(Washington, DC)  —  When it comes to the nation’s unemployment situation, things are a little better this week, but still far from normal.  As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to sweep across the country, the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits is down and yet still, staggeringly high.  The Labor Department reports five-point-two-four million people submitted first-time requests for unemployment benefits last week.  Most economists had been expecting today’s number to be somewhere in that neighborhood.  And while it is down from a record six-point-six million the week prior, it means an estimated 22 million people have now sought jobless benefits since the nation started shutting things down in March amid the spread of the coronavirus.

Analysts say states that went ahead with stay at home orders earlier in the health crisis are seeing claims numbers ease while those who only recently implemented lockdowns are seeing a marked increase.