Current Events in September 2021

The Federal Trade Commission is starting to see enough scams targeting people on LGBTQ+ dating apps that it feels it needs to raise the warning flag. The agency says apps like Grindr and Feeld are bristling with extortion scams, as opposed to your typical I-love-you, please-send-money romance kind of scams. All they target is one thing: your money.

How the scam works

The scam’s first line of attack is posing as a potentially interested romantic partner on an LGBTQ+ dating app. The scammer chats with the intended victim, quickly sends explicit photos, and asks for similar photos in return. 

At that point, things turn nasty. “If you send photos, the blackmail begins. They threaten to share your conversation and photos with your friends, family, or employer unless you pay — usually by gift card,” writes Ari Lazarus, a consumer education specialist at the FTC.

“To make their threats more credible, these scammers will tell you the names of exactly who they plan to contact if you don’t pay up. This is information scammers can find online by using your phone number or your social media profile.”

The FTC says that scammers also go after people who are closeted, or not yet fully out as LGBTQ+, pressuring these individuals to pay up or be outed by explicit photos or conversations. 

How to protect yourself

If you’re looking for love on dating apps, the FTC says there are some ways to avoid scams:

Check out who you’re talking to. One thing you can do is a reverse image search of the person’ profile picture to see if it’s associated with another name or with details that don’t match up. If anything doesn’t jibe, it’s quite possible it’s a scam.

Don’t share any personal information with someone you just encountered on a dating app. Your cell phone number, your email address, and your social media profiles should be kept to yourself until you are 100% sure the person on the other end is for real.

Don’t pay scammers to destroy photos or conversations. There’s no guarantee they’ll do anything beyond taking your money. In fact, the FBI advises against paying extortion demands, which could support criminal activity.

Don’t share photos. The moment you share a photo, you can’t take it back. You can consider that photo fair game for a scammer to use for nefarious purposes.

If you think someone is trying to extort you

If you live in the U.S. and someone is using your own photos to extort you, there is help. You can:

• Call the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative’s crisis hotline: 844-878-CCRI (2274) for help or advice.

• Contact your local FBI field office or the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.   

• Reach out to The Trevor Project. If you’re under age 25 and looking to connect with a counselor at an LGBTQ+ organization about what happened, the FTC suggests Trevor as a resource. It has free counselors available 24/7 who can talk to you by phone, online chat and text.

A new study conducted by researchers from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health explored how the air quality in an office can impact workers in several ways. 

Their work showed that poor ventilation at work can affect employees’ productivity levels and overall cognitive function. 

“Our study adds to the emerging evidence that air pollution has an impact on our brain,” said researcher Jose Guillermo Cedeño Laurent. “The findings show that increases in PM2.5 levels were associated with acute reductions in cognitive function. It’s the first time we’ve seen these short-term effects among younger adults. 

“The study also confirmed how low ventilation rates negatively impact cognitive function,” he continued. “Overall, the study suggests that poor indoor air quality affects health and productivity significantly more than we previously understood.” 

Improving air quality 

The researchers had over 300 office workers between the ages of 18 and 65 from around the world participate in the study. At each workers’ desk space, a sensor consistently monitored levels of PM2.5 and CO2, humidity, and temperature. Participants were prompted to complete cognitive assessments and workplace productivity surveys either when the sensor detected higher than normal levels of the pollutants or at scheduled times. 

The researchers learned that higher levels of both PM2.5 and CO2 can have significant impacts on the participants’ cognitive function and workplace performance. 

In terms of cognition, math skills were impacted by rising CO2 levels, while accuracy and response times took a hit when both pollutants increased. The participants also struggled to correctly answer questions on the cognitive assessments when pollution levels were highest. This means that not only is cognition affected, but the participants’ abilities to focus and complete tasks at work are also going to be affected. 

While improving ventilation has been a key component of reducing infection during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study also highlights that there are other significant benefits associated with better air quality in office buildings. 

“The world is rightly focused on COVID-19, and strategies like better ventilation and filtration are key to slowing infectious disease transmission indoors,” said researcher Joseph Allen. “Our research consistently finds that the value proposition of these strategies extends to cognitive function and productivity of workers, making healthy buildings foundational to public health and business strategy moving forward.”

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School explored how using electronic devices may be impacting kids’ concussion recovery. 

Their findings showed that limiting screen time — especially in the first two days after injury — can help shorten concussion symptoms and lead to a faster recovery. 

