Virtually everyone can use a savings account to help build up their wealth, but with so many options available, how do you pick the best savings account for you? The number of options available might make it more difficult to select which savings account to choose, but it also means that with a little bit of knowledge, research and strategy, you can almost certainly find a savings account that fits… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Consumer Prices Rose 8.5% in March Headline CPI in March rose by 8.5% from a year ago, representing the fastest annual gain since December 1981 and one-tenth of a percentage point above the Dow Jones estimate of 8.4%. The increase in food, energy, and shelter costs contributed to the… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Fourth COVID-19 Booster Shot Experts and health officials are recommending a fourth shot of a COVID-19 vaccine to protect vulnerable groups such as older adults and immunocompromised individuals. This decision comes as BA.2, a highly transmissible version of the coronavirus, accounts for as much as 70% of US infections.… Read more
One of the most puzzling side effects of COVID-19 is a syndrome called “covid brain,” which is characterized by sluggish thinking and memory problems. Neuroscientists have begun identifying commonalities between covid brain, chemo brain, and Alzheimer’s disease. So far, the studies are small and do not indicate avenues for treatment. However, the studies confirm the seriousness of the brain effects of infections and provide hope that treatments may be developed… Read more
After two years of pandemic disruptions, many of us have developed unhealthy habits and may need a reboot. Data from Nielsen shows that sales of alcohol are higher now than before the pandemic, while fitness trackers show that people are on the average taking fewer steps. In another study, volunteer participants gained about 1.5 pounds per month. Rebooting your habits can begin with something as simple as setting up time… Read more
One of the odd tell-tale symptoms of COVID-19 is the abrupt loss of sense of smell reported by many patients. Researchers have recently uncovered the mechanism behind this loss. While the COVID-19 virus does not infect the nerve cells in the nose that detect and transmit information about odors to the brain, it does infect supporting cells in the nose. The subsequent inflammation wreaks havoc on the smell receptors and… Read more
One of the side effects of the pandemic has been the expansion of online grocery shopping and speedy delivery. But in large cities, many online grocery purchases are fulfilled by businesses that have taken over retail storefronts to become “ghost stores” or “dark stores.” These are small scale fulfillment centers that serve only ecommerce customers, with most orders being delivered by bike. These dark stores have the potential to reshape… Read more
Signs are emerging that the surge driven by highly transmissible Omicron variant is fading. Across the country, cases and hospitalizations are falling from record peaks. According to data from Johns Hopkins, the seven-day average for new cases was 129,000 on February 16, drastically down from 800,000 at the peak in mid-January. Data from the CDC shows a 9% drop in deaths over the last week. While mortality rates lag behind… Read more
More people in the world are now sick with the same illness than at any time since the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic. By mid-January, about one in five Americans had contracted the Omicron variant, a number which could double by mid-February. While an estimated 80-90% of those infected with the highly contagious Omicron variant are asymptomatic, the widespread of the virus means that many millions of people have been sick. Businesses… Read more
Just as the Omicron surge appears to be peaking in the U.S., a new strain of the Omicron variant has emerged. The new strain, called BA.2, so far appears more contagious than its sibling Omicron variant, BA.1, but is also less likely to cause severe disease compared with the Delta variant. The new variant is spreading quickly in Denmark, England, and Germany, and has also been detected in parts of… Read more
The rapidly spreading Omicron variant is causing worker shortages across the entire economy as employees are out sick or quarantining. At Delta Airlines, 8,000 employees contracted COVID-19 recently, contributing to more than 2,200 cancelled flights. Grocery stores and many other businesses are cutting back on their product lines. A shortage of truck drivers means shipments are delayed, so store shelves are empty. Children are taking public buses to school because… Read more
With the more contagious Omicron variant rapidly becoming the dominant strain, many experts are recommending upgrading from cloth to N95 masks. This article in Popular Science explains what to look for in a mask, how long they can be worn, how to safely reuse them, and when they should be discarded. Masks designated as KF94, N95, or in the FPP family are all subject to strict government oversight and quality… Read more
The rapid spread of the Omicron variant is impacting businesses large and small by keeping more workers home or quarantined. Record levels of new infections in the US are forcing airlines to cancel flights, stores to close, and available workers to work longer hours or in different areas than normal. While new CDC guidance decreases the number of quarantine days from ten to five, the infectious nature of the new… Read more
In our early days of understanding the possible impacts of the new Omicron variant, it can be difficult to parse fact from opinion. In The Atlantic, Derek Thompson looks at the studies and anecdotal evidence so far available to develop an early if imperfect evaluation of the risks. Omicron is more transmissible and will spread faster than Delta. Omicron will cause more breakthrough infections. On the positive side, Omicron will… Read more
What happens to the people who don’t quit during the “Great Resignation?” Those left behind are picking up additional responsibilities and putting in extra hours. Over time, managers begin to see the extra hours and work that everyone puts in as the norm, but this can also lead to burnout and the loss of knowledge from the workplace as people with specific skill sets are not replaced. While some people… Read more
Over the weekend, several countries reported their first cases of the new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. While little is known about the new variant, genetic sequencing indicates it has at least 30 mutations on the spike protein, which it uses to bind to human cells, so it could be even more easily spread than the Delta variant. In response to the uncertainty, Israel has banned all foreigners from… Read more
Over the weekend, several countries reported their first cases of the new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. While little is known about the new variant, genetic sequencing indicates it has at least 30 mutations on the spike protein, which it uses to bind to human cells, so it could be even more easily spread than the Delta variant. In response to the uncertainty, Israel has banned all foreigners from… Read more
Just a few weeks ago, it appeared that the Delta variant was on the wane in the US. However, in pockets of the Midwest, Southwest, and Northeast, cases are climbing, just ahead of the holiday travel season. Minnesota is experiencing its highest average daily case counts since April, at 3,500 per day, overwhelming some hospitals. In response, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has enlisted the National Guard to staff temporary sites… Read more
In a tight market for available workers, some companies are responding by loosening hiring requirements such as the need for a bachelor’s degree. The Body Shop, which piloted an open hiring program in 2019, no longer requires drug tests, background checks, or other education or work experience for jobs in its warehouses and retail locations. Likewise, UPS, in a quest to hire 100,000 seasonal workers for the holidays, eliminated any… Read more
As the pandemic continues, many people are having a harder time making small daily decisions such as what to wear or what to have for lunch. According to a recent survey by the Harris Poll, nearly a third of adults were still so stressed by the pandemic that small decisions were difficult. Millennials and parents with children under 18 are having the hardest time with decisions. The combination of safety… Read more