Current Events in December 2021

Consumers continued to encounter inflation last month, but the pace of rising prices slowed a bit from October’s reading.

The Labor Department reports that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.8% from October, but the year-over-year increase was the biggest since 1982 – 6.8%. When the volatile food and energy price sectors are removed, inflation increased 0.5% from October and 4.9% over the last 12 months, the biggest gain since June 1991.

That said, food and energy were big drivers of inflation last month. The gasoline index was up 6.1% in November, the same as in October. Heating oil rose by 3.1% after a 12% gain the month before.

Food costs were up 0.7%, with food prepared at home once again costing more than eating out. All of the six major grocery store food group indices increased in November when compared to November 2020. 

The price index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs increased by 12.8%, with the index for beef rising by 20.9%. The index for dairy and related products posted the smallest increase, rising 1.6% over the last 12 months. 

Car prices still going up

Used vehicle prices continued to rise twice as fast as the cost of a new car or truck, which was up 1.1% from October. Used cars and trucks increased in price by 2.5%. On a year-over-year basis, used vehicle prices are up 31.4%, while new vehicle prices have risen by 11.1%.

It also cost more to put a roof over your head last month. The price of shelter matched October’s 0.5% gain and was 3.8% higher than 12 months ago. With supply chain issues persisting, the price index for household furnishings and operations increased in November, rising 0.8%, matching the October increase. The apparel index rose 1.3% after being unchanged in October. 

Travel increased last month, and so did airfares. There were fewer bargains as fares reversed recent declines and increased by 4.7%.

The cost of medical care rose last month, but at a slower rate than in October. Health care costs were up 0.2%, with doctors’ bills and prescription drugs driving most of the increase.

There were a couple of areas where prices actually went down last month. Car insurance rates were down 0.8% from October, and the cost of recreation was slightly lower after going up in each of the last nine months.

While consumers’ costs went up last month, wages did not. Real average hourly earnings for all employees decreased by 0.4% from October to November after inflation was taken into account.

Motorists are seeing lower gasoline prices just about everywhere, as concern about a winter COVID-19 flare-up has brought down oil prices. Six states now have average gas prices below $3 a gallon.

AAA’s daily gas price survey shows that the national average price of regular gas is $3.33 a gallon, four cents lower than a week ago. It’s about nine cents a gallon less than a month ago. The average price of premium gas is $3.97 a gallon, down from $4.01 last Friday. The average price of diesel fuel is $3.60, down three cents from last week.

This week, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) issued a forecast for 2022 and predicted that gasoline prices would fall below $3 a gallon in the first quarter of the year. A handful of states are already there.

Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Mississippi have statewide averages below the $3 a gallon level. California still has the highest gas prices in the country, but the statewide average fell this week for the first time in months. South Carolina and Wisconsin saw the biggest price declines this week, as the statewide average in both states declined by seven cents a gallon.

“Consumers may be catching a break at the pump right now, but it’s not for a very good reason,” said Andrew Gross, AAA’s spokesperson. “A potential COVID-19 induced economic slowdown hurts everyone and could prompt OPEC to slash production if oil prices drop too low.”

States with the most expensive gas

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

• California ($4.68)   

• Hawaii ($4.34)  

• Nevada ($3.90)   

• Washington ($3.86) 

• Oregon ($3.78) 

• Arizona ($3.76)      

• Alaska ($3.70) 

• Idaho ($3.64)

• Utah ($3.60)      

• Pennsylvania ($3.56)

States with the cheapest gas

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

• Oklahoma ($2.91)  

• Texas ($2.92)  

• Arkansas ($2.96)  

• Missouri ($2.96)  

•  Kansas ($2.98) 

• Mississippi ($2.99)

• Kentucky ($3.00) 

•  South Carolina ($3.01)  

• Wisconsin ($3.02) 

• Tennessee ($3.04)

Ford Motor Company is recalling 20 model year 2021 Explorers and Lincoln Aviators.

Incorrect rear suspension module components may have been installed due to a labeling error.

A rear suspension module with incorrect components may affect vehicle handling, ride height, and braking characteristics, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect the rear suspension module and replace any incorrect parts -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S47.

