Current Events in March 2022

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 80,060,491 (80,019,456)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 979,907 (978,693)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 487,118,192 (484,496,268)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 6,140,023 (6,128,712)‌

COVID-19 outbreaks in China likely to make supply chain issues worse

The coronavirus is raging across China, causing officials to order a lockdown this week in Shanghai, the country’s largest city. Elsewhere, the virus has caused factories all across China to close for days at a time.

Economists say American consumers are probably going to feel the fallout from that, as the supply of finished goods from China will be limited, at least for the short-term future. 

At Goldman Sachs, analysts tell the Wall Street Journal that the regions of China that are suffering the worst COVID-19 outbreaks supply about 30% of the country’s goods.

CDC drops cruise line risk advisory

In another sign that the COVID-19 pandemic may be passing in the rearview mirror, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dropped its risk advisory for people who want to go on a cruise. Previously, the CDC urged consumers to avoid cruises.

The update was posted on the CDC website to remove its “cruise ship travel notice.” Late last year, as the Omicron variant was spreading around the world, the health agency increased its cruise ship travel warning. The cruise line industry hailed the latest move.

"Today's decision by the CDC to altogether remove the Travel Health Notice for cruising recognizes the effective public health measures in place on cruise ships and begins to level the playing field, between cruise and similarly situated venues on land, for the first time since March 2020,” the Cruise Lines International Association said in a statement.

Researchers find protective effects of ivermectin are ‘unclear’

Ivermectin, an existing antiviral drug used by some people to prevent or treat COVID-19, has finally been subjected to a clinical trial. Researchers writing in the New England Journal of Medicine say its effects “are unclear.”

The researchers conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, adaptive platform trial involving adults with COVID-19 symptoms who were recruited from 12 public health clinics in Brazil. Patients who had symptoms for up to 7 days and had at least one risk factor for disease progression were randomly assigned to receive ivermectin once daily for 3 days or a placebo.

“Treatment with ivermectin did not result in a lower incidence of medical admission to a hospital due to progression of COVID-19 or of prolonged emergency department observation among outpatients with an early diagnosis of COVID-19,” the authors wrote.

Around the nation

• Vermont: State residents will not be required to make appointments to access services at COVID-19 clinics starting Friday. Vermont Commissioner of Health Dr. Mark Levine says all clinics will change to walk-in status for both vaccinations and testing.

• Georgia: While mask mandates are expiring just about everywhere, Georgia Republicans are trying to make sure they don’t return. Gov. Brian Kemp has signed legislation that allows parents to opt out of school mask mandates for the next five years.

• Minnesota: The state government is trying to make it easier for residents to access free, at-home COVID-19 tests. Residents can order two test kits per home, for a total of four tests, at this website. The website includes information on at-home rapid testing and a video demonstration.

• Pennsylvania: Mifflin County, Pa., is a small rural county, but it has one of the nation’s highest death rates from COVID-19. “It was pure hell,” Mifflin County Coroner Daniel Lynch told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I have been a coroner since 1996 and never got calls from nurses reporting deaths crying on the phone or facilities reporting two or three deaths at one time.”

• Missouri: Gov. Mike Parson has announced an end to the state’s emergency status regarding the pandemic. Going forward, he said the state will treat the situation as an endemic. “Over the past two years, we have learned a lot that will help us respond to future outbreaks and challenges that may come our way,” Parson said at a news conference.

Anchors aweigh! After two years of cautioning travelers that venturing out on a cruise ship puts them in harm’s way for COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lifted its risk advisory for cruise ship travel.

The news is a good sign that the prospects of contracting COVID-19 onboard a ship are fading. Just three months ago, the CDC thought things were still a bit touch-and-go and actually heightened its cruise travel warnings to the highest level (level 4) after it had investigated ships that reported COVID-19 outbreaks.

The agency is still cautioning cruisers to play it safe and is toeing a new official line that it’s up to passengers to dictate their own personal health safety before they set foot on a cruise ship.

