Current Events in April 2022

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 80,155,446 (80,150,811)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 982,566 (982,233)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 491,572,015 (490,825,132)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 6,153,616 (6,151,961)‌

Medicare now covers over-the-counter COVID-19

Starting today, Medicare will cover the cost of an over-the-counter, self-administered COVID-19 test. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says Medicare will cover up to eight over-the-counter COVID-19 tests each calendar month.

If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, the tests covered under this initiative will be covered outside of your existing plan’s coverage and in addition to any over-the-counter tests that may be covered under the plan as a supplemental benefit.

There should be no out-of-pocket expense. Medicare says participating pharmacies will distribute the tests kits to Medicare recipients and then bill Medicare.

Omicron less severe for young children, study finds

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine have published a study that suggests young children below age 5 who are infected with the COVID-19 Omicron variant have less risk of severe health outcomes than those infected with the Delta variant.

The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, compares the health outcomes of coronavirus infection from Omicron to Delta in children aged 4 and younger. That age group is not eligible for vaccination. 

The findings show that the Omicron variant is six to eight times more infectious than the Delta variant. The severe clinical outcomes ranged from a 16% lower risk for emergency room visits to 85% less risk for mechanical ventilation. Researchers found that about 1.8% of children infected with the Omicron variant were hospitalized, compared to 3.3% who were infected with the Delta variant.

China extends Shanghai lockdown

The Chinese government has extended the COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai after the Herculean task of testing all 25 million residents of China’s largest city. Thousands of medical personnel from all over the country poured into the city over the weekend to perform the tests.

Monday was supposed to be the final day of the lockdown, which was imposed to get a spike in new cases of the virus under control. City officials said the lockdown will continue while health authorities assess the situation. 

The lockdown is likely to be felt by American consumers because Shanghai has many factories that produce goods for export. Economists say the production disruption is likely to make supply chain issues worse.

Around the nation

• Virginia: The number of new cases is rising in Virginia, but the all-important hospitalization metric is moving in the right direction. The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) reports that there were 242 patients being treated for COVID-19 on Sunday, down from 282 the previous Sunday.

• Colorado: State health officials are reporting an increase in coronavirus cases, with 21% identified as the new Omicron BA.2 variant, according to state epidemiologist Rachel Herlihy. While about a million Colorado residents are eligible for a second booster shot, officials say they currently lack enough vaccine doses to administer the jab to all of them.

• New York: Despite the expiration of most emergency pandemic measures, the state health department is urging increased public health action to blunt the recent rise in new cases. "The high number of COVID-19 cases in Central New York suggests that transmission of the virus is widespread throughout the region, and levels remain above the state average," State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said. "The good news is we have tools to address this."

• Vermont: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has removed three Vermont counties from its “high” COVID-19 community level category in its latest data update. All three counties have recorded declines in the number of new COVID-19 cases.

• Nevada: State health officials are moving quickly to ramp up a campaign to urge older residents to get a second shot. “We know booster doses are continuing to provide people with protection against severe disease, hospitalizations and death,” said Dr. Fermin Leguen, district health officer for the Southern Nevada Health District.  “Having the option to get an additional booster is significant for people who may be at higher risk for severe disease, especially if cases begin to increase.”

Days after reinstating fines against automakers that failed to meet fuel economy standards, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says 49 miles per gallon will be the lowest acceptable fuel efficiency for passenger cars and light trucks by 2026.

The agency can't predict how gas prices will change until then, but it stated that the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards will make vehicle miles per gallon more efficient, save consumers money at the pump, and reduce transportation emissions. 

The move should also make the White House happy. President Biden previously pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the nation’s dependence on oil, reducing fuel use by more than 200 billion gallons through 2050. The agency’s goals may seem lofty, but CAFE standards have worked their magic so far. Since they were signed into law in 1975, the standards have reduced American oil consumption by 25%, or approximately 5 million barrels a day.

