The global chip shortage is so bad that some experts predict it will last until 2023. However, it appears that the short-term situation could be even worse than predicted, and could affect everything from PS5 restocking to electric cars. [According to the Wall Street Journal, Asian countries, which have generally fared better than Western countries in the initial containment of Covid-19, are lagging behind in the vaccination phase, which is causing problems in chip production.

In Taiwan, the number of infected people has been on the rise since May, with the South China Morning Post reporting one to three cases in a matter of days. Jin Yuan Electronics Corp. (a company specializing in testing and packaging chips) has reportedly had more than 200 employees test positive this month, in addition to the 2,000 already quarantined. This has caused sales projections to drop by one-third, the Journal reported.

TSMC, which manufactures chips for PS5, Apple, Qualcomm, and others, has reportedly not yet been affected. However, the outbreak occurred "next to its headquarters in Hsinchu, Taiwan. One semiconductor analyst said that the situation in Taiwan "of course . . will exacerbate the shortage," he told the Journal.

Sony warned analysts in May that the PS5 would remain in short supply until 2022, and this news will not improve the situation.

According to a Bloomberg report, "I don't think demand will settle this year, and even if we secure more devices and produce more PlayStation 5s next year, supply will not be able to keep up with demand," Chief Financial Officer Hiroki said at the time.

The company is not the only one taking a hit: a Journal report highlighted a factory in Malaysia that was forced to extend a scheduled vacation shutdown by 10 days after an employee tested positive for a virus. According to the Malaysian Semiconductor Industry Association, this will reduce the company's production by 15-40%.

The epidemic in Asia not only affects chip production lines, but also their ability to actually ship product; The Journal profiles Yantian, a container port south of Shenzhen. Thanks to an outbreak of infection among dockworkers, the port is at a "virtual standstill" with 160,000 containers waiting to be loaded. The port is said to be operating at about 30% of normal.

What this means for consumers, of course, is a shortage of in-demand products and a playground for duffers: PS5 stock continues to sell out as soon as it becomes available, and Nvidia's latest GeForce RTX 30 cards disappear from virtual shelves in seconds.

As the Journal notes, while Western countries tend to prioritize reopening the virus rather than suppressing it, many Asian governments are seeking to eradicate those infected "even if it means short-term economic pain." And that means having to deal with "sell-out" signs and duffers who exploit consumers may be something they will have to get used to for years to come.