remove fake product reviews. 

Reviews submitted to ConsumerAffairs show that Amazon’s treatment of reviews can be particularly frustrating. Marc from Texas recently wrote to say that he’s been a long-time Amazon user but that the platform’s “censoring of product reviews is absolutely abhorrent.”

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 35,775,272 (35,647,582)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 616,864 (616,352)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 202,970,177 (202,485,291)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,298,791 (4,281,527)‌

Court allows cruise line to check for vaccination status in Florida

A U.S. District Court judge has sided with Norwegian Cruise Line in its legal challenge against Florida’s law barring vaccination mandates. Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami ruled the cruise line is within its rights to require proof of vaccination for passengers and crew in spite of the state law.

Norwegian Cruise Line said it needs to be able to verify vaccination status to ensure the health and safety of those on board. The law was a major obstacle because ports for Caribbean cruises are mostly in Florida.

Williams granted Norwegian’s request for a preliminary injunction overturning the law, saying she believed the company would likely prevail in its lawsuit.

Scientist: End isn’t in sight

Dr. Larry Brilliant is considered to be a leading expert among epidemiologists. He was part of the World Health Organization (WHO) team that eradicated smallpox. So when he ventures an opinion about the Delta variant, people pay attention.

In an interview with CNBC, Brilliant said the end of the pandemic is “nowhere in sight,” calling Delta one of the most contagious viruses he’s ever seen. As long as most of the world remains unvaccinated, he says the virus will continue to spread.

The good news, however, lies in the power of the vaccines. Brilliant says the three vaccines being used in the U.S. are holding up well against the Delta variant.

Boosters aren’t approved but some are getting them anyway

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not given its blessing to vaccinated people getting a “booster” shot of a COVID-19 vaccine. Some preliminary data suggests that some vaccines, particularly the Johnson & Johnson variant, may need additional help in producing necessary antibodies. Johnson & Johnson disputes those findings, and medical opinions vary.

That’s not stopping people who are fully vaccinated from seeking and receiving a booster shot. NBC News interviewed a fully vaccinated person who walked into a retail pharmacy and got a booster shot.

The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are strongly discouraging people from getting a booster shot. "Americans who have been fully vaccinated do not need a booster shot at this time," the agencies stated.

Around the nation

• Texas: The City of Austin activated its Emergency Alert System to warn residents of a surge in COVID-19 cases in the city. In a message sent via text, city officials warned that "the COVID-19 situation in Austin is dire. Healthcare facilities are open but resources are limited due to a surge in cases."

• Florida: Gov. Ron DeSantis faces two lawsuits challenging his order that bars school districts from requiring teachers and students to wear masks while at school. “The danger to Plaintiff and his children and all others they come into contact with is severe, unreasonable, and growing by the day," one of the suits states.

• Massachusetts: Data from state health officials sheds light on why some people who are vaccinated not only contract the virus but also die. The report shows that 73% of the people who died from “breakthrough” cases in the state had underlying conditions. Their median age was 82.5.

• Oklahoma: Oklahoma was one of 24 states to discontinue the federal $300 a week unemployment benefit, but a judge has ordered the state to resume paying the supplemental payment. The benefit, established under a COVID-19 relief law, expires next month.

• North Carolina: State officials say they will begin verifying vaccination status for all state employees and urging local jurisdictions to do the same. “Until more people get the vaccine, we will continue living with the very real threat of serious disease, and we will continue to see more dangerous and contagious variants like Delta,” said Gov. Roy Cooper.

Many Americans who celebrated being able to ditch their masks are receiving bad news from several major U.S. retailers. Companies across the country are issuing new guidelines on face coverings for both employees and customers due to the continued spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant. 

Below you’ll find a list of establishments that are currently asking or requiring that customers and employees mask up once again to curb the spread of the virus:

ALDI

Mandatory face coverings: unvaccinated customers and employees

Optional face coverings: vaccinated customers.

Apple

Mandatory face coverings: both shoppers and employees

Optional face coverings: vaccinated customers

AT&T

Mandatory face coverings: both shoppers and employees regardless of vaccination

Bed Bath & Beyond

Mandatory face coverings: both shoppers and employees. However, the company allows an exemption for fully vaccinated customers “in U.S. locations where permitted by local order or law.”

BJ's Wholesale

Mandatory face coverings: unvaccinated shoppers and employees, as well as all shoppers and staff in BJ’s optical department. 

Optional face coverings: vaccinated customers and employees

Costco

Strongly encouraged face coverings: all employees and customers

CVS

Mandatory face coverings: both shoppers and employees who are not fully vaccinated

Optional face coverings: shoppers and employees who are fully vaccinated

Dunkin'

Mandatory face coverings: both shoppers and employees regardless of vaccination status

Home Depot

Mandatory face coverings: all shoppers, contractors, vendors, and employees regardless of vaccination status

Kohl's

Mandatory face coverings: employees in areas that have a substantial or high risk of transmission. Customers who live in those areas are asked to do the same, although it does not appear to be a mandatory requirement.

