The number of people in the U.S. seeking unemployment aid fell last week to 498,000, the lowest point since the pandemic struck.

They have fallen sharply over the past year but remain well above the 230,000 weekly figure typical before the pandemic struck.

The number of Americans applying for unemployment aid fell last week to 547,000, a new low since the pandemic struck.

Some women may have trouble finding work, especially if they can’t return to the industry that employed them before the pandemic.

Almost half of small business owners said in a survey they couldn’t fill open jobs, so many of them are offering more money.

The number last week was 576,000 claims, down sharply from a peak of 900,000 in early January.

For many who lost jobs, relief payments and safety nets weren’t enough to stave off the material hardship.

And a total of 18.2 million people were receiving some form of jobless aid the week of March 20.

But in the public sector, and especially education, jobs may come back soon because of money in the latest COVID relief package.

The March increase — the most since August — was nearly double February’s gain of 468,000.