The Omicron surge is putting a heavy strain on hospitals around the country with many hospital workers themselves testing positive, forcing them to stay home. To help with serious staffing shortages, California is implementing a temporary and controversial new policy that allows asymptomatic healthcare workers who have tested positive to return to work immediately. Hayley Smith, reporter at the LA Times, joins us for Covid-positive medical workers staying on the job.

Next, the disruptions from the latest Covid surge continue as college campuses are changing plans for the start of the semester. In-person instruction has been delayed, boosters are being mandated, and they are even restricting student travel. Yale University is asking students not to go to local businesses, restaurants or bars until later in the semester. Melissa Korn, higher education reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

Finally, businesses are still having a hard time gaining new employees and are looking to automation and cashier-less checkouts to stay in business with fewer or no employees. New startups are now able to outfit any small business with AI-powered checkout systems. Erica Pandey, business reporter at Axios, joins us for how the future of Main Street could be one without workers.

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