Current Events in September 2021

A team of security researchers has uncovered a new hack that could allow bad actors to make unauthorized charges through victims’ iPhones. 

In a demonstration to the BBC, researchers from the Computer Science departments of Birmingham and Surrey Universities in the U.K. showed how cyber thieves can exploit a feature in Apple Pay that could leverage unauthorized contactless payments. According to the researchers, the problem lies in how Visa cards are set up in “Express Transit” mode in an iPhone's wallet. 

Express Transit is an Apple Pay feature that enables commuters to make quick contactless payments without having to unlock their phone. It’s similar to how a commuter might pay for a ride on New York City’s MTA, Los Angeles’ TAP, or Chicago’s CTA. 

How it works

In the demo, researchers showed how easy it was for them to make a Visa payment of £1,000 [$13,460 USD] without unlocking the phone or authorizing the payment. 

All a hacker has to do is set up a commercially available piece of radio equipment near where the iPhone might be used to make a payment, such as a retail store. The hacker can then trick the iPhone into thinking it’s dealing with a legitimate point-of-contact. 

The scary thing is that the crook’s phone and the payment terminal that’s being used don't need to be anywhere near the victim's iPhone. "It can be on another continent from the iPhone as long as there's an internet connection," said Dr. Ioana Boureanu of the University of Surrey.

Apple and Visa aren’t worried...yet

While the researchers may think the incursion is a real possibility, neither Apple nor Visa are sweating it quite yet. According to the BBC, Apple said the matter was "a concern with a Visa system.” Visa said its payments were secure and attacks of this type were impractical outside of a lab.

Visa told the BBC that it took all security threats seriously, but it says this isn’t something that consumers should worry about. 

"Visa cards connected to Apple Pay Express Transit are secure, and cardholders should continue to use them with confidence,” the company said. "Variations of contactless fraud schemes have been studied in laboratory settings for more than a decade and have proven to be impractical to execute at scale in the real world".

Protecting yourself

Regardless of whether this particular threat is viable, there are things consumers can do to lessen the chances of being victimized by a hacker trying to create unauthorized payments. First off, if you lose your phone, you can use Apple's iCloud to block Apple Pay or wipe the phone. You can also alert Visa and block any future payments.

"In the unlikely event that an unauthorised payment does occur, Visa has made it clear that their cardholders are protected by Visa's zero liability policy,” Apple said.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 43,367,242 (43,247,791)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 695,418 (693,323)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 233,434,862 (232,967,743)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,777,272 (4,769,021)‌

CDC: Pregnant women should get vaccinated

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is stepping up its campaign to persuade pregnant women to get vaccinated against COVID-19. In a public appeal, the health agency said vaccination would prevent serious illnesses, deaths, and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Through September 27, the CDC reports more than 125,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in pregnant women, including more than 22,000 hospitalized and 161 deaths. Twenty-two deaths occurred in the month of August alone. 

“Pregnancy can be both a special time and also a stressful time – and pregnancy during a pandemic is an added concern for families,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky. “I strongly encourage those who are pregnant or considering pregnancy to talk with their healthcare provider about the protective benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine to keep their babies and themselves safe.”

Study finds lingering symptoms are common

Researchers say about a third of people who recover from COVID-19 have at least one symptom of the illness that may persist for months after diagnosis. 

Scientists at Oxford University analyzed data from millions of health records, mostly in the U.S. They found that 36% of recovered patients reported symptoms that emerged after recovery. Some initially had no symptoms at all.

The lingering symptoms include pain in the chest or throat, abnormal breathing, abdominal distress, fatigue, depression, headaches, cognitive dysfunction, and muscle pain.

Hundreds of health care workers fired for refusing vaccine

Hundreds of health care workers across the U.S. are headed for the unemployment line. With vaccine mandates now in effect for most U.S. hospitals, employees who refuse to be vaccinated are being fired.

But with hospitals still full of COVID-19 patients, officials are concerned that even a small number of terminations could lead to staff shortages. Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and professor at Harvard Medical School, says the system needs everyone.