“While cruising will always pose some risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers will make their own risk assessment when choosing to travel on a cruise ship, much like they do in all other travel settings,” a CDC spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs. “CDC will continue to provide guidance to the cruise ship industry to operate in a way that provides a safer and healthier environment for crew, passengers, and communities through CDC’s COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships.”

Needless to say, the cruise industry is happy with the CDC’s move.

“Today’s decision by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to altogether remove the Travel Health Notice for cruising recognizes the effective public health measures in place on cruise ships and begins to level the playing field, between cruise and similarly situated venues on land, for the first time since March 2020,” the Cruise Lines International Association stated.

CDC expectations for cruise passengers

In an email to ConsumerAffairs, the CDC said cruise ship travelers can help keep the advisory lifted by making sure they are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines before cruise ship travel and by following their cruise ship’s requirements and recommendations. 

The CDC also recommends that travelers check their cruise ship’s color code and vaccination status classification before embarking on a cruise. The agency runs a website that gives complete information about COVID-19 cases that have been reported for each ship, whether or not an investigation is needed, additional public health measures a ship is taking, and whether a ship has opted out of the program.

Additional recommendations for travelers before, during, and after cruise travel can be found on the CDC’s Cruise Ship Travel During COVID-19 webpage. 

When buy now, pay later (BNPL) services first appeared in the marketplace, many people praised them as a solution to mounting high-interest credit card debt. But now, at least 77 consumer and community groups are raising serious concerns.

The groups have signed a comment letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and are asking it to provide oversight and regulation of these products. The letter warns that BNPL is contributing to an explosion in consumer debt.

“BNPL products have largely evaded oversight by federal and state regulators,” the groups stated. “Although these products could have a place in meeting consumer needs if they operate as promised, they pose a risk to consumers and should be covered by basic consumer protections.” 

How BNPL works

The theory behind BNPL is simple. Instead of putting a purchase on a credit card, adding to a high-interest balance, a consumer uses a BNPL app to finance the purchase. The consumer pays 25% as a down payment and makes three more payments every two weeks until the purchase is paid off.

But the consumer groups claim it isn’t working out that way for many BNPL users. The groups claim that within the industry, there is a lack of meaningful underwriting to determine if the consumer can afford the purchase.

In the letter to the CFPB, the consumer groups claim that some BNPL services have hidden fees and no clear disclosures. In short, the groups point out that debt is debt, and when consumers take on more than they can handle, they get in trouble.

“Marketing of Buy-Now-Pay-Later credit is enticing, with promises of instant approval and no impact on a consumer’s credit,” said the groups in the letter. “However, many providers are not conducting meaningful underwriting to assess a borrower’s ability to repay, allowing consumers to accumulate unaffordable amounts of debt.” 

Falling behind on payments

A September 2021, survey by Credit Karma found that 44% of Americans had used a BNPL plan. Of those consumers, 34% said they have fallen behind on payments.

Those missed payments have had significant consequences. Of those who admitted to having missed at least one payment, 72% said they believe their credit score declined as a result. Nearly a third said they experienced “significant” declines in their credit score.

ConsumerAffairs’ research team has reviewed the growing field of BNPL apps and identified a few of the top competitors. Commonly praised characteristics include a good online reputation, rate transparency, and a generous availability of services.

Some BNPL apps also don’t charge interest and set spending limits for users, based on their credit history. For example, Sezzle does a soft credit pull to determine if you qualify, so applying doesn’t affect your credit score.

A new study conducted by researchers from Iowa State University explored how exercise can benefit consumers’ mental health. The study showed that regular exercise can help reduce depression-related symptoms and enhance the positive effects of therapy. 

“A lot of previous research on the effects of exercise on mental health, in general, have used very broad measures of well-being,” said researcher Jacob Meyer. “What we were interested in, specifically, is: how does acute exercise – that is, one session of exercise in a day – influence the primary symptoms of depression.” 

Mental health benefits of exercise

The researchers had 30 adults with a history of depressive episodes participate in the study. Participants reported on their depression symptoms before a 30-minute cycling session and then again 25 minutes, 50 minutes, and 75 minutes after the workout. A week later, the participants went through the same survey process -- but instead of cycling, they sat still for 30 minutes. 

