Current Events in October 2021

Following a major recall linked to a salmonella outbreak in dozens of states, EveryPlate has announced a voluntary recall of products that contain onions due to potential health risks.

The company said it was informed by one of its ingredient suppliers about the potential presence of salmonella bacteria in its onions. A full list of the affected products -- with production weeks, dates, and Product Codes -- can be viewed on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s site here.

“We sincerely apologize for this supplier-related incident. Your safety is our highest priority and we have taken immediate steps to ensure our onions are no longer sourced from this supplier,” the company stated.

What to do

Consumers are being advised to discard all onions they received from EveryPlate from July 7, 2021, to September 8, 2021. However, the company notes that onions received after that date range are not affected by the recall. 

Consumers who have eaten any of the recalled onions and are feeling symptoms of illness are advised to contact their health care provider immediately. 

Following a major recall of onions produced in Mexico that were linked to a massive salmonella outbreak, HelloFresh has announced that it is voluntarily recalling products that contain onions due to a possible health risk. 

The company said it was informed by one of its ingredient suppliers about the potential presence of salmonella bacteria in its onions. A full list of the affected products -- with production weeks, dates, and HelloFresh Product Codes -- can be viewed on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s site here.

“We sincerely apologize for this supplier-related incident. Your safety is our highest priority and we have taken immediate steps to ensure our onions are no longer sourced from this supplier,” the company stated.

What to do

Consumers are being advised to discard all onions they received from HelloFresh from July 7, 2021, to September 8, 2021. However, the company notes that onions received after that date range are not affected by the recall. 

Consumers who have eaten any of the recalled onions and are feeling symptoms of illness are advised to contact their health care provider immediately. 

Hyundai Motor America is recalling 978 model year 2021 Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, and Genesis GV80 vehicles, as well as model year 2022 Genesis GV70 vehicles, because the front driver-side and passenger-side seat belt pretensioners could explode during a crash. 

The automaker said the seat belt pretensioners in affected vehicles were installed from a suspect production lot that contained pyrotechnic-type pretensioners that could deploy during a crash. If this happens, metal fragments could be sprayed into the vehicle occupant compartment and cause injury or even death to drivers or passengers.

In one reported case, a crash involving a Hyundai Elantra caused metal fragments to enter the rear cabin of the vehicle and injured a passenger’s leg. 

What to do

Hyundai is working with dealers to replace the seat belt pretensioners at no cost to vehicle owners. Notification letters are expected to be mailed to owners on December 10, 2021. 

Consumers can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit the agency’s website for more information.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 45,312,103 (45,234,901)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 733,435 (731,541)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 242,698,743 (242,288,846)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,933,356 (4,925,854)‌

CDC signs off on booster shots

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has endorsed booster shots using vaccines produced by Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. The CDC agreed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recommendation to move forward.

The CDC also backed the FDA’s approval of “mixing and matching” vaccines, allowing someone inoculated with one type of vaccine to receive a booster of another type. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky issued her decision based on a unanimous recommendation of a CDC advisory committee.

“These recommendations are another example of our fundamental commitment to protect as many people as possible from COVID-19,” Walensky said.

FDA to consider Pfizer vaccine for younger children

An FDA advisory committee meets next week to decide if the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine should be given to children between the ages of five and 11. Today, the agency released data collected by the drugmakers that shows the vaccine is 90% effective in young children.

The clinical trials studied a dose of 10 micrograms of the vaccine given to children aged five to 11. The smaller dose, about a third of what adults receive, is aimed at reducing side effects while still generating robust antibodies.

The companies reported that the vaccine appeared to be more than 90% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 while producing minimal side effects in the primary clinical trial. The antibody response to the vaccine was comparable to the one seen in people 16 to 25 years old.

Experts worried about the pandemic’s mental health impact

The world can be a scary enough place for young people without a global pandemic. Health researchers, alarmed at rising mental health issues among teens and young adults, believe COVID-19 may be partly to blame.

The CDC recently reported that visits to emergency rooms for suicides and suicide attempts among girls aged 12 through 17 increased more than 50% in early 2021 compared to 2019.

In a statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. The group said the pandemic “has struck at the safety and stability of families.” 

