12:29 PM In a move to help rural residents gain access to healthcare and educational opportunities, the United States Department of Agriculture is investing $42.3 million in telemedicine and distance learning infrastructure. WHY IT MATTERS Rural areas have greater infection and death rates from COVID-19 because of several factors, including a much higher percentage of underlying conditions, difficulty accessing medical care and lack of health insurance. The $42.3 million in awards includes $24 million provided through the CARES Act. The investments will benefit five million rural residents in total. THE LARGER TREND The Rural Policy Research Institute's Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis recently issued a report that found infection and death rates in rural America due to COVID-19 are 13.4% higher than in urban areas.