In the biggest insight yet into the economic toll COVID-19 is already inflicting, initial jobless claims in the week ended March 21 surged from 282,000 in the prior week and more than quadruple the previous record high of 695,000 in 1982, according to Labor Department figures released Thursday. The data date back to 1967.

Economists’ projections for the figure ranged as high as 4.4 million.

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