Current Events in July 2022

Browse Current Events by year

2022

Browse Current Events by month

Get trending consumer news and recalls

    By entering your email, you agree to sign up for consumer news, tips and giveaways from ConsumerAffairs. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Thanks for subscribing.

    You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter! Enjoy reading our tips and recommendations.

    Beware of gas card scams circulating on social media

    Scammers are trying to take advantage of high gas prices to snare victims

    Scammers are great at finding someone’s pressure point and promising to relieve it. And if there's one pain point that many consumers are feeling right now, it's the rising prices at the gas pump that have blown up millions of household budgets. 

    As we previously reported, fraudsters have posed as government officials and offered help from a bogus “Fuel Relief Program.” Other scammers are now running ads on social media that offer consumers a chance to win a $500 gas card if they take a survey.

    Of course, everyone who takes the survey “wins.” All they have to do is provide some personal information and a credit or debit card number to cover a small fee for mailing the gas card.

    There is no free gas card, but victims who fill out the survey information wind up seeing unauthorized charges popping up on their credit card or bank account. One consumer told the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that they were informed about a Shell gas card they won. However, they had to pay $1.95 for shipping.

    The next day, the consumer reported an unauthorized charge of $89.95. The charge was removed after being disputed, but the consumer said an identical unauthorized charge appeared the very next day.

    The BBB says the scam operator may also request other personal details from the victim. Some consumers say they were asked to fill out a form and provide their name, phone number, physical address, credit card information, and other details. Sharing these details with scammers can open you up to identity theft.

    Similar to the sweepstakes scam

    The gas card scam is similar to the sweepstakes scam, which has been around for decades and still finds victims. Operators tell the victim they have won thousands of dollars but must pay “taxes” or a “handling fee” to receive the cash.

    That is a clear sign of a scam since federal law states that you cannot be required to pay to receive something you have won. Another big red flag is that many consumers allegedly win these contests without even entering.

    The current gas card scam qualifies as an “imposter scam” because the giveaway purports to be from Shell, which the ad says is trying to help consumers cope with the high cost of fuel.

    "We can confirm these ads are falsely purporting to be Shell by imitating the brand," Natalie Gunnell, a spokeswoman for Shell, told AFP. "We are not providing those services claimed in these Facebook ads. Patrons can save at the pump via our Fuel Rewards program."

    The bogus ads appear mostly on Facebook. Gunnell said Shell has informed the social media giant and is asking it to take action.

    Scammers are great at finding someone’s pressure point and promising to relieve it. And if there's one pain point that many consumers are feeling right now...

    Weber settles with FTC in latest right to repair lawsuit

    The company has agreed to remove disputed language from its warranty

    The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which has become more active in recent months when it comes to cracking down on companies that deny consumers’ right to repair their products, has reached a settlement with Weber-Stephen Products, the maker of popular Weber barbecue grills.

    The settlement was reached in near-record time. The agency filed its lawsuit on Wednesday, and the settlement was reached hours later.

    In its suit, the FTC charged that Weber’s limited warranty illegally restricted customers’ right to repair their purchased products by including terms that voided the warranty if customers used or installed third-party parts on their grill products. 

    In settling the case, Weber said it would remove those disputed terms, recognize the right to repair, and inform customers about their ability to use third-party parts.

    “This is the FTC’s third right-to-repair lawsuit in as many weeks,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Companies that use their warranties to illegally restrict consumers’ right to repair should fix them now.”

    Last month the FTC sued Harley-Davidson and Westinghouse over the same issue. The FTC’s complaints charged that the companies’ warranties included terms that voided the agreements if customers used independent dealers for parts or repairs. 

    The FTC ordered Harley-Davidson and Westinghouse to revise their warranties by removing illegal terms and ensuring that dealers compete fairly with independent third parties.

    FTC takes cue from White House

    The White House directed the FTC to strictly enforce right to repair rules last year. Officials said consumers who have purchased a product have the right to repair it themselves or use a third-party vendor if they choose to.

    “It’s great news for everyone concerned with repair monopolies,” U.S. PIRG Right to Repair Senior Campaign Director Nathan Proctor told ConsumerAffairs at the time. 

    In its latest action, the FTC stressed that product warranties should be designed to protect consumers, not the manufacturer. It faulted Weber’s warranty by saying it “improperly implied that as a condition of maintaining warranty coverage, consumers had to use the company’s parts.”

    The FTC said that policy increases consumer costs by forcing them to use more expensive repair services. The agency said it also puts independent repair firms at a competitive disadvantage.

