The pandemic put the entire U.S. into what amounted to an overnight recession. The introduction of vaccines — and evidence of their efficacy — proceeded to revive the economy in a number of ways. But the emergence of new variants has reintroduced a dramatic level of uncertainty.

The University of Arizona is releasing its annual economic forecast Dec. 3, and the continuing pandemic plays a significant role — even as there is optimism for how the state’s economy will perform in 2022.

To learn about the forecast, The Show spoke with George Hammond, director of the university's Economic and Business Research Center.

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