The cost of office maintenance is increasing as employees head back to the office due in part to more robust air filtration and newly installed outdoor spaces. By December, about 40% of workers had returned at least part time. Earlier in the pandemic, operating costs were down as more companies went remote, saving on services like cleaning and security.

Facebook Pushes Ahead With NYC Farley Project in Bet on Offices - BloombergWhat if we didn't build a single new building in 2022? - Fast Company

@JunkScience: "Many companies are scrutinizing their ventilation, which could involve... replacing the building’s air more frequently." Existing 'green building' calculations of energy efficiency are out the window.

New York City’s tourism industry is taking a hit as museums, concerts and Broadway theaters struggle to keep doors open amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. The city limited the number of revelers who can attend the New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square to 15,000 – a fraction of the million people who packed in for celebration in years past. The Metropolitan Museum of Art re-instituted half-capacity restrictions and Broadway attendance has dropped by 23% from the prior week.

'Ain't Too Proud' to Close on Broadway as Covid-19 Takes Its Toll - The New York Times

@AliBaumanTV: Omicron is forcing some Broadway shows to cancel performances. The uncertainty is bad for business and bad for the 97,000 jobs Broadway generates.

Strong consumer demand, continuing supply chain issues and the emergence of the omicron variant threaten to prolong sharply rising prices well into 2022, potentially positioning inflation as the premier economic challenge of the new year. Snack giant Mondelez – whose brands include Oreos, Ritz and Chips Ahoy – said it is planning a 7% U.S price increase in January.

These Food Items Are Getting More Costly in 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

China's Stable Economy Clouded by Property and Export Outlook - Bloomberg

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating 86 cruise ships with reported COVID-19 cases on board, considering cruise travelers to be at high risk of contracting the virus due to close quarters. Cruises resumed sailing in the U.S. in June after more than a year of being domestically halted due to the pandemic.

CDC moves 3 more European destinations to its highest travel risk category - CNN

Why isn't vaccination proof required for domestic flights? - Los Angeles Times

@leadlagreport: Whatever you do, don’t sneeze at the buffet… A Royal Caribbean cruise ship has been denied entry to Curacao and Aruba following an outbreak that infected at least 55 crew members and passengers.

Speaking with journalists, Dr. Anthony Fauci said the CDC’s decision to reduce COVID-19 isolation time guidelines will help people get back to jobs and reiterated the decision is based on science. The updated guidelines have confused the public during a time when more people are testing positive.

CDC draws criticism for shorter COVID quarantine, isolation as omicron bears down - Ars Technica

‘Each Society Creates Its Own Pathology’: Vaccine Specialist Says Don’t Blame the CDC for Cutting Covid-19 Isolation Times - Barron’s

CDC significantly cuts estimate of omicron's prevalence in US - The Hill

"4 Charts That Explain the U.S.'s 2021 Economic Rollercoaster" - TIME / Source: Emily Barone/BLS

CONTENT FACTS

Turbine Labs has tracked 8,683 media articles and blogs and 34,968 social media posts over the last 24 hours.

The next Turbine Labs Leadership briefing will be delivered on Thursday, December 30, at 9:30AM ET.

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