The escalating coronavirus pandemic could reverse decades of gains in the fight against poverty, as U.S. government aid for the vulnerable dries up. Keeping a flow of government assistance open to poorer families will be crucial to ensure that the recovery from the pandemic doesn’t further exacerbate inequality, according to James Sullivan, LEO co-founder and economics professor at the University of Notre Dame.
"The pandemic is likely resulting in many displaced workers who will need to invest in some retraining in order to find stable employment," Sullivan said. "Those who are unable to do that are more likely to have to rely on the government safety net and they face greater risk of intergenerational poverty."