Current Events in February 2022

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Bergen explored how consumers’ diets may impact how long they live. According to their findings, swapping a traditional Western diet – which includes processed foods and red meat – for more whole grains and nuts may add 10 years to consumers’ life expectancy. 

“Research until now has shown health benefits associated with separate food groups or specific diet patterns but given limited information on the health impact of other diet changes,” said researcher Lars Fadnes. “Our modeling methodology has bridged this gap.” 

Making long-term healthy choices

The researchers analyzed data from the Global Burden of Diseases study and other previous studies that focused on diet and longevity to better understand the relationship between the two.

The team was primarily interested in seeing how life expectancy changed based on consumers’ intake of things like fruits and vegetables, fish, eggs, red meat, whole grains, processed foods, dairy products, and sugar-sweetened beverages. They created a model, the Food4HealthyLife Calculator, to estimate how diet choices impact longevity. 

The researchers learned that moving away from a traditional Western diet and opting for healthier foods was beneficial for consumers’ life expectancy. The work showed that the positive impacts on longevity were even more significant for younger consumers who switched their diets than older consumers. 

For example, young women who ate healthier improved their life expectancy by nearly 11 years, while young men increased their life expectancy with a healthy diet by 13 years. For consumers over the age of 60, diet changes added nearly nine years onto men’s lives and eight years onto women’s lives, respectively. By the time consumers reached 80, a healthy diet was linked with adding more than three years onto life expectancy. 

The team also narrowed down the foods that were most beneficial in terms of longevity and which were the most detrimental to a longer life. Red meat and processed meat were two of the foods to avoid for life expectancy, while nuts, legumes, and whole grains were all linked with the greatest increases in life expectancy. 

The researchers hope these findings prove to be useful for consumers because their dietary choices can have long-term impacts on their health and wellness.  

“Understanding the relative health potential of different food groups could enable people to make feasible and significant health gains,” the researchers wrote. “The Food4HealthyLife calculator could be a useful tool for clinicians, policymakers, and lay-people to understand the health impact of dietary choices.” 

Maxtrade of Carrollton, Texas, is recalling about 141,000 Youth Coolster Mountopz All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs).

The ATVs fail to comply with the requirements of the federal mandatory ATV safety standard.

No incidents or injuries have been reported.

This recall involves Maxtrade’s Coolster Mountopz ATVs, models 3050-B, 3050-C, 3125-B2, 3125-CX-2, 3125-CX-3, 3125-XR8-U2, 3150-CXC, 3150-DX-4, 3175-S2, and 3175-U.

The vehicles, intended for use by children aged 6 and older depending on the model, were sold in various colors. Coolster is stamped on the handlebar and the model number is printed in the center of the rear axle.

The ATVs, manufactured in China, were sold at Maxtrade dealers nationwide, including ABC Bikes & Toys & Motorcycles, Affordable Excitement, All Star Scooters, ATV Wholesale Outlet, Dallas Power Sports, Dirt Cheap Motorsports, Mopeds & More, Mooney Motorsports, Rebel Racing, Rock City Cycles, Sooner Cycles, and Upstate Cycle. They were also sold online at www.Amazon.com, www.Familygocarts.com, www.Killermotorsports.com, www.Superiorpowersports.com, www.Walmart.com, and www.Youthmotorsports.com from January 2007, through January 2021, for between $370 and $1,100.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled ATVs and contact Maxtrade for a free repair from an authorized repair shop. Maxtrade is contacting all known purchasers directly.

Consumers may contact Maxtrade toll-free at (866) 236-8993 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CT), by email at Coolster.info@gmail.com, or online at www.coolster.com. Consumers can click on “Safety Recall” at the bottom of the company's webpage for more information.

As the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to subside, travel is once again on the upswing. There are plenty of great airfare deals being offered, and several countries -- including the U.K., France, Ireland, and the Netherlands -- are officially ending or easing their COVID-19 restrictions. Travel groups are also asking the White House to loosen its testing requirements for flyers.

Although there has been some improvement, anxious travelers are still facing a tangled mess of where they can go and what the requirements are. In looking for a comprehensive list of where people can travel without having to worry about a lot of restrictions, ConsumerAffairs found all it needed from travel expert Wendy Perrin.