    The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which has become more active in recent months when it comes to cracking down on companies that deny consumers’ right to...

    Spirit Airlines pauses Frontier merger deal to rethink JetBlue proposal

    Frontier says a deal with JetBlue would pull flights out of certain markets and raise fares

    JetBlue’s countless proposals to bring Spirit Airlines into its fold appear to have finally sunk in. Spirit’s board of directors announced that it intends to reopen and immediately adjourn a Special Meeting of Stockholders relating to the proposed merger agreement with Frontier so that it can continue discussions with both Frontier and JetBlue. 

    Spirit seems serious enough about its decision that it’s filed a solicitation/recommendation statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Spirit’s board intends to hold the Special Meeting on July 15. Needless to say, JetBlue felt encouraged by what Spirit had to say.

    “[We] are hopeful they now recognize that Spirit shareholders have indicated their clear, overwhelming preference for an agreement with JetBlue,” the airline said in a statement. “We strongly recommend that Spirit shareholders continue to let the Spirit Board know they want to receive the superior value JetBlue has proposed, by voting AGAINST the Frontier transaction.”

    Frontier takes its gloves off

    Frontier has laid low while JetBlue sought to entice Spirit into merging with it instead, but the company recently denounced JetBlue for coloring the scenario in its favor.

    “Over the last few weeks, JetBlue has proclaimed that Spirit management is hiding behind ‘false’ and ‘misleading’ antitrust concerns so as to deny JetBlue the right to take over—and erase from existence—the nation’s largest ultra-low cost carrier,” Frontier said in a press release.

    “JetBlue is not telling you the truth. A Spirit acquisition by JetBlue would lead to a dead end—a fact that no amount of money, bluster, or misdirection will change. And the only value Spirit stockholders would be likely to receive from JetBlue’s proposal is the reverse termination fee, because JetBlue’s proposal lacks any realistic likelihood of obtaining regulatory approval.”

    If Frontier’s perspective is true, travelers might not like what may come out of a JetBlue-Spirit merger.

    “JetBlue admitted that it will permanently remove capacity from the market by retrofitting Spirit’s fleet to remove seats. Antitrust lawyers call that an ‘output restriction,’ and it is fatal to JetBlue’s bid. So are JetBlue’s admitted price increases. Less airline capacity means higher fares,” Frontier said. 

    “JetBlue’s CEO, Robin Hayes, certainly knows that. He observed just a few days ago, ‘The average price of air fares will go up because there is [sic] less seats.’ That is exactly what JetBlue would do with Spirit’s fleet.”

    JetBlue’s countless proposals to bring Spirit Airlines into its fold appear to have finally sunk in. Spirit’s board of directors announced that it intends...

    Get trending consumer news and recalls

      By entering your email, you agree to sign up for consumer news, tips and giveaways from ConsumerAffairs. Unsubscribe at any time.

      Thanks for subscribing.

      You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter! Enjoy reading our tips and recommendations.

      FHA expands mortgage eligibility for borrowers affected by COVID-19

      To prove viability, documentation will be required for some parts of the process

      The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is adding new flexibility that mortgage lenders can pass along to qualifying borrowers who experienced a gap in employment or loss of income because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

      In the agency’s just-released Mortgagee Letter 2022-09, it stated that salaried, self-employed, and hourly wage-earners who were affected by COVID-19 but now have steady income will now have a much better chance at buying a home through affordable FHA-insured mortgage financing.

      “The changes we are announcing today further our efforts to facilitate recovery from COVID-19 and support access to homeownership, particularly for populations most deeply impacted by the pandemic,” said FHA Commissioner Julia Gordon. 

      “The pandemic affected the livelihoods of tens of millions of workers in this country, particularly workers of color and those at the lower end of the wage scale. Limiting these families’ homeownership opportunities because of the unavoidable impacts of an unprecedented global health crisis, when they are otherwise well-qualified for a mortgage, is unnecessary and contrary to this Administration’s goals and FHA’s mission.”

      Applicants need to provide documentation

      Mind you, this is not an all-inclusive, no-questions-asked change. There are more than 20 pages of the different categories, documentation, and calculations that the FHA will require from a borrower.

      Fortunately, the agency has compiled all the program’s caveats so that applicants can quickly find the things they need -- like profit and loss statements, balance sheets, business and credit reports, and tax returns. The biggest hurdles that ConsumerAffairs identified will affect people who frequently changed jobs and employees who are on temporary leave.

      Among other things, those who frequently changed jobs will need to verify and document their income to show that they are in a stable financial condition. They'll also need to either obtain transcripts of training and education demonstrating qualification for a new position or employment documentation evidencing continual increases in income and/or benefits. 