“It’s one thing parents and children always ask in the emergency department,” said researcher Dr. Theodore E. Macnow. “Is screen time allowed? We’re still learning how to treat concussions and there are no clear recommendations regarding screen time. Nobody has yet looked at this question in a rigorous way. We wanted to get a better handle on this question, so we conducted a randomized clinical trial.” 

Improving recovery

The researchers analyzed the health outcomes of 125 patients between the ages of 12 and 25 following a concussion. One group of the participants was allowed to proceed with their regular electronics use, while another group was told to avoid looking at electronic screens in the first 48 hours. All of the participants completed Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) questionnaires for the first 10 days following the head injury. 

The study showed that spending a lot of time in front of screens within the first two days of a head injury may prolong the recovery time. On the other hand, keeping screen time short in the early days of concussion recovery can help shorten the duration of symptoms. 

The group that stayed off of screens recovered in about 3.5 days, while the group that used their devices during recovery experienced symptoms for about eight days. 

Though the team plans to do more work in this area to better understand the ways that screen time can impact concussion recovery, especially long term, they encourage health care providers and parents to minimize children’s screen time as much as possible after a head injury. 

“These findings support the conclusion that brief screen time abstinence following a concussion is associated with a faster recovery,” said Dr. Macnow. “Given this data, preliminary clinical recommendations should be to limit screen time. It’s not clear why screen time exacerbated concussion symptoms, but there are a lot of reasons to suspect it’s not good.” 

Pandemic-related supply-chain issues continue to plague businesses large and small. From restaurants to boat dealers, companies are complaining they can’t get needed products and parts.

Consumers are also noticing. A scan of recent reviews posted to ConsumerAffairs shows frustration with shortages and extended delivery times for a wide range of products.

William, of Aliquippa, Pa., bought a Husqvarna lawn tractor he didn’t really want because of limited options.

“I was unhappy with it from the start,” William wrote in his review. “First off it rattles like an old tin can. No doubt some loose part that I will be able to fix, but not a good impression when I just spent north of $3,000 on it.”

Many people building houses are also running into frustrating delays. Christopher, of Durham, N.C., posted on ConsumerAffairs that his town home was supposed to be completed in June.

“I cannot get a clear estimate on completion (current estimate is October; completion has been moved back 3 times now) partially due to the sewer system hook-up issues which I am told requires specific parts (of which there is a "shortage" of) to be compliant to town regulations,” Christopher wrote in his review.

Even Amazon has been affected by a narrowed supply chain, reporting an uncharacteristic slowdown in second-quarter sales.

Shortages may last for a while

Reuters reports shortages of metals, plastics, and even liquor bottles are now commonplace, and these shortages have far-flung consequences. In one case, a tent manufacturer has had no problem making tent panels, but it can’t finish its products because of a shortage of aluminum tent poles and zippers for the flaps.

Scott Price, president of UPS International, says business leaders were caught off guard by the bottlenecks in the supply chain. In an interview with Business Insider, Price said businesses may respond by “regionalizing” their supply chains, using factories closer to main production facilities.

Businesses and the consumers that support them could face months or even years of supply chain issues, according to experts. That’s because the COVID-19 pandemic may not end any time soon.

John Rutledge, an economic adviser to the Reagan administration, told CNBC that even a small number of infections can close a major port. He notes what happened last month at China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan port, the third busiest in the world, as an example.

Wells Fargo is back in the hot seat. The Office of Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has fined the bank $250 million, charging it has engaged in unsafe or unsound practices related to its 2018 compliance consent order.

“Wells Fargo has not met the requirements of the OCC’s 2018 action against the bank. This is unacceptable,” said Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael J. Hsu. 

The regulator also placed limits on the bank’s future activities until it addresses specific issues in its mortgage servicing department. In 2018, Wells Fargo agreed to pay a $1 billion fine after regulators said it failed to deliver on promised adjustments to customers' interest rates on mortgages and automobile loans. It was also accused of making car loan customers buy unnecessary insurance policies.

“The OCC will continue to use all the tools at our disposal, including business restrictions, to ensure that national banks address problems in a timely manner, treat customers fairly, and operate in a safe and sound manner,” Hsu said.

Working on its reputation

Wells Fargo has worked since 2016 to restore its reputation with consumers after its employees were found to be opening credit card and checking accounts in customers’ names without their knowledge or consent. An analysis of reviews posted on ConsumerAffairs shows the bank is making some progress in that area, but reviews remain mixed.

