Coronavirus Oversight - Past Pandemic-Related Reports
An ongoing review of the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic and oversight of related spending.
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Animal Diseases
Infectious animal diseases can pose potential threats to humans as well as livestock. Our past work in this area may help inform preparedness for current and future infectious disease outbreaks that may originate from animals.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in new ways for thieves and scammers to commit fraud against unsuspecting people. Our body of work on fraud, consumer schemes, and misleading advertisements highlight the importance of consumer protection.
Under the Pandemic Unemployment Relief provisions of the CARES Act, self-employed or contingent workers will have access to unemployment insurance. These reports help define that population and outline some of the challenges they face with benefits and financial security.
Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Federal Telework, and Broadband Access
COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of broadband/internet access—for telework, telehealth, distance learning, and more. Information technology and cybersecurity issues are even more important in this environment. Our past work looks at existing capabilities and ongoing challenges.
Education, Federal Student Aid, and Online Learning
Our past work related to student loan repayment and interest accrual; challenges faced by postsecondary students with disabilities; and distance education.
Our body of disaster response work addresses the federal, state, and local response to disasters including natural and biological disasters such as pandemics. Our recent disaster recovery work highlights the challenges in the federal and state response to disasters and ways to increase preparedness and improve response.
Our past work on new funding, stimulus, and credit vehicles may provide insights into the federal response to COVID-19. This body of work looks at previous federal mechanisms for helping the private sector, such as loans, loan guarantees, and investments in private companies.
This body of work highlights the importance of building accountability into funding mechanisms and ensuring that agencies are establishing adequate internal controls as programs are established. Existing controls may not be adequate to account for temporary program changes. As such, emergency measures require the federal government to balance meeting the immediate needs of the citizens and industry with protecting taxpayer interests.
The current coronavirus pandemic highlights the ongoing concerns about food insecurity. Our past work addresses the nutrition needs of college students, older adults, school aged children, and servicemembers. Topics include mass care organization and coordination in disasters, and summer meals programs for K-12 students.
Medicare and Medicaid waivers can help facilitate care under pandemic conditions—but appropriate oversight is needed. Our past findings provide insights into existing challenges in this area.
Pandemics, Infectious Diseases, and other Disease Outbreaks
This collection of reports discusses funding, administration, federal responses to prior outbreaks (e.g., Ebola and Zika), and technologies (e.g., to enable rapid diagnoses of infectious diseases), among other topics.
Our past work explores the retirement system—especially the fact that many Americans don’t have adequate retirement savings. The economic and financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to exacerbate these challenges and further jeopardize financial security for older workers and those who have already retired.
The United States has a National Biodefense Strategy that calls for a joint effort by multiple agencies and private sector partners. It spells out the nation’s plan to prepare for threats like COVID-19. The following reports highlight longstanding challenges and actions needed to address them.
Unemployment Insurance, Reemployment Services, and Worker Safety
In the past, we’ve reported on challenges to providing employment-related services—which may be exacerbated as states face worker safety concerns and increases in unemployment due to the pandemic.