For consumers, the new standards are somewhat of a wash. The NHTSA estimates that its action could reduce average fuel outlays over the lifetimes of model year 2029 vehicles by about $1,387. However, they will also increase the average cost of those vehicles by about $1,087.

“Today's rule means that American families will be able to drive further before they have to fill up, saving hundreds of dollars per year,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These improvements will also make our country less vulnerable to global shifts in the price of oil, and protect communities by reducing carbon emissions by 2.5 billion metric tons.”

Automakers have some work to do

In his remarks, Buttigieg said the average fuel economy of the U.S. 2021 vehicle fleet is 36 mpg. In the list of the 2022 Best and Worst Fuel Economy Vehicles by class, the closest a gas-powered vehicle comes to hitting that current mark among Minicompacts is the MINI Cooper Convertible, with a combined (city and highway) mpg of 32. As for Two-Seaters, the Mazda MX-5 tops the list at 30 mpg. Volvo’s V90CC B6 AWD leads the Midsize Station Wagon class at 25 mpg.

Doing an apples-to-apples comparison for the worst fuel economy vehicles by class, it's the pricier cars that rule the roost. The $300,000+ Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible brings up the rear in the Minicompacts category, with only 14 mpg. Among Two-Seaters, the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport and Super Sport average a paltry 9 mpg. Compared to Volvo’s mpg victory among Midsize Station Wagons, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan ranks as the worst with 14 mpg.

A new study conducted by researchers from Tulane University explored how COVID-19 affects consumers’ brain function. They learned that those who are infected with the virus are likely to experience neurological symptoms like inflammation, reduced blood flow to the brain, and neuron damage; this was true even for those with mild cases of the virus. 

“Because the subjects didn’t experience significant respiratory symptoms, no one expected them to have the severity of disease that we found in the brain,” said researcher Tracy Fischer, Ph.D. “But the findings were distinct and profound, and undeniably a result of the infection.” 

Identifying neurological concerns

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from the Tulane National Primate Research Center. The team evaluated the brain tissue of primates that had been infected with COVID-19. 

Their work showed that neurological symptoms were common among the animals that had been infected with the virus. This was true even when the subjects showed more mild symptoms related to COVID-19. The findings showed that headaches and confusion were linked with COVID-19, as well as serious brain inflammation, small brain bleeds, and a reduction in blood flow and oxygen to the brain. 

While the researchers are unclear how long these symptoms can last, neurological symptoms have been linked with human studies on COVID-19 before. Researchers found that these symptoms can severely affect consumers who are infected with the virus, regardless of how severe their respiratory symptoms are. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope more studies are done using primate subjects because they could help advance our understanding of how COVID-19 affects people.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of California at San Diego explored how COVID-19 lockdowns have impacted women’s mental health around the world. 

According to their findings, women in developing countries had a higher risk of struggling with anxiety and depression following long periods of time at home during lockdowns. 

“We wanted to know the impact lockdown policies have on women in lower-income countries where there may be limited social safety nets to absorb these shocks,” said researcher Gaurav Khanna. “As we found in our study, the consequences of lockdown policies are exacerbated for women. We hope policymakers in developing countries and beyond know what the implications are for these policies, especially for those in vulnerable positions because if there was another wave, communities could be faced with similar lockdowns.” 

Global mental health risks

For the study, the researchers analyzed survey responses from over 1,500 households in northern India. Participants were surveyed about their mental health in the fall of 2019, and then again during a significant wave of the pandemic in August 2020. 

The researchers learned that women’s mental health took a hit after spending extended time at home during COVID-19 lockdown hours. The survey responses showed that women were more than 70% more likely to experience exhaustion, 44% more likely to experience anxiety, and 38% more likely to experience depression. 

“Not having access to work and socialization outside the home can be very detrimental for women’s mental health in developing countries,” said Khanna. 

