COVID-19: Coverage of the pandemic from MPR News

The latest news, resources, guides and tips to help you stay up to date on the coronavirus pandemic and how to navigate what Gov. Tim Walz called “our new normal.”

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Guides and tips Vaccine FAQ | Updated restrictions | Mask order FAQ | Submit your questions | Tips for parents | Mental health resources

APM Research Lab COVID-19 deaths by race and ethnicity in the U.S. | Tracking the vaccination progress across the U.S. | Limited vaccine data shows uneven access by race

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Parting Thoughts Remembering Minnesota’s lives lost to COVID-19

A sign sits near a street where a bus is parked.

Latest on COVID-19 in MN: Spring wave ebbs; vaccination pace crawls

May 11, 2021 5:30 a.m.

By MPR News Staff

The newest numbers show active cases and hospitalizations are down significantly from mid-April, but the vaccination pace continues to inch ahead even as officials plead with unvaccinated adults to get their shots.

The Mary Tyler Moore statue on Nicollet Mall got a mask.

Futures of Twin Cities downtowns in flux as workers trickle back

May 11, 2021 3:48 p.m.

By Mark Zdechlik

Downtown promoters in the Twin Cities predict today's relatively deserted business districts will bounce back. But some businesses that rely on office workers for customers are skeptical.

A woman looks away as she is given a vaccine.

Can schools require COVID-19 vaccines for students now that Pfizer’s shot is authorized?

May 11, 2021 1:20 p.m.

With the first COVID-19 vaccine now authorized for adolescents, ages 12 and up, a big question looms: Will students be required to get the vaccine before returning to their classrooms in the fall?

A close-up of a person loading a syringe with a vaccine.

St. Paul man accused of stealing coronavirus vaccines

May 11, 2021 12:35 p.m.

By The Associated Press

Police in a St. Paul suburb are investigating the theft of coronavirus vaccines after a man recorded and posted videos on social media of him walking away with vials of what he said was “poison” and that he had plans to have the vaccines tested at a lab.

A woman looks away as she is given a vaccine.

As COVID-19 vaccine eligibility expands, what caregivers should know

May 11, 2021 11:00 a.m.

By Kerri Miller and Marcheta Fornoff

Kids ages 12 and over are now eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Two physicians share what caregivers should know as they discuss getting their kids vaccinated.

A room of beds for patients.

Why you should care about stopping the spread of COVID-19

November 20, 2020 10:50 p.m.

By MPR News Staff

In case you need convincing, or know someone who does, here’s a quick look at some of reasons health professionals find the growing spread of COVID-19 so concerning.

A woman gets a shot in her left arm.

Timeline: COVID-19 in Minnesota

March 6, 2021 4:00 a.m.

By MPR News Staff

More than 579,000 cases and over 7,100 deaths have been reported in Minnesota in the year since COVID-19 was confirmed in the state. Here are key dates in the state's fight against the coronavirus.

Steven Anderson, 65

Remembering Minnesotans lost to COVID-19

May 21, 2020 2:32 a.m.

Through conversations with their family members, colleagues and close friends, MPR News is remembering the lives of the people we’ve lost, too soon, to COVID-19.

A sign says "Schedule your vaccine here."

Poll: Most in U.S. who remain unvaccinated need convincing

May 11, 2021 8:22 a.m.

By The Associated Press

Fewer Americans are reluctant to get a COVID-19 vaccine than just a few months ago, but questions about side effects and how the shots were tested still hold some back, according to a new poll that highlights the challenges at a pivotal moment in the U.S. vaccination campaign.

A student walks down a hallway.

U.S. schools fight to keep students amid fear of dropout surge

May 11, 2021 6:45 a.m.

By The Associated Press

U.S. educators are doing everything they can to track down high school students who stopped showing up to classes and to help them get the credits needed to graduate. Their efforts, including relaxing graduation requirements, come amid an anticipated surge in the country's dropout rate during the coronavirus pandemic.