Lawrence, of Florence, Arizona, is one of the consumers giving the bank a 5-star review lately, praising improvements in the way deposits and transfers are handled.

“I have five accounts and can see and work with all of them, including credit card accounts and personal loans,” Lawrence wrote. “Direct deposit is very easy. And you are protected from fraud. No need to call them anymore because you can chat 24/7 with a real person.”

But Liza, of Edgewater, Florida, has had a very different experience. She told us she has a merchant account and has found customer service lacking.

“Every time I try to reach anyone I get a customer service agent that can't get answers and most of the time I never even get a call back,” she wrote in a post. “I'm extremely frustrated and disappointed and quite frankly am ready to hire an attorney.”

More work to do

As for the latest OCC action, Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf said the bank has been working on getting things right and has lately been focused on areas singled out by the OCC.

“The OCC’s actions today point to work we must continue to do to address significant, longstanding deficiencies,” he said.

The OCC also issued a cease and desist order against the bank that requires Wells Fargo “to take broad and comprehensive corrective actions” to improve the execution, risk management, and oversight of the bank’s loss mitigation program.

Chrysler is recalling 2,247 Mopar right and left-side Crew Cab, Quad Cab, Mega Cab, and Standard Cab side airbag inflatable curtains (SABIC) sold as replacement parts.

The SABIC inflator end cap may detach from the inflator, or the inflator sidewall may rupture.

A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled towards a person, or into a vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace -- as necessary -- the SABIC assemblies free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 1, 2021.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Y56.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 40,956,556 (40,923,034)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 659,985 (659,696)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 224,792,464 (224,329,369)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,633,281 (4,625,993)‌

Delta hits the unvaccinated particularly hard

Federal data show the recent surge in COVID-19 cases is hitting young people — especially those who have not been vaccinated — in particular. Current death counts of people under age 55 are about the same as those during last winter’s surge, before vaccines were readily available.

Today, COVID-19 deaths are well below what they were during January’s peak — but the fatalities are unevenly distributed throughout the population. Some researchers say deaths among the vaccinated older population are much lower than they were in January.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released studies that show unvaccinated people were 4.6 times as likely to be infected with the virus. Worse: The data shows they are 10 times as likely to require hospital care and 11 times as likely to die.

Resignations force New York hospital to pause baby deliveries

According to a mandate issued by then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, all medical personnel in the state of New York must be vaccinated by Sept. 27. Because so many nurses have quit rather than get the vaccine, Lewis County General Hospital has “paused” maternity services because they can’t operate safely.

According to CNN, 30 of the hospital's employees have quit, six of whom worked in the maternity ward. Hospital officials expressed hope that state health officials would agree to a pause in service and not require the maternity department to close permanently.

There could be more resignations as the deadline approaches. Hospital officials say 165 employees have not been vaccinated.

Yale releases encouraging antibody study

People who have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 have a level of protection that, in most cases, reduces bad outcomes, according to a new study from Yale researchers.

The researchers examined the role of T-cells and B-cells in COVID-19 infections and differences in protection produced by vaccines and natural infection. When a person is infected with COVID-19 for the first time, both T-cells and B-cells play a role in combating the infection.

“We saw that antibodies [generated from both vaccine and natural infection] were also sufficient to protect against the … Beta variant. That’s the variant that — at least until this point — had been shown to be the most evasive of antibody responses,” said Benjamin Goldman-Israelow, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher at the Iwasaki Lab. “Even more so than the Delta variant.”

Around the nation

• Massachusetts: Massachusetts is tied with Vermont for the highest vaccination, rate but that’s not stopping its residents from getting COVID-19. Health officials report “breakthrough” cases exceeded 4,400 last week as 600 fully vaccinated people a day tested positive.
• Pennsylvania: The state begins the week with a spike in new cases of the coronavirus. Health officials reported just over 5,000 new cases on Friday, the most since May. Hospitals in three western counties report the increased caseload is straining resources.
• Florida: An appeals court Friday reinstated Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban on school district mask requirements. This means the state could withhold funding from districts that defy the governor’s order.
• California: A California father of five children died of COVID-19, sending his children to an orphanage. The man’s wife, a 37-year-old delivery nurse, died three weeks ago of the virus. Neither had been vaccinated.
• Arkansas: After being one of the epicenters of new outbreaks just two months ago, Arkansas’ numbers continue to move in the right direction. The Arkansas Department of Health reports hospitalizations fell for the fifth straight day, declining by 13 patients to a total of 1,118. However, the number of patients on ventilators remains high.

