Page Text: COVID-19 Resources
Coronavirus Disease 2019
In late 2019, a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, was identified in Wuhan, China. The virus, which causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), spread rapidly and led to a global pandemic which has had significant public health and economic effects. As of December of 2021, more than 49 million people have been infected and over 785 thousand have died in the United States. Globally, more than 250 million have been infected and more than 5.2 million people have died.
In response to the pandemic, a series of laws have been enacted to provide myriad forms of relief to individuals and businesses. Federal efforts have also supported the development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and medical countermeasures—both domestically and globally.
CRS staff are actively engaged in supporting Congress’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic through regular consultation with Members of Congress and their committees and staff, as well as through the publication of research products addressing various domestic and global aspects of the disease and the laws that have been enacted in response to the pandemic.
COVID-19 Products by Issue Area
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