Current Events in June 2022

A new study conducted by the Endocrine Society explored some of the health risks associated with high fructose corn syrup. According to their findings, consuming too much high fructose corn syrup may increase the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). 

“NAFLD is a serious problem and it is increasing in the population,” said researcher Dr. Theodore Friedman. “There is a racial/ethnic difference in the prevalence of NAFLD. People consume high fructose corn syrup in foods, soft drinks, and other beverages. Some studies suggested that consumption of high-fructose corn syrup is related to the development of NAFLD.” 

Long-term health risks

The researchers analyzed data from over 3,200 people enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2017 to 2018. Participants reported on their food and drink consumption in 24-hour windows, and the researchers compared their self-reports with their long-term health outcomes. 

Ultimately, the team found a link between consuming high fructose corn syrup and liver disease. Participants who consumed the most high fructose corn syrup had the highest risk of developing liver disease. 

The researchers also found that there were significant differences in high fructose corn syrup consumption among racial and ethnic groups. Nearly 50% of Mexican Americans consumed the highest levels of high fructose corn syrup, followed by 44% of non-Hispanic Blacks and 33% of non-Hispanic whites. 

A new study conducted by researchers from McMasters University explored the effectiveness of different types of vaccines delivered through the respiratory system. Their findings showed that inhaled vaccines are likely to reach deeper into the respiratory system, which makes them more effective than nasal spray vaccines. 

“Infections in the upper respiratory tract tend to be non-severe,” said researcher Matthew Miller. “In the context of infections caused by viruses like influenza or SARS-CoV-2, it tends to be when the virus gets deep into the lung that it makes you really sick. 

“The immune response you generate when you deliver the vaccine deep into the lung is much stronger than when you only deposit that material in the nose and throat because of the anatomy and nature of the tissue and the immune cells that are available to respond are very different.”  

Better protection from viruses

The researchers put different types of vaccines to the test on animals. They used both an inhaled and nasal spray tuberculosis vaccine and compared the immune responses, general potency of the vaccines, and the distribution of droplets in the animals. 

While both vaccines proved to be effective, the inhaled vaccine provided a much stronger immune response. The researchers explained that the nasal spray vaccine travels to the nose and throat but doesn’t go much further than that in the body. 

The study showed that the inhaled tuberculosis vaccine was more effective because it was able to reach deeper into the respiratory system. With the inhaled vaccine, the immune droplets never settled in the nasal passages. Instead, they traveled farther into the lungs. 

The researchers are currently in the middle of clinical trials that are testing an inhaled COVID-19 vaccine that would work in this way by targeting the respiratory system. 

“This study for the first time provides strong preclinical evidence to support the development of inhaled aerosol delivery over nasal spray for human vaccination against respiratory infections including TB, COVID-19, and influenza,” said researcher Zhou Xing. 

The last hurdle for international travelers entering the United States is on the verge of being removed. CNN reports that the Biden White House is expected to announce sometime Friday that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will lift its mandate that air travelers flying into the U.S. must test negative for COVID-19 before entering the country.

If all goes accordingly, the requirement will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, June 12.

CNN cited an anonymous CDC official who said the agency would continue to evaluate the situation every 90 days. If a new variant emerges and causes concern, the mandate could be reinstated at a later date.

Travel groups celebrate the move

Travel groups have been begging the White House to lift some COVID-19 test requirements for vaccinated passengers since February, and research backs up those pleas. A recent study from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health concluded that being on an airplane is as safe – if not safer – than shopping at a grocery store or going to a restaurant.

Relief won’t just be felt by travelers; the travel industry stated that repealing pre-departure testing requirements could bring an additional 5.4 million visitors to the U.S. and an additional $9 billion in travel spending through the remainder of 2022.

“Today marks another huge step forward for the recovery of inbound air travel and the return of international travel to the United States,” U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow said in a statement sent to ConsumerAffairs. “The Biden administration is to be commended for this action, which will welcome back visitors from around the world and accelerate the recovery of the U.S. travel industry.”