Wendy offers a full list of countries that are open to vaccinated travelers with no pre-trip COVID-19, including Denmark, Germany, and Spain. Consumers can view the full list here.

Other requirements may still apply

While some countries might have done away with pre-test requirements, that doesn’t mean they’ve lifted all restrictions. Some still require a traveler to be fully vaccinated or to have received one vaccine dose while also having recovered from COVID-19.

Some countries – like Peru – require either full vaccination or a PCR test issued up to 48 hours before boarding a flight. Others like Sweden have an either/or of their own, such as a full vaccination with the initial dose within the last 180 days, or a booster shot.

Before booking a flight, travelers are being urged to make sure they understand what each individual country requires for entry. It's also smart to check which countries the State Department has designated as "do not travel" destinations. A complete list of those countries is available here.

Travelers need test to come back to the U.S.

The U.S. hasn’t moved off of its requirement that returning American travelers must show proof of a negative test result taken within one day of travel.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a complete rundown of requirements and suggestions for international travelers. You can find that information here.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 77,058,413 (76,855,298)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 909,070 (905,568)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 401,536,661 (398,153,499)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,767,326 (5,753,698)‌

New York dropping mask mandate

Gov. Kathy Hochul is dropping New York’s stringent indoor mask mandate, according to the New York Times. The newspaper reports that the state will end a requirement that businesses ask customers for proof of full vaccination or require mask-wearing at all times.

Quoting three people with knowledge of the move, the Times says the decision will eliminate a major source of friction among residents of the state, especially in more conservative areas of New York.

The report says the governor will let the mask mandate lapse since the rise in COVID-19 cases appears to have peaked. However, there's less certainty over whether Hochul will drop a separate mask mandate in New York schools that is set to expire in two weeks.

FDA issues warning about some COVID-19 tests

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning people not to use the E25Bio COVID-19 Direct Antigen Rapid Test. The agency said the test has not been authorized, cleared, or approved by the FDA for distribution for use in the United States, and it may include false labeling representing that the test is authorized by the FDA. 

The E25Bio COVID-19 Direct Antigen Rapid Test may also be sold under the trade name E25Bio SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test Kit.

“The FDA is concerned about the risk of false results when using this test because E25Bio has not provided the FDA with adequate data demonstrating that the test's performance is accurate,” the FDA said in an update.

Johnson & Johnson reportedly halts vaccine production

Published reports state that Johnson & Johnson is stopping the production of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine. The reports follow the company’s decision late last year to end production of the vaccine at a plant in Leiden, Netherlands.

The company did not comment on the plant closure reports, but it said in a statement to CBS News that it has "millions of doses of our COVID-19 vaccine in inventory" and "we continue to fulfill our contractual obligations.”

The vaccine is widely used overseas, especially in developing nations, where officials prefer a one-shot vaccine over AstraZeneca’s two-shot requirement. 

Around the nation

• Texas: Officials in McLennan County report that new cases of COVID-19 have dropped drastically across Central Texas. They say they’re cautiously optimistic that things are improving. "We're excited to see our numbers decreasing, but it's still a little too early to say if we are out of the woods," Lashonda Malrey-Horne, director of the McLennan County Health District, told 25 News.

• Colorado: Deaths from COVID-19 remain elevated nationwide, but Colorado is an exception. The state has one of the lowest overall COVID-19 death rates in the country. With 195 deaths per 100,000 residents, Colorado ranks 41st overall, in between the rates of Virginia and Nebraska.

• Connecticut: Gov. Ned Lamont is recommending that the statewide mask mandate for schools and daycare centers be discontinued at the end of February. However, he said masking requirements will be left up to local officials and schools boards after Feb. 28.

• Minnesota: The University of Minnesota athletic department has announced that there will be no extension of its vaccination mandate for fans to attend the school’s sports events. Since Jan. 26, fans have been required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend events with more than 200 spectators.

• Virginia: The Virginia Beach School Board resumed a debate this week over masking guidelines, with some teachers pushing for tighter restrictions. Currently, the board allows parents to “opt out” of the rule that requires students to mask up in class.

