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.

COVID-19 is making it harder to check how accurate the 2020 census was
A final round of door knocking for a follow-up survey is now set to last until early 2022, raising concerns about whether the bureau can determine which groups were undercounted in the 2020 census.
Halloween events in Minnesota and their COVID precautions
From costume contests looking for the best mask-wearing ghoul, to concerts that’ll have you shaking in your boots once you have your temperature checked, we’ve got you covered on some of the spookiest events happening across the state, and what you need in order to attend them. 
COVID-19 in MN: New, active cases climb as care systems feel the stress
Minnesota remains stuck at or near highs for 2021 as COVID-19 stays entrenched in every county. State hospital leaders say the care system is stressed, short-staffed and struggling to meet the needs of rapidly rising numbers of COVID-19 and other patients.
Hiring slows sharply, and it's raising new concerns about the economy
Forecasters say the U.S. added just 194,000 jobs last month, even lower than the lackluster showing in August. The unemployment rate fell to 4.8 percent.
COVID-19 in MN: ICU needs hit 2021 high; hospital staffs 'exhausted'
Hospital leaders speaking to reporters on Thursday painted a worrisome picture of the strain on care systems across Minnesota — short-staffed and struggling to meet the needs of a rising tide of COVID and other patients.
COVID deaths leave thousands of U.S. kids grieving parents or primary caregivers
Roughly 175,000 children in the U.S. have lost one or both parents, or a grandparent caregiver to COVID-19, according to a new study. The majority of these children are racial and ethnic minorities.
Faced with losing their jobs, even the most hesitant are getting vaccinated
Workplaces with vaccine mandates are seeing vaccination rates of 90 percent or higher. A complex mix of factors, including job security, are driving most workers to get the shots.
Minnesota to expand COVID-19 testing options in schools
The state is making rapid at-home tests available to districts that request them. It’s also handing out grant money to districts that want to hire additional staff or need other help with the logistics of regular testing in schools.