Part 1: A Shock to the System: COVID-19 and Hampton Roads

COVID-19 changed how we view the Hampton Roads economy. In January 2020, the region was projected to grow faster than the nation, there were more unfilled jobs than unemployed workers and boosts in defense spending brightened our economic future. By April, however, businesses were closing, jobs were being lost and residents were under a stay-at-home order. We assess the economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic and examine prospects for the coming year