“International inbound travel is vitally important to businesses and workers across the country who have struggled to regain losses from this valuable sector. More than half of international travelers in a recent survey pointed to the pre-departure testing requirement as a major deterrent for inbound travel to the U.S.”​​

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 85,333,275 (85,217,725)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 1,010,808 (1,010,525)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 534,307,874 (533,781,613)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 6,306,792 (6,305,292)‌

With COVID-19 in retreat, other viruses are moving forward

COVID-19 and the restrictions put in place to contain it also had the effect of limiting other diseases.

The 2020 and 2021 U.S. winter flu seasons were some of the mildest on record, both in terms of deaths and hospitalizations. But now flu cases are spreading quickly, something that almost never happens in June.

“COVID has clearly had a very big impact on that,” Dr. Scott Roberts, associate medical director for infection prevention at Yale New Haven Hospital, told CNBC. “Now that people have unmasked, places are opening up, we’re seeing viruses behave in very odd ways that they weren’t before.”

Some summer school students will be masking up again

By the time the school year ended, most school districts had dropped mask mandates for students and staff. But with summer school beginning, some schools in areas where new COVID-19 cases are increasing have returned to masking.

The increase is mostly occurring in the nation’s largest school districts, but some smaller districts, such as Berkley, Calif., have also reinstated their mask mandates.

While the cases of the coronavirus caused by the highly transmissible subvariants are typically less severe, especially among children, some school administrators say they want to protect children who are more vulnerable because of compromised health conditions.

Popular tourist destinations see sharp rise in cases

It should be no surprise that places that attract the most people from other areas should see an outsized spread of COVID-19. Health officials say popular U.S. tourist destinations are proving to be prime examples.

An analysis of cases shows that Miami, Honolulu, and San Juan, Puerto Rico are averaging at least 85 new cases each day per 100,000 population, a positivity rate of over 20%.

That compares with an average of 34 new daily cases per 100,000 population for the nation as a whole -- a positivity rate of 13%.

Around the nation

• Connecticut: The state’s rate of positive COVID-19 test results remains elevated, but it has come down in recent days. Gov. Ned Lamont announced that 3,219 PCR/NAAT tests came back positive out of 36,801 administered over the last seven days. That yields a positivity rate of 8.81%. In another encouraging sign, hospitalizations have declined.

• New Mexico: COVID-19 cases are up across the state, but health officials say this wave appears to be different. Most cases are less severe. “Despite the rise in cases and community transmission levels, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths remain comparatively low,” said Dr. Christine Ross, the state’s epidemiologist. “Clearly, what we’re seeing with this wave is very different than what we’ve seen in the past.”

• Washington: Hospital officials say a rise in the number of COVID-19 patients who require treatment in a hospital is “concerning.” All but five Washington counties are reporting a "high rate" of the virus. The Washington State Hospital Association says COVID-19 hospitalizations rose 10% in one week.

• Florida: Federal agents have arrested a Florida man and charged him with pandemic-related fraud. Thirty-four-year-old Vinicius Santana is accused of submitting four Paycheck Protection Program loan applications for the paint company he owned, requesting $2.5 million.

• Ohio: The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that pandemic-related legislation passed by state lawmakers does not violate the state constitution. The high court dismissed claims by five Ohio residents’ who said a 2011 amendment to the state constitution prohibits legislators from enacting or enforcing any law requiring state residents to participate in a health care system.

Regulators' scrutiny of Tesla has just gotten more intense. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is ramping up its investigation over a four-year history of Tesla’s Autopilot system potentially failing and causing vehicles to crash into emergency vehicles. This kind of incident hasn't happened just once or twice; it's happened 15 times, causing 15 injuries and one fatality.

The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) said it has opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE21-020) to evaluate the performance of Tesla’s Autopilot system. Despite Tesla characterizing the system as a driving automation component that is intended to support and assist a driver, the agency is apprehensive about how drivers engage with the technology.

The agency said the investigation is an “upgrade” to the preliminary investigation it undertook last year. It's framing the current investigation as an “engineering analysis,” which is a step taken before the agency determines if a recall is necessary.

Investigating how drivers use Autopilot

The NHTSA wants to know exactly how drivers are engaging with the Autopilot system and what Tesla is doing to enforce supervision of the system. To get those answers, the agency said it will “assess the technologies and methods used to monitor, assist, and enforce the driver’s engagement with the dynamic driving task during Autopilot operation.”