      Those on temporary leave will be required to provide a written statement confirming their intent to return to work, their intended date of return to work, documentation from their current employer confirming their eligibility to return to work after temporary leave, and documentation of sufficient liquid assets.

      Doing your FHA homework

      Anyone who wants to take out an FHA-backed mortgage would be wise to do a little homework. ConsumerAffairs has a package of guides and FAQs that should help anyone no matter what FHA question they have. They include:

      The FHA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) also provide informational material that can help with questions or concerns about applying for pandemic-related mortgage applications. Those resources include:

      The HUD frequently updates changes and answers questions via social media as well. Here’s a list of all the agency’s social media sites.

      The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is adding new flexibility that mortgage lenders can pass along to qualifying borrowers who experienced a gap in em...

      Gardening can help improve consumers' mental health, study finds

      Experts say even novice gardeners can reap wellness benefits

      Recent studies have highlighted the ways that activities like traveling and cooking can benefit consumers’ mental health. Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Florida may have consumers adding gardening to that list. 

      According to the findings, working with plants can help improve overall mental health and wellness – even for beginner gardeners. 

      “Past studies have shown that gardening can help improve the mental health of people who have existing medical conditions or challenges,” said researcher Charles Guy. “Our study shows that healthy people can also experience a boost in mental well-being through gardening.” 

      Benefits of gardening

      For the study, the researchers had 32 women between the ages of 26 and 49 complete different activities for two months. Half of the women went to gardening classes and the other half went to art classes two times per week. When the study began, none of the women were using tobacco or drugs, had chronic health conditions, or were taking medication for anxiety or depression. At the end of the study, the women completed tests that assessed their mental health. 

      Ultimately, the women who were gardening throughout the study showed fewer anxiety-related symptoms than the women who took the art classes. While both groups showed similar mental health progress, the team noted that gardeners were less likely to report feeling anxious than those in the art class. All of the study participants reported fewer depression symptoms, lower stress levels, and better overall moods. 

      “At the end of the experiment, many of the participants were saying not just how much they enjoyed the sessions, but also how they planned to keep gardening,” said Guy. 

      The researchers speculate that there’s a link between humans and plants that may be the cause of this mental health boost. Plants serve as a connection to food and survival. Although this attachment may exist subconsciously in our minds, the team says it can still positively contribute to our mental health.

      “Larger-scale studies may reveal more about how gardening is correlated with changes in mental health,” Guy said. “We believe this research shows promise for mental well-being, plants in health care, and in public health. It would be great to see other researchers use our work as a basis for those kinds of studies.” 

      Recent studies have highlighted the ways that activities like traveling and cooking can benefit consumers’ mental health. Now, a new study conducted by res...

      Gas prices dropped sharply just about everywhere this week

      Hundreds of stations are now selling regular fuel for below $4 a gallon

      The price of gasoline continues to come down, just not as quickly as it went up. A decrease in demand has increased supplies and removed some of the upward pressure on prices, at least in the short run.

      AAA’s daily fuel price survey shows that the national average price of regular gas is $4.72 a gallon, a decline of 12 cents a gallon in the last seven days. But it’s still $1.58 a gallon more than a year ago.

      The average price of premium gas is $5.55 a gallon, 10 cents less than a week ago. The average price of diesel fuel is $5.67 a gallon, nine cents a gallon less than last week.

      “Domestic gasoline demand dipped recently, which took some of the pressure off of pump prices,” said Andrew Gross, AAA’s spokesperson. “About 80% of stations are now selling regular for under $5 a gallon,”  “But July is typically the heaviest month for demand as more Americans hit the road, so this trend of easing prices could be short-lived.” 

      But Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, believes prices have more room to fall. On Twitter, he reports that 15 states now have at least one gas station selling regular fuel for below $4 a gallon. Nationwide, he says the average gas price could fall another 20 to 35 cents a gallon.

      Illinois saw one of the biggest price drops this week, with the statewide average declining 14 cents a gallon. The statewide average fell 13 cents in Texas; 12 cents in Alabama; 11 cents in Tennessee and Kentucky; and 10 cents a gallon in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Mississippi.

