Last March, the country locked down in response to the rapid spread of the coronavirus. Massive job losses quickly followed, along with business closures and an economy that seemed to be in free fall.

Policymakers responded with a series of actions to help prop up both employers and out-of-work Americans. And now, with last week’s signing of Biden’s Covid relief bill, Democrats say they not only want to stop the bleeding, but also reverse the damage.

Damian Paletta is economics editor at the Washington Post. He joined Diane to talk about how well the federal government rose to the challenge of the pandemic economy, and what comes next to help those still hurting.