Laserfiche WebLink
of harm experienced; uses that bear no relation or are grossly disproportionate to the type or <br />extent of harm experienced would not be eligible uses." <br />Throughout this final rule, Treasury refers to households, communities, small businesses, <br />nonprofits, and industries that experienced public health or negative economic impacts of the <br />pandemic as "impacted." The first section in the interim final rule under this eligible use <br />category included public health responses for these impacted classes. The second category in the <br />interim final rule under this eligible use category included responses to the negative economic <br />impacts that were experienced by these impacted classes as a result of the pandemic. <br />The interim final rule further recognized that certain populations have experienced <br />disproportionate health or negative economic impacts during the pandemic, as pre-existing <br />disparities in these communities amplified the impacts of the pandemic. For example, the interim <br />final rule recognized that the negative economic effects of the pandemic were particularly <br />pronounced among lower -income families, who were more likely to experience income loss and <br />more likely to have a job that required in -person work. The interim final rule recognized the role <br />of pre-existing social vulnerabilities and disparities in driving the disparate health and economic <br />outcomes and presumed that programs designed to address these health or economic disparities <br />are responsive to the public health or negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 public health <br />emergency, when provided in disproportionately impacted communities. In addition to <br />identifying certain populations and communities presumed to be disproportionately impacted, it <br />also empowered recipients to identify other disproportionately impacted households, <br />populations, communities, or small businesses. The interim final rule provided that, in <br />identifying these disproportionately impacted communities, recipients should be able to support <br />16 <br />