"We’re seeing a greater need of health care -- there was a lot of deferred care for elective surgeries and behavioral health -- juxtaposed with existing shortages of health care workers,” Brownstein told ABC News. “Any impact is going to create even more pressure on health care systems."

Around the nation

• Arkansas: Arkansas appears to have recovered from the summer’s COVID-19 surge that pushed hospitals in the state to the brink. The state health department reports that the number of active cases of COVID-19 in Arkansas hit its lowest point in two months this week. However, 861 people remain in Arkansas hospitals.

• New York: New York City’s vaccine mandate for city schools has survived another court challenge. After initially granting an injunction against the city, Judge Lawrence Love lifted the restraining order on Wednesday, leaving in place the order that school employees must be vaccinated against the virus.

• California: A state law giving workers expanded COVID-19 sick leave expires today. Under the law passed in March, people who work for companies with more than 25 employees were entitled to up to 80 hours of COVID-19 related sick leave that could also be used for quarantine time. 

• Iowa: Hospitalizations in many hard-hit states began to fall over the last two weeks, but Iowa is an exception. State health officials report hospitalizations for treatment of COVID-19 have increased for a 12th straight week.

• Indiana: Mark Green, a 58-year old man with an underlying lung illness, is one of the latest Americans who refused to be vaccinated, got the virus, and is now urging others to get the shot. “I didn't take the vaccine myself because I was scared, the unknown, what would happen two or three years down the road,” Green told the Indianapolis Star. “Once I got sick, I kind of realized, it didn’t matter what happens down the road. It matters what happens now.”

Starting Friday, the mail will move a little slower. New regulations that change delivery standards for some U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail will go into effect at the end of the week.

The Postal Service struggled with delivery during the pandemic, especially during the holiday season. In the wake of that, and in an effort to improve finances, USPS proposed earlier this year that it give itself more time to deliver some mail. The agency currently has a goal of delivering first-class mail between one to three days. That changes to one to five days for 39% of first-class mail on Friday.

“Modifying select service standards is a key growth element and enabler of our 10-year plan, contributing to our top goal of meeting or exceeding 95% on-time delivery across all product classes, including the growing package market,” Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy said in a June statement. 

USPS officials said most postal customers won’t notice a change in service. It stresses that the longer delivery times will apply almost entirely to pieces traveling long distances. According to a USPS spokeswoman, 61% of first-class mail and 93% of periodicals will continue to meet the current delivery standards. 

Holiday crunch

However, the change comes at a bad time for some people. Online retailers have already warned consumers to do their holiday shopping early, pointing to existing supply chain issues. They’ve expressed concern that a crush of late orders could place heavy burdens on shippers.

That’s what happened last year. In mid-December, USPS warned consumers that some shipments would not arrive at their destinations by Christmas because of the surge in online shopping during the pandemic. The Postal Service had to deliver even more packages during the holidays because private express carriers shifted some of their deliveries to USPS.

Some people posting Postal Service reviews at ConsumerAffairs don’t appear hopeful about the upcoming holiday season. P., of Grand Rapids, Mich., is losing patience.

“In the past year, I have mailed out exactly 3 items via USPS, each processed in person by staff at my local post office branch,” P. wrote. “NONE have been delivered.”

What do do

Consumers who plan to purchase gifts that require shipping should probably begin shopping now. It will take time to receive the product and even more time to ship it to the recipient.

Some online retailers offer gift-wrapping services so that the item doesn’t have to be shipped twice. This year, that might be the prudent course of action.

USPS has not yet published deadlines for mailing packages to ensure delivery, but other delivery services have. Still, consumers sending time-sensitive packages should not wait until the deadlines to ship.

After finding loopholes in its anti-robocall STIR/SHAKEN initiative, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is tightening up the requirements for phone companies. Effective immediately, carriers are prohibited from accepting calls from any voice service provider that hasn’t implemented the new caller ID authentication standards or filed a detailed robocall mitigation plan with the FCC. 

The new requirement is an important element of the agency’s anti-robocall effort. Without it, there’s no guarantee that a carrier can accurately verify the accuracy of Caller ID on an incoming call. As of 1:30 PM EST on Wednesday, the FCC said that 4,798 companies had filed in the Robocall Mitigation Database.  