In the agency’s mind, Autopilot should only be used in a “support role” and not as a way for the driver to let the feature perform the driving and steering function all by itself.

“A driver’s use or misuse of vehicle components, or operation of a vehicle in an unintended manner does not necessarily preclude a system defect,” the agency said. “This is particularly the case if the driver behavior in question is foreseeable in light of the system’s design or operation.”  

An estimated 830,000 Teslas are part of the agency’s investigation. The specific models and model years being investigated include:

• 2018-2021 Tesla Model 3 vehicles

• 2014-2021 Tesla Model S vehicles

• 2015-2021 Tesla Model X vehicles

• 2020-2021 Tesla Model Y vehicles

While recent studies have found how consumers’ food choices can help them live longer, a new study conducted by researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health explored how certain personality traits may affect our lifespans.

According to their findings, women with high levels of optimism may be more likely to live longer – sometimes past 90 years old. 

“Although optimism itself may be affected by social structural factors, such as race and ethnicity, our research suggests that the benefits of optimism may hold across diverse groups,” said researcher Hayami Koga.

“A lot of previous work has focused on deficits or risk factors that increase the risk for disease and premature death. Our findings suggest that there’s value to focusing on positive psychological factors, like optimism, as possible new ways of promoting longevity and healthy aging across diverse groups.” 

Improving lifespan

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 160,000 women who were enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative study. The women were between the ages of 50 and 79 when the study began, and they regularly completed surveys about their life experiences. The researchers followed up with them for nearly three decades. 

There was a clear link between optimism and longevity. The researchers found that participants with the highest levels of optimism were 10% more likely to live beyond 90 years old and increase their lifespan by nearly 5.5%. The team said these findings held up regardless of several important factors like healthy eating and exercise, chronic health conditions, mental health, and demographic factors.

Moving forward, the researchers hope these findings inspire women to think differently about their health and wellness. 

“We tend to focus on the negative risk factors that affect our health,” said Koga. “It is also important to think about the positive resources such as optimism that may be beneficial to our health, especially if we see that these benefits are seen across racial and ethnic groups.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Warwick explored some of the risks related to dementia. Their findings showed that experiencing social isolation may increase consumers’ risk of dementia. 

“There is a difference between social isolation, which is an objective state of low social connections, and loneliness, which is subjectively perceived social isolation,” said researcher Edmund Rolls.

“Both have risks to health, but using the extensive multi-modal dataset from the U.K. Biobank, and working in a multidisciplinary way linking computational sciences and neuroscience, we have been able to show that it is social isolation, rather than the feeling of loneliness, which is an independent risk factor for later dementia.” 

Long-term dementia risks

The researchers analyzed data from over 462,000 participants with an average age of 57 who were enrolled in the U.K. Biobank dataset. The team analyzed the participants’ brain scans and accounted for socioeconomic, demographic, health, and behavioral factors, such as alcohol intake, smoking status, and physical activity. They followed up with the group for more than a decade to understand the link between social isolation and dementia. 

The researchers learned that social isolation played a major role in the participants’ long-term cognitive health. Those who experienced social isolation were 26% more likely to develop dementia. 

The team also looked at what role loneliness played in cognitive health. The findings showed that loneliness did increase the risk of dementia; however, for participants also struggling with depression, the link between social isolation and dementia wasn’t as strong. 

The researchers explained that social isolation affected the participants’ brains. This group had lower levels of gray matter in the frontal and temporal regions of the brain, which can affect memory and overall cognitive health. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected consumers’ social habits and made isolation more common, so the researchers hope more work is done to improve communication and interactions. 

“With the growing prevalence of social isolation and loneliness over the past decades, this has been a serious yet underappreciated public health problem,” said Rolls. “Now, in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are implications for social relationship interventions and care – particularly in the older population.” 

It was another week of escalating fuel prices, as the national average price of regular gas closed in on $5 a gallon.

AAA’s daily fuel price survey shows that the national average price of regular hit $4.99 a gallon on Friday, another 22-cent gain. The average price has gained 61 cents in the last 30 days.

The average price of premium gas is $5.64 a gallon, a 25 cents per gallon increase over the last week. The price of diesel fuel is $5.75 a gallon, 18 cents higher than a week ago.

