Current Events in December 2021

Recent studies have found that everything from air pollution to tobacco may speed up the aging process. Now, a new study conducted by researchers from Yale University found that stress may be another factor that does the same thing. 

However, their work also found that consumers can work to counteract some of these effects by lowering their stress levels through self-control and emotional regulation. 

“These results support the popular notion that stress makes us age faster, but they also suggest a promising way to possibly minimize these adverse consequences of stress through strengthening emotional regulation and self-control,” said researcher Zachary Harvanek. 

Working on stress levels can improve aging

For the study, the researchers utilized GrimAge – an epigenetic clock that measures biological age. The team collected blood samples from 444 participants between the ages of 19 and 50 and analyzed their biological ages. The participants also answered questions about their stress levels and emotional wellness. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that stress played a large role in the participants’ biological age. Those who struggled with chronic stress were found to be biologically older than those with fewer biological markers for long-term stress. This was true regardless of factors such as race, smoking, income, and body mass index (BMI). 

However, the study showed that there is still hope for stressed-out consumers. Two factors stood out as being important in terms of stress management: self-control and emotional regulation. When participants were able to master these two things, they were more likely to cope with their stress and slow down the aging process. 

The researchers hope these findings encourage consumers to reconsider their mental health and get serious about managing their stress levels in healthy ways. 

“We all like to feel like we have some agency over our fate,” said Rajita Sinha. “So it is a cool thing to reinforce in people’s minds that we should make an investment in our psychological health.”

Audi is recalling 208,332 model year 2017-2020 A4 Allroads & A4 Sedans, model year 2018-2019 RS5 Coupes, model year 2019 RS5 Sportbacks, model year 2018-2020 A5 Cabriolets, A5 Coupes, A5 Sportbacks, S4 Sedans, S5 Cabriolets, S5 Coupes, and S5 Sportbacks.

The cable connecting the seat heater to the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) may have a contact fault, causing the software to misdiagnose a malfunction and disable the passenger airbag.

A disabled passenger airbag increases the risk of an injury during a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the connecting cable and either the heating mat or the entire seat cover free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on January 7, 2022.

Owners may contact Audi customer service at (800) 253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 74E3.

As this is an expansion of an earlier recall, vehicles previously repaired at that time will need to return for the new remedy.

Chrysler is recalling 4,132 Mopar High Pressure Fuel Pumps and Mopar 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel Engines.

A full list of the recalled part numbers may be found here.

The High Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) may fail, resulting in a sudden engine stall without warning that could increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will repurchase the affected high-pressure fuel pumps and engines.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on January 1, 2022.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Y87.

If your holiday travel plans involve renting a car, it may be wise to book now. The current car shortage that has emptied out dealer showrooms has also affected rental car companies.

"To accommodate increased demand, we typically increase our available fleet and staff during the second and third quarters of the year," Hertz wrote in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing. "However, the continuing semiconductor microchip manufacturing shortage has impacted our ability to obtain a sufficient supply of new vehicles to align with rental demands and may continue to do so through the first quarter of 2022."

Consumers are already running into the supply problem. Even though they reserved a car well in advance, Brian, of St. Paul, Minn., found that being late getting to the rental counter can result in disappointment.

“Reserved and pre-paid for a car in Cozumel through Expedia,” Brian wrote in a Hertz review on ConsumerAffairs. “Airline changed our flight to come in later and when we arrived they said they didn't have our reservation. After some searching, they found our reservation but didn't have the size we reserved but said they would provide a smaller car at the same price but we had to pay for it again.”

And the shortage isn’t just affecting Hertz. Angela, of Rochester, Wash., tells us they had a similar experience with a Hertz competitor.

“Had reservations with Avis at the Burbank airport and got off my plane,” Angela wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “Walked a mile to get the car to be told they had none. There were 50+ people along with me and we were all told the same thing sorry about your luck.”

If Angela sounds a little upset, it might have something to do with the $160 they had to pay in cab fare to reach her destination.

Demand and prices are rising together

According to travel booking site Kayak.com, rental car searches and prices are sharply higher than in both 2019 and 2020. In an interview with Travel Weekly, Matt Clarke, Kayak's vice president of North America marketing, advised travelers to make reserving a car a priority.