Impact on income

The researchers explained that many of the women also struggled with losing income, which affected both their mental health and their food intake. Nearly 25% of the survey respondents reported experiencing food shortages and skipping meals as a result of fewer work opportunities during the COVID-19 lockdowns. 

The team hopes these findings prompt policymakers to make changes that can benefit women long-term. 

“When kids are not in school, or daycare, the burden usually falls on women because of traditional gender roles with child care,” said Khanna. “Policymakers should be cognizant of the fact that women are going to be impacted differently by these policies.” 

With pandemic troubles continuing to subside, more people are venturing out and looking to travel. It's a fact that’s making everyone in the travel food chain – from amusement parks to airlines – excited about the prospects of 2022’s summer travel season.

But those prospects come loaded with questions when it comes to airlines. Which carriers offer the best fares, what frequent flyer programs are the best, and who do travelers consider the best airlines? To help travelers arrive at the best decisions for their budgets, WalletHub has released its 2022 report for one of those segments – frequent flyer programs.

The winners

WalletHub analysts ranked the 10 largest U.S. airlines based on 21 key metrics, ranging from the value of a point/mile to blackout dates for reward flights. Here are the points/miles programs that WalletHub scored the highest:

Best Frequent Flyer Program: Overall, the WalletHub researchers gave Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan the nod for the best frequent flyer program of 2022, beating last year’s winner -- United MileagePlus.

Best Bang for the Buck: When it comes to “value spent,” the analysts found that Hawaiian Airlines offers the most rewards value, at $24.78 per $100 spent. Alaska Airlines came in second, with $24.65 per $100 spent. Rounding out the top five in that category were Frontier Airlines ($14.67 per $100 spent), Delta Air Lines ($10.35), and United Airlines ($10.30).

Best Airline Credit Card: The JetBlue Plus Card is 2022’s best airline credit card, according to the WalletHub editors. Also ranked high on that list were co-branded credit cards from American, Delta, United, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines. Most of those also ranked high on ConsumerAffairs’ list of the Best Airline Credit Cards of 2022.

Should travelers try to shoot for elite status?

Travelers often wonder whether it's really worth it to try to reach an airline’s elite status level. When that question was posed to Charles R. Taylor, the John A. Murphy Professor of Marketing at the Villanova School of Business, he said the benefits are good – and plentiful. 

“While it can be difficult (and probably more difficult than it should be) in some programs to redeem free flights, consumers willing to be flexible in the time of the reward flights will generally come out okay. For elite flyers, the benefits of shorter check-in lines, free baggage, customer service hotlines, and occasional or frequent complimentary upgrades are very real,” Taylor commented.

“There is little question that most of the major carriers have skewed more benefits to those who are the most frequent flyers. While this has ruffled some feathers due to some benefits being rolled back for general members, it does make sense in the sense that the elite flyers spend considerably more on air travel than most every day flyers.”

Chrysler is recalling 931 model year 2021-2022 Dodge Durangos and model year 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokees.

The steering gear rack bar may have been insufficiently hardened during manufacturing, possibly allowing it to bind within the steering rack and resulting in difficulty steering or a loss of steering control.

Difficulty steering, or a loss of steering control, can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the steering gear assembly free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 3, 2022.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 852-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Z18.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 195,864 model year 2016-2017 Ford Expeditions, Lincoln Navigators, and model year 2016-2018 F-150s with 3.5L Ecoboost engines.

The brake master cylinder may allow brake fluid to leak from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.

A loss of brake fluid may result in a change in brake pedal travel, increased pedal effort, and reduced front brake function, requiring greater effort and distance to stop the vehicle. These conditions can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. If the master cylinder is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced. Repairs will be performed 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 22S11.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 80,104,757 (80,058,164)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 980,650 (979,879)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 488,654,695 (487,106,557)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 6,144,667 (6,139,976)‌

Health agency identifies another variant

The BA.2 Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus has quickly become the most dominant strain in the U.S. However, there’s now another variant to worry about.