“Spot gasoline markets pushing higher again, up 8-12c/gal while diesel spots up 13c/gal,” GasBuddy’s Patrick DeHaan tweeted on Thursday. “We hit $5/gal and (it) won't stop there.”

Still-rising oil prices are partly to blame, but gasoline demand is also higher and drawing down stockpiles. Refiners, meanwhile, are performing a balancing act by diverting more oil to produce enough diesel fuel to keep transportation costs from spiraling out of control.

A number of states saw huge one-week increases in prices at the pump. The price of regular rose 34 cents a gallon in Kansas this week, 33 cents in Arizona, 32 cents in Virginia, 30 cents in Michigan, Illinois, and Oklahoma, 29 cents in South Carolina, and 28 cents a gallon in Tennessee.

States with the most expensive gas

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

• California ($6.42)    

• Nevada ($5.60)    

• Illinois ($5.57)  

• Washington ($5.52)      

• Oregon ($5.52)     

• Alaska ($5.52)     

• Hawaii ($5.51)

• Arizona ($5.28)   

• Indiana ($5.25)   

• Michigan ($5.23)  

States with the cheapest gas

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

• Georgia ($4.42)

• Mississippi ($4.51)

• Arkansas ($4.51)    

• Louisiana ($4.52)     

• Oklahoma ($4.57)   

• Missouri ($4.57)    

• South Carolina ($4.60)    

• Kansas ($4.61)   

• Alabama ($4.62)      

• Tennessee ($4.64)     

Taharka Brothers Ice Cream, of Baltimore, Md., has recalled Peanut Butter Cup ice cream products distributed between 03/01/2022 and 05/28/2022 because they may be contaminated with salmonella. 

The products contain Jif peanut butter, which was recalled back in May due to possible salmonella contamination. The ice cream products were distributed in the Maryland and DC area through grocery stores, scoop shops, restaurants, and via direct-to-consumer delivery. No illnesses or health-related complaints have been reported thus far. 

The products are packaged in16-oz. paper pint containers and 2.5-gallon containers. The 16-oz. container has a barcode on the side that reads 38455-78827. 

What to do

Wholesale customers are advised to remove affected products from circulation, photograph them, and dispose of them. These customers can email duane@taharkabrothers.com with their business name and address with proof of disposal in the form of a photograph to receive a credit to their account. 

Individual consumers are encouraged not to consume any potentially contaminated ice cream and to visit a Taharka Brothers store location for an exchange and refund. Those who are unable to visit a physical location can email taharkacs@gmail.com for further instructions. 

All customers can contact the company by phone at 410-698-2738 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST) for more information.

Prairie City Bakery of Vernon Hills, Ill., has issued a voluntary recall for 50,220 Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ooey Gooey Butter Cake products. 

The recalled products contain Jif peanut butter produced by the J.M. Smucker company, which was subject to an earlier recall that was initiated on May 20, 2022, due to potential salmonella contamination. 

The recalled cakes were sold in individual 2-oz. packages and in ten packs of 2-oz. packages at gas stations and convenience stores nationwide. Affected lot codes include 1357-1 (Best by 6/23/2023) and 2085-1 (Best by 9/25/2023). The ten-pack UPC is 7-97884-36719-9 and the individual unit UPC is 7-97884-36718-2.

What to do

Consumers who have purchased the recalled product are advised not to consume it or open it. It should be disposed of or returned to the place of purchase. 

Customers can contact Prairie City Bakery by phone at (800) 338-5122 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (CT) for more information and to supply package code information to receive a refund.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 5,247 vehicles because their Safety Certification Labels are missing the tire size, rim type, and tire pressure values for both the front and rear axles. This violates the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 110 and 120.

This missing information could lead to an incorrect tire or rim being installed, or incorrect tire pressure being set, on the vehicle. All of these factors increase the risk of a crash. 

The following vehicles and model years are affected by this recall:

• 2022 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, and F600 vehicles
• 2023 E-Series vehicles
• 2016 E-Series vehicles
• 2017 F-450 vehicles
• 2019 F-450 vehicles
• 2021 F-350 vehicles
• 2021 Transit vehicles

What to do

Dealers are being advised to replace the Safety Certification Labels on affected vehicles for free. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on June 27, 2022.

