ARKANSAS, USA — Arkansas’ economy was on track for robust gains in 2022 until the Omicron variant of COVID-19 put a kink in the line. Economists still believe the state’s economy will grow in 2022, with labor shortages possibly being a factor limiting growth.
John Shelnutt, administrator of economic and tax research at the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, said high growth in several sectors – travel, restaurants, personal services, and educational services – expected for early in 2022 may be pushed forward to mid-year because of the Omicron surge. That surge peaked in late January after active cases rose above 101,000 and hospitalizations approached 1,700. The active cases as of Feb. 5 was down to 41,069, and hospitalizations were down to 1,512.
“Recent gains in the sectors hard hit by COVID-19 will be challenged again in the first half of the year by the more…