Actually, there’s more than one. The U.K. Health Services Agency recently identified variants it calls XD and XF, describing them as combinations of Delta and BA.1, or so-called “Deltacron” strains, which have been talked about for months.

A report this week by the World Health Organization (WHO) suggested that XD and XF have combined to create a new variant it calls XE. The report says XE may be the most transmissible mutation of the COVID-19 virus yet.

March jobs report suggests things are returning to normal

One gauge of how the pandemic has affected the economy is employment. Despite the “Great Resignation,” the Labor Department reports that employment conditions in March are returning to normal two years after the start of the pandemic.

The economy created 431,000 jobs in March, and the unemployment rate dropped to 3.6%. The labor participation rate was nearly the same as it was in February 2020, before the start of the pandemic.

The leisure and hospitality sector of the economy continued to lead the jobs recovery in March. The overall sector added 112,000 jobs last month, with more than half the hiring taking place at bars and restaurants.

Plasma can be an effective treatment

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University, writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, say plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 and whose blood contains antibodies is an effective and safe option as an early outpatient treatment for the disease. 

Administering antibodies from recovered patients was an early measure that some doctors employed, but it was soon overshadowed by drug therapies and vaccines. The latest research shows that plasma, when given to outpatients within nine days of testing positive, cuts hospitalizations in half.

“Based on our findings and conclusions, which are now validated through the peer-review process, we encourage health care professionals to keep SARS-CoV-2 antibody-rich blood plasma available in their blood banks as part of the treatment arsenal against early-stage COVID-19,” said study co-lead author Dr. David Sullivan.

Around the nation

• New Jersey: Deaths from COVID-19 are being cited as the reason for the state’s population dipping slightly between 2020 and 2021. Census records show that New Jersey’s population declined by about 22,000. Hudson County recorded one of the biggest drops for any county in the nation.

• Ohio: As the number of coronavirus cases continues to fall, Ohio still has millions of dollars in COVID-19 aid from the federal government. Gov. Mike DeWine says the state will use about $10.5 million in leftover money to purchase nine new machines that analyze and compare bullets and other ballistic evidence to help solve crimes.

• Michigan: The state health department is partnering with major libraries to distribute at-home COVID-19 tests. The state said it has shipped out 24,000 tests to participating locations. People can get one kit per person or up to five for a household.

• Oregon: The state is drawing down its response to the coronavirus by ending a command team that had coordinated efforts since August to combat surges of COVID-19. "Though the period of active operations ends today, some team members will continue to serve through the end of June," the state health department said in a statement.

• Louisiana: Health department records show that the number of COVID-19 patients in Louisiana hospitals fell below 100 this week for the first time since the start of the pandemic. When the Delta variant was spreading rapidly last summer, there were 3,022 patients in hospitals at the wave’s peak. 

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation to limit the cost of insulin to $35 a month – an effort that would dramatically lower the price of the drug for nearly 40 million Americans who have diabetes and use it to treat high blood sugar and various types of diabetes.

Under the bill, a Medicare beneficiary’s cost would be capped at $35 for each 30-day insulin prescription. Americans who are part of private plans would be able to employ the cost-sharing feature for beneficiaries, which would limit the cost to the lesser of either $35 or 25% of the negotiated price their health plan negotiated for a 30-day prescription. 

Insulin has been like gold to drug companies since its creation in 1921. It's so valuable that, at one point, insulin manufacturer Eli Lilly and drug maker E.R. Squibb were accused of antitrust violations for overcharging for it. 

Nonetheless, the price for insulin has continued to grow, skyrocketing over the last 18 years from an out-of-pocket cost of $25 in 2004 to about $112 in 2018. The FDA believed that current prices are so over-the-top that it took steps of its own to try and bring costs down. Walmart also tried going the low-cost route by launching its own private label “analog” insulin product.