Alexander & Hornung of St. Clair Shores, Mich., is recalling approximately 234,391 pounds of fully cooked ham and pepperoni products.

The products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. There are no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

A list of the recalled items, produced on various dates, may be found here.

The recalled products, bearing the establishment number “EST. M10125” inside the USDA mark of inspection, were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them. Instead, they should discard or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact the firm at (866) 866-3703, online at www.alexanderhornung.com, or by email at kerrim@alexander-hornung.com.

As if phones don’t already provide enough distraction for drivers, Tesla’s latest software update will allow vehicle occupants to play video games on the center touchscreen while the vehicle is in motion. Prior to the new update, video games could only be played while the vehicle was parked.

In its investigation, The Verge found that the video games Sky Force Reloaded, Solitaire, and The Battle of Polytopia were all playable on the center touchscreen of a Tesla Model 3 while the vehicle was in motion. 

“A notification asks the player to confirm they aren’t the driver before launching the game, but the message is hardly a deterrent. A driver could easily tap ‘I AM A PASSENGER’ and play a complex action game like Sky Force while in motion,” the publication stated.

What regulators have to say about this

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) was already concerned about the threat of distracted driving, with the number of fatalities in distraction-affected crashes totaling more than 3,000 a year; that makes up 8.7% of all auto-related fatalities. 

The agency has been frequently uneasy with Tesla’s other automotive nuances, like its Autopilot feature and other buggy software updates. In comments to Reuters, an NHTSA spokesperson said that the agency was “discussing” the issues it had about playable video games in moving cars with Tesla. 

“Distraction-affected crashes are a concern, particularly in vehicles equipped with an array of convenience technologies such as entertainment screens,” the spokesperson told Reuters. “We are aware of driver concerns and are discussing the feature with the manufacturer.”

ConsumerAffairs reached out to Tesla for comment but had not yet received a response as of this story’s publication. However, Teslarati points to the company’s likely defense being its cabin monitoring system, which “monitors the driver’s eyes and records whether they remain vigilant and attentive during vehicle operation.” 

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 49,554,373 (49,410,379)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 793,475 (791,705)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 268,127,375 (267,344,049)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,284,165 ( 5,275,993)‌

FDA clears AstraZeneca antibody drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued emergency use authorization (EUA) to AstraZeneca’s antibody cocktail as a substitute for vaccinations in people with moderate to severely compromised immune systems. 

The drug, which is not a vaccine but can have preventive qualities, is only authorized for people who are not currently infected with COVID-19 and who have not recently been exposed to an individual infected with the virus. 

“Today’s action authorizes the use of the combination of two monoclonal antibodies to reduce the risk of developing COVID-19 in these individuals,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. 

Weekly jobless claims plunge to a 52-year low

The pandemic threw millions of Americans out of work last year, but those days appear to be over. Layoffs have all but disappeared.

The Labor Department reports that initial claims for unemployment benefits last week totaled only 184,000 – not only a pandemic low but the lowest number since 1969. Economists say the claims number, which dropped from 227,000 reported the previous week, suggests that the labor market is still dealing with a shortage of workers.

The total number of people still drawing unemployment benefits for the week ending November 20 was 1,947,598, a decrease of 350,527 from the previous week. 

Is it a cold or COVID-19?

It’s cold and flu season, so how can you tell if the onset of symptoms is a seasonal affliction or the coronavirus? Some clinics are adapting their range of testing services for the age of COVID-19.

"We will do more than just test, treat, and vaccinate you for COVID,” said Rahul Khare, CEO and founder of Chicago’s Innovative Care. “We will find out if you have an ear infection, strep throat or another common illness, and then treat you for those, so you can get on the mend sooner."

Clinics that provide an evaluation, expanded testing, and treatment options can save patients time and avoid the need for multiple clinic visits.

Around the nation

• California: The increase in COVID-19 probably means the state’s economy will take longer to fully recover, according to a study by UCLA economists. The longer that COVID-19 hangs around and remains a threat, the less likely consumers will return to normal spending patterns, the study found.