Around the nation

• Washington: Some state legislators say they are being blocked from entering certain parts of the state capital building after lawmakers passed a law requiring everyone to provide proof of vaccination. As many as 26 legislators have not yet complied, and officials say their key cards have been deactivated.

• Massachusetts: State health officials report that the number of “breakthrough” cases, in which fully vaccinated people test positive for the virus, is declining. In the last week, health officials counted 3,431 new breakthrough cases, down significantly from the previous week's 4,034 cases.

• Arizona: Health officials say they are already planning to vaccinate the state’s children between the ages of five and 11 in preparation for expected approval from the FDA and CDC. Jessica Rigler, an assistant director with the Arizona Department of Health Services, says the state will initially have a third of the doses needed to vaccinate Arizona’s 600,000 eligible children.

• Kentucky: Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and the Kentucky Medical Association have launched a campaign called “Take it from me,” in which former vaccine skeptics who survived the illness urge people to get vaccinated. Marshall County resident Ethan Koeler, who was hospitalized for two weeks, said he would have gotten the shot if he had known how horrible the virus is.

• North Carolina: The town of Garner will celebrate Christmas this year with a Christmas parade on Dec. 18. The parade was canceled the previous two years -- last year because of COVID-19 and in 2019 because of “threats of violence.”

A shortage of computer chips, which began early in the COVID-19 pandemic and limited production of everything from cars to computers, won’t be ending anytime soon.

That’s the warning from Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, who predicts the shortage will last until at least 2023. He also warned investors that Intel expects sales to fall 2% in the third quarter because of the shortage.

“We’re in the worst of it now; every quarter next year, we’ll get incrementally better, but they’re not going to have supply-demand balance until 2023,” Gelsinger told CNBC. 

Trade-ins have more value

Consumers have been negatively impacted by the shortage when they’ve shopped for a car. There are fewer new cars available, and that, in turn, has caused prices of used cars to rise. But Taylor, of Hugheston, W.Va., recently found that the chip shortage worked to his advantage when he used Carvana for a trade-in and learned he could trade up.

“Due to the current chip shortage, the sub-compact vehicle I had was worth some value,” Taylor wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “I decided to trade in for an SUV. Once I found the car I wanted, shopping on the app was very easy. In total, it took me around 40 minutes to complete what was needed.”

Shortages of anything usually result in higher prices. Jason, of Hartford, Wisc., shopped for a new gaming system and found generally higher prices, but he also found an exception.

“Given the chip shortage, the prices were really high,” Jason wrote in his review of CyberPower PC. “I had a budget of $5k and I had anticipated spending to obtain the CPU, GPU, and RAM requirements that I had for the device I wanted. I found this device on Newegg's site and not only did it meet my spec requirements but it was on sale.”

Exceptions may be rare

But in the months ahead, industry experts think these exceptions will become rarer. They point out that PC sales have been strong for the last year as consumers around the world purchased new laptops and desktops to work from home. Gelsinger said he believed that there will be little decline in demand for these devices in the months ahead.

“We do think the PC business is now just structurally larger, a million units-a-day kind of business,” Gelsinger said.

Consumers shopping for a new car will also find smaller selections as dealers struggle to fill their showrooms. Toyota cut production by 40% in September. The only silver lining for consumers like Taylor, who have a late-model car to trade in, is that the value of that trade-in may continue to go up.

If Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) gets his wish, student loans could soon be fully tax-deductible. Paul says he plans to introduce the Tax Free Education Act, legislation that could change the face of student loan programs forever if passed.

In comments made to WDRB-TV in Louisville, Ky., Paul said his five-prong approach would include the following:

• Make education expenses 100% deductible

• Enable students to deduct the cost of their education from their income tax

• Include student loans as “education expenses”

• Apply to all colleges and technical schools

• Apply to the cost of K-12 education

The rising cost of education is important to Paul. Less than two years ago, he introduced the Higher Education Loan Payment and Enhanced Retirement (HELPER) Act, a pro-taxpayer plan that he said would help Americans pay off their student loan debt more quickly and easily, plus give them an added opportunity to save more money for retirement.

