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Close to one-third of people who contract COVID-19 suffer long-term symptoms. Amid a massive labor shortage, we take a closer look at how long-haulers are impacting labor force participation and may do so for a long time to come. Also on today’s episode: Omicron sidelines manufacturing workers, an internet access subsidy program has a marketing problem and a chat with Nobel laureate Amartya Sen about his memoir.

But are they riskier than a ground war in Europe? And what do they mean for the international economy? As President Joe Biden weighs imposing additional sanctions on Russia to deter an invasion of Ukraine, we look into what those measures would cost the U.S., our allies and Russia. Also on today’s episode: Hello from the other side of concert cancellations, the factors behind the price of natural gas and the Weekly Wrap.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently upgraded their guidance on face masks: Nix the cloth or surgical masks in favor of N95s or KN95s. But not all masks are created equal. On today’s show, we hear from a “mask nerd” about how consumers can be discerning when shopping for face coverings online. Plus: Why unemployment claims are back up; how resume gaps are being destigmatized; and what construction companies are doing to tackle the labor shortage.

Trump, tariffs and Brexit — it might sound like a throwback, but it’s the present for British steelmakers. President Joe Biden cut a tax on steel imported from European Union countries last year, but the United Kingdom was excluded. Though the U.S. and U.K. plan on discussing the tariff rift, the future of British steel remains uncertain. We also hear about the impact of rising mortgage rates, tackle why rising oil prices could be here to stay and chat about a new environmental transparency policy for publicly traded companies.

Communication is key in any relationship — including the one between health officials and the public. On today’s show, a health literacy expert talks to us about how going “back to the communication basics” could aid the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s pandemic messaging. We’ll also hear about how omicron-induced lockdowns in China are affecting the global supply chain, why wireless carriers and airlines are still fighting over 5G and how U.S. Postal Service cuts could impact rural Americans.

More than 1 billion people use the short-form video platform TikTok monthly, presenting a huge marketing opportunity for businesses. Take, for example, the language learning company Duolingo, which uses its big, green owl mascot in zany videos and has amassed a huge following in recent months. Today, we’ll chat with Duolingo’s social media coordinator about the authenticity and communication styles that attract a younger audience. Plus: A more-stressful-than-usual tax season ahead, the factors behind a dip in community college enrollment and why every celebrity seems to have a beauty brand these days.

Since July, more than 36 million households have received a few hundred dollars every month through the expanded child tax credit. Tomorrow, that won’t be the case. In this episode, we hear what the extra cash has given families and what it means to have it taken away. We also hear why consumer sentiment took a dive, why bank loans might be making a comeback and what testing positive for COVID-19 has cost one family.

In December, employment prospects improved for every race and gender group — except Black women, for whom the jobless rate increased from 4.9% to 6.2%. Today, we look at how racism and segregation shaped the economic trajectory of women of color and how COVID could continue to hold them back. We’ll also hear how omicron is hampering trash collection, discuss why the outlook for initial public stock offerings is souring and explore the potential (and definition) of Web3.

The consumer price index clocked year-over-year inflation at 7% on Wednesday, the fastest pace since 1982. But month-over-month numbers and other factors point to a deceleration that could give consumers some relief. On today’s show, we do the numbers on inflation and wages. Plus, we visit new nuclear plants, contemplate a career pivot and trace the debate over alimony.

If you’re a renter in need of a chuckle, just look at the consumer price index, which calculates rent inflation at just 3% for last year. The cost is rising much faster for many renters, and other data sources show the increase near 18%. Today, we’ll talk about this wide data disconnect and why how we measure housing inflation is so important. We’ll also hear about the business of tracking other businesses’ shipments and check in with a downtown Los Angeles cheesemonger and a certified public accountant in New York City.

… it’s because we have. As omicron surges nationwide, nearly a quarter of hospitals are critically short-staffed, according to federal data. That’s forcing hospitals to once again make tough calls, like limiting bed capacity, cutting elective surgeries or asking health care workers back — even if they’ve tested positive for COVID-19. We’ll also tackle the challenges of constructing housing that’s affordable and carbon neutral, take a look at why big bank investors are optimistic about fourth-quarter earnings and hear how a team of British researchers is hoping to harness the power of the sun.