• Indiana: The state health department reports that hospitalizations have climbed more than 20% in the last week amid a surge in new COVID-19 cases. “Our hospital is pretty much full,” said Dr. Thomas Huth, vice president for medical affairs at Reid Health. “We’re sitting at or beyond capacity.”

• Tennessee: Former Republican senator and Nashville doctor Bill Frist is speaking out, saying health officials and political leaders could have done a better job in presenting information about the virus. Frist said consistent communication by trusted leaders should be a priority, especially since only half the state is vaccinated.

• Oregon: State health officials stepped up efforts to increase vaccinations this week, opening several “high volume” vaccination clinics across the state. The clinics offer vaccines made by Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Johnson & Johnson, as well as booster doses for people who have already been vaccinated. 

• Minnesota: Minnesota’s death toll from COVID-19 is surging, with state health officials reporting 75 deaths on Wednesday. Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have all increased in recent weeks, even though 70.6% of Minnesota residents over the age of five have been vaccinated.

It looks like hourly wage workers could be in for a good 2022 if a new report on salary budgets comes true. According to the latest Conference Board Salary Increase Budget Survey, a 3.9% jump in wage costs for firms is expected next year. Hitting that prediction would make the wage increase in 2022 the highest since 2008. 

The report suggests that growth in wages for new hires is the main driver. Almost half of the respondents (46%) said the increase in wages of new hires played a factor in salary increase budgets for 2022, while 39% said the bump in inflation was the defining factor.

Workers under the age of 25 and people who changed jobs in the past year are the real winners in the wage hike game. 

“The faster wage growth of new hires has led to pay compression, which is when wage premiums for work experience shrinks,” said Gad Levanon, the founder of the Labor Market Institute and in charge of the Help Wanted OnLine program for The Conference Board. 

“When more experienced workers feel that their pay advantage is no longer significant, they may seek new jobs in the tight labor market, which leads to high labor turnover of more experienced workers. Indeed, the quits rate is now the highest in recorded history. Employers faced with extensive departures of experienced workers will raise wages faster for current employees in order to maintain an effective workforce.”

Does this mean the Great Resignation is over?

Will rising wages stem the flow of resignations or accelerate job-hopping? Ira Wolfe, President and Chief Googlization Officer at Success Performance Solutions, said yes and no.

“Throwing money at the problem is not a long-term solution,” Wolfe told ConsumerAffairs. “For some jobs, it's simply supply and demand. Companies will dangle money to entice scarce top talent to flip jobs. For other jobs, it's strictly doing what it takes to attract warm bodies to fill positions. But in neither case, does that address resignation, turnover, brain drain, and morale especially at the front line.”

Wolfe cited the example of his granddaughter, who has been working part-time for a grocery store while going to school. After five years, Wolfe said she makes $12 per hour, the same wage that new hires are making. So, what did she do? She resigned to accept a job for several dollars more. 

“Raising wages to attract new talent also requires raising wages significantly for current employees, otherwise, they will leave. Replacements will come with a higher price tag and less loyalty - a terrible trade-off and bad business decision,” Wolfe said.

“Wages also don't address the #1 and #2 worker demands - flexibility and purpose. In other words, will wages rise? Yes. Will it open a pandora's box without proactively and aggressively addressing pay equity, compensation, benefits, company culture, and employment brand? Absolutely.”

Drug stores have provided more health care services in recent years, and CVS, which recently added “Health” to its name, has announced steps that will expand those services in 2022.

CEO Karen Lynch unveiled the plans at the company’s investor day, outlining ways the pharmacy chain plans to expand on the consumer trust it believes it gained during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lynch said CVS pharmacists had administered more than 50 million vaccinations and nearly 29 million tests by the beginning of December.

Lynch estimates that between tests and vaccinations, CVS has picked up more than 32 million new customers in the last 12 months. C.H., of Richmond, Va., tells us that they have come to rely on the pharmacist at their local CVS store.

“This time she helped me find diabetic cough syrup,” C.H. wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “They always try to save me money.”  

Daniel, of El Cajon, Calif., likes CVS’ system for ordering and tracking prescriptions. He says he can monitor his medications and track expenses. He also says it saves him money.

