The world will never be the same after the COVID-19 pandemic has struck virtually every country, every industry, and every single person on the planet. Hopefully, the worst part of this virus is behind us and we can actually start working toward the future. But things are extremely difficult right now — for everybody.
Life after COVID is filled with difficulties, but there are plenty of things to be hopeful for, as well. For one, there is the possibility of another stimulus package on the way, which will certainly help the many Americans struggling during these trying times. Over the last 10 years, the U.S. government has invested $35 billion in meaningful use incentive payments — but a second round of $1,200 payments to individuals who make less than $75,000 a year will significantly increase that amount.
Here are some industries of note that have been greatly affected by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic:
Agriculture
The Family Farmer Relief Act was signed into law in August 2019, which tremendously helped a lot of U.S. farmers. Shortly after, the coronavirus struck the U.S., and production, distribution, and purchasing essentially stopped. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the government is committed to delivering additional assistance to America’s farmers and ranchers in order to combat COVID-related issues. Now that things are settling down, and in accordance with the USDA’s phased reopening process, farmers and ranchers can begin making in-person appointments at several USDA Service Centers across the United States.
Additionally, the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) provided $16 billion in direct support to farmers suffering from problems related to the COVID-19 pandemic. And the USDA is accepting CFAP applications until August 28, 2020.
Sports
Perhaps one of the strangest parts of this entire global pandemic is that the sports world, one of the most popular and profitable industries in the world, has essentially been put on hold.
Major League Baseball was set to have one of its most exciting and entertaining seasons, the NBA and NHL were in full swing and nearing the playoffs, and even the 2020 Summer Olympics have been postponed until 2021. Hopefully, people got a lot of productive stuff done during the time when they would otherwise be watching sports. But fear not, sports fans, sports are returning soon! They might look a bit different at first… especially since fans won’t be in attendance right away, but sports are coming back with a vengeance!
Legal Trouble
Global pandemic or not, legal troubles, for the most part, are continuing for everyone involved with an issue. Legal professionals are working around the clock to help people all over the country navigate all kinds of legal issues. These are certainly unprecedented times, as well, which makes it even harder for attorneys to assist clients and for people to seek legal counsel in the first place.
“Long after this health crisis is over, courts will be grappling with untold numbers of litigation disputes concerning whether parties are excused from performance of their contractual obligations during this health crisis,” said Kent Schmidt, an attorney in California.
It’s not all about legal trouble, however. Personal injury cases, whether it’s an injury that occurred before the COVID pandemic, during, or immediately after, need to be addressed in a timely manner. It’s important to note that people with an attorney generally settle a claim for three to four times more than those who have similar injuries but are not working with an attorney.
The world is a different place now. But all we can do is adapt and play with the cards we were dealt. It’s time to get ready for a happy and semi-normal life after COVID. Good luck and stay safe!