"Making college tax deductible, I think, would help a lot of families," Paul said. "A lot of families are struggling. College tuition has doubled over the last decade. Loan payments are going up. I meet people in their 30s still trying to pay back their loans."

Student loans: a can of worms

We’re now in the fourth year of a prolonged battle over student loans, dating back to 2017 when a coalition of states pushed Trump Education Department appointee Betsy DeVos to take action on 25,000 loan forgiveness applications filed by students who were left stranded when for-profit schools like Corinthian Colleges collapsed.

After DeVos left that can of worms on her desk for her successor, the new Biden-appointed Education Secretary Dr. Miguel Cardona quickly forgave more than a billion dollars coming from 72,000 eligible claims from student borrowers -- the majority of whom attended Corinthian Colleges and ITT Technical Institute.

That’s a nice start, but there’s still work to do. According to the Education Data Initiative’s deep dive into the situation, there’s still a lot to shore up -- including addressing the variety of loan forgiveness programs that have different qualifications, forgiveness amounts, and qualifications. 

Unfortunately, the process of making improvements has been painfully slow. In the last two years, the number of denied claims has more than quadrupled, and as many as 43% of applications have not yet been processed.

What about the for-profit schools still in business?

Another item on Cardona and Paul’s checklist might be to help students who have loans from for-profit institutions that are still in business. As an example, ConsumerAffairs reviewer Marnie from Massachusetts pegged Capella University for the problems she’s been fighting. 

“Terrible! They took $82K from me without even knowing about it with student loans so they could profit! I am getting a lawyer against Capella AND Nelnet. If you think after 15 years I am going to pay all of YOUR FRAUDULENT money back when I wasn't even able to graduate after seeing my bill, you're nuts,” Marnie wrote.

Another frustrated for-profit college student loan borrower -- Melissa of Maryland -- says she’s still trying to sort things out with Strayer University. She accused the institution of taking her money but then changing the name of the program she completed.

“Called the dean to advise. Was told he would get it straight. Received a email advising the program was switched to Business ADMIN. from HR. I took out student loans to receive a degree in HR not Business. I could have went to another school and Received the degree I wanted. Now stuck with over 50k in student loans with no job in HR,” she wrote.

After two presidents at the Federal Reserve banks crossed the line in trades they made, senior officials have put new restrictions on investments in place to prevent an overreach from happening again.

The new rules forbid both policymakers and senior staff members at the Fed from buying individual stocks in active trading. They are also prohibited from holding market products like individual bonds or derivatives -- in fact, they can no longer hold any investment that is secured and backed by the government.

What’s left isn’t much, but it’ll have to do. Starting immediately, the only investments Fed officials can make are to purchase diversified investment vehicles, like mutual funds.

"These tough new rules raise the bar high in order to assure the public we serve that all of our senior officials maintain a single-minded focus on the public mission of the Federal Reserve," said Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome H. Powell.

Who crossed the line?

NPR reports that the two Fed bank presidents who crossed the line were Robert Kaplan and Eric Rosengren. Kaplan, who works at the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank, bought or sold stock worth more than a million dollars in 2020 in nearly two dozen companies, including Amazon and Delta Air Lines. Rosengren, who heads the Boston Federal Reserve Bank, bought or sold securities tied to real estate and made investments worth tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in AT&T, Chevron, and Pfizer.

Those two were certainly in the right place at the right time, as the Fed was flooding the market with trillions of dollars. Both men tried to justify their trading by claiming they were in compliance with existing ethics rules. However, Kaplan and Rosengren won’t be putting themselves in danger anymore -- both have since announced their retirements.

Guarding against conflicts of interest

Powell said the Fed’s primary reason for drawing the new boundaries is simple: to help guard against even the appearance of any conflict of interest in the timing of investment decisions.

Going forward, policymakers and senior staff are obliged to provide 45 days advance notice for almost any financial investment purchase or sale they make. Plus, they have to hold on to those investments for at least one year. Additionally, no purchases or sales will be allowed during periods of heightened financial market stress. 

According to the Office of Financial Research, the U.S.’ financial stress level is in a safe zone, with the most recent stress spikes coming in March 2020, and April 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic started to flare.