The study showed that exercise was associated with improvements in key areas related to depression. The researchers observed notable improvements to the participants’ depressive moods – such as feeling discouraged, sad, or gloomy – 30 minutes after exercise and through the first 75 minutes after exercise. 

They also noted that anhedonia, or difficulty experiencing pleasure during previously enjoyable activities, also improved after exercise; however, the researchers found that these benefits started to drop off by the 75-minute mark. 

“The cool thing is these benefits to depressed mood state and anhedonia could last beyond 75 minutes,” said Meyer. “We would need to do a longer study to determine when they start to wane, but the results suggest a window of time post-exercise when it may be easier or more effective for someone with depression to do something psychologically or cognitively demanding.” 

Getting the most out of therapy

The team then conducted another short study to better understand how consumers can leverage exercise and their therapy sessions to see the greatest improvements to their mental health. Over the course of eight weeks, five participants exercised for 30 minutes before a therapy session and another five participants carried out their usual routines before therapy. 

While both groups experienced mental health benefits, those who exercised prior to their therapy sessions reported a greater reduction in depression symptoms. Participants who exercised reported feeling more connected to their therapists, which the researchers believe helped them dive more deeply into topics during sessions.

“Overall, the pilot study showed people were interested and would stick with the combined approach, and that exercise seemed to have some effects on depression and a couple of the mechanisms in therapy,” Meyer said. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the American Heart Association (AHA) explored the heart health benefits linked with avocados. Their findings showed that eating two servings of avocados each week may lower consumers’ risk of cardiovascular disease. 

“Our study provides further evidence that the intake of plant-sourced unsaturated fats can improve diet quality and is an important component in cardiovascular disease prevention,” said researcher Lorena S. Pacheco, Ph.D. “These are particularly notable findings since the consumption of avocados has risen steeply in the U.S. in the last 20 years, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.” 

Healthier foods lead to better outcomes

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 70,000 women in the Nurses’ Health Study and over 41,000 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Participants completed questionnaires on how often they ate certain foods at the beginning of the study and then followed up every four years for 30 years. The researchers then analyzed the correlation between diet choices and long-term heart health. 

The researchers learned that avocados were beneficial for the participants’ cardiovascular health. The study showed that those who ate at least two servings of avocados each week, which is about one avocado, were 16% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease and 21% less likely to develop coronary heart disease. 

The study also showed that consumers who swapped out unhealthy fat options with avocados had better heart health outcomes. For example, choosing avocados over butter, margarine, cheese, or bacon was linked with as high as a 22% lower risk of heart disease. 

The researchers hope health care professionals encourage consumers to make these simple diet changes in an effort to promote better long-term heart health. 

“These findings are significant because a healthy dietary pattern is the cornerstone for cardiovascular health, however, it can be difficult for many Americans to achieve and adhere to healthy eating patterns,” said researcher Cheryl Anderson, Ph.D. 

“Although no one food is the solution to routinely eating a healthy diet, this study is evidence that avocados have possible health benefits. This is promising because it is a food item that is popular, accessible, desirable, and easy to include in meals eaten by many Americans at home and in restaurants.” 

Ford Motor Company is recalling 78,376 model year 2021-2022 Edge vehicles.

A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank or distorted image when the vehicle is in reverse.

A rearview camera that displays a blank or distorted image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

The rearview camera software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on April 25, 2022.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S14

Commencal of Golden, Colo., is recalling about 925 Commencal Ramones 14-inch bicycles.

Federal regulations require bikes with seat heights that measure at or below 25 inches to have foot brakes. These bicycles are equipped only with hand brakes and can pose a crash hazard or a risk of injury to young children who might not be able to stop the bicycles using hand brakes only.

No incidents or injuries are reported.

This recall involves the Commencal Ramones 14-inch children’s bicycles that have hand brakes but not foot brakes. The bikes were sold in multiple colors, with the model year printed on the front fork leg stickers. A list of the recalled bicycles may be found here.

