As the Omicron variant sweeps the nation, it’s disrupting everything from garbage collection and emergency services, schools and travel as employees are out sick or in quarantine.
In New York, trash is going uncollected and three subway lines are closed because so many workers are out sick.
Schools and hospitals are reporting staff shortages, too, and airlines continue to cancel flights.
More than 700,000 new Covid-19 cases a day are reported on average across the nation as the Omicron variant spreads like wildfire, and it’s not going to get better soon, health experts and economists said.
“Upwards of five million Americans will be stuck at home over the coming days,” said Andrew Hunter, an economist at Capital Economics.
And it’s not just New York.
“A substantial number of communities have experienced delays in the collection of their trash and recyclables due to the surge in Covid cases over the past few weeks,” David Biderman, executive director and CEO of the Solid Waste Association of North America, told CNN on Monday.
In some cities, almost a quarter of the trash collection workforce has called in sick in recent weeks, according to the association.