“The FCC is using every tool we can to combat malicious robocalls and spoofing – from substantial fines on bad actors to policy changes to technical innovations like STIR/SHAKEN,” said Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Today’s deadline establishes a very powerful tool for blocking unlawful robocalls.  We will continue to do everything in our power to protect consumers against scammers who flood our homes and businesses with spoofed robocalls.”

Despite good intentions, things could still go wrong

In its announcement, the FCC recognized that even though STIR/SHAKEN should improve the quality of caller ID information, a robocaller could still trick the system and place calls disguised as a “legitimate” caller -- much like the ruse behind Caller ID spoofing.

“This improved information will help verify the phone number from which the call was made – or flag that it is not verified – and help blocking services both at the consumer level and before the call reaches the consumer,” the agency wrote. “But consumers should remain vigilant against robocall scammers. The FCC is committed to continuing to fight against malicious spoofing and illegal robocalls.”

Until there is a truly perfect system, the FCC says there are ways a person can possibly reduce a robocaller’s chances of getting through. Several wireless/mobile companies have added protections that consumers can use to give them some added peace of mind. Those include:

• AT&T: Mobile security and call protection services.

• Google Project Fi: Call blocking options for Project Fi wireless service.

• Sprint: Call blocking options using My Sprint.

• T-Mobile: Call-protection options to identify or block potential scammers.

• U.S. Cellular: Automatic network call identification, labeling, and blocking app options.

• Verizon: Call Filter FAQS for screening and blocking unwanted calls.

There are also landline and device solutions (like those offered via Apple’s iPhone) that consumers can add to their arsenal. The FCC provides a list of those, along with links to those add-ons, here.

Many consumers try to spend more time outdoors to soak up as much vitamin D as they can. But how much time in the sun is too much? 

A new study conducted by researchers from King’s College London explored this idea, and they found that current guidelines for sun exposure may need to be reworked. While it’s important to spend time in the sun, it can be risky when thinking about sunburn or skin cancer. 

“Our study shows that risk versus benefit calculations from solar exposure may need to be re-evaluated,” said researcher Antony Young. “The results from the study are timely because the global technical committee, Commission internationale de l'éclairage, that sets UVR standards will be able to discuss the findings of this paper to re-evaluate the wavelength dependency of vitamin D.”

Staying safe in the sun

To better understand the risks versus the benefits of time spent in the sun, the researchers had 75 participants test out different combinations of artificial light exposure. They used five different artificial ultraviolet radiation (UVR) sources, all with different levels of UVB radiation, and they measured the participants’ vitamin D levels when they were either fully or partially exposed to each of the different options. The goal of the study was to see how the older guidelines stacked up against this new experiment in terms of the benefits and risks of sun exposure. 

Ultimately, the researchers believe that the existing recommendations for sunlight exposure should be revised in order to give consumers the best chance of absorbing vitamin D and avoiding sunburn and skin cancer. They explained that determining the difference between health benefits and health risks after spending time in the sun is difficult and dependent on each specific wavelength within the UVR spectrum. 

The goal of the original guidelines was to identify which wavelengths helped the body absorb vitamin D and which increased the risk for health concerns. However, the accuracy of these recommendations has recently been called into question. Based on this study, the researchers say the skepticism is valid. 

They explained that by altering these guidelines, consumers will be able to make the most of their time in the sun. The goal is to reap the benefits of sun exposure -- synthesizing vitamin D -- while avoiding the dangers that come with too much sun exposure. 

Recent studies have found that following a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables can be just as beneficial to consumers’ mental health as their physical health. Now, researchers from the University of East Anglia found that this rings true for children too. Their work showed that kids who eat more fruits and vegetables are more likely to have better mental health outcomes than those with poorer diets. 

“We know that poor mental well-being is a major issue for young people and is likely to have long-term negative consequences,” said researcher Ailsa Welch. “And there is a growing recognition of the importance of mental health well-being in early life -- not least because adolescent mental health problems often persist into adulthood, leading to poor outcomes and achievement. 