“One of the newest features they have is that when you are ordering a refill, they will let you know if the manufacturer offers a coupon discount for the medication, and they tell you where and how to get it BEFORE you place your order,” Daniel wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. 

Technology-forward approach

Lynch hopes to gain more satisfied customers in the year ahead. She said CVS Health will seek to advance primary care delivery capabilities by guiding consumers to sites and providers that meet their needs – both in-person and virtually. 

The company will also adopt a digital-first, technology-forward approach that it says will expand engagement with its customers. Lynch said that approach will include the launch of new consumer-centric services and offerings that will enhance the customer experience. She also hopes that it will be good for business.

"By leaning into our high-growth foundational businesses and expanding our reach in areas like health services and primary care, we have an opportunity to shift care to be more centered around the consumer while capturing a meaningfully greater portion of health care spending,” Lynch stated.

Affirm – a buy now, pay later (BNPL) payment network – has borrowed a page from the credit card industry and is launching a cash-back rewards program for its users.

Until now, users of the Affirm app have mostly employed the system to spread purchase payments out over a period of weeks. But when users pay for their purchases in full, Affirm will now reward that.

“With the average consumer planning to spend nearly $650 on gifts this holiday season, we’re excited to offer a way for shoppers to earn while they spend,” said Greg Fisher, chief marketing officer at Affirm. “Now whether consumers want to pay in full and earn cash back or pay later by choosing a schedule that’s best for them, Affirm can offer that choice and flexibility.”

“Natural next step”

The rewards program allows users of the Affirm app to automatically earn a percentage of every eligible purchase in rewards, which can later be redeemed for cash and deposited directly into their Affirm account. To encourage early adopters, Affirm is providing an extra reward on transactions through December 15, giving users an extra $20 reward on their first eligible cash-back purchase.

“A rewards program is a natural next step for buy now, pay later companies like Affirm that are looking to attract more loyal customers,” Nerdwallet’s Annie Millerbernd wrote in an email to ConsumerAffairs. 

“While cash back is a benefit for consumers who use the same BNPL company again and again, it is still a feature that comes with many credit cards. A key feature that BNPL companies lack is credit for making on-time payments, which most credit cards do have.”

More consumers are using BNPL services

BNPL services have recently grown in popularity with consumers who are concerned about running up huge credit card balances. With BNPL transactions, there is a schedule of payments that ends with the purchase being paid for in full, often with no interest charges. Even though BNPL services are often better for consumers than carrying a high-interest credit card balance, Millerbernd says users should be aware of the risks.

“The risk with BNPL is that you could buy more than you originally planned and overextend your finances, or make too many purchases and struggle to keep track of your payments,” she said. “Though cash back is an exciting addition for consumers, it doesn’t erase the risk of overspending.”

According to a CNBC/Momentive Small Business Survey, 7% of shoppers said they will use a BNPL service as a payment method for holiday purchases during the holiday season.

Recent studies have found that many consumers have increased their alcohol intake over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows that older consumers have adopted potentially dangerous drinking habits during the same time period. 

According to their findings, binge drinking has increased among older men over the last few years. However, older women’s drinking has stayed consistent over time. 

“Our study brings the most up-to-date findings on trends in binge drinking in older age, especially the unnoticed importance of understanding the unique demographic characteristics of binge drinking that differ in men and women given gender norms and expectations of societies that are consistently evolving,” said researcher Dr. Tala Al-Rousan. 

Tracking older consumers’ drinking habits

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 19,000 adults over the age of 65 enrolled in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health between 2015 and 2019. Participants answered questions about how much they were drinking and how often they were drinking within the previous month. 

The researchers learned that there was a spike in binge drinking among older men in recent years. When the study began in 2015, under 13% of men were binge drinking; by 2019, that number jumped to nearly 16%. For the purposes of this study, binge drinking was defined for men as having five or more drinks at once, and for women as having four or more drinks. 

The study also suggests that different factors may contribute to the likelihood of women and men engaging in binge drinking. Across the board, using tobacco or cannabis was associated with greater alcohol use. Marital status solely impacted men’s binge drinking, whereas educational accomplishments impacted women’s drinking habits. 

