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Amanda Blankenship

Health Professionals Say There Could Be an HIV Vaccine By 2021

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HIV vaccine

HIV isn’t something that is talked about as often as it used to be. In the 1980s, HIV and AIDS plagued the thoughts of most Americans. Despite the fact that it hasn’t drawn as much attention as it used to, HIV is still a huge problem. Thankfully, scientists are just another step closer to developing a successful HIV vaccine.

How Much Does HIV Treatment Cost

The average treatment for HIV costs between $14,000 and $20,000 per year. That is just to keep the virus from progressing to AIDS and keep the infected person alive. Some treatments can cost as little as $1,000 per month, but those paying that price can consider themselves lucky. All of this can add up to $400,000 or more in lifetime treatment expenses.

Not to mention, many individuals with HIV may also have other incurable diseases, such as Hepatitis. Combining HIV treatment costs with the costs of maintaining another disease can run upwards of $28,900 or more per year.

Many people managing their HIV diagnosis live paycheck to paycheck and struggle financially. Some even try to ration out their medications, which can be dangerous. With around 38 million people infected worldwide and healthcare costs continuing to rise, it has become a priority for officials to develop a vaccine to help prevent HIV.

The Development of an HIV Vaccine

Thankfully, scientists are coming closer to developing an HIV vaccine. Three experimental vaccines are entering their final stages of testing. While any of these three trials may fail, scientists are more hopeful than they’ve ever been in the past. Margaret Heckler, Secretary of Health and Human Services, has predicted there would be a vaccine available for wide-scale testing within the next two years.

This is “perhaps one of the most optimistic moments we have been in,” said director of the Bridge HIV research program at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Dr. Susan Buchbinder. “We have three vaccines currently being tested in efficacy trials, and it takes quite a bit to actually be promising enough in the earlier stages of trials to move you forward into an efficacy study.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, who helped draft President Trump’s Ending the HIV Epidemic plan, said that if one of the current three vaccines being developed works, “that would be the endgame.” The HIV Epidemic plan aims to help lower new infections by 75 percent in the next five years and 90 percent in 10 years’ time. That could save countless peoples’ lives, not to mention millions of dollars. However, only time will tell whether scientists will be able to craft a vaccine that really works.

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Are Credit Unions and Banks Open on Thanksgiving Day 2019?

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banks open on thanksgiving

Fewer retailers are shutting their doors for Thanksgiving, making it necessary to be able to access your bank account on the holiday. However, many banking institutions still adhere to the federal holiday schedule. So, are credit unions and banks open on Thanksgiving?

Are Banks Open on Thanksgiving?

Banks will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. Because Thanksgiving Day is a federal holiday, banks are typically closed. While there are some exceptions to this rule on other federal holidays, there are no banks open on Thanksgiving.

Credit Unions Thanksgiving Hours

Just as banks will be closed, credit unions will not be open on Thanksgiving Day. Most credit unions follow the same policy as banks and close in observance of federal holidays. If your credit union is local, you should check with them for their hours throughout the week as some locations may close early on Wednesday and remain closed on Friday.

Thanksgiving Week Bank Schedule

Because Thanksgiving falls in the middle of the week, business schedules can be confusing. The banking hours for Thanksgiving week are below.

  • Monday, November 25: Most banks will hold regular hours.
  • Tuesday, November 26: Regular hours will be held.
  • Wednesday, November 27: Some banks will close early.
  • Thursday, November 28: Banks and credit unions are closed.
  • Friday, November 29: Most banks will reopen for regular business hours.
  • Saturday, November 30: If your bank has regular hours on Saturday, they will be open those hours.

It is recommended that you call and check with your bank to verify their business hours the week of Thanksgiving.

Banking on Thanksgiving Day

Although banks will be closed on Thursday, it doesn’t mean you can’t do any banking. Most customers rarely visit the brick-and-mortar bank locations anyway. ATMs and banking apps are typically available 24 hours a day, 265 days a year. For the most part, you can perform basic banking transactions through these mediums. Deposits and withdrawals can be made at ATMs. You can also make deposits and pay bills through the bank’s app or websites.

It is important to remember that some transactions will not post to your account until the next banking day. So, you’ll want to pay bills ahead of time if they are due on Thursday. You’ll also want to make sure you can wait for any cash you’re depositing in your account. Most deposits will not be available until the next banking day (Friday) and some will be held until Monday, December 2.

