Leveraging the Urgency of Economic Disparities Driven by the COVID-19 Pandemic to Strengthen the U.S. Safety Net.

Abstract

The adverse economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to socioeconomic and health disparities in the United States, with a disproportion-ate impact among low-income persons and communi-ties of color. However, these disparities documented over the past two years are not new, and historically the U.S. safety net has not buffered vulnerable families from financial adversity to the same extent as do the safety nets of most peer nations. Policymakers, community organizations, and other stakeholders should leverage the urgency of this crisis to strengthen the safety net.