While fruits and vegetables may not be kids’ favorite foods, a new study has suggested some ways that parents can try to get them to eat more of these staples. According to researchers from Penn State, kids are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables when their plates are at least half full with these foods.

“For most foods, kids will eat more when served larger portions, so we wanted to test whether increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables that are served over five days would increase intake,” said researcher Liane Roe. “We also wondered whether substituting produce for other foods would increase intake more than simply adding extra fruits and veggies.” 

Starting healthier habits

The researchers analyzed more than 50 children between the ages of three and five who were enrolled in Pennsylvania child care centers. Over the course of five days, the children were given all of their meals and snacks at different times in the day. In one trial, fruit and vegetable portions increased by 50%; in a second trial, fruits and vegetable amounts increased by 50% while all other foods decreased by equal weights. 

The researchers learned that both of these methods were successful in getting children to eat more fruits and vegetables. However, there were different outcomes for fruits and vegetables between the different strategies. 

When the children were given more produce on their plates, fruit intake went up 33% and vegetable intake went up 24%. On the other hand, when produce was swapped for other types of foods, the kids ate 38% more fruits and 41% more vegetables. 

“When deciding what to feed kids, it’s easy to remember that half of the foods should be fruits and vegetables,” said researcher Barbara Rolls. “If you start seeing that you’re serving too much and have more waste, you could cut back the higher calorie-dense food while adding more produce. Experiment and have some fun trying different fruits and vegetables to see what they like and so you can serve meals with a sensitivity to their personal taste.” 

Getting creative with produce

While it can be a difficult task for many parents to get their kids to consistently eat more fruits and vegetables, the researchers recommend that parents get creative so that they can incorporate more healthy food options.

“Serving fruits and vegetables as a first course or snacks when kids are hungry can boost their intake, as can incorporating them into mixed dishes,” said Rolls. “For example, you can blend some cauliflower or squash into sauce for mac and cheese or add fruit puree into a brownie or cake mix. You don’t decrease the palatability of the dish, but the kids are eating more produce. You should also encourage them to eat the whole veggies on their own, as well as incorporating them into other foods.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of British Columbia explored some of the benefits associated with kids spending a lot of time outdoors. Their findings showed that when young kids regularly spend more time in nature, they’re more likely to reach important developmental milestones. 

“Most of the children were doing well in their development, in terms of language skills, cognitive capacity, socialization, and other outcomes,” said researcher Ingrid Jarvis. “But what’s interesting is that those children living in a residential location with more vegetation and richer natural environments showed better overall development than their peers with less greenspace.” 

Benefits of being outside

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 27,000 children enrolled in kindergarten in Vancouver between 2005 and 2011. They used the children’s addresses to determine their access to green space versus other environmental influences. They then asked the children’s kindergarten teachers to complete the Early Development Instrument (EDI) survey to assess each participant’s development. 

The EDI survey focuses on five main components of development: physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive development, and communication skills and general knowledge. The researchers analyzed the children’s overall score as the basis for development while paying close attention to the language and cognitive development score. 

In both instances, living closer to green spaces was associated with stronger developmental outcomes. While none of the children performed poorly on the assessment, kids who spent more time in nature had a developmental advantage. 

The researchers believe that green spaces may have some protective benefits from exposure to noise or air pollution. Exposure to high levels of these pollutants has been associated with mental and physical health risks for children.

“Time in nature can benefit everyone, but if we want our children to have a good head start, it’s important to provide an enriching environment through nature contact,” said researcher Matilda van den Bosch. “Access to green space from a very young age can help ensure good social, emotional, and mental development among children.” 

Motorists continue to encounter rising gasoline prices no matter where they live. Prices rose sharply across the country during the last week.

AAA’s daily gas price update shows that the national average price of regular gas is $3.37 a gallon, about seven cents a gallon higher than last Friday. It’s about 18 cents higher than a month ago. The average price of premium gas is $3.98 a gallon, about seven cents a gallon more than a week ago. The average price of diesel fuel is $3.58 a gallon, rising eight cents a gallon over the last week.