Consumers can contact Ford's customer service by phone at 1-866-436-7332 for more information. Ford's number for this recall is 22C09.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 85,217,725 (85,011,505)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 1,010,525 (1,009,339)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 533,781,613 (533,153,104)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 6,305,292 (6,302,589)‌

White House announces plan to vaccinate infants and toddlers

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee meets next week to consider whether to approve COVID-19 vaccinations for children between the ages of six months and five years old. However, the White House says it anticipates a green light and has revealed a plan to quickly ramp up the vaccination process.

The Biden administration said it "has made 10 million vaccine doses available for states, tribes, territories, community health centers, federal pharmacy partners, and others to pre-order," according to a White House fact sheet.

Officials say the first vaccinations could start "as early as the week of June 20th —with the program ramping up over time as more doses are delivered and more appointments become available." 

Pandemic set kids back academically, study shows

A new government report reveals how the pandemic slowed academic progress for American school children over the last two years. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) interviewed K-12 teachers nationwide.

Compared to a typical school year, teachers reported that more of their students started the 2020-2021 school year behind and made less academic progress. Teachers also reported that many students ended the year behind grade level expectations. Educators and parents also shared their insights and experiences about student struggles and learning loss during the year.

The study found that 52% of teachers had more of their students start the 2020-2021 school year behind when compared to a typical school year. The researchers say this affected younger students more than older students. About 64% of teachers had more students make less academic progress than in a typical school year. 

What doctors want people to know about at-home testing

Over-the-counter COVID-19 tests that can be self-administered at home have become the new norm as the pandemic continues. In the American Medical Association (AMA) series “What Doctors Wish Patients Knew,”  Dr. Emily Volk says patients need to understand the importance of administering these tests correctly.

“The fact that you can actually test yourself and get a reasonably accurate result within about 20 minutes can be very, very powerful,” said Volk, who is the president of the College of American Pathologists. “It’s very important, though, if you use those tests at home, that you treat them with the respect that they deserve.”

Volk says that means following the directions very carefully. Consumers should read the instructions, pay full attention, and avoid distractions.

Around the nation

• Texas: COVID-19 is still affecting sports teams. The Texas Rangers placed relief pitcher Brett Martin on the COVID-19 list this week before the first game of a doubleheader against the Guardians. The team also placed bench coach Donnie Ecker in health and safety protocols.

• California: State and local officials continue to walk a fine line when it comes to COVID-19 mitigation measures as cases rise around the state. Sacramento County health officials said they “strongly urge” citizens to mask up in public. However, they aren't requiring it as of yet.

• Nevada: Clark County, home to Las Vegas, is seeing a sharp rise in new coronavirus cases. County health officials also report that local hospitalizations are beginning to rise among mostly older seniors. Nevada’s latest health figures show a 14-day rolling average of 315 patients per day, 276 of which are in Clark County.

• Maryland: Democrats and Republicans in the state are sharply divided over whether to require COVID-19 vaccinations for school children. A poll that was conducted for Baltimore Sun Media and the University of Baltimore shows that three-quarters of Maryland Democrats support a vaccination mandate while half of Republicans in the poll oppose it.

• Wisconsin: Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) are wrapping up their tour of the state by thanking residents for their COVID-19 response. “Our state’s public health workers have endured so much these past years, helping folks through some of the most challenging of circumstances, and it is no small part due to their selfless efforts that our state is in the positive position we are today," Evers said.

Abbott Laboratories has restarted its Sturgis, Mich., infant formula plant, but it could be another few weeks before production gets back to normal levels. In the meantime, the infant formula shortage continues.

In an exclusive report, the Wall Street Journal claims that Abbott Laboratories was told about problems at the plant – the largest in the U.S. – a year before it was ordered to close in February by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Journal said it based its report on company documents and an interview with a “person familiar with the matter.”

When the plant closed in February, supplies of Similac and other brands of infant formula quickly dried up. Making matters worse, the company recalled products already on store shelves. Soon, anxious parents were driving store to store in search of food for their infants.

Whistleblower report

According to the Journal report, a former Abbott employee filed a complaint under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) whistleblower program in February 2021. The former employee reportedly told OSHA that there were many problems at the plant.