Kroger

Mandatory face coverings: vaccinated customers and employees working in in-store clinics and pharmacies

Strongly encouraged face coverings: fully vaccinated customers and employees

Lowe's

Mandatory face coverings: all employees

Strongly encouraged face coverings: all customers

McDonald's

Mandatory face coverings: customers and employees who live in areas that have a substantial or high risk of transmission

Nordstrom

Mandatory face coverings: anyone who has not been fully vaccinated

Publix

Strongly encouraged face coverings: all employees customers regardless of vaccination status

Sam’s Club

Mandatory face coverings: all associates working in an area of substantial transmission or areas where there are mask mandates, regardless of vaccination status

Strongly encouraged face coverings: all customers

Starbucks

Mandatory face coverings: all employees and any customers in areas where masks are required by local or state law. The chain "strongly recommends" customers wear facial coverings no matter what their vaccination status is.

Target

Mandatory face coverings: all employees. The retailer recommends face coverings for customers who live in areas that have a substantial or high risk of transmission. 

TJX Companies (T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Sierra, and HomeGoods)

Mandatory face coverings: all employees and unvaccinated customers 

Optional face coverings: fully vaccinated customers.

Verizon

Mandatory face coverings: unvaccinated customers and employees. However, the company says it follows state and local requirements regarding mask use, so employees and customers may be required to wear a mask even if they are fully vaccinated in some areas.

Walgreens

Mandatory face coverings: all employees regardless of vaccination status and unvaccinated customers

Walmart

Mandatory face coverings: all associates working in an area of substantial transmission or areas where there are mask mandates, regardless of vaccination status

Strongly encouraged face coverings: all customers

Wegmans

Mandatory face coverings: All employees

Strongly encouraged face coverings: all customers

Whole Foods

Mandatory face coverings: unvaccinated customers and employees

Optional face coverings: vaccinated customers and employees

Dr. Anthony Fauci said he hopes that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will give full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine by the end of August. He also said he expects the move to result in a growing number of vaccine mandates. 

"I hope — I don't predict — I hope that it will be within the next few weeks. I hope it's within the month of August," Fauci said. "If that's the case, you're going to see the empowerment of local enterprises, giving mandates that could be colleges, universities, places of business, a whole variety and I strongly support that. The time has come. ... We've got to go the extra step to get people vaccinated."

At this point, the three available COVID-19 vaccines have only received emergency use authorization from the FDA. The agency is expected to give full approval to Pfizer’s vaccine within weeks. 

The Biden administration is currently pushing for more Americans to get vaccinated to help curb the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. At the end of July, Biden approved rules requiring federal workers to be vaccinated or required to wear masks and undergo repeated testing. 

The administration hasn’t mandated vaccines outside of the federal workforce, but it has encouraged “mandates at the local level” amid the surge in Delta cases. Many businesses have recently reintroduced indoor mask requirements, and some cities are considering requiring proof of vaccination in order to dine indoors. 

An analysis of data from a recent Israeli study has found that people who got a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine experienced similar or fewer side effects than they did following the second dose. 

Israel has started administering a third dose of Pfizer’s vaccine to people aged 60 and older in an effort to address a potential decrease in efficacy among those who were vaccinated early on. Of more than 240,000 people in the country that have received a booster dose, about 4,500 responded to a study carried out by Clalit Health Services, Israel’s largest health maintenance organization. 

Clalit Health Services said Sunday that 88% of respondents reported “a similar or better feeling” than they had following the previous dose. Commonly reported symptoms were pain or swelling at the injection site (24%). About 15% of people had other symptoms like fatigue, muscle aches, or fever. Less than 1% reported difficulty breathing or chest pains.

“Although we do not yet have long-term research on the efficacy and safety of the third dose, these findings continue to point to the benefit of immunisation now, in addition to careful behaviour by older adults and avoiding gatherings in closed spaces during these weeks,” said Professor Ran Balicer, Clalit’s chief innovation officer. 

U.S. hasn’t sanctioned third dose

The Delta variant continues to concern health officials across the globe, however U.S. officials have said they don’t believe third doses are necessary for the general public at this time. Still, Pfizer said it intends to meet with U.S. regulators to discuss booster dose authorization. 

Dr. Anthony Fauci said last month that Americans with weakened immune systems may be among the first to need a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. 

“Those who are transplant patients, cancer chemotherapy, auto-immune diseases, that are on immunosuppressant regimens, those are the kind of individuals that if there’s going to be a third booster, which might likely happen, would be among first the vulnerable,” Fauci told CNN.