      States with the most expensive gas

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

      • California ($6.18) 

      • Hawaii ($5.61)    

      • Alaska ($5.54)  

      • Nevada ($5.47)     

      • Oregon ($5.44)   

      • Washington ($5.42) 

      • Idaho ($5.24)     

      • Illinois ($5.23)     

      • Utah ($5.23)   

      • Arizona ($5.10)   

      States with the cheapest gas

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

      • Georgia ($4.26)  

      • South Carolina ($4.25)   

      • Mississippi ($4.27)  

      • Arkansas ($4.33)    

      • Louisiana ($4.31)    

      • Alabama ($4.34)   

      • Tennessee ($4.37)  

      • Texas ($4.33)    

      • North Carolina ($4.39)   

      • Kentucky ($4.46)   

      The price of gasoline continues to come down, just not as quickly as it went up. A decrease in demand has increased supplies and removed some of the upward...

      Hyundai recalls model year 2022 Palisades

      The instrument cluster display screen may be disabled

      Hyundai Motor America is recalling 158 model year 2022 Palisades.

      The instrument cluster assembly may have been manufactured with excessive adhesive, which can disable the instrument cluster display screen.

      A disabled display screen will not show critical information, such as the meters, gauges, and warning lights. This lack of information can increase the risk of a crash.

      What to do

      Dealers will replace the instrument cluster assembly free of charge.

      Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on July 15, 2022.

      Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at (855) 371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 230.

      Hyundai Motor America is recalling 158 model year 2022 Palisades.The instrument cluster assembly may have been manufactured with excessive adhesive, wh...

      Goodyear recalls Kelly Armorsteel KDM I tires

      The tire date code may be illegible

      Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is recalling 76 Kelly Armorsteel KDM I tires, size 11R22.5 with DOT date code 3419.

      The date code in the tire identification number (TIN) was incorrectly embossed on the tire, which may make it illegible.

      An illegible date code on the tire may prevent drivers from determining the age of the tire. This could potentially result in prolonged usage, increasing the risk of a crash.

      What to do

      Dealers will replace the tires free of charge.

      Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on July 15, 2022.

      Owners may contact Goodyear's customer service at (800) 592-3267.

      Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is recalling 76 Kelly Armorsteel KDM I tires, size 11R22.5 with DOT date code 3419.The date code in the tire identificat...

      Ford recalls model year 2022 Broncos and Rangers

      The windshield may not be properly bonded to the vehicle

      Ford Motor Company is recalling 63,294 model year 2022 Broncos and Rangers.

      The windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, which could allow it to detach.

      A windshield that separates from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

      What to do

      Dealers will remove and reinstall the windshield free of charge.

      Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on July 11, 2022.

      Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22C12.

      Ford Motor Company is recalling 63,294 model year 2022 Broncos and Rangers.The windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, which could...

      Amazon reveals what shoppers can expect on Prime Day

      One expert offers tips for parents who will be shopping during the annual event

      The countdown is officially on for Amazon Prime Day 2022. When it launches this coming Tuesday, July 12, the online retail giant says Prime members will be able to take advantage of exclusive offers on a wide range of products from larger brands and small businesses alike.

      Some of the bigger deals start at home with Amazon’s own products, particularly its Fire-branded products. The company told ConsumerAffairs that it will be offering the lowest price ever for Fire TV smart TVs, including lightning deals for a $49.99 Insignia 32-inch Smart HD Fire TV (72% off), and a $99.99 Amazon Fire TV 50-inch 4K UHD Smart TV (79% off). 

      Drilling down to specific categories, here are some other deals Prime shoppers will find:

      Beauty and Wellness: Save up to 50% on select products from Oribe and Sunday Riley; 30% on Drybar and KORA Organics by Miranda Kerr; up to 20% on Goop, and PATTERN Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross. For those who’d like to flesh out their family tree a bit, 23andMe Health + Ancestry Personal Genetic Service Kits will be available at half off. 

      Electronics: Save up to 50% on select headphones from Beats, Sony, and JBL. Consumers can also save 30% on e-bikes, Segways, and scooters.

      Fashion: Save up to 40% on select styles from Levi’s and baby apparel from Burt’s Bees and HonestBaby. Shoppers can also get up to 30% off on styles from Amazon Essentials, Champion, Ray-Ban, and Oakley.

      Home & Kitchen: Consumers can save up to 50% on select products from Keurig, up to 45% on SharkNinja and Casper, up to 40% on the iRobot Roomba and products from SodaStream; and as much as 30% on Vitamix blenders.

      Pets: Pet owners can get up to 30% off the price of pet essentials from Amazon brands, including Amazon Basics, Kitzy, Wag, and Wonder Bound.

      Spotlight on parents

      Trying to second-guess what a child wants for a Christmas present is far from easy, but Prime members who have a good idea can get ahead of the holiday shopping season and save some considerable hay on toys. Here's a sample:

      • Forty percent off select American Girl dolls
      • Up to 30% off on select toys from Fisher-Price and Mattel, including Barbie and Hot Wheels.
      • Up to 30% off on select LEGO sets.

