COVID
is, once again, becoming more rampant in the United States, resulting in the
increase of unemployment rates; though the unemployment rate has risen, it is
still 89 percent below what it was during COVID's peak. WalletHub compared the
50 states and the District of Columbia based on the change in unemployment
claims in three different situations: latest week versus last year, latest week
versus start of 2020, and since the start of COVID versus last year. On two
accounts, Louisiana's recovery rate was the lowest of all other states and DC.
To
compare results, WalletuHub created a number scale in which 1 represents the
quickest recovery and 25 represents average recovery. Using this scale,
WalletHub found that Louisiana was ranked 51 for "Recovered Most Since Last
Week" and 48 in "Recovered Most Since Start of COVID-19 Crisis."
Louisiana
had the slowest recovery in the U.S. from latest week versus last year,
resulting in a 1,932.54 percent change in unemployment claims. 42,724 people
reported that they were unemployed on November 9, 2020, but on November 11,
2019, only 2,102 people reported being unemployed. This proved to be the
slowest recovery of all states in the U.S.
Louisiana
also had the slowest recovery in the country when looking at the difference in
unemployment claims from the latest week versus the start of 2020. There was a
2,476.84 percent change in unemployment claims during this time. The week of
January 1, 2020, 1,658 people reported that they were unemployed, which is considerably
less than the 42,724 people who reported that they were unemployed the week of
November 9, 2020.
Louisiana
exhibited the fourth slowest recovery in employment claims from the start of
the COVID pandemic versus last year, resulting in a 1,570.01 percent change in
unemployment claims. On March 18, 2019, 71,124 people reported that they were
unemployed, yet a year later, on March 16, 2020, 1,116,653 people reported that
they were unemployed.
According
to Mayor LaToya Cantrell, as of November 18, Orleans Parish is in Code Red,
indicating an active COVID outbreak due to rising infections, rising numbers of
cases, and doubled reports of positive COVID tests.
To
view WalletHub's full report, click HERE.
