COVID Surge: How Will the Delta Strain Impact the Job Market?
Despite seemingly turning the COVID corner, the current COVID surge is causing problems. This article explains how the Delta strain impacts the job market.
In recent months there were feelings of hope that the harsh effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were starting to subside slowly. This has been set back the appearance of the Delta variant.
This recent COVID surge has the potential to complicate the road to recovery in the job market. People in offices everywhere had become used to home working, but have recently begun to return to their offices and workspaces slowly.
Here are a few ways the delta strain will impact the job market.
What Is the Delta Variant?
The Delta variant is a more contagious, potentially more severe strain of the virus that causes COVID-19, and it is the predominant strain currently spreading through the US.
According to the CDC, critical facts about the Delta variant are:
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- It is more contagious – The Delta strain is nearly twice as infectious as previous variants.
- Unvaccinated people are at risk – The most significant risk of transmission comes from unvaccinated people. They are increasingly more likely to pick up the virus and more likely to transmit the variant to others.
- Fully vaccinated people can still transmit the delta strain – It is possible for a fully vaccinated person to transmit the delta variant to others. However, people who are fully vaccinated will be infectious for a shorter period of time.
It has also been suggested that the Delta variant can cause more severe symptoms in unvaccinated people.
How Will the COVID Surge Hit the Workplace?
After months on end of remote working, companies are beginning to request that their employees start returning to the office.
The risks of navigating COVID in the workplace are numerous, and the rise of the delta variant could be forcing big companies to change their approach to reopening.
Companies whose employees will remain in the office or cannot work from home could see a rise in COVID-related absences and could once again suffer supply chain issues similar to those earlier in the year.
Is it Bad News for the Job Market?
The general opinion amongst economists is: probably not.
Yes, there is currently a lot of market uncertainty towards the Delta variant. And uncertainty can cause companies to be reluctant to make any decisions or changes.
On the other hand, economists are keen to stress that these findings are based on hypotheticals. In order to see the job market in any serious jeopardy, the country would have to return to a system of enforced remote working and stay-at-home orders.
Businesses would have to close temporarily, and the country would have to be back to lockdown-type conditions to affect any real danger on those finding a job. In recent months there have even been a lot of labor shortages.
What Jobs are Available Now?
While it’s true that the recent COVID surge has caused uncertainty and confusion within some companies, the job market is still alive and well.
Contact us today about where to find the best jobs going.