"Traditionally, people would wait to book a rental car, but now you should be booking as soon as you possibly can," Clarke said. 

And while rental car deals are scarce these days, Clarke said picking up a car on Tuesday usually offers the best deals.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 49,314,743 (49,101,715)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 790,118 (788,436)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 266,815,426 (266,145,318)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,267,917 (5,259,488)‌

Is the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ changing?

Since the vaccine rollout early this year, the definition of “fully vaccinated” has been consistent: two shots of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. But with the government greatly expanding eligibility for booster shots, will “full vaccinated” come to mean having a booster?

“The definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ has not changed,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “We are absolutely encouraging those who are eligible for a boost six months after those mRNA doses to get your boost. But we are not changing the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ right now.” 

That said, the current definition is not set in stone, especially since the new Omicron variant is making its way across the country. “As that science evolves, we will look at whether we need to update our definition of ‘fully vaccinated,’” Walensky said.

Drug company says its drug works against Omicron

There is still more that is unknown about the Omicron variant than is known, but drug giant GlaxoSmithKline reports that an antibody drug called sotrovimab, produced in conjunction with Vir Biotechnology Inc., showed effectiveness against it in laboratory studies.

“We are confident that sotrovimab will continue to provide significant benefit for the early treatment of patients hoping to avoid the most severe consequences of Covid-19,” said George Scangos, CEO of Vir Biotechnology. 

He said tests showed that sotrovimab was slightly weakened by the Omicron variant but that the difference wasn’t significant.

Pandemic has changed consumer shopping trends

It’s well documented how consumers have shifted more of their purchases to online channels during the pandemic, but a new report from 1WorldSync shows just how pervasive the shift has been. The report finds that the line between online and in-store shopping has blurred.

For example, 87% of consumers adopted e-commerce for items they primarily or exclusively purchased in-store prior to the pandemic. Clothing, groceries, and health and personal care items make up the leading categories. 

The data is not encouraging for stores without a robust online channel. About 38% of the consumers in the survey said the change is likely to be permanent. Just over half said they will continue occasional online purchases of items they once purchased exclusively in a brick-and-mortar store.

Around the nation

• Wisconsin: The Green Bay Packers have placed backup quarterback Jordan Love on the reserve/COVID-19 list after he tested positive for the virus. Love, who is fully vaccinated, will be required to isolate but is eligible to rejoin the team if he remains symptom-free.

• Washington: When the pandemic stuck, Washington implemented some of the most strict mitigation measures of any state. A new report by the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) found that the crackdown had a negative impact in terms of job losses and recovery from those losses without the benefit of reducing hospitalizations.

• Florida: After dealing with a surge in COVID-19 cases during the late summer, cases and hospitalizations have fallen across the state, with one exception. Federal health officials report that Orange County -- the Orlando area -- is the only county in the state where cases are on the rise.

• Kentucky: Cases of the coronavirus are surging across the state once again. Health officials report cases in Henderson County are up 142%. Statewide, cases have risen 108% in the last week. That compares to a 67% jump in cases nationwide.

• Illinois: Vaccinations continue to be a contentious, partisan issue. Democratic State Rep. Jonathon Carroll has introduced legislation that would require unvaccinated residents to pay for their own COVID-19 treatment. “If you get life insurance and you’re a smoker, you pay a higher premium than those who don’t,” he reasoned.

In its latest move to stop global hackers in their tracks, Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) has throttled the activities of a China-based hacking group that it calls Nickel. 

A federal court in Virginia granted the company’s request to seize websites that Nickel planned to use to attack organizations in 29 countries, including the U.S. The upshot of Microsoft’s sheriff-like effort is that Nickel’s access to victims has been cut off and that the malicious websites it was using no longer have the ability to carry out attacks. 

Microsoft didn’t name Nickel’s specific targets but said at the top of the list of those spared were government agencies, think tanks, and human rights organizations because of the wealth of information the hackers could tap into for intelligence gathering. 

“There is often a correlation between Nickel’s targets and China’s geopolitical interests,” said Tom Burt, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President, Customer Security & Trust. According to Burt, Nickel also targeted diplomatic organizations and ministries of foreign affairs in North America, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa. 

