Fewer U.S. workers sidelined as Delta cases began to fall, survey shows

The number of U.S. workers unable to work at some point over the previous four weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic dropped by more than a million in October, while fewer people reported not looking for jobs because of those health concerns as cases began to fall, a Labor Department survey showed on Friday. Approximately 3.83 million people were unable to work in October or reported reduced hours due to their business either closing entirely or cutting back operations, down from roughly 5.03 million in the prior month, according to the survey, resuming a downward trend that was interrupted by a rise in August.