Gao-21-387, Covid-19
United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Committees March 2021 COVID-19 Sustained Federal Action Is Crucial as Pandemic Enters Its Second Year GAO-21-387 www.gao.gov March 2021 COVID-19 Sustained Federal Action Is Crucial as Pandemic Enters Its Second Year Highlights of GAO-21-387, a report to congressional committees Why GAO Did This Study What GAO Found As of March 15, 2021, the U.S. had More than a year after the U.S. declared COVID-19 a public health emergency, the over 29 million reported cases of pandemic continues to result in catastrophic loss of life and substantial damage to the COVID-19 and more than 523,000 global economy, stability, and security. According to data from the Centers for reported deaths, according to CDC. Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics, about The country also continues to 520,000 more deaths occurred from all causes (COVID-19 and other causes) than experience serious economic would be normally expected from February 2020 through mid-February 2021, repercussions. highlighting the effect of the pandemic on U.S. mortality (see figure). The pandemic also continues to cause economic challenges, particularly for the labor market. As of Five relief laws, including the CARES February 2021, there were about 10 million unemployed individuals, compared to Act, were enacted as of January 31, nearly 5.8 million at the beginning of 2020. 2021, to provide appropriations to address the public health and Higher-Than-Expected Weekly Mortality in the U.S., February 2020 through Mid- economic threats posed by COVID-19.
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