The source said some equipment failed and was not repaired. Some product was allegedly released without adequate testing to ensure it was safe for consumption.

Abbott Laboratories told the Journal that company officials investigated the OSHA complaint at the time but were not able to confirm the claims. A spokesperson for the FDA said the agency is aware of questions about the timeline leading up to the recall.

Additional deaths?

According to Food Safety News, nine infant deaths have now been linked to formula from the plant. Originally, two deaths were among the four confirmed outbreak cases of Cronobacter sakazakii identified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The additional deaths were included in a list of 128 consumer complaints supplied to eFoodAlert by the FDA in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. 

Both Abbott and the FDA are coming under government scrutiny for their handling of the plant shutdown and subsequent recall. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General (IG) has launched an investigation into how both entities handled the plant shutdown.

Several consumer groups, including the national advocacy group ParentsTogether, pushed for an investigation. 

"Thousands of parents expressed outrage, confusion, and sadness that the most vulnerable members of our society had reportedly been at risk for months, between when the first concerns about formula contamination were raised and when a recall was initiated," the group said in a recent statement to ConsumerAffairs.

The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it is renewing its pledge to build out a nationwide network of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers.

But increasing the number of charging stations isn't the only goal. The administration is now bringing in the Department of Energy and Department of Transportation to make charging electric vehicles convenient, reliable, affordable, and adaptable for everyone. 

“The new standards will ensure everyone can use the network – no matter what car you drive or which state you charge in,” White House officials said in a statement. “The proposed standards, along with new coordinated federal actions on EVs, support President Biden’s priorities to lower costs for families, create good-paying jobs, and combat climate change.”

Promoting the pluses

Biden’s goal of having EVs account for half of new vehicles sold by 2030 is rather ambitious, but he feels that tax credits could help make that happen. He said he is pushing Congress to provide tax credit incentives that should make EVs more affordable, not to mention a respite from unstable gas prices.

Another benefit that Biden is pitching is that building out a national charging system will require steelworkers, electrical workers, and laborers to build, install, and maintain the network. He said he’s lined up investment commitments of over $100 billion from private companies to make more EVs and their parts in the U.S. and to cover the cost of hiring workers.

The president feels that making chargers and EVs more attainable for the public will also help address high emissions and lead to cleaner air.

“Everyone deserves a chance to benefit from EVs,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said during a call with the media. “We’re paying attention not only to the quantity of EV chargers but also their quality. Everyone should be able to find a working charging station when and where they need it.”

Consumers still need convincing

Even though America’s EV market experienced a major breakthrough in 2021 – selling close to 607,000 vehicles – and the minimum annual average fuel cost of all-electric light-duty vehicles is about $550 cheaper than gasoline vehicles, EV automakers have their work cut out for them. 

Statista’s analysis of a recent EV study found that the savings simply weren't impressive enough to move the needle on sales.

“Around 13 out of 20 consumers perceive the overall cost of electric vehicles to be worse than the cost of gas-powered vehicles, along with reliability and driving experience," the researchers said. "Younger generations—Millennials and Generation Z—were reported most likely to buy an electric vehicle compared to Generation X and Baby Boomers; however, a large amount of U.S. car owners were between 50 and 74 years old, well outside the main demographic interested in EVs.

“Better consumer education could offer a means of overcoming this hurdle: Over half of survey respondents with good previous knowledge of electric vehicles reported being very or somewhat likely to purchase a car from this segment.”

Zillow, an online real estate marketplace, has surveyed housing economists and concluded that the current frothy housing market is not in a bubble.

The latest Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey polled more than 100 experts from academia, government, and the private sector to seek a consensus opinion on the state of housing and the outlook during this uncertain economic time. Of those surveyed, 60% said they do not believe the U.S. housing market is currently in a bubble, compared to 32% who think we are in a bubble and 8% who are not sure. 

A bubble exists in an environment where home prices have exceeded fundamental values and consumers’ ability to continue purchases. Buyers suddenly disappear from the scene and values come back to earth.

Still plenty of qualified buyers

Even though the Mortgage Bankers Association reports that mortgage applications plunged 6.5% last week, real estate sales veteran Josh Altman, co-founder & advisor at BidMyListing.com, says rapidly rising home prices aren’t keeping buyers out of the market.

