Market comment 2021

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Soaring Covid cases could cause major shortages across industry, hospitality and healthcare, ministers have been told, as rail companies cancelled services and Royal Mail said it was experiencing high staff absences. According to cabinet sources, Boris Johnson and England’s chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, said at a briefing that rising cases would be likely to affect businesses with mass worker absences. Whitty also told ministers to expect a “significant increase” in hospital admissions.

 Expect mass staff absences and major shortages, UK ministers told | Coronavirus | The Guardian

• With Omicron cases doubling every 2-3 days, here is another way it can reduce economic growth
  

There are now 14 people in hospital with Omicron in the UK, the House of Commons has been told. Previously, there were thought to be 10 people

 Covid: Johnson to hold briefing as cases break record - BBC News

People lose a lot of protection against the Omicron variant of Covid three months after their second dose of the vaccine, England’s deputy chief medical officer says. Dr Tom Waite, who’s been answering Newsbeat listeners’ questions, says while you get “good protection” from doses one and two, it “wanes over time”. “With [the] Delta [variant] that became significant at about five to six months, with Omicron that becomes a significant drop in your protection from three months,” he says.

 Covid: Johnson to hold briefing as cases break record - BBC News