COVID-19 vaccine booster shots, falling retail sales, extra hotel charges, and a permit approval for a planned offshore wind facility are among the top business news items this morning.
National
An Associated Press report says U.S. health experts are expected to recommend that anyone who has received a COVID-19 vaccine get a booster shot eight months after they received their final dose to ensure adequate protection against the virus. Health officials have already recommended booster shots for immunocompromised people.
Retail sales in the United States fell 1.1 percent in July after a strong surge in June, with the decline attributed to increased consumer reticence due to the emergence of the COVID-19 Delta variant. Economists say consumer spending is also expected to slow from earlier this year, when a round of stimulus checks helped encourage sales.
Business trends
Several hotel chains are experimenting with a new model in which guests are charged extra for certain services, such as use of the pool or an early or late checkout, in exchange for lower base room rates. The a la carte option has long been used by airlines, and hotels have been trimming back services this year in response to labor shortages.
Connecticut
The Connecticut Port Authority has received a state permit necessary for the work involved in filling in the space between two piers at New London’s State Pier. The development is a step toward establishing an offshore wind staging hub at the facility, although partners Orsted and Eversource still need approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