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Is the Stock Market Open on Thanksgiving Day 2019?

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stock market open on thanksgiving

Those who trade stocks need to know when the market is open or closed. When it comes to a holiday that falls in the middle of the week, like Thanksgiving, it always throws people for a loop. Because Thanksgiving is a federal holiday, many businesses will be closed. However, the stock market doesn’t follow the same schedule because it is not federally run. So, is the stock market open on Thanksgiving?

Will the Stock Market Be Open on Thanksgiving?

No. The stock market will not be open on Thanksgiving Day. You won’t be able to trade regularly or see any change in your stocks in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The NYSE has an odd holiday schedule so it is important to stay on top of.

NASDAQ and SIMFA (bond market) investments may not be readily available either. These two branches of the stock market hold different schedules than the NYSE.

Will NASDAQ Be Open?

NASDAQ will not be open on Thanksgiving Day. Anyone trading in the NASDAQ market will need to plan for it to be closed on Thursday. You won’t be able to buy, sell, trade, or monitor your stocks on that day.

Will the Bond Market Be Open?

The SIMFA market will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. If you have stock in bonds, you won’t be able to monitor them or make any changes.

It is important to note that bond market closings are not enforced, but they are recommended. Days listed as “closed” for the bond market are not always necessarily closed. It is a good idea to keep up to date on closings in the bond markets if you have money in bonds.

Stock Market Thanksgiving Week Schedule

Even though all three sections of the stock market will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, you will still have an opportunity to monitor, buy, and sell this week. NYSE, NASDAQ, and SIMFA will hold the following hours.

  • Monday, November 25: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST
  • Tuesday, November 26: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST
  • Wednesday, November 27: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST
  • Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving Day): All markets are closed
  • Friday, November 29 (Black Friday): Markets will close at 1 p.m. EST

If you have any business that needs to be taken care of where your investments are concerned, your best bet is to get everything done on Wednesday before the holiday. While the stock market will be open on Friday, it will hold shorter hours so it is a good idea not to leave any urgent business for that day.

Other Stock Market Holidays

While the answer to the question, “is the stock market open on Thanksgiving,” is no, there are plenty of days throughout the year in which the market remains open. In fact, it only closes on these holidays each year: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

There are also a few days where the New York Stock Exchange has altered hours. As mentioned above, the market closes at 1 p.m. on Black Friday. It will follow the same hours on Christmas Eve (December 24). Keep in mind that when you are reviewing the stock market schedule that all times listed are in Eastern Standard Time.

Readers, are you active in the stock market? Do you have any predictions about how your investments will perform this week? 

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Someone Dies Every 15 Minutes From a Drug-Resistant Superbug

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Drug-resistant superbug

According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone dies every 15 minutes from a drug-resistant superbug. This equates to about 35,000 deaths per year. What causes these superbugs?

What is a Drug-Resistant Superbug?

In the middle of the flu season, it is overwhelming to even consider the possibility of developing another type of bug. Some germs have evolved to resist antibiotics. The report stated, “some miracle drugs no longer perform miracles.”

There are currently five drug-resistant superbugs on the CDC’s list (two more than the agency reported in 2013). What’s more, is there are fewer superbug infections happening in hospitals but more people are coming down with them within the community. While elderly people are more likely to fall ill with antibiotic-resistant bugs, these illnesses can impact anyone.

Of the five superbugs included in the CDC report, three are germs: C. diff, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (an STD). The two new superbugs added to the list are carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter (a bacteria) and Candida auris (a fungus). The agency also identified 11 other bacteria and fungi as serious threats of becoming drug-resistant. They also mentioned two more as concerning and four other potential superbugs were added to the CDC watch list.

The total number of deaths from drug-resistant superbugs has gone down by 18 percent since 2013. C. diff is the deadliest of the drug-resistant superbugs and causes about 12,800 deaths per year in the United States. About 85 percent of deaths from these superbugs are caused by germs found in health care facilities.

Is There Anything Doctors Can Do?

Many healthcare professionals believe these superbugs are caused because of the over-prescription of antibiotics. In the report, CDC officials noted that more powerful antibiotics are not the answer to these drug-resistant superbugs. These germs will eventually make them useless as they evolve anyway. The key to reducing the occurrence of superbugs is developing strategies to avoid infection in the first place and use antibiotics less.

