Coeur d'Alene didn't seem to have that issue very much. The town never really shut down. What started the lack of workers (based on my observation and discussions with the people in these jobs) was they were getting more on unemployment than they did at their job...and when the unemployment ran out they realized that there was little point...because if they go back to work they still can't afford rent. I have a suspicion a large portion of them are just waiting to be evicted or have already moved in with someone (family, couch surfing, etc).

Our death rates here were not high for the age range that takes these jobs...we likely lost more to the opioid crisis than anything.

Coeur d'Alene was wide open for operation June 2020...the restaurants had a record year (due to Washington being locked down). I suspect this area will be one of the much studied regions in terms of Covid. Almost no lockdown, very limited mask usage, schools were largely open, as well as a very low vaccination rate in the county. I consider this area as close to a "control group" as you can get.

That is not plausible. The COVID-19 fatality rate is low except for elderly people, and very few of them worked as restaurant kitchen staff.

Retired people are not included in mortality by job