The bikes, manufactured in Thailand, were sold online at www.commencalusa.com from December 2014, through March 2021, for between $230 and $320.

What to do

Consumers should immediately take the recalled bikes away from children, stop using them, and contact the firm for a free repair kit.

Consumers may contact Commencal toll-free at (844) 884-9085 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (MT) Monday through Friday or online for more information.

Audi is recalling 45,789 model year 2021 Audi RS6 Avant, RS7, model year 2020-2021 A6 Allroad, S6 Sedan, S7, and model year 2019-2021 A6 Sedan and A7 vehicles.

The fuel level sender may stick, causing an inaccurate fuel level reading to be displayed on the instrument cluster.

An inaccurate fuel reading may cause an engine stall due to lack of fuel, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will install a new sensor in the tank free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 13, 2022.

Owners may contact Audi customer service at (800) 253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 20DN.

General Motors is recalling ten model year 2022 GMC Hummer EVs.

The taillight software in affected vehicles can cause one or both rear taillights to become inoperative or remain fully or partially illuminated.

A taillight that fails to illuminate or illuminates incorrectly may reduce the visibility of the vehicle or communicate incorrect information to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace -- as necessary -- the left and/or right rear taillight assemblies.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on April 25, 2022.

Owners may contact GMC customer service at (800) 462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222359830.

In an effort to give Americans a single source where they can find all important and legitimate coronavirus-related information, the Biden administration has launched COVID.gov. The new website will have anything and everything a person needs to stay informed about the pandemic, including updates on mask mandates, vaccine availability, where to get tested, and approved treatments.

It may be a little late in getting here, but the White House says it’s been busy setting up vaccination sites, making masks available for free to the public, and sending out free test kits. But later is better than never, and now people will be able to find where to access all of these options with a click of a button. The site will also let them receive the latest CDC data on the level of COVID-19 in their community.

What people will find on the site

ConsumerAffairs took a look at the new site, and it doesn’t appear to miss anything. Among the highlights, consumers will be able to:

Use the Test-to-Treat locator. This geo-search widget works somewhat like Google Maps or other map-related searches. All someone has to do to find out where they can get tested for COVID-19 and receive appropriate treatments is put in their zip code and filter how far away they want to search from their location. The White House says the database contains more than 2,000 locations, including pharmacies and community health centers. The number of these locations will continue to grow in the coming weeks as more and more federally-qualified health centers, Rural Health Clinics, and Indian Health Service locations come online with Test-to-Treat programs.

Use the free mask locator. The White House is dovetailing this effort with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Not only can you learn about different types of masks and respirators you can use to protect yourself and others, but there’s a search widget that allows you to find a nearby location where free masks (N95 respirators) are available.

Find vaccines. For people who are either getting their first dose of a vaccine or a booster shot, the site currently has a searchable database of where each type of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine is available. That part of the website even goes as far as laying out details about each vaccine and the timeline between the initial vaccinations and the boosters for each. 

Crude oil prices have dropped sharply this week, falling below $100 a barrel at one point. Does that mean lower gasoline prices are in your future? Don’t count on it.

Oil prices are a big factor in the price of gasoline, but Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, says we are not in normal times. He says there are a couple of reasons oil prices fell this week.

“Part of the reason was the lockdown in Shanghai, leading the market to worry that there's going to be demand destruction in China,” DeHaan told ConsumerAffairs. “There was a cease-fire in Saudi Arabia, suspending rebel attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure. There's also been talk of Russia pulling back a bit in Ukraine."

All of these factors could lead to a rather dramatic pullback in oil prices. But DeHaan says the well-known “rocket-feather” phenomenon is in play. Gas prices may rise like a rocket, but they usually fall like a feather. These days, that situation is even more pronounced.

“We have seen incredible volatility with wholesale prices moving up and down,” DeHaan said. “I mean, the price of diesel fuel jumped by a dollar a gallon in one day. Station owners are trying to stay ahead of it but they don't want to drop prices and then have to quickly raise them again when the price changes. The last thing station owners want to do is to anger motorists by cutting prices 30 cents a gallon one day and then raising them 70 cents the next.”

