Based on a September study, more than 5 million had reached poverty and were suffering during the pandemic. Some groups have suffered the most, such as blacks, low-income earners, women, and those without college degrees.
While the federal Cares Act, which gave Americans a one-time $1,200 stimulus check and jobless people an additional $600 per week, succeeded in compensating for increasing poverty rates in the spring, the results were short-lived, researchers discovered in a report.
Poverty rates, especially those among minorities and children, rebounded after help decreased towards the end of summer, they said. The Cares Act was mostly effective in avoiding significant rises in poverty, despite its shortcomings.
In April, the federal stimulus rescued about 18 million Americans from poverty, he said, but that figure is down to 5 million as of September.
According to the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, a family of four earning $26,200 a year or less, is known as living below the poverty line. The total number of poor people in the United States is 55 million, including the 5 million that sadly entered the point.
Because of COVID-19, poverty in countries worldwide is on the rise, and developed countries are no exception. In the U.S., the number of people living in poverty has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
It was also noted that during the pandemic, people of color were more likely to live in poverty, and poverty among Black people is growing at an accelerated pace. The information found that black people and Latinx people are more than twice as likely to live in poverty than white people.
The study related the differences because while attempting to access assistance and operating disproportionately in sectors affected by the recession, both groups could run into problems.
Black people live overwhelmingly with minimal benefits in Southern states, and certain Latinx persons may not apply for the benefits since they may not have legal status. Undocumented employees were unable to receive unemployment compensation, and their families were not eligible for stimulus checks under the Cares Act.
The government’s response to the pandemic was more than compensated for the significant decline in earnings early in the pandemic for low-income individuals and families. These benefits, however, seem to have faded as some of the incentives expire.
Lawmakers must react as quickly as possible in this time of crisis to meet the needs of those hit hardest by the pandemic.
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