The surge in Omicron infections means more people were self-isolating in early-January than at any time since the beginning of the pandemic, although the impact that will have on employment and output remains uncertain. Furthermore, with cases now falling just as quickly as they rose, any effects will be quickly reversed in February. In contrast to earlier waves, the rise in infections hasn’t prompted as big a pullback in services activity, with fears of catching the virus lower than during previous waves. The far bigger factor this time is staff absenteeism, which we think will cause both payroll employment and manufacturing output to decline in January, although the impact should be mostly reversed by the end of the first quarter.
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