Microsoft says it will remain relentless

Nickel may be the latest snake in the grass that Microsoft has gone after, but it’s not the first. The company said that DCU’s pioneering efforts have taken control of more than 10,000 malicious websites used by cybercriminals and nearly 600 sites used by nation-state actors so far. The tech giant said it has also proactively blocked the registration of some 600,000 sites to prevent hacking groups from using them to cause harm in the future.

However, Microsoft admitted that Nickel was not completely killed off, and it could come back for more. “Our disruption will not prevent Nickel from continuing other hacking activities, but we do believe we have removed a key piece of the infrastructure the group has been relying on for this latest wave of attacks,” Burt remarked.

He went on to say that nation-state attacks continue to proliferate in number and sophistication. While China may be the head of the Nickel snake, DCU has also disrupted nefarious attempts from Iran, Russia, and North Korea. 

“Our goal … is to take down malicious infrastructure, better understand actor tactics, protect our customers and inform the broader debate on acceptable norms in cyberspace. We will remain relentless in our efforts to improve the security of the ecosystem and we will continue to share activity we see, regardless of where it originates,” Burt concluded.

If you’re planning to go to Europe anytime soon, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that you give your trip a second thought. Due to the spike in the number of cases of COVID-19, the agency has added France, Portugal, Jordan, Cyprus, Andorra, Jordan, Liechtenstein to its list of “Level 4 - Very High” countries. 

Those countries join Greece, Norway, Austria, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, which were already at Level 4. The CDC uses several benchmarks when qualifying a destination for a certain level of risk. Larger countries such as these ones qualify as Level 4 when they report more than 500 new cases per 100,000 people over a period of 28 days.

If someone feels that they have to travel to a "Level 4" destination, the CDC says they should be fully vaccinated before they travel.

​​Any U.S. citizen traveling abroad should also be aware that the U.S. government has tightened testing requirements as a result of the coronavirus spike overseas and the continuing spread of the Omicron variant, which was recently termed a “variant of concern” by President Biden in his announcement of new actions to protect Americans.

An important change to testing requirements

In Biden’s announcement, he said the U.S. would tighten the pre-departure testing window for entry to the U.S. from three days for vaccinated travelers to one day – regardless of nationality or vaccination status.

That’s the plan for the immediate future, but the CDC said it may “adjust the scope of accepted pre-departure testing requirements to allow passengers and airline and aircraft operators greater flexibility regarding the requirements.”

“We hope this measure to narrow the pre-departure testing window will be temporary until more is learned about the Omicron variant. In the meantime, the travel industry urges everyone to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible,” Tori Emerson Barnes, U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy, said in an email to ConsumerAffairs.

“It has long been known that measures to combat the virus and its variants would evolve and require us to be nimble and adapt. It is critically important that we communicate these policy changes clearly to global travelers and continue to welcome all qualified visitors to the United States.”

If you’ve shopped for a new car lately, you know the selection is pretty slim. If you’ve looked at buying a used car, you may be suffering sticker shock.

While new cars are selling for the sticker price or above and wait times can last for months, prices of used cars have risen much faster as demand has outpaced supply. If you have a recent model vehicle in your driveway, your car may be worth a lot more than your think.

In the first half of November, used vehicle prices averaged just 1.3% less than what the 2022 version cost. Industry experts say there may have never been a better time for a trade-in.

“Used car prices have risen overall, and prices have dramatically increased for certain in-demand models that may be harder to find on new car lots,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. “Dealers may think used car buyers are willing to pay more for the instant gratification of a lightly-used vehicle they can drive right off the lot rather than waiting for a new one.”