“We noted an increased frequency in education among binge drinking older women,” Al-Rousan said. “Women with more education may have more opportunities to drink and may be less constricted by gender norms against women consuming alcohol.” 

Moving forward, the researchers hope these findings inspire health care professionals to discuss the potential risks associated with heavy alcohol use with their older patients. 

“Our findings would encourage health providers who care for older men and women with chronic conditions who are at risk of binge drinking to offer tailored messages that are targeted at certain chronic conditions,” Al-Rousan stated. 

A new study conducted by researchers from UCLA explored the best ways for consumers to be protected against the new strains of COVID-19. According to their findings, a combination of previous COVID-19 infection and a COVID-19 vaccine was associated with the greatest protection from the virus. 

“The main message from our research is that someone who has had COVID and then gets vaccinated develops not only a boost in antibody amount, but also improved antibody quality – enhancing the ability of antibodies to act against variants,” said researcher Dr. Otto Yang. “This suggests that having repeated exposures to the spike protein allows the immune system to continue improving the antibodies if someone had COVID then been vaccinated.” 

Assessing antibody strength 

The researchers compared the antibody levels from 25 participants involved in the study: 15 people who were recently vaccinated – with no history of COVID-19 infection – and 10 people who hadn’t been vaccinated but had previously tested positive for COVID-19. The unvaccinated participants were vaccinated after a few months, and then the researchers compared their antibody levels again. 

Ultimately, receiving the COVID-19 vaccine helped all the participants produce antibodies that protect against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, that protection was amplified for those who had previously been infected with the virus. The antibodies these participants produced were stronger against every strain of COVID-19 the researchers tested.

It’s important to note that this study was performed prior to the emergence of different virus variants and consumers’ eligibility for booster shots. Because of this, the researchers believe more work is necessary to understand how protection against the virus will fare for consumers who haven’t been infected with COVID-19 but have received boosters. 

“Overall, our findings raise the possibility that resistance of SARS-CoV-2 variants to antibodies can be overcome by driving further maturation through continued antigenic exposure by vaccination, even if the vaccine does not deliver variant sequences,” the researchers wrote. 

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 227,490 model year 2018-2019 Camrys.

The vane cap inside the vacuum pump may break, causing the pump to fail. This could result in a sudden loss of braking assist.

A sudden loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will repair or replace the vacuum pump -- as necessary -- free of charge.

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

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331.

Sailun Tire Americas is recalling 84,351 Sailun, RoadX, Blacklion, Blackhawk, and Ironhead brand tires, sizes ST235/80R16 and ST235/85R16 with DOT codes 2020 through 4120.

The tires may experience a belt separation due to a manufacturing issue.

Belt separation could lead to loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Sailun will replace the tires free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed in December 2021.

Owners may contact Sailun customer service at (844) 281-9696.

A new report from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shows that gift card scams caused $148 million in losses for consumers during the first nine months of 2021 – a figure that eclipses all the losses reported in 2020. If that trend continues, losses could total $197 million by the end of the year.

It takes a lot of consumers getting suckered for scammers to make that kind of hay. The FTC says nearly 40,000 consumers reported using gift cards to pay a scammer from January to September. Most often, consumers reported paying scammers who were impersonating large companies or government agencies.

One ConsumerAffairs reviewer who felt the pinch was Leah of Castro Valley, Calif., whose family was a victim of a gift card scam. They said the situation was made worse because U.S. Bank failed to flag unusual activity. 

“They told us their system isn't always competent and there's no more they can do. They also acknowledged that my family member was a victim of a crime, but oh well,” Leah wrote. “Gift card scams are on the rise and banks are more concerned with getting you to spend your money on their services, but don't protect you.”

Scammers use Target gift cards most often

Target gift cards have emerged as the most popular choice for scammers. Criminals made off with nearly $35 million in Target gift cards during the first nine months of 2021, more than twice as much as any other brand of gift cards. 

The median amount lost when consumers paid with Target gift cards was sizable, coming in at $2,500. That’s higher than any other brand of card, with nearly a third reporting losses of $5,000 or more.