Hyundai and Kia are warning the owners of 484,000 vehicles sold in the U.S. that their cars could be a fire hazard.

The companies say certain recalled vehicles should remain outside and away from buildings and other vehicles because some cars have reportedly caught fire, even when the engine is turned off. Officials trace the issue to contaminants in the anti-lock brake computer control module. The contaminants can cause a short circuit that could lead to a fire in the engine compartment.

The following vehicles are affected:

Hyundai

• 2016-2018 model year Santa Fe SUVs

• 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport SUVs

• 2019 Santa Fe XL models

• 2014-2015 Tucson SUVs. 

Kia 

• 2016-2018 K900 sedans

• 2014-2016 Sportage SUVs

NHTSA probe

In December, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stepped up its investigation into reports of the automakers’ vehicle fires, which have persisted for about six years. ConsumerAffairs reviewers report that the problem has affected several different models.

“I purchased a 2014 Kia Forte on August 24, 2013,” Marlene, of Rayne, Ind., wrote in a recent review. “On August 26, 2021 I reported an electrical fire in the trunk of my car to the dealership. My car was towed home. The insurance company totaled the vehicle.”  

Beth, of Painesville, Ohio, tells us she purchased a used 2015 Santa Fe based on positive reviews she had read.

“Unbeknownst to me the vehicle had recall and service campaign issues after class actions alerted the public to defective engines produced for many years, known to cause dangerous engine failures and fires,” Beth wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. 

It should be noted that neither Marlene’s or Beth’s vehicles would have been covered by this latest warning that focuses on a specific concern in a specific part of the engine.

The NHTSA says it performed an engineering analysis investigation covering more than 3 million vehicles from the 2011 through 2016 model years. To date, the agency said it has received 161 complaints of engine fires, some of which occurred in vehicles that had already been recalled.

The 2022 housing market has just begun, but it's already off to a red-hot start. In January, the typical U.S. home sold faster than in any prior January, according to the Realtor.com Monthly Housing Report.

When you drill down into certain popular markets, the pace was even faster. Listings sold within 36 days in Nashville, San Diego, San Jose, Calif., Denver, and Raleigh, N.C. Based on how it began, Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale is forecasting another huge year for the housing market.

“Homes sold at a record-fast January pace, suggesting that buyers are more active than usual for this time of year," Hale said. "But it's a different story on the other side of the closing table, with new seller listings continuing to decline in January.” 

Fewer homes, more competition

A decline in listings will likely result in even more competition among buyers, who will need all the help they can get to land the home they want. Jodi, of Fort Wayne, Ind., was working without a realtor when she called BNC Bank’s 800 number. She said she was fortunate to get a customer service rep named Shawna.

“Had it not been for Shawna, I would have struggled,” Jodi wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “I got 2.8%. She linked me up with a title company and we have mobile notaries. It was a really smooth process.”

Marcial, of Fort Worth, said the combination of a good Realtor and the sales representatives at LGI Homes proved to be helpful.

“LGI sat us down and gave us information about the community,” Marcial wrote in a ConsumerAffairs post. “We toured all the homes that were available. We walked through the prices and what each one would look like. It was a pretty good conversation. Our rep was very communicative. He messaged us when he said he was going to and if we had any questions or any updates, he would reply in good time.”

Things could soon get harder for buyers

If inventory levels continue to shrink in the months ahead, things could get more challenging for buyers. Hale says factors such as uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant could be causing sellers to hesitate even when they know housing conditions are favorable. 

“Another key barrier is the inventory 'chicken-and-egg' dilemma that may vex sellers who are also buying: Do you list now when home shoppers are hungry for more options, or do you wait for more inventory to hit the market in the spring?” Hale asked.

“Ultimately, only you know the best time for your family to make a move, but preparation is key to acting quickly when the right opportunity comes along.”

Less than a month after Peloton paused production in order to reset priorities and processes, CEO John Foley has decided to step down from his position. At the same time, the company announced that it is planning to cut thousands of employees off its payroll.

