This season, business owners say a number of factors related to COVID-19 have made it essentially impossible to hire employees a major problem as pandemic-weary tourists are flocking to the popular barrier islands.
“I’m almost at the point of begging people to work,” said Charles Obrien, owner of Miss Kitty’s Old Time Photos and Gifts in Corolla.
Coastal communities beyond the Outer Banks are facing the same problem, even as more people get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Experts say some people still worry about the potential health risks of working in crowded settings such as restaurants. And some businesses that depend on hiring foreign students are out of luck because of coronavirus travel restrictions and a slow-down in the processing of visas.
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