Unemployment fell in December close to a pre-pandemic low. But the economy added far fewer jobs than economists expected. So what gives? It has to do with the two different surveys that make up the monthly jobs report and how they define “employment.” Plus: App-based payments come out from “under the table,” higher fees come for second homes and people shift how they do their ‘dos in the pandemic.

One year ago, supporters of Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent and deadly attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Today, we revisit the economic ripples of the Jan. 6 insurrection and examine how political instability continues to hamper the economic recovery. We’ll also hear how utility infrastructure plays into wildfire prevention, what a festival cancellation means for surrounding businesses and why consumers have a gloomier outlook than the economy does.

Though the United Kingdom formally ended its European Union membership at the start of 2020, last week marked the one-year anniversary of the U.K. severing remaining ties with the EU. Today, we hear about the hopes, frustrations and economic outlooks of five small U.K.-based companies 12 months on. Plus: hints of an easing supply chain, a growing industry to manage office downsizing and a high-tech tractor that could curb a shortage of agriculture workers.

While a group of GOP-led states is currently pushing against NASDAQ board diversity requirements, some corporations have already ramped up their diversification efforts. The number of directors from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups jumped by 25% in 2021, and women now make up almost 30% of directors among Russell 3000 Index companies. The shift, while slow, hints at the changing values of companies and their investors. We’ll also hear from recruiters experiencing a boom in business, head to Albuquerque as it pilots a zero-fare bus program and check in with small retailers catching a breath after holiday shopping.

California is home to nearly one-quarter of the country’s homeless population, a count that has likely grown during the pandemic. Last year, the mayor of Sacramento — home to 11,000 people without homes — proposed a radical solution to the city’s homelessness crisis: treat housing as a legal right. Housing advocates largely support the proposal, except for a controversial part requiring homeless residents to move to a temporary shelter or be removed from their current locations. Also on today’s program, big banks delay their back-to-office plans, the strategies behind some brands’ familiar chimes and why energy companies are racing to liquefy natural gas.

Even if it may not feel like it amid spiking COVID-19 cases, we are in a very different world — and economy — than the one we were in a year ago. Today, we’re taking a look back at 12 months of inflation, supply chain headaches and child care issues. We’ll also look at what interest rates and consumer spending might be like as we continue to redefine “going back to normal” in 2022. Plus: an argument for ethical AI, examining a piece of “must-pass” legislation and the reflections of a parade organizer. Time is running out to make a gift to Marketplace in 2021. Don’t delay!

In late November, commissioners in Montgomery County — located north of Houston — voted to return $7 million in unused federal rent relief. But some renters there are still facing eviction, and many have found it difficult to access county- and state-level COVID relief funds. As the federal government works to reallocate rent relief, we pay a visit to Montgomery County to see how officials, activists and renters are responding. But first, a look at what 2022 might bring for the job market, how restaurants and bars are planning for a second New Year’s Eve with COVID and why a big-ticket bailout for the U.K.’s hospitality industry still might only be a drop in the bucket.

A little over a year ago, the first American received a COVID-19 vaccine. Now, we’re averaging more than 250,000 positive COVID cases per day. This year has been … a lot. Consumers and workers are more resilient but are tired or burned out. Counselors and clinicians are overwhelmed with the scale of grief they’ve been tasked with addressing. Today, we’ll talk about the psychological toll the pandemic has taken, how to grieve the lives we once knew and how to live with this continued uncertainty. Plus: The huge price tag of returning those unwanted holiday gifts, a new holistic approach to preventive care coming to California and a look at Japan’s hydrogen-focused plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

The pandemic has exacerbated the country’s opioid crisis. More than 100,000 people in the United States died from drug overdoses last year in the highest one-year death toll on record. Today, we take a look at a recently expanded program in California, one that utilizes medically assisted treatment in emergency rooms and is becoming a model for other programs around the nation. We’ll also hear about the questions Moderna’s shareholders are raising regarding global vaccine equity, take a look at the future of streaming services and examine Brexit’s impact on the United Kingdom’s role as a hub for plundered antiquities.