Omicron is unlikely to hit the long-term supply chain, but vaccinations are essential -Raimondo

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo listens to a question during an interview with Reuters at the Commerce Department in Washington, September 23, 2021. REUTERS / Kevin Lamarque / File Photo

WASHINGTON, Dec.23 (Reuters) – The Omicron variant of the coronavirus appears unlikely to have a long-term impact on the manufacturing supply chain over the next few months, but that will depend on the number of people vaccinated, said Thursday US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

“I don’t think Omicron will have any significant supply chain disruption in the long run,” she told CNN in an interview. “It really depends on whether people are doing the right thing and getting vaccinated.

“It’s definitely a factor,” Raimondo said of the new variant. “There will be disruption. “

Supply chain issues continue to plague many US industries, and much of the shipping crisis is due to the pandemic.

President Joe Biden, speaking on Wednesday ahead of a meeting with U.S. officials and private sector companies on the issue, said U.S. actions to remove grunts from the supply chain had averted a crisis before Christmas. Read more

Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Edmund Blair and Jonathan Oatis

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