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More Americans turn to online retail therapy during COVID-19 pandemic

Right now, some are spending nearly $200 a month on impulse buys to make themselves feel better.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — If you’re someone who chooses to get a box a delivered to your doorstep every day because you love to shop online, you are not alone.

Here’s the Buzz: Turns out retail therapy is real and it's what's getting a lot of people through this pandemic.

In a survey of 2,000 Americans conducted last month by OnePoll on behalf of Slickdeals, participants were asked how their shopping habits changed since the coronavirus outbreak began.

As you can imagine, with more people at home and stores closed, the trend of online shopping has become more tempting. 

The results show 72% of people say shopping is a mood booster.

Right now some are spending nearly $200 a month on impulse buys to make themselves feel better.

Lyft requires face masks

Ride share service Lyft will now require both riders and drivers to wear face masks.

Here’s the Buzz: Customers will have to confirm on the app they are wearing a mask and are not showing any symptoms of the coronavirus, or they'll risk being barred from using Lyft.

Drivers must also frequently sanitize their cars, and keep windows open as much as possible to ensure good air circulation.

Passengers are even encouraged to refrain from sitting in the passenger's seat.

Apple to reopen some of its stores

Apple will reopen a handful of stores this week, but before getting too excited, the St. John’s Town Center location isn't on the list.

Here’s the Buzz: The company will open its stores in Idaho, South Carolina, Alabama and Alaska.

Apple says a limited number of people will be allowed in the stores and employees will get temperature checks and wear a face mask, while customers will be provided one.

The company plans to apply what it learns with this small-scale return in other locations.

Blocking reply-all email chains

Here’s some good news for everyone working from home – your email inbox is about to be a lot less clogged.

Here’s the Buzz: Microsoft Outlook is introducing a new feature to block those ‘reply-all’ email storms.

It will automatically detect long email chains with thousands of recipients and block replies to the thread for four hours.

It's supposed to encourage people to email each other privately and keep you from sorting through hundreds of messages that have nothing to do with you.

Help for laid-off restaurant employees

Celebrity chef and TV show host Guy Fieri is helping restaurant employees affected by the pandemic.

Here’s the Buzz: Fieri has helped raise more than $20 million for out-of-work restaurant workers, through the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund.

If you happen to be a worker in the restaurant industry and you've lost your job or experienced a drop in wages, you can apply for the one-time $500 grant here.

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