What Is the Definition Of a Qualifying Emergency Under the CARES Act?

A "qualifying emergency" is defined in Section 3502(a)(4) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), as:

• A public health emergency related to the Coronavirus declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d);
• An event related to the Coronavirus for which the President declared a major disaster or an emergency under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 and 5191); or
• A national emergency related to the Coronavirus declared by the President under section 201 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).

The term ‘‘coronavirus’’ has the meaning given the term in Section 506 of the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116–123)—that is, a SARS–CoV–2 or another coronavirus with pandemic potential.