In fact, iSeeCars identified 15 models with used car prices that are more expensive than their new car counterparts, with price increases ranging from 4.6% to 14.5%:

1. Tesla Model Y (+14.5%)

2. Toyota Tacoma (+12.2%)

3. Toyota Tundra (+11.7%)

4. Dodge Charger (+9.8%)

5. Honda Civic hatchback (+9.8%)

6. Tesla Model 3 (+9.2%)

7. Toyota RAV4 (+9.1%)

8. Kia Telluride (+8.3%)

9. GMC Yukon (+7.5%)

10. Subaru Crosstrek (+5.8%)

11. Chevrolet Tahoe (+5.7%)

12. Subaru WRX (+5.5%)

13. Honda Civic sedan (+5.3%)

14. Hyundai Palisade (+5.0%)

15. Toyota Corolla (+4.6%)

The list is dominated by SUVs and pickup trucks, which also lead new car sales. But even compact sedans, such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, are holding their value.

“Car shoppers who are in the market for a vehicle may have a hard time finding the most in-demand models, and while used versions may be available now, they might cost even more than new versions of the vehicle,” said Brauer. “Those looking to save money on a used car in today’s market should consider less popular models that likely won’t carry the same price hikes as the hottest-sellers.”

A new study conducted by researchers from Iowa State University explored how using a supportive tone of voice can lead to better outcomes in the workplace. The team says coworkers respond better to these tones than harsher, more critical tones. 

“What we say within a group, the ideas we suggest, and the way we support others, signals something about who we are to our coworkers,” said researcher Melissa Chamberlin. “It can attract people to us or repel them.” 

Maintaining support in the workplace

To understand how employees’ tones of voice may change the way they’re perceived at work, the researchers conducted a four-month study involving first-year graduate students in an MBA program. The students were required to work in teams, and they shared what they thought of their fellow team members based on trust, their quality of work, their tone, and their overall respect. As the study came to a close, participants were able to choose their own teams; they explained their decision-making for the selections at the end of the experiment. 

The study revealed an interesting trend among the students: It was more desirable to work with those who had more supportive tones, but those with more challenging tones were perceived to produce better quality work. However, the students were more likely to choose to work with those who had more supportive voices than those who were more challenging. 

The researchers explained that speaking in a challenging voice usually projects confidence among workers while also highlighting improvements, new ways of doing things, and what needs to change. Conversely, supportive tones tend to highlight what’s working with the current system in place and emphasize the things that are going well. 

In practice, a supportive tone tends to be more attractive to workers. While someone using a challenging tone may have a better work-related reputation, they aren’t as likely to get others to want to work with them. 

“Because challenging voice is the predominant form of speaking up we encourage in classrooms and as managers, we thought it was going to be a strong driver of people selecting team members later. But as it turns out, this more supportive voice that helps establish relationships and a sense of trust amongst individuals in the group was more important,” said Chamberlin.

“There might be times that challenging voices reign supreme but other situations where supportive voices become more critical for a team. Supportive voicers can keep teams together to make sure the work gets done.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Tsukuba may have some positive news for runners. According to their findings, running for as little as 10 minutes may improve consumers’ brain function, including cognitive function and mood. 

“The current study reveals that a 10-minute single-bout of moderate-intensity running elicits a positive mood and increased executive function by enhancing arousal levels coincidentally with activation in prefrontal subregions involved in mood regulation,” the researchers wrote. “To this end, these findings are valuable in supporting moderate running’s effect on mental health since running is an easily accessible form of exercise requiring minimal equipment and sport structure.” 

A short run comes with brain benefits

To understand how running can affect consumers’ brain function, the researchers had 26 participants involved in a running-based experiment. In one trial, participants ran on a treadmill for 10 minutes. Before and after running, they completed cognitive and executive functioning assessments and answered questions about their mood. The researchers then had the participants take the cognitive and mood tests again after completing a 10-minute rest period. 

After comparing the test results from before and after the short run and resting period, the researchers learned that the burst of exercise was beneficial for both cognitive function and mood. The team says the reason is tied to better blood flow in the prefrontal cortex of the brain.

“Given the extent of executive control required in coordinating balance, movement, and propulsion during running, it is logical that there would be increased neuronal activation in the prefrontal cortex and that other functions in this region would benefit from this increase in brain resources,” said researcher Hideaki Soya. 

The researchers hope health care providers use this new information to provide help to patients who may be struggling with their mental health.

“That insufficient physical activity leads to physical and mental illness has been recognized as a global issue,” the researchers wrote. “It is important to demonstrate a minimal effective exercise that will benefit both mental and physical health.” 

