Hopes that a recent CDC change will help relieve worker shortages, Omicron’s effect on the fitness industry, higher office costs, and a new pandemic high for COVID-19 test positivity in Connecticut are among the top business news items this morning.
Business trends
Some businesses are lauding the Centers for Disease Control’s recent updated guidance to halve COVID-19 isolation periods for certain workers, saying it will help relieve worker shortages. However, the decision to allow shorter quarantines for people who are asymptomatic after five days or who contract the virus despite vaccination has raised some concerns among labor groups, who say it could spur employees to return to work too early.
While the fitness industry has shown signs of recovery since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus’s Omicron variant is threatening to undermine this growth. Gyms are also facing setbacks due to renewed restrictions in several areas that establish mask or vaccine mandates.
Businesses returning to an office space have been encountering increased costs as companies look to update work areas with COVID-19 protections. New air filtration systems, enhanced cleaning procedures, and outdoor spaces are among the factors contributing to anticipated higher operating costs.
Connecticut
Connecticut’s COVID-19 daily test positivity rate reached 14.98 percent on Tuesday, a new pandemic high. Governor Ned Lamont called up the National Guard to assist with the distribution of millions of at-home tests and N95 respirators, which aim to curb the spread of the virus.