The company stated that it's implementing a "comprehensive program" that will cut costs and return it to profitability, with officials saying the decision should save at least $800 million a year. Some of those savings will come through a reduction of the number of warehouses the company owns as it expands its use of third-party delivery providers.

As far as the job cuts are concerned, the reduction will take place across the company’s entire landscape. This will result in the reduction of approximately 2,800 global positions, including a 20% cutback in corporate positions alone. Layoffs will begin on Feb. 15, and employees who lose their jobs will receive a one-year digital subscription to Peloton as part of their severance package.

"Peloton is at an important juncture, and we are taking decisive steps. Our focus is on building on the already amazing Peloton Member experience while optimizing our organization to deliver profitable growth," said John Foley, the company's co-founder and newly appointed executive chair.

"With today's announcements, we are taking action to ensure Peloton capitalizes on the large, long-term Connected Fitness opportunity. This restructuring program is the result of diligent planning to address key areas of the business and realign our operations so that we can execute against our growth opportunity with efficiency and discipline."

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of South Florida explored the heart health risks associated with poor sleep. According to their findings, having poor sleep habits can have serious implications for long-term heart health, increasing the risk of heart disease by three times. 

“These findings show the importance of assessing ‘co-existing sleep health problems’ within an individual to capture the risk of heart disease,” said researcher Soomi Lee. “This is one of the first studies showing that, among well-functioning adults in midlife, having more sleep health problems may increase the risk of heart disease.” 

The link between sleep health and heart health

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 7,000 adults around the age of 53 who reported on their typical sleeping habits and their heart health. They answered questions about how alert they felt while awake, how long they typically slept, their satisfaction with their sleep, what their sleep schedule looked like, and the regularity of their sleep patterns. Additionally, over 630 participants also wore a device on their wrists that tracked their sleep data.

The study showed that the risk of heart disease was higher among those who reported more sleep health problems. For those who reported on their sleep health, the researchers found each additional risk factor increased the overall risk of heart disease by nearly 55%. However, when looking at both self-reported information and data from the sleep tracker, the risk of heart disease was nearly three times as high, at 141%; the researchers believe this figure is more accurate. 

The team also looked at how different demographic factors may play a role in the relationship between sleep health and heart health. They learned that Black participants were more likely to struggle with both heart disease and sleep health issues. Men also had a greater prevalence of heart disease, while women were more likely to have poorer sleep health. However, in both instances, race and gender weren’t found to significantly impact the relationship between sleep and heart disease. 

Because consumers’ sleep routines can be adjusted and modified, the researchers hope these findings create more awareness about these health risks and help professionals identify those who have a higher risk of developing long-term heart health issues. 

“The higher estimated risk in those who provided both self-report and actigraphy sleep data suggests that measuring sleep health accurately and comprehensively is more important to increase the prediction of heart disease,” Lee said. 

Studies conducted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the benefits associated with virtual mental health services. Now, researchers from Michigan Medicine have found that telehealth options, especially for mental health, are important and beneficial for consumers living in rural areas. 

“The study started at a time where clinicians had reservations about treating psychiatrically complex patients with telehealth or integrated care models,” said researcher Dr. Jennifer Severe.

“Understandably, engagement in care was one of the many concerns. This study showed that patients with multiple psychiatric conditions and who also struggle with several chronic physical health problems can engage well in mental health treatment with their primary care doctors or remote mental health specialists.”  

Teletherapy continues to be useful for consumers

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 1,000 participants enrolled in the Study to Promote Innovation in Rural Integrated Telepsychiatry (SPIRIT). The participants were struggling with bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or both. 

The team put two virtual therapy options to the test: telepsychiatry collaborative care and telepsychiatry enhanced referral. The first method involves collaboration from both virtual and in-person health care professionals; a virtual therapist provides a diagnosis, and then an in-person physician and clinic team works with the patient and the virtual therapist to provide medication and in-person counseling. Enhanced referral requires a psychiatrist to prescribe medication and handle the diagnosis in-person, and then the patient will receive virtual counseling. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that both forms of teletherapy were effective for the participants. The combination of medication and talk therapy proved to be beneficial for patients with PTSD, regardless of the severity of the symptoms, and bipolar disorder.