On to the Senate

The measure that passed in the House was authored by a trio of House Democrats – Reps. Angie Craig (MN), Dan Kildee (MI), and Lucy McBath (GA).

“Michigan families and seniors are paying too much for insulin. Today, with bipartisan support, the House passed my legislation to cap the cost of insulin at $35 per month,” Kildee said. “As the father of a diabetic, I have seen first-hand how the extremely high price of prescription drugs, like insulin, hurts patients and families.”

A cap on insulin prices was originally part of the health reforms in Democrats’ Build Back Better legislation, but Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-WV.) resistance to that bill forced House proponents to carve out the insulin clause as a standalone measure in an effort to move it forward. 

With the bill separated from Manchin’s opposition to its more comprehensive parent legislation, capping the cost of insulin probably has a better chance in the Senate. In fact, it already has its first champion in Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), who, in February, introduced the Affordable Insulin Now Act, a nearly identical version of the House’s bill.

“I’m glad the House took a major step today toward making my bill the law of the land,” Warnock said. “The bill now comes to the Senate, and I’m going to use every tool at my disposal to get it across the finish line.”

Warnock thinks this bill’s chances are pretty good and says he has some across-the-aisle support in the works. He said he has spoken with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and met with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) multiple times to ensure any bipartisan insulin proposal also includes his critical provision to cap out-of-pocket costs. 

The trend of higher home prices and higher mortgage interest rates continued to March, requiring larger down payments and higher monthly mortgage payments. 

The Monthly Housing Trends Report from Realtor.com shows that the median home price hit $405,000 for the first time ever in March. But that surge in home prices might be enough to cool down a housing market that has been red-hot since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Despite the $405,000 price tag, March data reveals we are starting to take some steps towards a more balanced market," said Danielle Hale, chief economist for Realtor.com. "Buyer demand is moderating in the face of high costs, and we're beginning to see more homeowners take price cuts on their listings and overall inventory declines lessen in response.”

Rising interest rates

At the same time, potential buyers are facing headwinds from rising interest rates. Freddie Mac reports that March ended with the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate at 4.67%, the highest in four years.

“Mortgage rates continued moving upward in the face of rapidly rising inflation as well as the prospect of strong demand for goods and ongoing supply disruptions,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Purchase demand has weakened modestly but has continued to outpace expectations. This is largely due to unmet demand from first-time homebuyers as well as a select few who had been waiting for rates to hit a cyclical low.”

Tara and Shannon Gannon of Team Gannon Real Estate, a Long Island, N.Y., firm, are seeing the effects of rising prices and rising interest rates. They tell us it could create a more stable market in the months ahead and reduce the number of bidding wars that have frustrated many would-be buyers.

“Buyers are aware of the rising rates and might not be so inclined to offer tens of thousands of dollars over asking prices,” the team told ConsumerAffairs. “We have also noticed an increase in price reductions.”

Because of these conditions, the Gannon Team predicts a lighter spring real estate market, as some homeowners with low interest rates may be reluctant to sell and purchase another home at a higher rate.

Home constructions pick up speed

The Realtor.com report also found a substantial increase in new home construction, something that could help alleviate an acute housing shortage that has persisted for years.

“Assuming all these factors and new construction hold steady, we could begin to see inventory increases this summer – welcome news for buyers who have endured pandemic home shopping and can continue their journey despite higher buying costs,” Hale said. 

Hale says the current conditions may spark a flurry of buying before rates rise even more. But on the flip side, she says buyers who are able to put off a home purchase for a few months may find more homes to choose from in mid to late summer.

With the oil and gas situation more delicate than it has been in 14 years, President Biden is doubling down on his crusade to move the U.S. toward battery-driven vehicles. On Thursday, he invoked the Defense Production Act to stimulate the nation’s production of minerals that are necessary to make batteries for electric vehicles and long-term energy storage.