“While the links between nutrition and physical health are well understood, until now, not much has been known about whether nutrition plays a part in children’s emotional well-being,” Welch said. “So, we set out to investigate the association between dietary choices and well-being among schoolchildren.” 

Mental health benefits of eating healthy

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 9,000 kids in 50 primary and secondary schools across the Norfolk area of the U.K. The children were enrolled in the Norfolk Children and Young People’s Health and Well-Being Survey, which assessed their eating habits. The researchers then utilized the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale and the Stirling Children’s Well-Being Scale to assess the kids’ mental health. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that healthier eating habits were associated with better mental health outcomes. This was particularly true for the older children involved in the study; the healthier they ate, the better their mental health was. 

However, many of the children involved in the study struggled to eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. About 30% of primary school kids and 25% of secondary school kids achieved that goal each day. 

Not skipping meals is important

The researchers found that another key aspect of improving mental health was eating all three meals every day. Specifically, the study showed that kids who ate breakfast and lunch -- and had full, nutritious meals -- were the most likely to have stronger mental health. 

“Children who ate a traditional breakfast experienced better well-being than those who only had a snack or a drink,” said researcher Dr. Richard Hayhoe. “But secondary school children who drank energy drinks for breakfast had particularly low mental well-being scores, even lower than for those children consuming no breakfast at all.” 

Moving forward, the researchers hope these findings lay the groundwork for policies and guidelines that highlight the importance of following a healthy diet. 

“As a potentially modifiable factor at an individual and societal level, nutrition represents an important public health target for strategies to address childhood mental well-being,” Welch said. “Public health strategies and school policies should be developed to ensure that good quality nutrition is available to all children both before and during school in order to optimize well-being and empower children to fulfill their full potential.” 

Hyundai Motor America is recalling 466,109 model year 2015-2017 Sonatas, and model year 2016-2017 Sonata Hybrids & Sonata Plug-In Hybrids.

The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.

A turn signal that activates in the opposite direction of what was intended increases the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will update the SJB software free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 19, 2021.

Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at (855) 371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 210.

The Kroger Co. is recalling 16-oz. Bags of kale, produced by Baker Farms.

The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

There are no reports of illnesses to date.

The recalled product, with the UPC 11110-18170 and a best by date of 09-18-2021 printed on the front of the package below the light blue bar, was sold at Kroger grocery stores in the Columbus, Nashville and Atlanta Divisions, servicing Columbus and Toledo, Ohio; Knoxville, Tenn; eastern West Virginia, and Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but discard or return it to their local store for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact Kroger at (800) KROGERS Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM (EST), and Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 AM to 9:30 PM (EST).

Android phone owners got an unpleasant surprise on Tuesday. Researchers at mobile security company Zimperium reported the discovery of a piece of malware called “GriftHorse” -- a trojan that’s been unleashed on more than 10 million Android devices in 70+ countries. 

This isn’t your ordinary household malware. Its mission is to sucker users into permissions that allow the cybercrooks to force monthly premium service charges. Business is good, too. So far, researchers estimate that the GriftHorse mob is making between $1.5 million to $4 million per month.

Where trouble ensues

Zimperium’s zLabs team said the malware is delivered to consumers by malicious Android apps that appear harmless at first. However, chaos ensues after the apps hoodwink users into granting certain permissions. At that point, victims start getting charged every month for premium paid services that they get subscribed to without their knowledge or consent. 

“Upon infection, the victim is bombarded with alerts on the screen letting them know they had won a prize and needed to claim it immediately. These pop ups reappear no less than five times per hour until the application user successfully accepts the offer. Upon accepting the invitation for the prize, the malware redirects the victim to a geo-specific webpage where they are asked to submit their phone numbers for verification,” Zimperium’s Aazim Yaswant and Nipun Gupta explained.

“But in reality, they are submitting their phone number to a premium SMS service that would start charging their phone bill over €30 [$40 USD] per month. The victim does not immediately notice the impact of the theft, and the likelihood of it continuing for months before detection is high, with little to no recourse to get one’s money back.”