The researchers found that participants who were able to connect in-person with a local mental health professional were more diligent about attending their therapy appointments. Compared to those who had primarily video sessions, those who went to in-person therapy sessions went to 60% more of their scheduled sessions. 

The study also looked at specific factors that could impact the participants’ willingness to engage in therapy or follow through with medical treatment plans. Participants with higher levels of mania were less likely to begin therapy, regardless of which telehealth program they were involved in. Conversely, participants struggling with other physical health conditions were more likely to be consistent with their mental health treatments. 

“Both tele-integrated and tele-referral care offer an opportunity to treat patients with complex psychiatric conditions,” the researchers wrote. “While there was no difference in clinical characteristics predicting engagement, onsite care managers engaged patients in more psychotherapy sessions than remote therapists.” 

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 41,544 model year 2021 Venza Hybrids.

Water may enter the rear turn signal LED lights, allowing condensation to form on the circuit board. That additional condensation may cause a short circuit.

A short circuit can cause dimming or failure of the rear turn signals and hazard lights, reducing the vehicle's visibility to other drivers and increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace both rear turn signal LED bulbs and replace the rear turn signal light assembly -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 19, 2022.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TB01/22TA01.

Hyundai Motor America is recalling 357,830 model year 2016-2018 Santa Fes, model year 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sports, model year 2019 Santa Fe XLs, and model year 2014-2015 Tucsons.

The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.

An engine compartment fire while the vehicle is parked or being driven can increase the risk of injury.

What to do

Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse, and inspect and replace the ABS module -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on April 5, 2022.

Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at (855) 371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 218.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reached a settlement with the consumer credit reporting agency Equifax over a 2017 data breach in which hackers accessed the personal data of 147 million people.

The company has agreed to a global settlement with the FTC, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and 50 U.S. states and territories. The settlement includes up to $425 million to help people affected by the data breach.

What affected consumers will receive

The settlement administrator has already begun contacting those who filed valid claims, and Equifax has agreed to offer eligible claimants a free four-year membership in Experian IdentityWorks, an identity theft protection service. As a plus, Equifax also agreed not to require users to provide payment info to enroll, nor do they have to cancel the service when it ends.

All anyone who received a notice has to do is visit the Experian IdentityWorks website and enter the Activation Code from the email or letter they received. They can also call 1-877-251-5822.

Time is of the essence, though – the activation code has to be used by June 27, 2022, at the latest. 

The FTC also warns consumers to be on the lookout for scammers who might be trying to leverage the opportunity to get their hands on some personal data.

“Legitimate emails about this settlement will come from Equifax Breach Settlement Administrator,” the FTC said. “The administrator will not call you.”

Claiming expenses related to the data breach

Those who did not apply for the settlement still have an opportunity to do that. Consumers can file a claim for expenses incurred between January 23, 2020, and January 22, 2024, as a result of identity theft or fraud related to the breach. That includes any of the following:

• Losses from unauthorized charges to your accounts.

• Fees you paid to professionals, like accountants or attorneys, to help you recover from identity theft.

• Other expenses you incurred while recovering from identity theft, like notary fees, document shipping fees, postage, mileage, and phone charges

To file an “extended period claim,” Equifax has set up a special website here that consumers can use.

Recovering from identity theft

The FTC went another step further in the consumer’s favor. The agency said those who never filed a claim for other benefits but were affected by the data breach and discovered misuse of their personal information can get free identity restoration services.

To access this benefit, all consumers have to do is use the look-up tool to confirm that they were affected by the breach. The confirmation page provides a phone number and engagement number to get free help with identity restoration.

For more information about identity theft, visit ConsumerAffairs' site here.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 76,873,870 (76,513,221)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 906,036 (902,650)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 399,282,878 (395,776,507)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,755,766 (5,742,302)‌

Vitamin D helpful in fighting virus, study finds

Getting enough vitamin D in your diet may be important to protect yourself against a severe case of COVID-19. Several studies have previously suggested that, and the latest one is by Israeli scientists who published their findings in PLOS One.

The study concluded that there are "striking" differences in the chances of getting seriously ill between patients who have strong levels of vitamin D in their bodies before getting infected and those who are deficient in the nutrient.

