COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights from RAND

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread illness and death, economic devastation, day-to-day challenges, and long-term uncertainty. RAND research and analysis provide insights on the effects of this monumental crisis—and can help determine the best ways forward.

As the pandemic continues to ravage communities all over the world, health care workers are stretched thin; leaders are balancing decisions about reopening schools and businesses while preventing further spread; and countries, states, and localities have begun massive campaigns to produce and distribute vaccines.

What are the implications of a vaccine rollout that fails to support poor countries? What do we know about vaccine hesitancy among Americans? And how is the pandemic exacerbating inequities in health, economic, and education outcomes?

These are just a few of the important questions that RAND researchers are tackling. Their efforts can help inform immediate policy responses to address the disastrous effects of COVID-19—and help communities, businesses, and individuals recover long after the disease stops spreading.

Vaccinations, Health Care, and Well-Being

  • A healthcare worker holds syringes with COVID-19 vaccines at a vaccination center, in El Paso, Texas, May 6, 2021, photo by Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters

    Commentary

    Will the United States Declare Freedom from COVID-19 Too Soon?

    May 21, 2021

    RAND analyzed what could happen with COVID-19 deaths in the United States if restrictions all go away on July 4. Fully reopening the economy before Biden's vaccination target was met doubled the average number of COVID-19 deaths between Independence Day and the end of the year.

Workers and the Economy

  • A nurse prepares to inject a potential COVID-19 vaccine into a human patient, photo by PordeeStudio/Adobe Stock.

    Research Brief

    Unequal Access to COVID-19 Vaccines Would Further Damage the Global Economy

    Nov 5, 2020

    As long as the coronavirus is not under control in all regions of the world there will continue to be a global economic cost associated with COVID-19. Vaccine nationalism could cost up to $1.2 trillion a year in GDP. If the poorest countries cannot access vaccines, the loss would be between $60 and $340 billion a year.

Education

Vulnerable Populations

  • A woman receives a box of donated food items during the COVID-19 pandemic in her car, photo by SDI Productions/Getty Images

    Commentary

    Striking Rates of Food Insecurity in Two Pittsburgh Neighborhoods

    Feb 9, 2021

    The number of Americans experiencing food insecurity has increased since the pandemic began. And rates are higher among African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, and Alaska Natives. Proactive and aggressive policy actions could help reduce the inequities in places like Pittsburgh's Hill District and Homewood neighborhoods.

National Security and International Affairs

  • North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during the conference of the Central Military Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 23, 2020, photo by KCNA/Reuters

    Commentary

    Think the Coronavirus Is Curbing Kim's Atomic Appetite? Think Again

    Apr 20, 2021

    Coronavirus or not, Kim Jong-un's appetite for nuclear and missile bargaining with the United States remains intact. This likely spells further weapons demonstrations from North Korea, with potentially longer-range missile demonstrations to test Washington's resolve in its nuclear negotiations with Pyongyang.

View all of RAND's COVID-19 related work