Only a month ago, the jobless rate in Sarasota and Manatee was 3 percent. That number will soar as more businesses shutter in our service-oriented economy because of the coronavirus. For the week of March 21, 70,000 claims were filed in Florida. By comparison, only 5,325 claims were filed March 1-7, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

Anthony Gagliano, the director of business and economic development at CareerSource Suncoast, which connects job seekers with employers, says he’s seen a 10-fold increase in the number of people coming to his organization looking for work in the last couple of weeks. At the same time, the number of companies posting positions has gone from 25 new postings a day to seven on March 27.

“There are still a few employers hiring, though,” he says, mostly in the healthcare and delivery systems.

It’s definitely worth a look. And Gagliano says CareerSource remains a resource for employers in these uncertain times with programs and grants.