Biden’s order could enable companies to receive government funding for viability studies on projects that extract materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel — key minerals used to make the lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.

“It is the policy of my Administration that ensuring a robust, resilient, sustainable, and environmentally responsible domestic industrial base to meet the requirements of the clean energy economy, such as the production of large-capacity batteries, is essential to our national security and the development and preservation of domestic critical infrastructure,” Biden stated.

The Defense Production Act has been an ace that most presidents keep in their pockets for situations just like this. The Act, created in 1950 in response to the Korean War, has allowed presidents to use emergency authority to do a variety of things – from requiring businesses to accept and prioritize contracts for materials deemed necessary for national defense to designating materials to be prohibited from hoarding or price gouging.

Beating others to the punch

From his purview on Capitol Hill, Biden says the U.S.’ dependence on the materials necessary for clean energy is tied to “unreliable foreign sources.” He added that it’s important to get in front of the situation because once every other country does, all bets are off.

Electrifying the transportation sector has been one of Biden’s proactive initiatives since he set foot in the Oval Office. He has done everything from adding tax credits for consumers who buy electric vehicles to earmarking $5 billion to build electric vehicle charging stations nationwide. 

There are several groups in the president’s corner, but none as direct as the Sierra Club, the oldest grassroots environmental organization in the U.S.

“Vladimir Putin’s heinous invasion of Ukraine has laid bare the danger of America’s dependence on foreign countries to power our country,” Sierra Club President Ramón Cruz said in a statement. 

“The current spike in gas prices and supply chain shortages are reminders that the only way to truly achieve energy security is to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels and invest at the size and scale necessary to power the country through clean, renewable energy. As President Biden is taking steps to ease everyday Americans' energy burden in the short term, Congress must move swiftly to meet the moment,” Cruz stated.

Americans continued to endure pain at the gas pump this week, but at least prices didn’t get any higher. Meanwhile, the White House promised action that it said could lower prices.

AAA’s daily fuel price survey shows that the national average price of regular gas is $4.21 a gallon, three cents less than last week. It’s down from its record high of $4.33 a gallon over the last three weeks.

The average price of premium gas $4.88 a gallon, two cents less than last Friday. The average price of diesel fuel is still climbing, with the average price coming in five cents higher than a week ago at $5.11 a gallon.

In a statement Thursday, the White House said President Biden would begin releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help make up the shortfall from the loss of Russian oil. The plan calls for selling 1 million barrels a day for the next six months.

“The scale of this release is unprecedented: the world has never had a release of oil reserves at this 1 million per day rate for this length of time,” the White House said in a statement. “This record release will provide a historic amount of supply to serve as a bridge until the end of the year when domestic production ramps up.” 

Russia produced about 10 million barrels of oil a day last year, most of which was sold in Europe. The war in Ukraine has resulted in disruptions in supply, as well as some reductions caused by sanctions.

Even though U.S. gas prices remain high, some of the volatility subsided this week. However, the statewide average price jumped 11 cents a gallon in Hawaii and rose six cents a gallon in Nevada.

States with the most expensive gas

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

• California ($5.89)   

• Hawaii ($5.19)     

• Nevada ($5.23)   

• Alaska ($4.73)

• Washington ($4.72)

• Oregon ($4.70)   

• Arizona ($4.68)   

• Illinois ($4.46)     

• Idaho ($4.42)   

• New York ($4.33)  

States with the cheapest gas

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

• Missouri ($3.77)

• Kansas ($3.79)

• Arkansas ($3.80)

• Oklahoma ($3.80)

• Maryland ($3.81)     

• Nebraska ($3.86)

• Iowa ($3.89)

• South Carolina ($3.90)

• Minnesota ($3.91)   

• Mississippi ($3.89) 

A new study conducted by researchers from the American Heart Association explored some of the health risks that stroke survivors often face.

According to their findings, experiencing heart-related complications within one month of having a stroke may put patients at a higher risk for future heart attack, another stroke, or death. 

