Food Insecurity in the United States of America: A Comparison 2 between the Great Recession and the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as COVID-19, altered everyday life in the United States of America and around the world. In 2020, 20,727,942 people residing in the United States of America were infected, with 356,666 succumbing to the virus.” Social distancing measures discouraged in-person interaction which led to many businesses, schools, and food services having to operate at reduced capacity or to close completely. Soon after, revenues declined, employees were dismissed, and numerous businesses were forced to file bankruptcy. Consequently, the number of people in the United States of America who struggle to put food on the table has increased. Newspaper and media outlets showed long lines of people seeking assistance from food banks across the USA . This chapter discusses the economic ramification of spread mitigations strategies, a severe economic crisis, and a rapid increase in food insecurity.