Why Target? It may be because scammers have shown how well they can mimic a Target gift card balance checker site. In a separate report, fraud detection firm Bolster.ai noted how closely the layout, text, and colors of one fake Target site resembled the authentic Target gift card balance checking site. 

How to spot a gift card scam

Even though scammers go to a lot of trouble to make their sites appear authentic, Bolster noted that there are always signs when a site isn’t legitimate. Here are some of the signs:

None of the other URLs work. The number one telltale sign of a fake gift card site is that nothing functions like it should when you click on a link to sign in, search store locations, or look at the weekly ads. “The reason is because criminals do not want their victims to leave the scam site,” Bolster’s Young-Sae Song said.

The website’s URL contains errors or modifications. Song said another thing to look for is slightly awkward wording in the site’s URL. For example, a fake URL may look something like “TargetgiftScard.com.” 

The real Target gift card balance site is https://www.target.com/guest/gift-card-balance. If you type in other variations like “Targetgiftcard.com” and get a pop-up warning from your browser, it’s probably safe to assume that going any further could spell trouble.

The FTC has resources for consumers who have been targeted by a gift card scam, including information on how to contact gift card companies to try to stop payments to scammers. The agency also has information for gift card retailers, including materials that can be posted in stores and used to train employees.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 49,410,379 (49,314,743)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 791,705 (790,118)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 267,344,049 (266,815,426)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,275,993 (5,267,917)‌

Pfizer: Third shot neutralizes Omicron

Pfizer and BioNTech report that people who get a booster of their vaccine are likely protected against the Omicron variant. The companies say two doses of the vaccine provide less protection.

Researchers found that a third dose of the mRNA vaccine increased antibodies 25-fold when compared to only two doses. Company officials say it’s just another reason to get a booster.

“Although two doses of the vaccine may still offer protection against severe disease caused by the Omicron strain, it’s clear from these preliminary data that protection is improved with a third dose of our vaccine,” said Albert Bourla, Pfizer’s CEO. “Ensuring as many people as possible are fully vaccinated with the first two dose series and a booster remains the best course of action to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

Six states fueling the surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations

Cases of COVID-19 are on the rise across the U.S. but NBC News reports that six states account for more than half of the serious cases that require hospitalization. An analysis of federal government data shows Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, and Illinois lead the nation in hospitalizations.

Twenty-four other states have reported increases in serious cases since early November. Hospitalizations rose from 45,000 a day to 58,000.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says even though the Omicron variant continues to be a cause of concern, nearly all of the serious COVID-19 cases reported in recent weeks have been caused by the Delta variant.

Infection plus vaccination yields better antibodies against variants

Here’s good news for people who have been vaccinated and had a “breakthrough” infection: Your antibodies may be particularly strong.

Researchers writing in the journal of the American Society for Microbiology say the combination of infection and vaccination appears to provide a stronger defense against future infections than either one alone. 

“It shows that antibody quality can improve over time, and not just quantity,” said immunologist and physician Otto Yang, M.D., of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Around the nation

• Michigan: A top official of the Michigan State Medical Society is begging for outside help to treat the surging number of COVID-19 cases in the state. Dr. Paul Bozyk, section head for pulmonary and critical care medicine at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, says hospitalizations have pushed health care facilities to the brink.

• Arizona: State Sen. Kelly Townsend has introduced a bill that requires pharmacists to fill prescriptions for ivermectin if a doctor writes one for a COVID-19 patient. Townsend says the measure is in response to many pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions for the drug, which government health agencies have not approved for treatment of the coronavirus.

• New Jersey: Gov. Phil Murphy has given no indication that he plans to follow neighboring New York City’s lead in issuing vaccination mandates to private businesses. But Murphy, who let his emergency powers declaration expire, is urging state residents to get vaccinated and wear masks in public.

• Vermont: Gov. Phil Scott has announced an emergency regulation requiring health insurers to cover the costs of COVID-19 antigen at-home tests, commonly referred to as “rapid” tests. “Vermont has led the nation in testing, but we must continue to adapt and improve our strategies as we move forward,” Scott said.

• Alaska: Travelers passing through Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport can pick up a free COVID-19 test, courtesy of the federal government. It’s part of a Biden administration pilot program to expand access to the over-the-counter, at-home tests.