      Parents with school-aged children will be able to take advantage of Prime Day deals too. For college students, savings of up to 45% are available on dorm room essentials. For elementary students and high schoolers, deals include 30% off select backpacks, 30% off school supplies from Elmer’s, Sharpie, and Pilot, and 25% off select laptops, monitors, and desktops from HP, Dell, and Microsoft. 

      How to save more

      While Amazon doesn’t give its secrets away, Haley Jena at What To Expect told ConsumerAffairs that there are some tips and tricks that soon-to-be parents can employ to get even better deals. Here are her suggestions:

      Create a registry on Amazon with your Prime Account to score a completion discount and compare. Users who sign up for baby registries can get a 15% discount on gear they need around the time of their baby’s due date. The registry needs to be active for two weeks, but you can compare the discounts you see on Prime Day to the completion discount to see whether it’s worth buying items on Prime Day or waiting for your completion discount.

      Watch out for fake reviews. How does someone separate the real comments from the fake ones? Jena said reviews with images are more reliable and that consumers should look for the “Verified Purchase” stamp on the review.

      Add products to your cart or wishlist to snag items fast and get deal notifications before Prime Day. Jena said consumers can avoid possible inventory shortages by turning on notifications for when items on someone’s wish list go on sale.

      Check out Amazon Warehouse for deeply discounted products that have been returned or refurbished. When someone returns an item to Amazon, it doesn’t always mean that the product is broken – oftentimes, it’s just something that didn’t fit or the buyer decided they didn’t need it. The upside of that for consumers is that the retailer can’t really sell it as “new,” so the company will likely repackage it and sell it at a discounted price.

      “Each product is thoroughly tested by Amazon return specialists to make sure it’s working properly during a 20-point inspection,” Jena said. “Just remember that some items, like car seats, breast pumps and cribs shouldn’t be bought secondhand for safety reasons.”

      Look for CPSC approval when it’s relevant. Parents who are looking to buy something for a baby or toddler would be wise to check if a product has been recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to make sure it's safe. You can also find more information about recalls, including certain items for infants and babies, on ConsumerAffairs.

      The countdown is officially on for Amazon Prime Day 2022. When it launches this coming Tuesday, July 12, the online retail giant says Prime members will be...

      Apple goes all in on privacy with new Lockdown Mode

      The feature is designed to counter threats from state actors

      In the never-ending battle to keep threat actors at bay, Apple is bringing a new “lockdown” mode to its devices to protect certain users from highly targeted “mercenary spyware.”

      Those keywords – “certain” and “mercenary” – carry a lot of weight in this rollout. Apple’s main goal for this new protection is having the backs of a small number of users who may be targeted by cyberattacks from private companies that develop state-sponsored spyware. The tech company said it is providing details about its $10 million grant to bolster research exposing such threats.

      When it’s launched later this fall as part of software updates for Macs, iPads, and iPhones, Lockdown Mode will include built-in protections like blocking message attachments and disabling link previews. It will even go as far as blocking FaceTime calls if the user has not previously sent the initiator a call or request. Apple said it will also block wired connections with a computer or accessory when someone’s iPhone is locked.

      “Apple makes the most secure mobile devices on the market. Lockdown Mode is a groundbreaking capability that reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting users from even the rarest, most sophisticated attacks,” said Ivan Krstić, Apple’s head of Security Engineering and Architecture. 

      “While the vast majority of users will never be the victims of highly targeted cyberattacks, we will work tirelessly to protect the small number of users who are. That includes continuing to design defenses specifically for these users, as well as supporting researchers and organizations around the world doing critically important work in exposing mercenary companies that create these digital attacks.”

      Staying one step ahead

      In a world where personal privacy seems to be challenged and cyberattacks happen on almost a daily basis, it can't be said that Apple is asleep at the wheel. Earlier this year, the company took steps to protect AirTag users from unwanted tracking.  

      With this latest Lockdown add-on, Axios’ Ina Fried said Apple did itself another huge favor.

      “Product design is all about tradeoffs, and tech companies are always trying to navigate them amid a cacophony of voices demanding they prioritize privacy, or security, or simplicity, or other concerns,” Fried commented in an email to readers.

      “Apple deserves the plaudits for its effort to help users who fear high-end attacks. But it's also very much in the company's interest to protect its devices and be known as the ‘safer’ choice in the smartphone market.”

      John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, agrees.

