Staff Shortages

Recently with the spike of the Coronavirus variant Omicron, positive cases have been through the roof. Hundreds of thousands of cases have been reported. The numbers were so getting so high that some schools had to go remote due to unavailability in staff. Teachers have been calling out sick and there has been a lack of substitute teachers. Many substitute teachers have been working through majority of the nine periods. This is a very challenging obstacle for school districts around the country. Huge companies like Starbucks, which are typically always open and have stayed open through the lock downs of 2020, have been forced to shut down due to the lack of workers. Many companies have been considering going virtual until things slow down to prevent more people getting infected. Omicron is very easily transmissible and can be passed on from person to person within minutes which is scary because it’s hard to prevent. Data has shown that the incubation period is also less with this variant, which means people could get infected and show symptoms up to 3 days sooner.  Regular face masks are showing to be ineffective towards this variant, thus the CDC has updated its guidelines stating that the most effective masks would be the N95 or K95 masks. The government has pledged to give away these masks at local drugstores. The holidays were the worst as many flights were cancelled due to staff shortages.  Broadway shows were once again cancelled or shut down.  A lot of local and small  businesses are having to shut down because they have no staff since people are either positive for Covid or have been exposed to it. It’s hard because without staff, it’s difficult for society to function. Schools around the country have been affected the most. Both students and teachers were not spared and with many calling out sick, Many districts have cancelled mid terms and regents. Many kids had to resort back to remote learning thus missing out many important lessons in person.  As we learn to co-exist in a world with Covid, more challenges come our way. Though there is some good news, the CDC has reported that the Omicron surge has peaked in most states, especially New York. With this being said, we are looking forward to a safer spring!