Chrysler is recalling 222,410 model year 2019-2020 Ram 2500, &3500 pickup trucks, and Ram 3500, 4500, and 5500 cab chassis vehicles equipped with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines.

The High Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) may fail, resulting in a sudden engine stall without warning that increases the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the HPFP, update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software, and inspect and replace additional fuel system components -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on January 1, 2022.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Y78.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 46 model year 2021 GLB 250s and AMG GLB 35s.

The driver-side window airbag may not have been mounted correctly to the lower area of the A-pillar.

The airbag may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Dealers will inspect the mounting of the driver-side window airbag and repair it -- as necessary -- free of charge.

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

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

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 49,101,715 (49,052,458)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 788,436 (787,821)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 266,145,318 (265,560,801)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,259,488 (5,251,790)‌

Omicron has similarities to the common cold, researchers say

While there is still a lot of unknowns surrounding the Omicron variant, researchers at a Massachusetts biotech firm say the variant appears to have a genetic code that is found in the common cold. The cold is also a coronavirus.

The scientists say that could explain why most cases involving the new variant have been associated with mild symptoms. They also say its similarity to the common cold might also make it spread faster.

The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, suggests that the similarity between the two coronaviruses could make the Omicron variant “more accustomed to human hosts” and more able to avoid immune system responses. The variant has now been identified in about a third of U.S. states.

FDA clears antibody drugs for wider use in children

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revised the emergency use authorization (EUA) of bamlanivimab and etesevimab for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in all younger pediatric patients who have a positive COVID-19 test and are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. 

Previously, the drugs were cleared for use by pediatric patients 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 40 kilograms. The revision also authorizes the drugs for post-exposure use for the prevention of COVID-19 in all pediatric patients, including newborns. 

"Now all patients at high risk of severe COVID-19, including children and newborn babies, have an option for treatment and post-exposure prevention,” said Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

New York City declares vaccine mandate for private companies

New York City is imposing a vaccination mandate on private companies, a step no other city has taken. Mayor Bill de Blasio told MSNBC that the mandate will take effect on Dec. 27.

“We in New York City have decided to use a preemptive strike, to really do something bold to stop the further growth of COVID and the dangers it’s causing to all of us,” de Blasio said. “So as of today, we’re going to announce a first-in-the-nation measure. Our health commissioner will announce a vaccine mandate for private sector employers across the board.”

In addition to expected court challenges, the mandate may be influenced by a change in administrations. Mayor-elect Eric Adams issued a statement saying he will “evaluate” his predecessor’s move once he takes office.

Around the nation

• Virginia: A Richmond school teacher credits an adverse reaction to the Moderna vaccine with saving her life. A medical exam determined she had early breast cancer. Now on the road to recovery, she told a Richmond TV station that she’s looking forward to getting a booster.

• Michigan: The U.S. government is sending doctors, nurses, and others to Michigan to support certain hospitals that are dealing with rising COVID-19 cases. Over the weekend, the state’s caseload and hospitalization numbers reached their highest levels of the pandemic.

• Colorado: Health officials have set up a mobile clinic outside Denver’s Ball Arena and say they will offer vaccinations at every event during December. “We were at the event and it was an easy option to just get my booster and just put this all behind me,” Jenny Adelman told KCNC-TV.

• California: A Bay area school had a COVID-19 outbreak after officials said parents of one child sent him to school for seven days, even though they had been told he had tested positive for the virus. The head of the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District in Marin County said “corrective action” will be taken.

• South Carolina: Federal prosecutors have charged a Columbia nursing director with making and distributing phony vaccination cards. Authorities charged 53-year-old Tammy McDonald, the Director of Nursing Services at a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, with two counts of producing fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards and one count of lying to federal investigators about her role in making the records.

In the race to see which delivery service fulfills orders the quickest, DoorDash is now shooting for 10-15 minutes thanks to DashMart, a new service it’s offering retailers.

Starting with New York City’s Chelsea district, DashMart will make more than 2,000 items available for quick delivery, including fresh and frozen foods, snacks, household goods, and local products. DoorDash said the perfect customer would be someone who forgot an ingredient for tonight's dinner or didn't have time to get more eggs and milk midweek. The company said it plans to add more locations and partners for DashMart over the next few months. 