      "Lockdown Mode is [a] radical reduction of the threat surface of an iPhone,” he said in a tweet on Thursday. “Cannot overstate how big a change this is for Apple.”

      In the never-ending battle to keep threat actors at bay, Apple is bringing a new “lockdown” mode to its devices to protect certain users from highly target...

      Coronavirus update: Modified vaccines could be ready by the fall

      The FDA is making Paxlovid easier to get

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

      Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 88,277,120 (88,067,709)

      Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 1,019,157 (1,018,376)

      Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 552,635,153 (547,361,783)

      Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 6,345,357 (6,342,542)‌

      Updated vaccines could be available this fall

      Drugmakers are at work on new versions of their COVID-19 vaccines in hopes of providing more effective protection against various Omicron strains. But just when will those updated vaccines be available?

      The FDA has asked pharmaceutical companies to have the updated vaccines available in time for booster shots during the fall. The current vaccines have been providing strong protection against severe disease, but the older vaccines are less effective at preventing infections from Omicron's BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.

      An FDA advisory committee said an updated vaccine would offer better protection to match the virus strains that are currently spreading throughout the U.S. The two aforementioned subvariants are much more contagious than the original strain.

      FDA authorizes quicker access to COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid

      Pfizer’s antiviral drug won praise as an early treatment for COVID-19, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken steps to make it more available to patients.

      The FDA has revised its emergency use authorization (EUA) to authorize state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid to eligible patients. Certain limitations will be enacted to ensure appropriate patient assessment and prescribing of Paxlovid is undertaken. 

      “The FDA recognizes the important role pharmacists have played and continue to play in combatting this pandemic,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director for the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Since Paxlovid must be taken within five days after symptoms begin, authorizing state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid could expand access to timely treatment for some patients who are eligible to receive this drug for the treatment of COVID-19.” 

      Employees are losing their ‘pandemic advantage’

      Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees have felt like they were in the driver’s seat. They could work from anywhere, and many took advantage of the situation by seeking out new jobs or quitting altogether.

      But over the last few weeks, the advantage appears to be shifting back to employers, many of whom have demanded that employees return to the office. The advantage is illustrated by the weekly initial claims for unemployment benefits, which are rising.

      The Labor Department reports that last week’s claims totaled 235,000 – an increase of 4,000 over the previous week. Employers are also trimming their payrolls with the expectation that the U.S. economy is entering a recession.

      Around the nation

      • New York: The BA.5 Omicron subvariant has become dominant in New York, and health officials say it is responsible for the latest new wave. Health officials say new cases in New York rose 15% last week and appear to still be going up.

      • Nevada: Even though cases of COVID-19 are increasing, some states are reducing mitigation measures. The Nevada Board of Regents will no longer require staff at the state’s public universities and colleges to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

      • Missouri: State Rep. Tricia Derges resigned last week from her seat representing Christian County (District 140) in the Missouri House of Representatives, according to a report by KOLR-TV. Her resignation came four days after she was convicted on June 28 by a federal trial jury for what prosecutors described as a nearly $900,000 COVID-19 fraud scheme

      • Oregon: Two-thirds of the counties in the state are now back in the “high” transmission rate category. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged those counties to reimpose universal indoor masking.

      • Ohio: Ohio is reporting a surge in new cases caused by the more contagious but less severe BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants. Health officials say those strains now make up more than 70% of all COVID-19 cases in the CDC's Region 5 area, which includes Columbus.

      COVID-19 ‌tally‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌compiled‌‌ ‌by‌ ‌Johns‌ ‌Hopkins‌ ‌University.‌ ‌(Previous‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌in‌ ‌parentheses.)‌Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 88...

      Renting is cheaper than buying in most housing markets right now

      Rising mortgage rates and record-high home prices have changed the equation

      With mortgage rates hovering around 3% throughout the pandemic, the cost of a mortgage was less than the comparable rent in many markets. That was one reason for the sustained increase in home sales.

      But now the script is flipped. A recent report from Zillow shows that the monthly mortgage payment is more than the cost of renting in 45 of the nation’s top 50 housing markets. 

      Two things have changed. Interest rates have surged, nearly doubling from recent lows. Meanwhile, the price of homes continues to rise. In its latest report for May, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that the median home price was a record-high $407,000.

      When you put that together with higher mortgage rates, you get a monthly payment for a typical home that is well over $2,000 a month. Zillow Economist Nicole Bachaud says the recent surge in mortgage rates to nearly 6% could bring big changes to the housing market.

      “We are already seeing signs of waning demand, and expect these recent rate hikes to quicken the market's needed rebalancing,” Bachaud said. “While shoppers will likely experience less competition for homes than the frenzied recent months, their purchasing power has dwindled." 