Dorel Juvenile Group is recalling 4,000 Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 Convertible child seats.

When the seat is installed in the forward facing position and secured to the car using the lap belt without also using the top tether, the seat may not adequately protect the child from head injury in a crash.

What to do

No remedy has been established at this time.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 18, 2021.

Owners may contact Dorel customer service at (877) 657-9546 or by email at Pria85recall@djgusa.com.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration has decided to increase the penalties for people who won’t mask up while flying or taking public transportation. The new penalties — which take effect Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 — will be $500 to $1,000 for first offenders and $1,000 to $3,000 for second offenders and apply at airports and on commercial aircraft, railroads, intercity bus service, and other public transportation.

The federal mask mandate for transportation — extended just a few weeks ago — will remain in effect until Jan. 18, 2022.   

“Wearing a mask protects the traveling public and all of the personnel who make the travel experience safe, secure, and comfortable,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “We will continue to enforce the mask mandate as long as necessary to protect public health and safety.”

The TSA administrator, David Pekoske, said, “We appreciate the majority of travelers each day who voluntarily follow the requirement, but find this action necessary to maximize the protections for those who use and work within the transportation system, and to contain COVID-19. By doubling the range of penalties, we seek to reinforce the importance of voluntary adherence.”  

The TSA warns anti-maskers that these mask mandate penalties are separate from the ever-growing civil penalties the Federal Aviation Administration issues for individuals who engage in unruly and unsafe behavior. 

ConsumerAffairs reviewers speak out

Mask requirements are increasingly becoming a lightning rod. Since the start of the year, 31 ConsumerAffairs reviewers have expressed their appreciation — or disdain — for mask mandates on airlines.

On the 5-star end of the review scale, Yulia of Colorado gave Frontier Airlines some props for being considerate of a child who is mask-averse. “Frontier is so nice and not what I was expecting when flying during Corona. They were so considerate and not mean or anything like people are writing. I was flying with 2.5 y.o. who absolutely refuses to wear mask and was afraid they'd do something but no, they were very understanding!” Yulia said.

Then there are people like Clyde from South Carolina, who appreciated the lengths American Airlines went to ensure safety.

“I was impressed with their attention to detail to truly make me feel safe and comfortable in leiu of pandemic that we are living thru,” Clyde said in a 4-star review. “They took the time to make sure all seats and armrest were clean and dry, made sure to ask all to place mask over their nose and made it a point to ask if there was anything else they could do to make me feel comfortable."

While Clyde’s experience with American was positive, Simon's wasn't. “I flew with American Airlines business and the second they closed the door they starting treating their customers that they will send down all members that don't cover the nose with the mask, I made sure that my nose is covered and when I started eating one crew member came to me saying that I can't eat so long, and prior to landing they gave me a card saying that I am a dangerous passenger, (while I had my mask on during the whole flight besides when I ate), they are bad people, they don't like people, don't travel with American Airlines," wrote Simon of New York.

Love Hulu? Enough to pay another dollar a month? The streaming service hasn’t made a big to-do about it, but beginning October 8, its monthly rate will go up by $1 a month.

That means Hulu’s ad-supported service will shoot up to $6.99 a month, and its ad-free service will increase to $12.99 a month. The price for the Hulu live TV plan and the Disney bundle — which includes Disney+, Hulu with ads and ESPN+ — will stay put at $13.99 a month, most likely because that rate was adjusted (by 18%) in November of 2020.

No thanks to Disney

The streaming service subscription game tends to be follow-the-leader. If Netflix — the master of inching up rates — can raise its prices without suffering a mass exodus of its subscribers, others are likely to follow suit. But Hulu took a gamble in 2019 by lowering its ad-supported tier from $7.99 to $5.99 a month in an effort to counteract Netflix’s price increase that year. 

Things changed after Disney bought a major stake in Hulu, and prices have continued to increase little by little since — not only for Hulu but for Disney's other streaming investments.

Earlier this year, Disney raised the cost of Disney+ by $1 a month, moving the monthly price to $7.99. Then, in July, it raised the price of ESPN+ to $6.99 a month.

When will this end? “Given that this is the first price increase for Hulu since their price lowering, we’re hoping it doesn’t raise any further,” commented Dana E. Neuts at Subscription Insider. “However, with more and more people cutting cords with their cable companies, Hulu and Disney are hoping to cash in on that extra dollar per month.”

