HVAC GineersNow Sept2021 Covid-19 Delta Variant Could Cause HVAC Spending Slump, filter, heating, ventilation, air conditioning

C O V E R
S T O R Y
40
Without new government regulations or mask mandates, consumers’ willingness to cut back
on spending is dependent on their level of comfort engaging in activities that put them in close
quarters with strangers. It truly is a matter of customer preferences.
Bank of America economists are also examining history to see how customers would react to
the continuous threat of COVID-19. Between February and May, Michigan had a higher rate of
COVID-19 instances than the rest of the country. Michigan residents did not return to lockdown,
and the state government imposed no significant restrictions, leaving behavioral adjustments to
consumers.
Local bar and restaurant spending has been hit the most, according to experts at Bank of America.
That is one area where the pull-back may be most evident in the future. And if restaurants are
forced to reintroduce capacity restrictions or resort to sitting clients solely outside, consumer
spending would inevitably decline.
Consumers may also regain their skepticism of air travel, preferring instead for vacations to
locations accessible by vehicle rather than cross-country or international destinations.
To combat the Delta strain, some local governments have already reinstate mask requirements,
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged last July that vaccinated Americans
living in specific locations wear masks inside. Certain firms have announced new limitations or
postponed plans to reopen their offices. Numerous analysts believe that the events will have little
effect on growth, as firms and consumers adjust to each phase of the outbreak.