5 Ways to Come Back Stronger With Automation and Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure Shutterstock COVID-19 compounded existing challenges for governments, colleges and universities, and teaching hospitals. These organizations were already struggling to meet rising expectations with aging infrastructure and more complex IT. July 14, 2021 • COVID-19 compounded existing challenges for governments, colleges and universities, and teaching hospitals. These organizations were already struggling to meet rising expectations with aging infrastructure and more complex IT. With the pandemic came new hurdles, like telework and a massive surge in online services. In one week in March 2020, unemployment claims jumped from 250,000 to about 3 million — a more than 11-fold increase.