Challenges for producers

The volatility of the market is exacerbating the problem for gasoline retailers. For example, the wholesale price of gas fell 35 cents a gallon over the last couple of days, but consumers shouldn't expect gas stations to instantly lower prices.

“The problem is, a station owner may not access those prices for several days until they fill their storage tanks with the cheaper fuel," DeHaan said.

So why aren’t oil companies stepping up production, especially since the price of oil is so high? DeHaan says drillers currently face a lot of supply chain challenges that don't allow them to move quickly.

There are upfront costs that have increased in recent months. Drillers also need a huge supply of sand to break the shale formations that contain oil and gas, and that sand has suddenly gotten scarce and more expensive. 

DeHaan says motorists could see some short-term relief at the gas pump. However, it probably won’t come as soon as many consumers would like, and prices may not be as low as most consumers might hope.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 80,019,456 (79,997,466)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 978,693 (977,497)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 485,454,999 (482,496,268)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 6,134,829 (6,128,712)‌

Should you get a second booster?

Now that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded the emergency use authorization (EUA) of two vaccines to include a second booster shot, many people are wondering if they need to roll up their sleeves again, especially since cases of COVID-19 have declined recently.

First, someone must be eligible. In its action Tuesday, the FDA cleared the fourth shot of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for people aged 50 and older, the group most vulnerable to severe symptoms. But it also included people aged 12 and older who suffer from immunocompromised conditions.

Experts suggest people should wait at least four months after their first booster shot to get a second one. People who are uncertain about whether to get the fourth shot/second booster should consult with their health care provider. Meanwhile, the FDA said it will “continue to evaluate data and information" before clearing a second booster dose for other age groups.

Researchers develop nose spray to counter COVID-19

Scientists at Cornell University say their research suggests a simple and inexpensive way to prevent and treat the coronavirus is with a nasal spray. They say a newly discovered small molecule could be sprayed into people’s noses to prevent infection and provide early treatment after infection.

The study, published in Nature, employed experimental mice engineered with human receptors for the coronavirus on their cell surfaces. The researchers found that the molecule, called N-0385, inhibited entry of the virus into cells in the body. Experiments showed blocked infection if administered up to 12 hours after exposure.

“There are very few, if any, small molecule antivirals that have been discovered that work prophylactically to prevent infection,” said Hector Aguilar-Carreno, associate professor of virology, and senior author of the paper. “This is the first of its kind.” 

Poll shows many who quit jobs wish they hadn’t

It’s called the “Great Resignation,” a pandemic phenomenon in which millions of Americans quit their jobs. Some started businesses, others went to other companies, and others just quit. The trend has continued, with a government report showing that 4.4 million people quit jobs in February.

A new NBC News poll finds that many of these former workers now regret their decision, with nearly 20% of people who quit their job in the last two years now wishing they had their old job back. 

“A lot of times, the grass is not any different on the other side of the fence,” said Dietrich von Biedenfeld, a professor studying employment trends.

Around the nation

• California: Truckers who have protested COVID-19 mandates in the Washington, D.C. area for several weeks are heading to California to protest bills coming up for votes soon in the legislature. The truckers are moving to California to protest what organizers call the “most invasive COVID-19 legislation yet.” 

• Texas: COVID-19 vaccinations have peaked in Texas, and many doses of the vaccine have been discarded. But doses near their expiration dates are being sent across the border to vaccinate Mexican citizens who are eager to get inoculated. At one point last year, Nuevo Laredo only had a 7% vaccination rate.

• Maryland: The state court system is returning to normal operations next week after exiting the COVID-19 mitigation policies that have been in place since the start of the pandemic. “This is the final step in resuming complete Judicial operations, but we recognize that we still have more work to do,” said Chief Judge Joseph Getty.

• South Carolina: Only 12 COVID-19 patients are on ventilators in the state’s hospitals, and officials say it is a sign of the decreasing number of severe cases of the virus.  The number of patients in intensive care has fallen to 27, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

• Arkansas: State health officials say there were no official deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday, the first time that’s happened in more than a month. Meanwhile, the state health department is already getting requests for a second booster shot of the vaccine, which was cleared Tuesday by the FDA.

