Consumer columnist and West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has more than 20 years of experience writing stories about everyday experiences that anyone could encounter.

By Harlan Levy

Harlan Levy. Courtesy photo

On Monday I received the latest Covid booster shot (Moderna) on the earliest day it was available in West Hartford, at the Walgreens on South Quaker Lane and New Britain Avenue, the only location I could find for Monday. Last Friday, after I got the recommended flu and RSV shots at the Walgreens at Bishops Corner, the pharmacists could only say the new Covid supplies would be available there sometime this week.

Meanwhile, so you’ll know, I researched where else the shot would be available this week. As of Monday afternoon here are several locations but few specific days, although that information is probably outdated now, and you should call all the sites near you:

• Walgreens: at 324 North Main St. and 688 Farmington Ave. (no dates); 940 South Quaker Lane (starting Monday Sept. 18).
• CVS: at 344 North Main St. (starting Wed., Sept. 20), 1099 New Britain Ave. (starting Wed., Sept. 20), 1044 Boulevard (no dates), 1240 Farmington Ave. (starting  Sept. 21), 566 Farmington Ave. (no dates).
• Target: 333 North Main St.(no dates).
• Stop & Shop: 1235 Farmington Ave. and 176 Newington Rd. (No dates)
• Big Y Supermarket: at 772 North Main St., (starting Tuesday Sept. 19).
• Hartford Healthcare: 445 South Main St., 366 North Main St. (No dates).
• Medicine Shoppe: 774 Farmington Ave. (no dates).

Latest disaster-help scams

Our attorney general’s consumer protection department has just issued a warning about scammers preying on our sympathies in fake appeals for aid for the Ukraine war disaster, Maui fires, Libya flooding, or the Marrakech, Morocco earthquake. Here’s their advice:

1. Verify a charity and its purpose are legitimate by checking ratings on websites like Charity Navigator or Give.org.
2. Verify a charity is registered in Connecticut by visiting elicense.ct.gov.
3. Be cautious about giving out personal information. If you feel under pressure to donate by the solicitor’s tactics, don’t feel obligated to give.
4. Keep records of your donations. If you suspect a charity of fraudulent activities, report it to the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud.

Connecticut beach warning

Planning on visiting a state beach as summery temperatures stay hot? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has issued this warning this month after six people in Connecticut, New York, and North Carolina developed “severe and fatal” infections in July and August. “Many of these infections were acquired after an open wound was exposed to coastal waters in those states,” the CDC stated.

Vibrio vulnificus bacteria can cause serious wound infections that can lead to a condition known as necrotizing fasciitis – “flesh-eating disease” from “flesh-eating bacteria.”

 “Amid increasing water temperatures and extreme weather events – heat waves, flooding, and severe storms – associated with climate change – people who are at increased risk for V. vulnificus infection should exercise caution when engaging in coastal water activities. Prompt treatment is crucial to reduce mortality from severe V. vulnificusinfection.”

You don’t want that.

Indeed, earlier in the summer my family and our dog Latke spent several days on the Jersey shore, including one trip to the beach. I waded into the ocean a few times, and soon thereafter I developed itchy sores on my legs, diagnosed as bacterial infections from microorganisms aroused by warm water temperatures. The organisms burrow into your skin, causing the infections (that soon abate) and soon die.

You don’t want that either. Climate change … Aaarrrgh!

West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has been a consumer columnist for more than 20 years. He concentrates on revealing notable personal experiences and everyday consumer situations that either he or his wife encounter — sometimes ridiculous, outrageous, or downright laughable. But all relate to most readers’ common predicaments, including damaged goods and unresponsive sellers, unwanted automatic renewals, and various deceptive, insidious scams. He offers analysis, warnings, and practical solutions and advice.

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