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Omicron Disrupts Businesses With Workers Out Sick

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - It's been a while, but warnings about COVID affecting retail and business hours are popping up once again.

On Wednesday, it happened at the Walmart in the 5800 block of NW 177TH St, the store had to be closed down for a deep cleaning.

In the past week, MIA has seen several flight delays or cancellations due to crew shortage, and it's also part of the reason why trash pick-up was running behind. It seems anywhere you go, the coronavirus has impacted services.

"Let's just say for tonight 7 staff I only have 4 tonight so that's over a third of my front house staff," Allen Auyong said.

Auyong is a managing partner for Dragon Fly Restaurants, with locations in Orlando, Gainesville, and Doral.

"We're very cautious, so anyone with symptoms we've been sending them home," he explained.

Auyong came down from Orlando to help, and to give some employees time off to make sure they don't have COVID.

"We are short-staffed unfortunately on a busy week, the week before New Year's typically one of our busier weeks of the year," he explained.

Staffing is one issue, but will people continue to patronize or support businesses at this time is another.

"We want everyone to be safe, staff and guests as well too but if you do come here to Dragonfly, we'll take care of you, we have an amazing Izakaya restaurant." Auyong added.

This last week has also been a bit of a perfect storm for the Miami-Dade Department of Solid Waste Management, as holiday schedules collided with COVID cases among staff.  December 24th was a holiday workers had off.

"What happened on Tuesday, the 28th we had almost a double day of garbage than we had some higher than normal absences in terms of employees being out," Gayle Love, Sr. Division Director said.

Going forward there should no longer be any delays.

"We do recognize that there will be sometimes be delays and so you may get your garbage serviced later in the day than usual than you're accustomed to," she said.

Love is asking for the public's patience, as the Omicron variant continues to take a stronghold across the community.

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