In an email comment, DoorDash official Fuad Hannon said the company wants retail partners to think of DashMart as a fulfillment service. Once that’s accomplished, he said the next goal will be to explore new digital services as more consumers shop online.

Focusing on local products

DoorDash says it’s especially focused on delivering local products. It currently supports nearly 400 local and regional producers/retailers across the country and is launching a new small business advisory council that will help inform its future partnership with New York City’s small businesses, including bodegas.

Customers can only use the faster delivery option if they live in a DashMart “delivery zone.” Those who do will be able to use their DoorDash app or go to the company’s website and place an order. The service is currently available from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

To start, customers who have DashPass will get $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on their orders. Customers can also use the code WELCOMENYC to receive $15 off their first order one time only through the end of the year.

Consumers are encountering higher prices at the gas pump, the grocery store, and the used car lot, and a new Gallup survey suggests that it’s taking a severe toll on many families’ finances.

In the poll, 45% of U.S. households reported that recent price increases are causing their family some level of financial hardship. Ten percent of respondents describe it as severe hardship that’s affecting their standard of living, while another 35% say the hardship is moderate.

Not surprisingly, the less income a household has, the more it feels inflation’s pain. Twenty-eight percent of families earning less than $40,000 say inflation is a severe problem. Nearly three in 10 of these households describe the hardship as severe enough to affect their current standard of living.

Inflation may be more of a problem this month as families face holiday expenses and significantly increased heating costs. The price of natural gas has doubled in the last 12 months.

All of these rising costs are also making medical expenses harder to handle for the average consumer. A survey conducted for Aflac found that many consumers are making tough choices, including forgoing medical care, taking on extra work, and cutting back on holiday spending. 

COVID-19 and children increase costs

A case of COVID-19 in the household and the presence of children also increased financial pressures, according to the survey.

"The study paints a picture of resourcefulness and sacrifice with certain households reporting that they had to take extra shifts at work, dip into their 401(k) accounts and even delay medical treatment for themselves," said Jeramy Tipton, senior vice president, Distribution Expansion and Consumer Markets at Aflac. "We also found that households with health insurance are not immune from having to cope with significant out-of-pocket health care expenses."

Nearly two-thirds of those with a COVID-19 case in the household reported out-of-pocket health care expenses in the last 12 months. That compares to 45% of other U.S. households. About 23% of households with a case of the coronavirus had out-of-pocket expenses totaling over $1,500.

COVID-19 has been a complicating factor for family finances in 2021. Households in which a family member was infected were three times as likely to have taken money out of retirement accounts and three times as likely to have filed for bankruptcy when compared to families that did not experience COVID-19.

Several studies have found that shift workers tend to have an increased risk of several health concerns, including cancer. Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found that eating meals during the day, rather than in the middle of the night, may lower the risk of poor health outcomes for overnight shift workers. 

The experts say shift workers who eat their meals during the day are less likely to experience spikes in glucose levels, which can contribute to metabolic health risks. 

“This study reinforces the notion that when you eat matters for determining health outcomes such as blood sugar levels, which are relevant for night workers as they typically eat at night while on shift,” said researcher Dr. Sarah L. Chellappa. 

Avoiding nighttime meals can improve metabolic health

For the study, the researchers had 19 participants involved in a two-week night-work experiment that had them follow one of two different meal plans. One group ate their meals during daytime hours and the other group ate late at night. 

The study showed that the participants’ glucose levels varied based on when they ate their meals. Eating meals at night was linked with a 6% average spike in glucose levels, while this didn’t occur for those who ate during the day. The researchers said this is a cause for concern because high glucose levels can increase the risk for diabetes. 

The researchers say altering mealtimes could be helpful to overnight shift workers so that they can reduce these health risks.

“This is a rigorous and highly controlled laboratory study that demonstrates a potential intervention for the adverse metabolic effects associated with shift work, which is a known public health concern,” said researcher Marishka Brown, Ph.D. “We look forward to additional studies that confirm the results and begin to untangle the biological underpinnings of these findings.”