MORRISVILLE (April 8, 2020) – The rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic has brought much of the world to a halt as increasing infection rates have led to stronger state and local actions to address the impact and limit the spread. At the federal level, Congress worked quickly to fund public health efforts to stem the spread of the virus, help those impacted by the economic slowdown, and support an economy in freefall. To aid decision-makers, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) and South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health (IMPH) released a joint brief that examines the COVID-19 pandemic and how the three bills passed by Congress in March may assist North and South Carolina. For example:

• Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (signed March 6, 2020) – North Carolina received around $13.8 million and South Carolina around $8.9 million from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grants to states for prevention, preparation, and response to COVID-19.
• Families First Coronavirus Response Act (signed March 18, 2020) – Provides paid sick leave, which is usually available to fewer civilian workers in the Carolinas than in other regions of the country.
• Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (signed March 27, 2020) – An estimated 83% of married parents and 94% of single parents in North Carolina, and 85% and 94%, respectively, in South Carolina will receive a stimulus payment. North Carolina will receive close to $4.1 billion in aid to state and local governments and South Carolina close to $2 billion.

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic crisis have been developing for months, yet we are most likely in the early stages of a long-term situation that will require ongoing state and federal actions to protect the health and well-being of Americans. The NCIOM and IMPH will continue to monitor federal actions and their potential impacts on the residents and communities of Carolinas.

The North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) is an independent, quasi-state agency that was chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1983 to provide balanced, nonpartisan information on issues of relevance to the health of North Carolina’s population. For more information, visit www.nciom.org.

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