“June and July are some of the most popular months to purchase a home,” Altman told ConsumerAffairs. “The summer season is one where there is a competitive inventory; houses do not stay on the market long. The average number of days a house was listed on the market was only 31 days in the month of May.”

While the lack of housing inventory is contributing to higher prices and is making homes less affordable, Altman says the competition for available homes will keep prices on the higher side, at least for now. That may put pressure on first-time buyers, who tend to be young, but Altman says there are plenty of buyers who can afford the limited number of homes that are on the market. 

“One of the primary reasons people want to buy a house is appreciation and ownership,” Altman said. “As a result, home prices will continue to increase until there is a significant change in interest rates and inventory along with other factors like supply chain limitations and the low market inventory.”

Last housing bubble

The last time there was a housing bubble was the early 2000s, when lax underwriting standards and cheap money led to a boom in homebuilding with ever-increasing prices. It all came crashing down in a wave of foreclosures in 2009.

"Although a recession is looking more and more likely, the housing market today is a far different beast than what we saw in the mid-2000s," said Zillow economist Nicole Bachaud. "Unlike in 2006, this market is underpinned by strong fundamentals and has been built on mortgages with sound credit, factors that won't change in the near term."  

Altman advises would-be buyers to research the location where they want to buy a home. A comparison of the local real estate market to the national market can show if the local market is in line with the national real estate trends. A disconnect could offer negotiation opportunities, he says.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Birmingham explored one of the potential predictive factors for Parkinson’s disease. Their findings showed that older adults who have nightmares may be showing some of the earliest signs of the condition. 

“Although it can be really beneficial to diagnose Parkinson’s disease early, there are very few risk indicators and many of these require expensive hospital tests or are very common and non-specific, such as diabetes,” said researcher Dr. Abidemi Otaiku. 

“While we need to carry out further research in this area, identifying the significance of bad dreams and nightmares could indicate that individuals who experience changes to their dreams in older age – without any obvious trigger – should seek medical advice.” 

Identifying potential risk factors

The researchers analyzed data from nearly 4,000 men over the age of 67 who lived by themselves and were enrolled in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study. The men answered questions about their lives over the course of 12 years. Many of the surveys asked them questions about their sleep habits and how often they experienced nightmares. 

The study identified a link between participants who regularly experienced nightmares and a higher risk of Parkinson’s. Those who had recurring bad dreams were twice as likely to develop the disease, and those who had recurring nightmares within the first five years of the study were three times as likely to develop the disease. 

The researchers explained that many of the participants exhibited no other symptoms related to Parkinson's at the time they were experiencing the nightmares. However, they ultimately were diagnosed with the condition within a few years. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Ottawa explored how the COVID-19 vaccine may help pregnant women and their babies. According to their findings, infants are likely to have a lower risk of contracting the virus when their mothers are vaccinated during pregnancy.

“Young infants are at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 compared with older children, and there is no approved COVID-19 vaccine for this age group,” said researcher Dr. Deshayne Fell. “Getting fully vaccinated against COVID-19 during pregnancy helps protect young infants from potential SARS-CoV-2 infection when they are born.” 

Protecting infants’ health

The researchers analyzed data from over 21,600 infants born in Norway between September 2021, and February 2022. They compared data on infants whose mothers had received the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant to infants of women who didn’t get the vaccine. 

The findings showed that when women received the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy, it benefited their infants’ health. Nearly half of the women involved in the study received either a second or third dose of the vaccine during their last two trimesters, and their infants were less likely to contract the virus. 

During the surge of the Delta variant (which occurred before January 2022), the incidence rate for infants testing positive was 3.0 per 10,000 days for infants born to unvaccinated mothers and 1.2 per 10,000 for infants born to vaccinated mothers. The researchers also found that protection against the virus was strongest during this time as opposed to during the surge of the Omicron variant. 

The team hopes these findings highlight the protective health benefits for infants when women receive the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy. 

“It is not unexpected that maternal COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy could reduce infant infection, as similar protective benefits against infant infection have been observed for pertussis and influenza vaccination during pregnancy in randomized clinical trials and observational studies,” Dr. Fell said.