The difference between the previous vitamin D studies and this one, the researchers say, is that the latest study is the first to examine patients who had robust levels of vitamin D before getting infected.

Long COVID sufferers face struggles

Many cases of the coronavirus are milder than those caused by earlier variants, but that doesn’t mean it’s a walk in the park. Some people continue to suffer some symptoms for months after recovering, a condition known as “long COVID.”

One 61-year-old patient told CNBC that she became infected more than a year ago but still has lingering after-effects, mainly fatigue. She also reported some minor cognitive issues.

The virus has also created a financial burden. The patient, who asked to remain anonymous, said her symptoms have prevented her from working for the last 14 months.

Canadian trucker protest now affects the U.S.

Commercial truck drivers in Canada have staged protests in Ottawa for weeks to protest Canada’s strict COVID-19 rules that they contend are destroying their businesses. The most recent protest is being felt in the U.S.

This week, the trucks blocked traffic at Ambassador Bridge, linking Windsor, Ontario with Detroit. U.S. traffic bound for Canada was halted until early today.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police also reported that Canadian truckers blocked traffic Monday at an access point between Alberta and Montana, raising concerns of more supply chain disruptions.  

Around the nation

• New York: This week’s update on COVID-19 shows that cases have plunged 43% across the state last week, renewing pressure on Gov. Kathy Hochul to lift some pandemic restrictions. The state went from 96,271 cases the previous week to 54,466 cases last week

• Florida: State health officials have detected a handful of COVID-19 cases in South Florida that were caused by a subvariant of Omicron. Infectious disease expert Dr. Larry Bush of Palm Beach County told WPBF-TV that the subvariant is more contagious but does not create more severe symptoms than the main Omicron variant.

• Arizona: The coronavirus continues to disrupt the college basketball schedule, but the Arizona Wildcats now have a full schedule of make-up games. The last postponed game, with USC, has been rescheduled for March 1.

• Wyoming: The Department of Corrections reports that cases of COVID-19 among prisoners in the state fell by 50% week-over-week. In the last round of testing, 130 inmates at the state penitentiary tested positive. That means about 30% of its population has reported an infection in the last two weeks.

• Illinois: COVID-19 cases have registered a sharp decline, but the statewide mask mandate remains in place. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he has no schedule for lifting the requirement to mask up indoors, saying it will depend on the state's hospitalization rate.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says Americans have been forced to cough up billions in junk fees every year, and it wants to do something about it.

The biggest problem the agency has with those pesky little “service charges,” “resort fees,” “order processing fees,” etc., is that when companies charge excessive fees on top of the upfront price, it’s difficult or impossible to comparison shop based on actual cost.

Fortunately, the CFPB has some regulatory power and is embarking on a new mission “to ensure banking and lending markets are fair, transparent, and competitive for everyone.”

What the CFPB is going to tackle

Many consumers have gotten used to fees being a part of their everyday life. They take many different forms, including fees for late penalties, overdrafts, returns, using an out-of-network ATM, money transfers, and more. However, the CFPB says these fees are often baffling and unclear to many people.

The agency has pegged five areas that it wants to investigate further -- and officials say they will be making changes to favor consumers where possible.

Account maintenance fees. Fees for not having enough money in the bank -- also called “account maintenance fees” -- are the CFPB’s primary target.

“The cost of signing up for a bank account is generally advertised as account maintenance fees, which can vary substantially from bank to bank,” the agency said. “However, the vast majority of fee revenue banks make from deposit accounts comes from back-end penalty fees for overdrafts or from not having enough funds to cover a transaction.”

CFPB researchers estimate that the overall market revenue from overdraft and NSF fees was $15.47 billion in 2019.

Late fees. Companies – particularly credit card companies – owe a lot to late fees. Out of the $23.6 billion in fees charged by card issuers in 2019, $14 billion came from late fees alone.

Fees to pay your bill. Another added revenue source for companies comes in the form of fees to accept payments on your bill, such as the ability to transfer payments, conduct a foreign transaction, or even pay bills online. These are sometimes called “convenience fees."