To the contrary, Jared Newman of Cord Cutter Weekly thinks the hand Disney is playing is both smart for them and good for the consumer.

"Thankfully, Disney is an outlier, running Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ as separate services serving different needs while giving users who want all three a means of getting them at a discount," Newman said.

"That means cord cutters can subscribe to just the ones they want, and Disney can bring more expensive sports coverage to ESPN+ without destroying the value of its other offerings. Those who argue that we have too many streaming services fail to realize that the alternative would be even worse."

Hulu subscribers raise service issues

A dollar a month is not likely to kill Hulu’s subscriber base, but the quality of service might. ConsumerAffairs reviewers have beset Hulu with 52 1-star ratings in the last year, many of which raised concerns about the quality of its streaming service.

“I can't and when I say I can't, I mean, I can't get through a show without Hulu losing connection at least 3 times. This means when I am streaming live, I usually miss about half the show as I have to login again every time which takes forever!” wrote Angela of Texas, commenting on her technical woes with Hulu.

”I have contacted Hulu several times and they have me reboot and clear out the cookies every time which does nothing. To add insult to injury, they recently went up $15 per month on their pricing and are the most expensive app I have, and I can't even watch it most the time.”

Several reviewers beefed about the company's customer service. “Signed up with Verizon free Hulu/Disney/ESPN+ I received all 3. No charges from ESPN or Disney. Hulu is the only company who continues to charge my bank account,” wrote William of North Carolina. 

“I am paying my upgraded Verizon phone bill, I am owed Hulu for free in the contract. Hulu claims I cannot use my email address. They are unable to change anything. The fix Hulu offered was to change my email I’ve used for 20 years and cancel the Disney/ESPN/Hulu from Verizon and start all new with a new account. Hulu, you aren’t that special … canceled the service but I still pay.”

A new study conducted by researchers from King’s College London emphasized the importance of people following through with both rounds of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Their findings showed that should individuals contract the virus after getting both doses of the vaccine, their symptoms aren’t likely to last very long. Though it’s possible to experience COVID-related symptoms for several weeks after infection, having both doses of the vaccine reduces the likelihood of what is known as “long COVID” by nearly 50%. 

“Vaccinations are massively reducing the chances of people getting long COVID in two ways,” said researcher Tim Spector. “Firstly, by reducing the risk of any symptoms by 8 to 10 fold and then by halving the chances of any infection turning into long COVID, if it does happen. Whatever the duration of symptoms we are seeing that infections after two vaccinations are also much milder, so vaccines are really changing the disease and for the better. We are encouraging people to get their second jab as soon as they can.” 

Several benefits of getting both shots

For the study, the researchers analyzed data entered into the UK ZOE COVID Symptom Study app from December through July. All participants logged information about their vaccination records, symptoms, and COVID tests.

The study showed that having both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine came with significant health benefits. Though the risk of contracting the virus while fully vaccinated is low, those who did were nearly 50% less likely to develop long COVID, about 75% less likely to be hospitalized, and about 30% less likely to have severe symptoms. 

“COVID-19 vaccines have saved more than 105,000 lives and prevented over 24 million infections in England alone,” Sajid Javid, the U.K. secretary of state for health and social care, said. “This research is encouraging, suggesting vaccines are not only preventing deaths but could also help prevent some of the longer-lasting symptoms.” 

The researchers did learn that some groups remain at risk of contracting COVID even after vaccination. They found that older people and those who live in low-income areas are at the greatest risk of getting infected post-vaccination. 

“In terms of the burden of long COVID, it’s good news that our research has found that having a double vaccination significantly reduces the risk of both catching the virus and if you do, developing long-standing symptoms,” said researcher Dr. Claire Steves. “However, among our frail, older adults and those living in deprived areas the risk is still significant and they should be urgently prioritized for second and booster vaccinations.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Central Florida looked at some of the best ways to communicate the urgency of climate change to consumers. 

They learned that putting a deadline on things is likely to inspire people to act. When the severity of the situation is heightened, more people are willing to take action. 

“Communication scholars often propose portraying climate change in more proximate terms could play an important role in engaging audiences by making climate change more personally relevant,” said the study's lead author, Patrice Kohl. “We did not find any evidence of deadline-ism resulting in disengagement or other counterproductive responses. Our results more closely align with arguments in favor of presenting climate change in more proximate terms.” 