      Rents haven’t risen as fast

      Even though more people are being pushed into the rental market, the numbers don’t show a sharp increase in the cost of renting. In fact, a recent report from rental site Zumper shows just the opposite.

      Zumper’s National Index suggests that rent price increases are slowing. According to the report, the median one-bedroom rent is up 0.5% from May to June. It's another all-time high, but it's also a much more reasonable growth rate than the one to two percentage point increases that became the norm during the height of the pandemic.

      The median cost of a two-bedroom rental is down a significant 2.9% from May to June, a signal that some consumers who’d put off buying a home are finally making the jump as housing prices begin to level off. 

      New York City rent is still the highest

      Median rent is the highest in New York City, where a typical apartment costs $3.600. Oakland, Calif., has the 10th-highest rent at $2,100 a month.

      "Although rents have accelerated since the start of 2021, the rapidly rising cost of a mortgage still makes rent the cheaper option nearly everywhere,” Zillow concludes.

      A typical rent payment in May is more expensive than a mortgage payment with a 20% down payment, including taxes and insurance, in just five of the 50 largest U.S. metros. In May 2019, renting was more expensive in 28 of those metros. 

      Zillow analysts say home values finally turned the corner in May to show a slightly slower pace of annual growth after annual price appreciation set new record highs for 13 straight months. The current growth rate is 20.7%, which is down from 20.9% in April. 

      With mortgage rates hovering around 3% throughout the pandemic, the cost of a mortgage was less than the comparable rent in many markets. That was one reas...

      Consumers in rural states show strong interest in hybrid and electric vehicles

      A study found that consumers in Mississippi began the transition well before the gas price surge

      The latest June car sales figures suggest that when consumers are able to buy a new or used vehicle, they tend to choose a hybrid or electric vehicle. Interestingly, a new study from iSeeCars.com shows that demand for these vehicles is the highest in rural America, where EV enthusiasm has traditionally lagged.

      “You expect to see strong hybrid and electric vehicle sales in states like California, Oregon, and Washington, or in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Seattle,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. “While those areas do have the highest percentage of alternative fuel vehicles, the areas with the greatest growth in hybrid and electric vehicle share come from states and cities few would expect.” 

      For example, Mississippi has recorded the highest growth in alternative fuel vehicle share since 2014. The state has had a massive 241% percent growth in electrified car market share. The second-highest state is Hawaii, at 116.5%; it's followed by Utah with a 97% share growth.

      Gas prices are causing new interest

      Consumers everywhere are taking a closer look at alternative fuel vehicles to escape the record-high price of gasoline, which only now has begun to fall from its all-time high of $5.01 a gallon.

      Several of the top-ranking states, both in 2014 and 2022, are states that are not traditionally associated with an interest in hybrid or electric vehicles. Brauer says more than half of the states in the top 15 are fairly new to interest in “green” vehicles. 

      “It’s pretty amazing that California barely makes the top 10 in terms of hybrid and electric vehicle growth since 2014, even with strong incentives encouraging their purchase,” he said. “Conversely, despite not having any statewide incentives, Mississippi’s EV adoption is growing faster than all other states, and could continue to do so as Nissan has plans to manufacture EVs in its Mississippi plant in the coming years.” 

      In June, Toyota reported a sharp drop in auto sales because of an inventory shortage. But customers who did purchase a Toyota last month favored hybrids and EVs. That category made up 23% of total Toyota sales.

      The latest June car sales figures suggest that when consumers are able to buy a new or used vehicle, they tend to choose a hybrid or electric vehicle. Inte...

      Heart failure patients who lose a family member may have a higher risk of dying

      Rising stress levels after a death may be detrimental to heart health

      A new study conducted by researchers from the American College of Cardiology explored how dealing with the loss of a family member may affect consumers’ heart health. Their findings showed that heart failure (HF) patients who experience the death of a loved one may have a higher risk of dying themselves. 

      “The association between bereavement and mortality was not only observed in cases of loss due to cardiovascular disease and other natural causes, but also in cases of unnatural deaths,” said researcher Hua Chen.

      “Our finding that bereavement was associated with mortality in HF patients contributes to and extends the existing literature regarding role of stress in prognosis of HF and is consistent with studies reporting associations between bereavement and increased risk of incident cardiovascular conditions.”  

      Grief and heart health concerns

      For the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 500,000 heart failure patients who were either enrolled in the Swedish Heart Failure Registry from 2000-2018 or who had received a heart failure diagnosis between 1987 and 2018. The team followed up with the participants over the course of several years and looked at the Cause of Death Register to determine the link between grief and heart health. 