Consumers who have shopped for a new vehicle recently know there’s a shortage of cars to choose from. But they might not know that when they find a car to purchase, they may be asked to pay significantly above the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP), also known as the “sticker price.”

Carmakers strongly discourage dealers from marking up vehicles beyond the MSRP, but many do it anyway. A recent iSeeCars.com analysis of 1.2 million new car listings found that the average new vehicle is priced 9.9% above MSRP. However, that's just the average -- some models are priced much higher.

“Dealers have responded to market conditions by pricing cars above MSRP to make a higher profit on specific models and to help offset lower sales volumes due to restricted new car production,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. “In today’s market, consumers are willing to pay well-above sticker price for the most in-demand vehicles because it’s the only way they can get the vehicle of their choice and avoid a lengthy wait.”

The 15 most marked-up models

The analysis identified 15 makes and models of 2022 vehicles that are priced as much as 26% above the price on the sticker. Most of the vehicles are luxury or high-performance names.

Here are the vehicles, ranked in order, and how much above the sticker price consumers are paying:

1. Jeep Wrangler  – $8,925 (26.7%)

2. Ford Maverick Hybrid  –  $5,601 (25%)

3. Porsche Macan  –  $13,251 (23.3%)

4. Jeep Wrangler Unlimited  –  $9,534 (22.9%)

5. Jeep Gladiator  –  $9,824 (22.5%)

6. Ford Maverick  –  $5,368 (22.2%)

7. Lexus RX 450H  –  $10,365 (21%)

8. Ford Bronco –  $7,783 (20.6%)

9. Genesis GV70  –  $8,611 (20%)

10. Mercedes Benz GLB  –  $7,992 (19.8%)

11. Chevrolet Corvette  –  $15,218 (19.3)

12. Ford Mustang  –  $6,941 (19.1%)

13. MINI Countryman  –  $6,325 (18.9%)

14. Lexus RX 350L  –  $9,242 (18.6%)

15. Mercedes-Benz GLA  –  $7,142 (18.6%)

Three Jeep models in the top five

Jeep placed three models in the top five most marked-up vehicles. The Ford Maverick – both the hybrid and the gasoline models – landed in the top six. The Ford Bronco also made the list.

“The Maverick compact pickup has been in high demand since its debut, which forced dealers to stop taking orders for both versions at the end of January and not resume until summer,” said Brauer. “Heightened gas prices have boosted demand for this already hot seller, with both the hybrid and gasoline versions returning excellent gas mileage, and even these marked-up pickups remain attainable for buyers given their starting prices of around $20,000.” 

Brauer says the shortage of new cars is expected to persist due to the backlog of demand and the Russia-Ukraine conflict that has led to factory shutdowns. Brauer advises new car shoppers to broaden their search to other cities and to consider other vehicles that may not be in such demand.

A new study conducted by researchers from Michigan Medicine explored how critical non-medical first responders are at the scene of emergencies or disasters. 

The findings suggest that when patients are struggling with cardiac arrest outside of the hospital, assistance from firefighters and police officers is likely to lead to better survival rates. 

“It is clear that these non-medical first responders play a critical role in time saved to chest compressions,” said researcher Dr. Mahshid Abir. “In fact, in communities that were the highest performing in the state as far as survival is concerned, those responders work closely with emergency medical services to cross-train and debrief after incidents. When these agencies see their role as not just preventing crime or stopping fires, but also saving lives, it improves the overall chain of survival for cardiac events.” 

Starting CPR as soon as possible

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 25,000 cases of cardiac arrest between 2014 and 2019. They paid close attention to first responders present at the time of the emergencies and compared the health outcomes of all the patients. 

Overall, they learned that non-medical first responders like police officers and firefighters were the first ones on the scene for nearly 32% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. In these cases, they initiated CPR with either chest compressions or an automated external defibrillator (AED). 

This early response proved to be beneficial for patients. When non-medical first responders started CPR right away, patients’ survival rates were 1.25 times higher. Similarly, when an AED was used by firefighters or police officers, patients’ survival rate was 1.4 times higher. 