“At this point, OPEC is carefully orchestrating a global economic slowdown and energy crunch by holding oil production down,” Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddyreported on Twitter. “They control a third of global production, after all. Feels like those insanely lofty predictions of triple digits could come true.”

Longstanding price stability disappeared in many parts of the country this week. The statewide average price rose eight cents a gallon in California, Hawaii, and Mississippi. The Central Coast community of Gorda, Calif., which has only one gas station, was selling gas this week for $7.59 a gallon.

Texas still has the cheapest gas in the nation, but its average price surged 10 cents a gallon in the last seven days.

States with the most expensive gas

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

• California ($4.53) 

• Hawaii ($4.24)  

• Nevada ($3.91) 

• Washington ($3.87) 

• Oregon ($3.78) 

• Idaho ($3.71)

• Alaska ($3.72) 

• Utah ($3.69)

• Illinois ($3.55)  

• Pennsylvania ($3.54)

States with the cheapest gas

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

• Texas ($3.02)  

• Mississippi ($3.03)  

• Arkansas ($3.01) 

• Oklahoma ($3.01)  

• Missouri ($3.05)  

• Kansas ($3.07)

• Kentucky ($3.10) 

• Louisiana ($3.13) 

• Minnesota ($3.13) 

• South Carolina ($3.13) 

Tuffy's Pet Foods is recalling approximately 1,600 cases of Pure Vita Salmon Entree Dog Food.

The product may contain elevated levels of Vitamin D, which can cause adverse reactions in dogs of all sizes, including symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss.

There are no reports of illness or injury to date.

The recalled product -- which comes in a 12.5-oz. TetraPak carton with a lot number between 0629101N1 and 0901101N1 and UPC 0 73893 96202 1 -- has “best by dates” of June 9, 2023, and September 1, 2023. It was shipped to distributors and retail stores within the U.S.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should stop feeding it to their pets immediately and return it to their retailer for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact Tuffy’s Pet Foods at (800) 525-9155 Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (CT), or by email at tufcustservice@klnfamilybrands.com.

Fullei Fresh of Miami, Fla., is recalling bean sprouts and soy sprouts.

The products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses have been reported. 

The recalled products are listed below:

• Conventional bean sprouts are sold in 5-lb bulk, 10-lb bulk and 8-oz retail packs.
• Organic bean sprouts are sold in 5-lb bulk and 4-oz retail packs.
• Soy sprouts are sold in 5-lb bulk and 10-lb bulk.

The lot numbers, running consecutively between 251 and 271, are printed on the retail packs and on bulk cardboard boxes in the barcode (the last 3 digits.)

The recalled products were harvested and shipped to distributors between September 14, 2021, and October 5, 2021.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should discard them.

Consumers with questions may contact dannielle@fulleifresh.com.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 45,234,901 (45,157,284)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 731,541 (728,826)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 242,288,846 (241,824,120)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,925,854 (4,917,467)‌

Scientists concerned about a variant of a variant

Health experts blame the Delta variant, a mutation of the original coronavirus, for the latest wave of COVID-19 cases. Scientists are now voicing concerns about a mutation of that mutation that they worry could spread even more easily.

The new variant, formally known as AY.4.2, is also being called “Delta Plus.” It has been identified by scientists in the U.K.

British health officials are watching the new variant closely but say that it is too early to tell whether it poses a greater risk to public health than the original Delta variant. So far, Delta Plus accounts for about 6% of infections in the U.K.

FDA clears Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters

As expected, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of both the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines for COVID-19 booster shots. It previously gave the green light to Pfizer booster shots.

The agency said the Moderna booster should be administered at least six months after the second shot of the initial dose. The Johnson & Johnson booster should be given at least two months after the first shot.

The FDA also gave its approval for so-called “mix-and-match” boosters, saying someone vaccinated with one type of vaccine can receive a booster shot of another type. 

Indiana recruits disgruntled Chicago cops

Chicago requires its police officers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular testing. The state police force in neighboring Indiana has no such requirement and is making a bold move to recruit Chicago police officers who are unhappy with the policy.

“Hey Chicago Police Officers, we’re hiring!  No vaccine mandate,” Sgt. Glenn Fifield, an Indiana State police spokesman, posted on Twitter. “Apply today at http://statetrooper.com Lower taxes, great schools, welcoming communities.”