      The team ultimately identified a link between grieving and heart failure. The greatest risk came after losing a spouse, as the study participants had a 20% higher risk of death. Losing a sibling, child, or grandchild yielded similar risks for those struggling with both heart failure and grief. 

      The researchers also identified other risk factors that could impact how heart failure patients deal with loss. The study showed that losing multiple family members increased the risk of heart failure patients’ death by 35%. 

      The team found that the risk of death was highest within the first week of losing a loved one. In that first week, the risk of death after losing a spouse shot up to 113%, while the risk of death after losing a child went from 10% to 31% in that time. In general, heart failure patients had a nearly 80% higher risk of death within the first week after experiencing a loss. 

      The researchers explained that heightened stress during the grieving process may be responsible for the increased risk of death. They hope these findings inspire greater support and mental health resources for heart failure patients after losing a family member. 

      “The findings of the study may call for increased attention from family members, friends, and involved professionals for bereaved heart failure patients, particularly in the period shortly after a loss,” said researcher Krisztina László.

      A new study conducted by researchers from the American College of Cardiology explored how dealing with the loss of a family member may affect consumers’ he...

      Vitamin D may lower infants' risk of eczema, study finds

      Experts say women who take vitamin D supplements during pregnancy can transfer benefits to their children

      A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Southampton explored how vitamin D may benefit infants. According to their findings, women who take vitamin D throughout pregnancy may help lower their babies’ risk of developing eczema. 

      “We know that vitamin D can affect the immune system and the proteins that make up our skin,” said researcher Keith Godfrey. “We were interested to know if vitamin D supplements taken by pregnant women would have an impact on their child’s risk of atopic eczema. 

      “Our findings showed a positive effect, which was more evident in infants that breastfed. This may reflect supplementation during pregnancy increasing the amount of vitamin D in breast milk.”  

      Benefits of vitamin D

      The researchers had 700 pregnant women involved in the study. Half of the women took 1,000 IU of vitamin D from the time they were 14 weeks pregnant through delivery; the other half took a placebo throughout their pregnancies. The team followed the women and their infants through pregnancy and the first four years of the infants’ lives. 

      The study showed that taking vitamin D supplements helped lower the risk of atopic eczema through infants’ first 12 months of life. Ultimately, there was no link between vitamin D and eczema beyond the first year of infants’ lives. 

      “We found no effect at 24 and 48 months suggesting that other postnatal influences might become more important beyond infancy or that the babies themselves might also need to be supplemented during the postnatal period for a sustained effect,” said researcher Dr. Sarah El-Heis. 

      The team found that vitamin D was even more protective for infants who were breastfed than infants who were formula-fed. Breastfeeding for at least one month and taking vitamin D during pregnancy provided the lowest risk of eczema for infants involved in the study. Based on these findings, the researchers hope more women consider incorporating vitamin D supplements into their pregnancy regimens. 

      “Our results showed that babies of mothers who received supplements had a lower chance of having atopic eczema at 12 months, which supports recommendations for vitamin D supplements to be routine during pregnancy,” Dr. El-Heis said. 

      A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Southampton explored how vitamin D may benefit infants. According to their findings, women who...

      Ford recalls F-150 BEVs with all season tires

      The tire pressure monitoring system light may not illuminate

      Ford Motor Company is recalling 2,666 model year 2022 F-150 BEVs equipped with 20" or 22" all season tires.

      The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) light may not illuminate as intended and could fail to warn the driver of low tire pressure.

      Low tire pressure can lead to poor vehicle handling and a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

      What to do

      The body control module (BCM) 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 July 11, 2022.

      Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22C15.

      Ford Motor Company is recalling 2,666 model year 2022 F-150 BEVs equipped with 20" or 22" all season tires.The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) l...

      Driverge recalls model year 2021 Ford Transit 350s

      The Programmable Relay Power Center module may fail

      Driverge Vehicle Innovations is recalling 22 model year 2021 Ford Transit 350s.

      Exposed copper may cause the Programmable Relay Power Center (PRPC) module to fail and short-circuit.

      An electrical short-circuit increases the risk of a fire.

      What to do

      Driverge will work with the equipment manufacturer to provide a fused data link harness free of charge.

      Owners may contact Driverge customer service at (330) 861-1118 or Intermotive Warranty at (530) 823-1048 ext.103.

      Driverge Vehicle Innovations is recalling 22 model year 2021 Ford Transit 350s.Exposed copper may cause the Programmable Relay Power Center (PRPC) modu...