Where did you get the bit that the shortage is due to covid policies? A quick search on 'post pandemic labor shortage' gives me this.
But a closer look at what has happened to the labor force can be better described as ‘The Great Reshuffle’ because hiring rates have outpaced quit rates since November of 2020. So, many workers are quitting their jobs—but many are getting re-hired elsewhere.
The U.S. Chamber is capturing the trends on job openings, labor force participation, quit rates, and more, for a quick understanding of the state of the workforce in our America Works Data Center.
Link: https://www.uschamber.com/workforce/understanding-americas-labor-shortage-the-most-impacted-industries