Zimperium warned Google about the threat, and the company responded by verifying and removing the malware apps from its Play Store. However, the malicious applications might still be available on unsecured third-party app repositories or on an Android user’s phone. To help users identify the problem-causing apps, Zimperium offers a full list of the affected apps here.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 43,247,791 (43,134,601)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 693,323 (690,918)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 232,967,743 (232,495,646)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,769,021 (4,759,699)‌

YouTube bans all anti-vaccination content

YouTube is taking down video content claiming that the widely used vaccines approved by federal health agencies are ineffective or dangerous. It’s an expansion of a previous policy that targeted content making such claims about the COVID-19 vaccines.

Health officials increasingly blame anti-vaccination groups for using social media to persuade Americans not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. These groups tend to oppose most vaccinations, such as those for childhood illnesses like measles or chickenpox.

Matt Halprin, a YouTube vice president, told the Washington Post that the company focused first on COVID-19 misinformation. He said it expanded its ban when it noticed that incorrect claims about other vaccines were contributing to fears about the COVID-19 vaccines.

CDC: Reaction from booster similar to second shot

If you are wondering what kind of reaction you’ll experience from getting a COVID-19 booster shot, it will probably be very much like your reaction to the second shot of the vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a study in which it monitored the reactions of people who received the booster.

Research is available from the nearly 12,600 people who received a third dose of a Pfizer vaccine during clinical trials. Most described their reactions, if any, as mild to moderate. Most said reactions occurred the day following the booster shot.

According to the White House, about 1 million Americans have scheduled appointments to get a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The booster has been approved for people 65 and older, workers in high-risk jobs, and people with underlying medical conditions, 

Researchers find clue related to severe cases among diabetes patients

From the beginning, COVID-19 has produced the most severe symptoms in patients with other health issues, including Type 2 diabetes. Researchers at the University of Michigan now say they think they know why diabetics face increased risks.

The scientists say there is an enzyme called SETDB2 that is probably the reason for severe infections in patients with diabetes. They point out that it is the same enzyme that can make infected wounds in diabetes patients slow to heal.

The research team concluded that there is a likely link between the enzyme and the runaway infections they have witnessed in intensive care units. They noted a similar response among people who have Type 2 diabetes and severe COVID-19 infections.

Around the nation

• Florida: After leading the nation in new COVID-19 cases earlier in the month, Florida has seen cases fall sharply. The state’s 3,706 new cases reported at the beginning of the week represent the smallest daily increase in the state since July 5, according to federal health data.

• New Jersey: New Jersey has reached a COVID-19 milestone, reporting the number of cases of the virus in the state reached 1 million this week. Lately, however, the numbers have moved in the right direction. The seven-day average for new positive tests is now 1,790, down 5% from a week ago.

• Missouri: Cox Medical Center Branson is providing medical personnel with electronic devices to summon help if they are attacked. Hospital officials declared the need for protection after a series of assaults during the last few months of the pandemic.

• Utah: State police making a routine traffic stop arrested a man on charges of possession of drugs, an illegal weapon, and dozens of stolen vaccination cards. Police said the man was selling the cards, stolen from a clinic in Pennsylvania, for $50 each.

• Minnesota: About 200 health care workers have filed a federal lawsuit that seeks to overturn the requirement that they be vaccinated to keep their jobs. Their suit is aimed at the Biden administration’s rule that facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid patients enforce the vaccination mandate.

In the push-come-to-shove over vaccination mandates, United Airlines did what it said it would do. On Tuesday, it laid its unvaccinated workers off.

All told, 600 employees were affected -- about 1% of United’s workforce. The other 99% provided proof of vaccination prior to a Monday deadline. The airline is offering the non-compliant workers one last chance to comply with the mandate or face full termination. A separate 3% of the company’s 67,000 employees sought a medical or religious exemption.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision but keeping our team safe has always been our first priority,” United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby and President Brett Hart wrote in a memo to employees on Tuesday. “Our rationale for requiring the vaccine for all United’s U.S.-based employees was simple — to keep our people safe — and the truth is this: everyone is safer when everyone is vaccinated, and vaccine requirements work.”

The company said the mandate has created a spike in job applications from people who supposedly are vaccinated and want to work in an environment with like-minded people.

Will the other airlines join United?

