Food Insecurity during the Time of COVID-19: Vulnerability, Health Conditions, and Taking Action.

Abstract

Since the report of the first cases of a “viral pneumonia” in Wuhan, China in late 2019, the global spread of what would be identified as SARS-Co V-2 or COVID19 has been rapid and virulent. As of August 2021, there were 214.8 million COVID-19 cases and nearly 4.5 million associated deaths (Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center 2021b). While some countries have made strides in containing the spread of the virus through quarantining, social distancing, and mandatory mask-wearing, many others have not. For example, there were 28 million cases and over 400,000 deaths in the U.S. at the end of January 2021 (Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center 2021a). As of August 2021, there are now 38 million confirmed cases and over 633,000 deaths in the U.S. (Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center 2021b). Although there are now vaccines to immunize millions, their rollout and availability have been problematic, even in countries with highly developed healthcare and public health systems. In the U.S. where the vaccine has been available since December 2020, only 52% of the population is fully immunized but this figure varies depending on the age group (e.g., older adults are more likely to be vaccinated) and where people live (e.g., higher rates of vaccination in the northeast). Vaccine hesitancy and skepticism have led to a lower vaccination rate of 108 doses per 100 people (Our World in Data 2021). Notwithstanding the speed of the development of these vaccines, the challenges of scaling up production on a global basis means that vaccine herd immunity will not happen any time soon (Weixal 2021). In an attempt to increase equity of access to COVID-19 vaccines, the WHO, Gavi, and CEPI have partnered to create COVAX, a public-private coalition of governmental organization and philanthropists dedicated to vaccine donation and price negotiation for lower-income countries (Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance 2021a). While some countries, such as Ghana, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have only recently begun to receive COVAX-donated vaccine doses, wealthier and more populous nations