Prepaid card fees. Many unbanked consumers use prepaid cards to buy things and pay for services. The CFPB is fine with prepaid cards as a transaction source, but it isn't fine with consumers having to pay additional or unadvertised fees just for using them.

Closing costs and home buying fees. Historically, homeownership has been a great way to build personal wealth. However, the CFPB says fees associated with closing on a home, such as document preparation or title insurance, have got to be addressed.

“[They] can act as a significant barrier to families trying to buy a home or refinance and can significantly cut into household equity,” the agency said.

To help it in its crusade, the CFPB is asking consumers to share their stories about junk and service fees. The agency is accepting comments here.

If one of your winter projects includes freshening up the walls of your home with a new coat of paint, you might have trouble finding the brand you’re looking for. Supply chain shortages are now affecting the paint industry.

It’s something else you can blame on the pandemic. For the last year and a half, people have spent a lot more time at home and taken on more DIY projects. Industry analysts say paint supplies can no longer keep up with demand

“The raw-material shortage is still something we have a meeting once a week to discuss what are we out of this week,” Jeff Grasty, president of Florida Paints, told CNBC.

If consumers are having a hard time finding their favorite brand of paint, they may have to switch to another. Heather, of Ferndale, Mich., found herself in that situation and wasn’t pleased with Benjamin Moore as a substitute.

“It is the first time I bought this paint as I normally use Sherwin-Williams but the store was closed and I was in a hurry to get the paint for the professional painters I had hired,” Heather wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “They painted the ceiling and the trim with the paint and were very upset as it would glop and not spread evenly.”

How ConsumerAffairs reviewers rate paint companies

We consulted ConsumerAffairs reviewers about their favorite national brand of paint and found a high level of satisfaction with five major brands. Heather’s experience may have been an outlier since Benjamin Moore emerged on top.

On a 5-star rating system, here is how five major brands stack up with reviewers. Click the links to read hundreds of verified reviews:

• Benjamin Moore 4.6

• BEHR  4.5

• Sherwin-Williams  4.4

• Glidden  4.1

• Valspar  3.8

Consumers may need to try other brands because the paint shortage may go on for a while, According to CNBC, sales at paint and wallpaper retailers jumped 7.8% in June 2021, from June 2020, totaling $1.34 billion. 

Two major paint manufacturers, Sherwin-Williams and PPG, warned recently that worsening supply chain shortages are impairing their ability to turn out cans of paint. In particular, paint companies are having difficulty getting enough pigment to produce pre-pandemic levels of paint with consistent levels of color.

A new study conducted by researchers from Umea University explored the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine long-term. They learned that while protection from the virus may start to wane at around seven months post-vaccination, the shot was effective at protecting consumers from serious infection. 

“The bad news is that the protection against infection seems to be diminished by seven months after the second dose of the vaccine,” said researcher Peter Nordström. “The good news, however, is that the protection against severe infection that leads to hospitalization or death seems to be better maintained. Vaccination is therefore very wise and important.” 

Preventing serious infection

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from people enrolled in the Public Health Agency of Sweden. They looked at those who had received the Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines and compared their infection status up to nine months after full vaccination with those who hadn’t been vaccinated against COVID-19. In a second analysis, they evaluated the severity of COVID-19 infections related to vaccination status. 

Overall, the study showed that protection against COVID-19 got weaker over time. However, it varied with each vaccine type. Six months after the second dose of Moderna, participants were roughly 60% protected from infection; they were nearly 30% protected six months after the second dose of Pfizer. 

More importantly, the vaccines proved to be more effective at preventing severe cases of COVID-19. Participants were nearly 90% less likely to contract severe cases of COVID-19 within one month of vaccination and nearly 65% less likely to develop a severe infection between four and nine months post-vaccination.

The researchers also learned that older consumers may be more vulnerable to infection, regardless of what type of vaccination they received or how much time had passed since vaccination. 

“The results underscore and support the decision to offer a third dose,” said researcher Marcel Ballin. “In particular, the results show that it was correct to prioritize the oldest and frailest individuals.” 

Moving forward, the researchers hope their findings will influence public health strategies regarding the booster shot – especially for those who have the highest risk of contracting COVID-19.