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 boosters are coming but who will get them and when?
COVID-19 booster shots may be coming for at least some Americans but already the Biden administration is being forced to scale back expectations — illustrating just how much important science still has to be worked out. Here’s what we know about the biology behind booster decisions.
Minnesota districts struggle to find bus drivers as school year starts
In Minneapolis, officials are offering $3,000 hiring bonuses but are still short drivers. The Stillwater district is suing its transportation company. St. Paul school officials on Tuesday will detail their plan to respond to the shortage.
Here are the key reasons to get a flu shot — now
With all the talk about COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, it's easy to forget that there's another respiratory virus poised to strike. We tackle questions about why a flu vaccine matters now.
Minnesota colleges' prerequisite: COVID vaccinations for students
As students head back to campus, many Minnesota colleges and universities are requiring students be vaccinated against COVID-19. The vaccines mean an added layer of protection that campuses didn't have last fall.
First responders nationwide resist COVID vaccine mandates
The resurgence of COVID-19 this summer and the national debate over vaccine requirements have created a fraught situation for the nation’s first responders, who are dying in larger numbers but pushing back against mandates.
Across the COVID-ravaged South, high-level life support is difficult to find
ECMO, the highest level of mechanical life support, functions as a temporary heart and lungs for some of COVID-19's sickest patients. But the waitlist is too long for many patients who need it.
State of Minnesota opening two more COVID testing sites as demand increases
Rising COVID case counts in recent weeks are bringing more demand for testing. The state will open a COVID testing site at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Wednesday, and another at the former YMCA in Lino Lakes on Sept. 13.