Chicago police officers who don’t comply with the COVID-19 rules can face disciplinary action. At least 21 Chicago police officers have reportedly been suspended or punished in other ways.

Around the nation

• Louisiana: Gov. John Bel Edwards says the coronavirus is in full retreat across the state, with fewer than 400 people with the virus being hospitalized this week. “Our positivity rates for tests currently in Louisiana is a little less than 3%, it had gotten over 16% at the peak. We had over 3,000 people in the hospital at one time,” Edwards said.

• New Jersey: Virtua Health, which operates five hospitals in South New Jersey, has reported that another 100 employees have quit rather than comply with the network’s vaccine mandate. RWJBarnabas Health announced this week that it had fired 118 unvaccinated employees.

• Maine: State health officials say unvaccinated patients and visitors are driving outbreaks of COVID-19 at hospitals within the state. A health department report shows there have been 13 outbreaks at Maine’s hospitals since March 1, resulting in 45 patients and 142 staff members testing positive.

• Wyoming: Sublette County is experiencing its worst COVID-19 outbreak of the pandemic. The rural county has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state and has no hospital to treat people who get sick. "We literally don't know where to send those patients that just need hospital treatment because the hospitals are full of COVID patients," said Jason Ray, a physician’s assistant at a local health clinic.

• Oregon: A federal judge has denied a motion filed by seven state employees who sought an exception to the state’s vaccination mandate. The employees said they didn’t need a vaccination because they had already had COVID-19 and recovered. The judge ruled that there is no constitutional right to refuse to be vaccinated.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to expand the use of booster doses for all approved COVID-19 vaccines, declaring emergency use authorizations (EUA) for Moderna and Johnson and Johnson single booster doses in “eligible populations.” The agency had previously approved boosters for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine boosters.

In addition to the booster approval, the FDA says people can also choose to mix and match the vaccine boosters. For example, if someone originally got the two-round Moderna vaccination, they can still opt to get the Johnson & Johnson booster.

Dr. Peter Marks, the director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said the decision to amend the EUAs and add in the mix and match option was thoroughly vetted and will be tracked vigorously. 

“We will work to accrue additional data as quickly as possible to further assess the benefits and risks of the use of booster doses in additional populations and plan to update the healthcare community and public with our determination in the coming weeks,” Marks said in a statement.

How the authorization works

Here is how the new authorizations will be handled for each of the three COVID-19 vaccine makers:

Moderna: A single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered at least 6 months after completion of the primary series to individuals:

• 65 years of age and older

• 18 to 64 years of age at high risk of severe COVID-19

• 18 to 64 years of age with frequent institutional or occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2

The FDA has more information about the Moderna vaccine here.

Johnson & Johnson: The timeline for the Johnson & Johnson booster shot is a little shorter than Moderna’s booster. Effective immediately, the company said a single booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine may be administered at least two months after completion of the single-dose primary regimen to individuals 18 years of age and older.

The FDA has set up a web page of FAQs about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine here.

Pfizer-BioNTech: A single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may be administered at least 6 months after completion of the primary series to individuals 18 through 64 years of age with what the FDA calls “frequent institutional or occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2.” In other words, that means people whose jobs may put them in contact with lots of people. 

For more information about the Pfizer vaccine, the FDA is directing people here.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it has finally found the source of a major salmonella outbreak. The pathogen has been tracked to onions imported from Mexico.

Since August, state and federal health investigators have worked to trace the source of an outbreak that sickened at least 652 people in 37 states. No deaths have been attributed to the outbreak, but 129 people required treatment in hospitals.

The CDC says the tainted red, white, and yellow onions were imported from Chihuahua, Mexico, and distributed by ProSource Inc. As we reported in September, the CDC initially suspected that the source of the outbreak was cilantro. 

Sold to restaurants and grocery stores

The agency reported that the salmonella strain was found in a sample taken from a takeout condiment cup containing cilantro and lime. The sick person reported that the condiment container also contained onions, but none were left in the cup when it was tested. The onions turned out to be the source.