An outage at Amazon’s “Amazon Web Services” (AWS) cloud services on Tuesday interrupted internet traffic for a time, but the residual effect will be a slowdown in Amazon’s precise package delivery schedule.

In addition to taking down popular websites, streaming services, and gaming platforms, the outage affected the app that Amazon’s delivery personnel use to move orders from the online retail giant. 

Amazon has not yet commented on the outage, but various media reports cite delivery service partners who say the outage blocked drivers from getting delivery instructions and interrupted communications within the system. According to Bloomberg, Amazon Flex drivers could not log into the Amazon app to pick up assignments.

AWS reported the problem on its dashboard at 9:37 a.m. (PST), saying that it was “seeing impact to multiple AWS APIs in the US-EAST-1 Region. This issue is also affecting some of our monitoring and incident response tooling, which is delaying our ability to provide updates. We have identified the root cause and are actively working towards recovery.”

By 4:35 p.m. (PST) it reported the issues had been resolved. “We will provide additional updates for impaired services within the appropriate entry in the Service Health Dashboard,” the company said.

“Bethany,” who says she works at an Amazon facility, reported on Twitter Wednesday morning that operations were back to normal at her location. Her Twitter feed gives a running account of how the outage interrupted operations, including a video showing a line of Amazon trucks parked along a road.

Many websites were down 

DownDetecrtor, which monitors interruptions in internet traffic, reported that the outage originated in the eastern U.S. on Tuesday morning. The list of sites that were affected reads like a who’s who of the internet.

At one point, some users were unable to access Netflix, Disney+, Robinhood, and other popular websites. Amazon services were also affected. In some homes, Alexa was suddenly silent, Roomba took a break from house cleaning, and Ring stopped monitoring who was at the door.

According to AWS, the cause of the outage was “increased error rates.” While engineers worked to correct the problem, affected customers were redirected to servers that were operating normally.

The migration of people from large metro areas to mid-sized cities is expected to continue in 2022, making those real estate markets among the most robust in the nation.

When the pandemic caused offices to close and employees to work remotely, many packed up and moved to more affordable areas where they could buy larger homes. In its 2022 housing forecast, Realtor.com expects that trend to continue and further boost property values.

Concentrated in the Mountain West, the Midwest, and New England, 2022’s top 10 housing markets are predicted to be:

1. Salt Lake City, Utah 

2. Boise, Idaho, 

3. Spokane, Wash.

4. Indianapolis, Ind.

5. Columbus, Ohio

6. Providence, R.I.

7. Greenville, S.C.

8. Seattle, Wash.

9. Worcester, Mass.

10. Tampa, Fla. 

These cities are expected to see the strongest combined growth in home sales and listing prices among the 100 largest U.S. metros, according to Realtor.com data.

For example, the median home price of $564,062 is expected to increase by 8.5% next year in Salt Lake City. Even in Tampa, the number 10 market, the median price of $335,814 is expected to grow by 6.8%.

Things in common

The hottest markets have a number of factors in common. They all have a strong job market, with a lower average unemployment rate than the rest of the top 100 markets. They also have higher average job growth. Five of the top 10 also have a higher share of STEM jobs than the 100 metro average.

While there is no question that remote workers have been on the move over the last 18 months, Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, says these markets have other things going for them.

“The top housing markets rely to varying degrees on outside real estate traffic, but even the markets attracting the most real estate attention from elsewhere -- Greenville, Boise, and Spokane -- have thriving local economies with below-average unemployment rates,” Hale told ConsumerAffairs. “In other words, while these markets likely benefit from remote work opportunities, that is not the only driver of real estate growth in these areas.”

Affordability is also a big factor. Homes in major coastal markets have become increasingly expensive when compared to cities in the Midwest and South. Hale says Columbus and Indianapolis make the list because home buyers’ money goes a long way.

“With above-average shares of STEM jobs in these markets contributing to below-average unemployment rates, they are attractive markets to start and grow a career,” she said. “With above-average shares of younger households and rent vs. buy considerations that are tipped in favor of buying, these areas will likely do well no matter how common remote-work is as an option for workers.”