“We know heart disease and stroke share similar risk factors, and there’s a two-way relationship between the risk of stroke and heart disease,” said researcher Benjamin J.R. Buckley, Ph.D. “For example, heart conditions and stroke also increase the risk of heart conditions. We wanted to know how common newly diagnosed heart complications after a stroke and, importantly, whether stroke-heart syndrome is associated with increased risk of long-term major adverse events.” 

Long-term heart health risks

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 365,000 treated for strokes between 2002 and 2021. The team analyzed the long-term heart health outcomes of people who developed stroke-heart syndrome, which is a condition defined by heart-related complications after having a stroke.

The researchers learned that heart complications following a stroke were fairly common among the participants. Over 11% developed acute coronary syndrome, nearly 9% developed atrial fibrillation, and over 6% developed heart failure following a stroke.

Ultimately, these heart troubles were linked with long-term health concerns. Those with atrial fibrillation following a stroke were 10% as likely to have another stroke within five years, while those who developed any kind of cardiovascular issues after a stroke were 50% more likely to have another stroke. 

“I was particularly surprised by how common stroke-heart syndrome was and the high rate of recurrent strokes in all subgroups of adults with stroke-heart syndrome,” Dr. Buckley said. “This means that this is a high-risk population where we should focus more secondary prevention efforts.” 

Higher risk of death

The risk of death among these stroke-heart syndrome patients was also higher. The study showed that developing heart failure post-stroke raised the risk of death within five years by nearly 85%. Similarly, those with acute coronary syndrome were 49% more likely to die within five years, while those with atrial fibrillation were 45% more likely to die within that time frame. 

The researchers hope to do more work to better understand which patients have the highest risk of developing stroke-heart syndrome and what health care professionals can do to best care for them.

“We are working on additional research to determine how stroke-heart syndrome may be better predicted,” Dr. Buckley said. “We also need to develop and implement treatments to improve outcomes for people with stroke-heart syndrome. For example, comprehensive exercise-based rehabilitation may be helpful after a stroke, so for people with stroke and newly developed heart complications, it should also be beneficial, maybe even more so.” 

Boxine US of Palo Alto, Calif., is recalling about 4,200 tonies Blocks.

When two or more high-powered magnets are swallowed, either intentionally by younger children or accidentally by older children, the ingested magnets can attract to each other, or to another metal object, and become lodged in the digestive system.

This can result in perforations, twisting, and/or blockage of the intestines, which could lead to infection, blood poisoning, and death. The firm has received one report of the magnet detaching from the product. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves tonies wooden blocks with magnets inside. Only tonies Blocks Marine Life (UPC 840147407689), tonies Blocks Invention and Innovation (UPC 840147407733), and tonies Blocks Gentle Giant Dinos (UPC 840147407580) are being recalled.

Each block is about 5 cm wide and 1.5 cm thick. They were sold in blue, tan, and green colors with pictures on one side of various marine life, dinosaurs, inventions, and innovations. There is also white text on the other side that describes the picture.

The blocks were sold in sets of four and were packaged in a white and red cardboard box. The UPC is on the back of the box beneath the barcode.

The blocks, manufactured in Germany, were sold online at tonies.com from November 2021, through December 2021, for between $15 and $20.

What to do

Consumers should stop using the recalled blocks with magnets immediately, take them away from children, and contact tonies for instructions on returning the recalled blocks for a full refund.
Consumers may also go to the company's website and choose "Blocks Return" as the reason for return. tonies will then provide the customer with a return label.

After the product has been received, tonies will provide the initial form of payment with a full refund and an additional $14.99 tonies.com coupon code. tonies is contacting all purchasers directly.

The recalled products are being remotely deactivated so that they no longer function.

Consumers may contact tonies toll-free at (877) 397-7898, by email at productsafety.us@tonies.com, or online for more information.