So far, United is the only major U.S. airline to go as far as firing employees who refuse to abide by a vaccine requirement. Others appear to be taking a softer stance. American and Southwest are simply encouraging employees to get their shot, and Delta Air Lines laid down a levy of $200 for every month its unvaccinated employees didn’t meet the requirement. Southwest is also offering an enticement of two days' pay to workers who show proof of being fully vaccinated by Nov. 15.

As of late last week, the Washington Post reported that vaccination mandates with some other domestic airlines looked like this:

Alaska Airlines: The latest report says 75% of Alaska’s employees are vaccinated. Unvaccinated workers are not eligible for any special coronavirus-related pay if they become exposed or if an infection prevents them from reporting to work. Those people will also have to take part in a vaccine education program. 

Frontier Airlines: Frontier employees have until Oct. 1 to get vaccinated. If they don’t, they’ll be required to show proof of a negative test.

Hawaiian Airlines: The airline’s U.S.-based employees have until Nov. 1 to show proof of vaccination. Those who got the green light for a medical or religious exemption will be required to have regular tests.

The nation’s housing market is still hot, but it has cooled a little since 2020’s meteoric rise. A new report from real estate marketplace Zillow underscores the changes from 12 months ago.

Last year, buyers eager to flee cities were making full-price, contingency-free offers on homes without ever seeing them. Zillow researchers say that is much less likely to happen in the second half of 2021.

The report also found that bidding wars are not as common as they were a few months ago. This year’s typical buyer made just two offers before one was accepted. Most buyers -- 88% -- also added an inspection contingency to their contract.

"Our 2021 survey of buyers found buying a home got more challenging in the past year, but many buyers were ultimately successful in landing a home without taking unnecessary risks," said Manny Garcia, a Zillow population scientist. "Most buyers continue to get inspections, and sellers appear to prioritize higher offers over waived inspections.”

Record price increase

Sellers are continuing to get higher prices. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index shows that home prices rose a record 19.7% year-over-year in July, mainly because the supply of available homes has fallen to record lows.

Despite the continuing shortage of available homes, Garcia said most buyers are able to purchase a home by doing their research, making trade-offs, and “considering a diverse array of options."

The Zillow report also showed that repeat buyers are having an easier time navigating the current market than people buying their first homes, mainly because of record-high home prices. Repeat buyers have thousands of dollars in equity from the sale of their previous house to fund their down payment. 

First-time buyers often struggle to accumulate enough cash for a down payment. They also are less successful in submitting a winning bid. About two-thirds of first-time buyers submit more than one offer, compared to 54% of repeat buyers.

Like the auto industry, real estate adapted quickly during the first months of the pandemic. Agents quickly emphasized online video tours of homes to overcome COVID-19 fears of both buyers and sellers.

Personal home tours have resumed

This year, most buyers personally visited a home before putting in an offer and were much more likely than in 2020 to attend an open house. In fact, this year’s typical buyer visited three open houses, an increase from 2019.

Real estate agency Tom Toole, at RE/MAX Main Line, said it’s important to remember that all real estate is local. Conditions in one housing market may not apply in another.

"So many buyers are hearing horror stories from friends and family about the housing market, so it's important to educate buyers about the local market so they can make the best decision for their family," Toole said. 

Toole says he believes buyers still strongly prefer in-person tours, but virtual tours that gained popularity last year will continue to be an effective tool that is favored by both buyers and sellers. He says watching a video tour of a home helps a buyer narrow down the list of potential houses to be visited in person.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of California San Francisco explored the risks pregnant women face when they’re exposed to air pollution. Their findings showed that exposure to both indoor and outdoor air pollution during pregnancy can have significant impacts on newborns, including low birth weight and premature birth. 

“The air pollution-attributable burden is enormous, yet with sufficient effort, it could be largely mitigated,” said researcher Rakesh Ghosh, Ph.D. 

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from previous studies that tracked both indoor and outdoor air pollution. They compared the results with 2019 data on pregnancies and related complications to determine how air pollution can negatively impact newborns. 

On a global scale, the study showed that all forms of air pollution were linked to nearly 3 million underweight newborns and 6 million premature newborns in 2019. In the U.S., air pollution was responsible for nearly 12,000 premature births.  