“These onions were sold to restaurants and grocery stores throughout the United States,” the agency said in a food safety alert. “ProSource Inc. indicated onions were last imported on August 27, but these imported onions can last up to three months in storage and may still be in homes and businesses.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says investigators are also working to determine if other onions and suppliers may be linked to the outbreak. Frank Yiannas, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response, says the large scale of the outbreak is a cause for concern.

“That’s why as our investigation continues, we’re advising restaurants, retailers, and consumers to not eat, sell, or serve red, yellow, and white onions supplied by ProSource Inc., that were imported from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico from July 1 through August 27, or products containing these onions,” Yiannas said. “ProSource Inc. has agreed to voluntarily recall such onions.”

What to do

Consumers who have onions from an unknown source should discard them. The FDA advises consumers who have symptoms of salmonella infection to contact their health care provider. Most people with salmonellosis develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. 

More severe cases of salmonellosis may include a high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, a rash, and blood in urine or stool. In some cases, an infection may become fatal.

“We are issuing this update early in our investigation as part of our continued commitment to transparency and early communication,” Yiannas said. “We will provide updates as we learn more during our continuing traceback investigation, especially if there are any updates to this critical public health advice.”

Facebook got a rude awakening on Thursday when the company’s oversight board reprimanded it for holding back pertinent details about the platform’s content moderation cross-check system, which is used to review content decisions related to high-profile users. 

The board was primarily concerned that Facebook’s content moderation system apparently gives millions of Facebook VIP users a hall pass when it came to moderating or removing some types of content. Compared to “regular” users, the VIPs didn’t have to jump through any of the standard procedure hoops that the company uses to minimize or remove the reach of posts that defied its policies.

How much did Facebook hide from the oversight board? The members said they sent 156 questions to Facebook about decisions it published through the end of June. In response, Facebook answered 130, partially answered 12, and declined to answer 14. Many of the cases that Facebook declined to comment on concerned a user’s previous behavior on the company’s platform.

Concerns over how the Trump suspension was handled

The board chastised Facebook for its failure to include specific details of its cross-check program in the case of former President Donald Trump’s suspension from the platform.

“Given that the referral included a specific policy question about account-level enforcement for political leaders, many of whom the Board believes were covered by cross-check, this omission is not acceptable,” the board wrote in its report. 

Board members then went after the company for showing a lack of transparency about the matter. “Facebook only mentioned cross-check to the Board when we asked whether Mr. Trump’s page or account had been subject to ordinary content moderation processes,” they stated.

Facebook asks for forgiveness

With little room to escape the oversight board’s condemnation, Facebook admitted to its faults and said the board should review the cross-check program going forward. The oversight board agreed to review the cross-check program and will offer its opinion on how to change the program so that it's more objective, transparent, and fair. 

“In areas where we feel that Facebook is falling short, such as transparency, we will keep challenging the company to do better. We will do this through our decisions, recommendations, and regular transparency reporting, including our annual report which we will publish next year,” the board said in its report.

Because of a recent shortage, sales of new cars are lower than last year and significantly lower than in 2019. But a report from Kelley Blue Book (KBB) shows that sales of electrified vehicles (EV), including plug-ins, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids, are increasing at a record pace.

In the third quarter of this year, the overall new-vehicle market dropped by more than 13% compared to 2020. At the same time, sales of EVs surged by more than 60% and accounted for 10.4% of total vehicle sales, an all-time high. 

Tesla and Toyota lead the EV pack

Sales of vehicles with hybrid engines that use a gasoline engine to recharge the battery while driving were more than double the number of purely electric vehicles sold during the period. When it comes to electrified vehicles, Tesla and Toyota dominate U.S. sales. Tesla is the best-selling plug-in EV, while Toyota is a leader in cars with hybrid engines.

General Motors and Ford may quickly catch up, however. Both automakers have launched ambitious EV plans and GM is scheduled to introduce an electric version of the Hummer before the end of the year.

Ford has already released an EV version of its iconic Mustang and has begun deliveries of its compact pickup truck, the Maverick, which has a hybrid engine. The automaker’s all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup begins production in early 2022.