“Our findings reinforce what we know: whoever can start CPR and utilize an AED first is the best person to do it,” said researcher Dr. Rama Salhi. “Sometimes, that’s bystanders, but for a large percentage who have witnessed cardiac arrests, police and fire are on the scene first. Current evidence suggests this may be in upwards of 50% of cardiac arrest calls. In a disease where seconds and minutes matter, this can be life changing.” 

The researchers hope these findings prompt better training for law enforcement and firefighters to best handle these kinds of emergencies. The team also hopes consumers better understand the significant ways that non-medical responders can affect patients’ health. 

“All of these responders can make a huge difference in the survival of a person’s loved one, so we need to educate the communities around when and for what to call 9-1-1, and also who shows up and why they need to open the door,” said Dr. Abir. “If we take this extra step to educate around the emergency response system overall, it will help improve the relationships and outcomes.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute explored how consumers’ hydration may impact their long-term heart health. According to their findings, staying well hydrated may lower the risk of heart failure. 

“Similar to reducing salt intake, drinking enough water and staying hydrated are ways to support our hearts and may help reduce long-term risks for heart disease,” said researcher Natalia Dmitrieva, Ph.D. 

Hydration levels affect heart health

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 15,000 people between the ages of 45 and 66 who were enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. The team tracked the participants’ overall health, including hydration levels and heart health, and followed them over the course of 25 years. 

The researchers measured the participants' serum sodium levels, which measures how much sodium is in the blood and is an indicator of dehydration. They learned that this had a direct impact on heart health outcomes. 

Healthy serum sodium levels fall between 135 and 146 mEq/L. Participants who started at 143 mEq/L were nearly 40% more likely to develop heart failure. With each increase of 1 mEq/L, the risk of heart failure went up by 5%. 

These findings were confirmed when the researchers analyzed another set of data that looked at 5,000 people between the ages of 70 and 90. The researchers found that middle-age is important in terms of hydration and heart health; when the participants’ serum sodium levels exceeded 142.5-143 mEq/L, they were 54% more likely to develop heart failure and 62% more likely to develop ventricular hypertrophy. 

While the researchers hope to do more work in this area moving forward, they hope these findings highlight the importance of consumers staying hydrated. 

“Serum sodium and fluid intake can easily be assessed in clinical exams and help doctors identify patients who may benefit from learning about ways to stay hydrated,” said researcher Dr. Manfred Boehm. 

EGL Motor of El Monte, Calif., is recalling about 500 EGL and ACE-branded youth all-terrain vehicles.

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

The B125 ATVs exceed the maximum speed limitations for vehicles intended for children aged 10 and older.

For the Madix 110, the parking brakes do not prevent the movement of the vehicle. In addition, the handlebars on both ATVs pose a laceration hazard if the rider’s body or head impacts the handlebars at a high rate of speed, such as in a crash.

ATVs that fail to meet the mandatory safety requirements pose a risk of serious injury or death. No incidents or injuries are reported.

The recall involves EGL and ACE-branded Youth ATVs, models MADIX 110 and B125. The vehicles were sold in various colors, including orange, red, blue, pink, and green. They were marketed for children aged 10 and older.

The name of the vehicle is printed on a label located on both sides of the vehicle. The model number is stamped into a metal plate located on the left side of the ATV, under the rear body.

The phrase “This ATV is subject to EGL MOTOR INC’s action plan approved by U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission” is printed on a label located under the model number plate.

The ATVs, manufactured in China, were sold at AWL Distribution, BV Powersports, and other authorized dealerships nationwide from May 2020, through September 2020, for between $550 and $670.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled ATVs and contact EGL Motor to make an appointment for a free repair from an authorized repair shop. Reflectors, headlights, and a chest protector will be installed on the ATVs. EGL will also repair the parking brake, speed capability, and spark arrestor.

Consumers may contact EGL Motor toll-free at (866) 496-9919 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CT) Monday through Friday, by email at service@eglmotor.us, or online for more information.