Third Year In A Disaster for Millions
By Josh Resnek
The big news this snowstorm weekend is that Omicron cases are down but remain abundant – in the many, many millions.
The December and January onslaught has gone from a coast to coast invasion to a lesser invasion, more of an economic inconvenience than anything else, unless you happen to get very sick or in fact, die, from Omicron.
Although the figures have declined, the impact of the COVID-19 variant is causing major headaches for the economy, for the supply chain, for education across the board – from early childhood learning centers to colleges and universities.
All the disruption in the health care industry and in areas of production across the land has led to shortages of all kinds.
Shortages of consumer goods and industrial items like electronic chips, and an increase in consumer spending has led to a sharp price hikes for automobiles, food, clothes, heating fuel — gas and oil — building supplies, and for all kinds of good and services.
The Federal Reserve Board said last week that interest rates are going to be rising to contain the inflation. The more consumers have to pay for goods and services will be affected by the rise in interest rates which will cause consumers to pay more for the money they borrow.
More interest means less available free cash to spend.
This means consumers will borrow less money, that the stock market will likely decline a bit as bond interest rates rise.
Back to COVID.
It is now 3 years into this dark place we’ve gone as a society. Articles are now being written about students and education, and how COVID has caused a great deal of mental anguish for students, teachers, administrators and also for college students.
For instance, third year high school students and college students have never known a free year without restrictions caused by the highly contagious COVID-19.
More than 850,000 Americans have died of COVID with millions upon millions made sick by it.
The local restaurant industry is said to be reeling from a lack of business the way it used to be in the pre-COVID years.
Many restaurants are dying under the strain of serving fewer customers and rising costs.
Keeping their doors open has never been more difficult in the modern era.
Peoples’ spending habits have changed dramatically since the onset of COVID-19.
People have been tending to save more than ever before – another sign that consumerism of all kinds are facing hard times until the virus is no longer killing men, women and children, and causing our hospital and health care system to be radically challenged.
Millions have dropped out of the job scene to escape the danger of getting sick or because the pandemic has taught many employees that working a job they don’t care for is no longer the way to go.
About 4 million men and women have left their jobs in the past year.
Zoom meetings have replaced face to face meetings in enclosed areas.
Those just out of college looking for jobs are being hired in large numbers to remain at home and to do their jobs – erasing for a while the social advantages of people mingling with one another.
Dating has become an effort. Online dating has never been more prominent.
The anti-vaccination movement dismisses science. To those refusing vaccinations, it is about the right to say yes or no to a needle being put into your arm with vaccine.
When does this come to an end?
No one knows.
Never have we all needed to be more careful about our health and economic well-being.