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In NH jobless data, 72% of claims are in three industries
So far, the hospitality, retail and healthcare industries have been hit hardest by the coronavirus in New Hampshire, according to unemployment figures released last month.
So was the North Country. Even though there have been only two confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Coos County, the economic impact of the virus has driven the region’s unemployment rates to 35% or more.
Statewide, the rate (not to be confused with the official unemployment rate) was 13.5% or more.
From March 15 through April 24, there have been over 141,000 unemployment claims. More than 38,500 of the claims, 27% of the total, are from the hospitality industry, including nearly 27,000 bars and restaurants.
Next was retail, a broad category that includes everything from department stores to gas stations, with more than 33,500 claims (24%), followed by health and education, though those have been primarily involving health services, with nearly 29,500 (21%). Outpatient offices, such as doctors, dentists and specialty clinicians accounted for more than 10,000 of these. Hospitals accounted for nearly 5,000.
Business services, which includes real estate, resulted in more than 17,500 claims (12% of the total). Less affected were industries considered essential and allowed to remain open — manufacturing, with nearly 6,000 claims, and construction, with over 5,000 claims.
