Marriage & divorce amid pandemic: Couples’ challenges abound

For married couples in the U.S., the pandemic has posed a host of new tests, bringing some closer, tearing others apart. Spending more time together is a common result of lockdowns, furloughs and layoffs, and this has been a blessing for some couples. But for some spouses who have been deprived of opportunities for individual pursuits, the increased time together has just increased existing tensions. Comprehensive national statistics on marriage and divorce during the pandemic won’t be compiled for many months. But the numbers available thus far from a few states suggest there’s been a sharp decline in each category.