“Toyota has long dominated the market when it comes to hybrid powertrains, and its leadership today is unquestionable,” KBB said in a press release. “Through the first nine months of 2021, more than 24% of combined Toyota and Lexus sales have been hybrid vehicles. More than 60% of all hybrid-electric vehicles sold industry-wide in Q3 came from Toyota Motor Company, a position nearly as dominant as Tesla.”

Used car prices still going up

Meanwhile, the sticker prices on used cars continue to rise. After a big gain in September, an industry report found that prices continued to rise during the first two weeks of October.

The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index rose 8.3% over the month of September. At mid-month, the average value of a used car or truck was 37% higher than in October 2020, and is well into record territory. 

And that’s just what dealers are paying for used cars at auction. Consumers generally pay much more, depending on local market conditions.

Cox Automotive, which publishes the report, expects demand for used cars and trucks to remain intense since the new car shortage isn’t expected to end any time soon.

A new study conducted by researchers from Bar-Ilan University explored how exposure to extreme temperatures may impact women during pregnancy. Their findings showed that experiencing severe hot or cold temperatures during pregnancy may increase infants’ risk of having a low birth weight. 

“Our study demonstrated the significant associations between exposure to high and low outdoor temperature and birthweight in all term births born in Israel during five years,” said researcher Dr. Keren Agay-Shay. “Lower birth weight may indicate abnormalities in intrauterine growth and is a risk factor for morbidity during early childhood and over the entire course of life.” 

Understanding pregnancy health risks

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 624,000 births in Israel between 2010 and 2014. They also evaluated the residential areas where the women gave birth and tracked the temperatures throughout the women’s pregnancies. 

The researchers learned that exposure to extreme temperatures during pregnancy -- whether hot or cold -- increased the risk of infants being born with a low weight. Extreme cold temperatures were linked with a lower birth weight of 56g, while extreme hot temperatures were associated with a lower birth weight of 65g. 

The study found that these risks were the highest in the later months of pregnancy. Exposure to extreme weather in the second -- and even more so in the third -- trimester was associated with the biggest drop in birth weight. 

“The patterns of associations were consistent when stratified by urbanicity and geocoding hierarchy, when estimated for daily minimum and maximum temperatures, when exposures were classified based on temperature distributions in 49 natural regions, and when estimated for all live births (including preterm births and those with birth defects),” said Dr. Agay-Shay. 

Because global temperatures are predicted to continue going up, the researchers hope these findings lead to changes in public health strategies that address climate change. 

A new study conducted by researchers from Washington University School of Medicine explored how consumers should approach their sleeping habits. According to their findings, it’s important to find a happy medium between getting too much sleep and not getting enough sleep. When that balance is in place, it’s likely to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. 

“Our study suggests that there is a middle range, or ‘sweet spot,’ for total sleep time where cognitive performance was stable over time,” said researcher Dr. Brendan Lucey. “Short and long sleep times were associated with worse cognitive performance, perhaps due to insufficient sleep or poor sleep quality.”

The link between sleep and cognition

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 100 participants involved in Washington University’s Alzheimer Disease Research Center. The participants slept with an EEG to measure brain activity for four to six months. They also provided cerebrospinal fluid and blood samples to test for markers of Alzheimer’s disease and took cognitive exams each year. 

The researchers learned that two groups of participants experienced the greatest cognitive decline: those who slept fewer than 5.5 hours per night and those who slept more than 7.5 hours per night. Participants who fell somewhere in between that range showed no additional risk for significant cognitive issues. 

“It was particularly interesting to see that not only those with short amounts of sleep, but also those with long amounts of sleep had more cognitive decline,” said researcher Dr. David Holtzman. “It suggests that sleep quality may be key, as opposed to simply total sleep.” 

Treating sleep issues

The researchers say consumers who experience persistent sleeping issues should work with their doctors to identify potential treatments. This is especially true for consumers currently struggling with both cognitive decline and poor sleep. 

“I ask many of my patients, ‘How’s your sleep?’” said researcher Dr. Beau M. Ances. “Often patients report that they’re not sleeping well. Often once their sleep issues are treated, they may have improvements in their cognition. Physicians who are seeing patients with cognitive complaints should ask them about their quality of sleep. This is a potentially modifiable factor.”