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.

Stacey Danner wavered on the vaccine, friends hope his story sways others to get shots
Stacey Danner was an ardent cheerleader and advocate for his north Minneapolis neighborhood, for Black entrepreneurs and for his wide circle of friends from all walks of life. But this spring, he wavered on getting a vaccine and fell gravely ill with COVID-19. His story illustrates that vaccine hesitancy in Minnesota’s Black community is complex.
The Minnesota State Fair prepares for a smaller, safer return
Minnesota's State Fair opens next Thursday, after a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the “Great Minnesota Get-Back-Together” isn't going to be the fair you remember from 2019, either.
Biden to require COVID vaccines for nursing home staff
The Biden administration will require that nursing home staff are vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition for those facilities to continue receiving federal Medicare and Medicaid funding.
COVID-19 in MN: Positivity rate drops just below 5 percent
After a high number of cases reported Tuesday from the weekend, Wednesday’s data reveal cases and positivity rates slightly retreating during this fourth wave in the pandemic.
An In Focus conversation on mental health with a focus on BIPOC students heading back to school with guest Derek Francis, manager of counseling services at Minneapolis Public Schools.
State Fair won't mandate masks, receives pushback
Organizers are strongly encouraging people to wear face masks and will require them in some cases. “Mandating masks fairgrounds-wide would be extremely difficult for our organization to enforce, so we are urging you to pitch in and do what’s right,” says health guidance from the fair.
U.S. health officials call for booster shots against COVID-19
The plan, as outlined by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other top authorities, calls for an extra dose eight months after people get their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The doses could begin the week of Sept. 20.