Feeling the pressure

For the study, the researchers divided 1,000 participants into two experimental groups and a control group. The first experimental group read an article that put a timeline on taking action against climate change, and the other read an article that discussed the importance of taking action, but didn’t put a deadline on doing so. The control group didn’t read any articles. The researchers asked all of the participants about their likelihood to take action, their thoughts on the severity of climate change, and their willingness to support political action against climate change. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that having a deadline in relation to climate change action was the best way for the participants to understand the urgency of the situation. 

Participants who read the article that included a deadline were more likely than any other group to believe their actions could positively impact the ongoing climate change crisis. They were also more likely to support legislation that backed climate change efforts and expressed greater concern over the severity of climate change than participants from other groups. 

The researchers hope that these findings are put into practice moving forward.  

“We’re going to have to learn how to talk about tough climate change realities in ways that engage rather than disengage audiences,” said Kohl. “I understand why critics worry that the idea of a deadline for meaningful action in avoiding catastrophic climate change might cause people to throw up their hands in defeat. But our research suggests that assumption might not be quite right.” 

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 40,606,600 (40,470,429)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 654,632 (652,869)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 223,318,139 (222,761,144)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,608,243 (4,599,706)‌

All federal workers must be vaccinated

President Biden’s plan for getting the COVID-19 pandemic under control centers on getting more vaccines into more arms. The president has announced that one way to do this is to require all federal government workers to be vaccinated.

Biden didn’t mince words in a brief address Thursday, laying out his rationale for the new policy. "We've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us," he said to Americans who have declined the vaccine.

Biden didn’t stop at a government worker mandate; he also directed the Labor Department to require all employers with more than 100 workers to require either the vaccine or regular testing. 

LA County Schools mandate vaccinations for students

A number of school districts require school employees to be vaccinated. The Los Angeles Unified School Board may be the first to take it another step. It voted Thursday night to require eligible students, age 12 and up, to be vaccinated by Dec. 31.

“We want to do everything possible to make sure that L.A. Unified doesn’t end up on the long list of school districts that have had to re-close and go back to distance learning after welcoming students back this fall,” said board member Nick Melvoin.

Other board members said the move was logical and not without precedent, noting that schools have long required students to be immunized against a number of childhood diseases.

FDA considers vaccines for young children

Children under 12 remain the weak link in the fight against COVID-19 since they're not yet eligible to be vaccinated. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is studying the issue but says it will follow the science and not rush approval.

Part of the problem is a lack of data. The FDA notes that clinical trials testing the efficacy of the vaccine on children under 12 have not been completed.

“It’s important that the public recognize that, because young children are still growing and developing, it’s critical that thorough and robust clinical trials of adequate size are completed to evaluate the safety and the immune response to a COVID-19 vaccine in this population,” the FDA said in its most recent update.

Around the nation

• Utah: Doctors at Primary Children's Hospital say they're dealing with a big increase in patients with coronavirus and other respiratory infections — often at the same time. A teenage patient died at the hospital last week of COVID-19 complications.

• Virginia: School officials in Henrico County have announced they're easing some quarantine guidelines in an effort to keep students and staff engaged with in-person learning as much as possible. The quarantine period following a “close contact” with the coronavirus has been shortened from 14 to 10 days.

• Kentucky: COVID-19 cases in the state continue to approach record highs, but state lawmakers have determined that masks are unnecessary. The Kentucky House of Representatives has voted to revoke the statewide mask mandate in public schools.

• Nevada: As of today, a mask mandate is in place in all Nevada counties. Every county in the state now meets the government’s threshold of “substantial” or “high” risk of transmission.

• Arkansas: Some schools in Arkansas have made fundamental adjustments to education, planning for more remote learning in the wake of the pandemic. A growing number of teachers in the state are choosing to teach from home. “You don’t have busy duty or lunch duty, or you know, car line duty,” said Melissa Curiel, a teacher at Arkansas Connections Academy.

Aside from an increase of 5 cents per gallon in Louisiana, motorists saw little impact from Hurricane Ida at the pump this week. The shutdown of Gulf Coast refineries and the Colonial Pipeline did little to raise gas prices.

According to AAA, the average price of regular gas is $3.18 a gallon, the same as last Friday. Prices are down a penny a gallon from a month ago.

The average price of premium gas is $3.80, the same as last week. The average price of diesel fuel is $3.29 a gallon, also the same as a week ago.