It is estimated that approximately there are 47 million unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions per year. That is one-third of all of the prescriptions for antibiotics. Right now, it can be hard for doctors to figure out whether a patient needs an antibiotic or not. Because of this, officials have called for better tests and tools to be developed to assist in diagnosis.

Another reason drug-resistant superbugs are on the rise is antibiotics being used in animals that we eat. Around 20 percent of all superbugs come from the foods we eat.

To decrease the likelihood of people falling ill and dying from drug-resistant bugs it will be up to doctors and public health officials. Together, they can help drive the number of people dying from superbugs down by prescribing fewer antibiotics and developing tools to help identify infections.

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Retirement Contribution Limits Are Increasing in 2020

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Retirement Contribution Limits

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released updates for 2020 earlier this week. Amongst those updates, the agency announced changes to the retirement contribution limits that will take effect during the 2020 tax year.

Changes to the Retirement Contribution Limits

And, for once, the IRS is giving people a break. Starting in 2020, the IRS has increased the retirement plan contribution limit to $19,500 (up from $19,000). This includes 401(k), 403(b), and 457 plans. Catch up contributions will also be increased from $6,000 to $6,500.

That’s just the basics though. If you’d like to learn more about the ins-and-outs of the changes recently announced, head over to the IRS website. You can also read a quick summary of the changes taking effect in 2020 in the IRS news bulletin.

The best part of the IRS announcing the increase in limits is contributing more to your retirement accounts will help you build wealth. Not to mention, retirement contributions are not typically taxed. Your money will be put to work in the stock market while you effortlessly get ready to retire.

Readers, what do you think about the latest changes to the retirement contribution limits?

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If You Hate Vegetables, It Could Be Genetic

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Hate Vegetables

Maintaining a balanced diet is crucial to staying healthy and even saving money. By keeping up your health, you’ll spend less money at the doctor and save money when it comes to eating. However, some people just absolutely hate vegetables, making it hard to maintain a healthy diet. Many people attribute this to picky eating but, as it turns out, hating veggies could be in your genes.

Why People Hate Vegetables

Yes – it’s true. People who don’t eat their veggies may not totally be in control. Scientists believe people who hate vegetables may actually be “super-tasters.” While that may sound like you get to taste more food and things might taste better, that’s not the case. In fact, it is the exact opposite.

Super-tasters typically taste bitterness in food. This makes it hard for them to eat foods that are typically more bitter in taste, such as leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, and other veggies.

“The person who has that genetic propensity gets more of the sulfur flavor of, say, Brussels sprouts, especially if they’ve been overcooked,” said professor Valerie Duffy, who is an expert in the study of food taste.

Then, when you talk about vegetables, almost all of them get roped in together. It isn’t like fruit where they say, “Yes, I like fruit but not kiwi.” Instead, they’re asked “Do you like vegetables?” and it is a black-and-white yes or no response. People with the super-taster gene are 2.6 times more likely to skip veggies than people who don’t have the gene.

About the Study

“We wanted to know if genetics affected the ability of people who need to eat heart-healthy foods from eating them,” said study author Jennifer Smith. “While we didn’t see results in gene type for sodium, sugar or saturated fat, we did see a difference in vegetables.”

There are more than 25 taste receptors in your mouth. About 50 percent of the world’s population has even receptors when it comes to tasting bitter versus sweet. Twenty-five percent are referred to as “non-tasters,” which is the exact opposite of a super-taster. In fact, non-tasters may even find most foods sweeter than others. The other 25 percent of people have extreme sensitivity to bitter foods.

Most veggies have a certain amount of bitterness to them, so people who have the super-taster gene are more likely to hate vegetables. Because of this, food scientists have been searching for a way to develop a new veggie that tastes less bitter. If they’re able to succeed, it can offer up a healthy vegetable that even the “picky” eaters will be able to stomach.

Additionally, there are ways to cook veggies to bring out the sweetness. You can do this by adding a little fat when cooking your vegetables, adding sugar, using garlic, or roasting them in the oven.

Making these changes to prepping and incorporating veggies into your everyday diet can help you save money on healthcare. It is estimated that if Americans ate one more serving of fruits and veggies daily, the United States could save $5 billion in health care. It can also help prevent more than 30,000 deaths annually.

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