COVID-19 Archives - Close Up Foundation

Recovering from Pandemic Learning Loss

February 22, 2024

On January 31, Harvard and Stanford Universities released the Education Recovery Scorecard, an assessment of student achievement following the COVID-19 pandemic learning loss.1 The report detailed the gains third- through eighth-grade students in 8,000 school districts across the country have made in their math and reading scores.2 The Education Recovery Scorecard results show that there […]

COVID-19 Executive Branch Health Care

Despite White House Push for Updated COVID-19 Boosters, Americans Are Slow to Roll Up Their Sleeves

October 18, 2022

Last Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration expanded eligibility for updated COVID-19 booster shots to include children as young as five. Prior to this announcement, the revised Pfizer vaccine was restricted to those 12 and older and the Moderna vaccine was restricted to those 18 and older.1 These updated booster shots address the BA.4 and […]

2021 Summer Round-Up: Infrastructure, Afghanistan, the Delta Surge, and the Climate Crisis

August 17, 2021

As teachers welcome students back into the classroom, it is important to establish good habits and routines for the new school year. One important habit is incorporating current issues discussions into civics, social studies, and humanities courses. To help teachers get started on the right foot, we’re offering a round-up of some of the most […]

COVID-19 Economic Issues Health Care

Extended Unemployment Benefits: Helping Workers or Holding the Economy Back?

June 01, 2021

After April’s jobs report fell short of predictions and unemployment ticked up for the first time in the last year, some politicians and policymakers, particularly conservatives, called for an end to the generous unemployment insurance (UI) benefits that have been place since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.1 Although federal pandemic-related UI benefits are set […]

The Georgia Election Law—Election Security or Voter Suppression?

April 23, 2021

On April 3, 2021, the Georgia General Assembly passed the Election Integrity Act of 2021. This new voting law enacts sweeping changes to Georgia’s election system which could have significant implications for the outcome of future elections. Republicans in Georgia and across the United States have hailed the law as a vital and necessary reform […]

How Can We Overcome Vaccine Skepticism?

March 16, 2021

There’s been a lot of good news in the fight against COVID-19. The United States has authorized three vaccines for emergency use and drastically ramped up the distribution to states while increasing the administration of doses.1 More than 107 million shots have already been given, with an average of 2.3 million per day.2 President Joe […]

The Inaugural COVID-19 Memorial

February 02, 2021

The Lincoln Memorial is usually bustling with energy and activity on the eve of a presidential inauguration, when it takes center stage for concerts, crowds, and celebrations.1 This year was different. The Biden Inaugural Committee struck a deeply somber tone in the midst of the pandemic, holding what was the first national memorial service for […]

President Biden’s Policy Priorities: The First 100 Days

January 22, 2021

During his inaugural address, President Joe Biden laid out a number of policy priorities. The clearest theme of his speech was a call for unity and the need to address political divisions in the United States, which came to a head with the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.1 However, President Biden also […]

COVID-19 Vaccines, A Harsh Winter, and Economic Relief

December 04, 2020

Public health officials are offering good long-term news about the prospects of making a COVID-19 vaccine widely available during the first half of next year,1 but they are also cautioning Americans that this winter could be very “rough.”2 In addition to having worries about illness, death, and social isolation, many people are also feeling significant […]

Summer Round-Up #1: The Pandemic, Schools, and The Economy

August 26, 2020

The summer of 2020 has been unlike any other. Schools across the country did not finish the end of the academic year in person, and many will not be seeing students in person once again this fall. Major events have been canceled or moved online, and we are in the midst of a presidential election […]