GasBuddy reported at midweek that gasoline demand is showing a significant decline and attributes much of the weakness to Hurricane Ida, which kept many motorists off the roads for a few days last week.

“Historically, gas demand starts to decline in the fall as schools reopen and summer road trips end, which leads to less expensive gas prices,” said Jeanette McGee, AAA spokesperson. “Despite the dip in demand, the national average is expected to remain above $3 per gallon especially as crude oil continues to price on the higher end.”

States with the most expensive gas

These states currently have the highest prices for regular gas, according to AAA:

• California ($4.39)

• Hawaii ($4.07)

• Nevada ($4.00)

• Washington ($3.88) 

• Utah ($3.80)

• Idaho ($3.79)

• Oregon ($3.77) 

• Alaska ($3.70) 

• Colorado ($3.60)  

• Wyoming ($3.56)

States with the cheapest gas

AAA reports these states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas:

• Mississippi ($2.80)

• Texas ($2.82) 

• Missouri ($2.84) 

• Alabama ($2.84)

• Arkansas ($2.85)

• Oklahoma ($2.88) 

• Louisiana ($2.89)

• Tennessee ($2.90)

• South Carolina ($2.90)

• Kentucky ($2.91)

Loki Fish Company of Seattle, Wash., is recalling 4-oz. packages of Keta Salmon Lox.

The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled product is packaged in a plastic package on a coated board with UPC code 92103 00111. There are no best by dates on the package.

It was distributed through Cherry Sprout Produce in Portland, Ore., and Central Co-op and Pacific Coast Harvest in Seattle, Wash., and also sold at the University District and West Seattle Farmers Markets in Washington.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but discard or return it to the place of purchase or to Loki Fish Company at the farmers market for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact Loki Fish Company at (206) 937-1048, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or by email at (hing@lokifish.com.

SKE Outdoors of Katy, Texas, is recalling about 860 TurboSke Kids Toddler Bike Helmets.

The helmets do not comply with the U.S. CPSC federal safety standard for bicycle helmets, posing a risk of head injury.

No incidents or injuries are reported

This recall involves the TurboSke Kids Toddler bike helmets sold in size small (S), fitting head circumference from about 19 inches to 20 inches.

The helmets were sold in lime green, mint blue, black, magenta pink, purple and orange colors. “TurboSke” is printed on the front and back of the helmet.

The model FX010 is printed on a label on the inside of the helmet.

The helmets, manufactured in China, were sold online at Amazon.com and other websites from August 2020, through July 2021, for between $14 and $22.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled helmets and return them free of charge to SKE Outdoors for a full refund or free replacement.

Consumers may contact SKE Outdoors toll-free at (888) 761-2989 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PT) Monday through Friday, or online at www.skeoutdoors.com and view the press release at the bottom of the main page for more information.

The White House has unveiled an ambitious plan to lower prescription drug prices, an issue that has gained support in both the Republican and Democratic parties.

The plan backs efforts among Democrats in Congress to pass legislation to drive down drug costs. It calls for allowing Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for lower drug costs — something not allowed under current law.

Supporters of that provision say the government would save billions of dollars on drug costs for seniors while the population at large would also see prices come down.

The plan would establish new administrative measures that would cut red tape while offering federal funding for research into new treatments.

Consumers have long complained that drug pricing is unnecessarily complicated and confusing. D. of Norwood, Pennsylvania, recently told ConsumerAffairs that even their benefits provider was confused about prices.

“I was quoted a price and as a result decided to use GoodRX,” D. wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “When I went to pick up the drug at the pharmacy the pharmacist informed me that my insurance price actually was cheaper than GoodRX. That was not what I had been told, this price was about $40 cheaper than what I was quoted.”

Transparency

The White House says its plan is aimed at making drug prices more transparent as well as affordable. In recent years, physicians have joined patients in urging action to keep prices in check, especially older drugs that haven’t been improved but also have no competition.

“The Biden-Harris Administration remains committed to making health care more affordable for American families, and this Plan outlines one key way we will do that,” Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “By promoting negotiation, competition, and innovation in the health care industry, we will ensure cost fairness and protect access to care.”

The plan is likely to face strong opposition from the pharmaceutical industry. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America has been running television ads that claim consumers would have fewer choices if Medicare were allowed to negotiate drug prices.

Last month the group cited a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report that it said shows the drug pricing policy pushed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., would lead to 60 fewer new treatments in the next three decades.