Two regions were associated with the highest levels of air pollution -- sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. The researchers found that if pollution levels are stabilized in these two hotspots, it would significantly benefit pregnancy outcomes. 

All types of air pollution are problematic

While outdoor air pollution has been well-documented, the researchers explained that everything from stoves and fireplaces to cleaning products can contribute to higher indoor pollution levels. They note that all sources of air pollution can increase the risk for pregnancy complications. 

The researchers hope these findings highlight the importance of fighting against climate change and rising air pollution levels. 

“With this new, global and more rigorously generated evidence, air pollution should now be considered a major driver of infant morbidity and mortality, not just of chronic adult disease,” said Dr. Ghosh. “Our study suggests that taking measures to mitigate climate change and reduce air pollution levels will have significant health co-benefit for newborns.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of California San Francisco explored how consumers’ mental health can impact their long-term cognitive function. 

Their findings showed that depression-related symptoms in early adulthood can increase the risk of dementia. The opposite also appeared to be true -- experiencing fewer depression-related symptoms was associated with better cognitive function in older age. 

“Generally, we found that the greater depressive symptoms, the lower the cognition and the faster rates of decline,” said researcher Willa Brenowitz, Ph.D. “Older adults estimated to have moderate or high depressive symptoms in early adulthood were found to experience a drop in cognition over 10 years.” 

The link between mental health and cognitive function

To better understand how mental health and mood can impact long-term cognitive function, the researchers had nearly 15,000 people between the ages of 20 and 89 answer questionnaires about their depression symptoms. The team then tracked these individuals over time to determine how their cognitive function was impacted. 

The researchers learned that the participants’ experiences in young adulthood significantly impacted their cognitive function down the road. 

Overall, 13% of the young adults involved in the study had moderate or high depressive symptoms, compared with 34% of older participants. However, for those who experienced depression in their younger years, there was a 73% higher risk of developing dementia; comparatively, depression in later life was linked with a 43% higher risk of dementia. 

“Several mechanisms explain how depression might increase dementia risk,” said Dr. Brenowitz. “Among them is that hyperactivity of the central stress response system increases production of the stress hormones glucocorticoids, leading to damage of the hippocampus, the part of the brain essential for forming, organizing, and storing new memories.” 

The researchers hope these findings highlight how important it is for consumers to have access to mental health treatments and resources. 

“Future work will be needed to confirm these findings, but in the meantime, we should screen and treat depression for many reasons,” said researcher Dr. Kristine Yaffe. 

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 158,489 model year 2018-2021 Tundras.

The headlight electrical circuits may power the high and low beams simultaneously, which could overheat the electrical connector.

An overheated electrical connector can increase the risk of a fire.

What to do

Dealers will modify the engine wire harness assembly and replace any damaged bulb, bulb connector, and/or headlight assembly -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 4, 2021.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 21TB06 and 21TA06.

Drew’s Organics of Chester, Vt., is recalling one lot code of Aldi Simply Nature Organic Poppy Seed Dressing.

A processing issue that could allow for microbial growth, including Clostridium botulinum.

No illnesses are reported to date.

The recalled product comes, which comes in a 12 fl. oz. glass bottle with the Best if Used By date of Feb 15 2023, and UPC #4099100023169, was sold at select Aldi stores between August 20tand September 10, 2021 in Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should discontinue use of it and can return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact Drew’s Organics at (800) 228-2980 Monday – Friday from 8:30AM – 4:30PM (EST), or by email info@drewsorganics.com.

Buurma Farms of Willard, Ohio, is recalling 320 boxes of its Plain Parsley.

Testing shows the product may be contaminated with Shiga-toxin producing E.coli.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The product being recalled is Buurma Plain (flat leaf) Parsley with a harvest date of August 30, 2021

Individual bunches of flat parsley sold to retailers for purchase by consumers would likely have a “BUURMA FARMS Plain Parsley” twist-tie with a price look-up (PLU) number of 4901 and a UPC code of 33383 80125.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but rather discard it.

Consumers with questions may call the consumer hotline at (866) 827-3362 Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm (EST)