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.

Yep, masks and protective gear are still hard to get — especially for small buyers
Just like in March, when coronavirus cases spiked for the first time, some workers and employers across the country face PPE shortages. Masks, gloves, gowns and other equipment are scarce.
Aug. 19 update on COVID-19 in MN: As deaths rise, a plea to 'do the right thing'
“We’re very concerned about the kind of messages — ‘Well, you can just keep testing and people can use their BC, before COVID, behavior,’” the state’s epidemiologist said Wednesday. “We have to work together.”
Expired jobless benefits cost economy billions, but some states reject Trump's aid
The expiration of emergency jobless benefits is draining $15 billion a week from the U.S. economy. President Donald Trump has offered to replace half that money, but states have been slow to accept.
Michigan State and Notre Dame suspend in-person learning over COVID-19 concerns
The University of Notre Dame is moving all undergraduate instruction online for two weeks after a surge in cases, while Michigan State University is asking students to stay home for the fall semester.
Citizenship delays could thwart thousands who dream of voting
Many immigrants applied for U.S. citizenship last year, thinking they’d be able to vote in this year’s general election. But the pandemic has pushed processing times way up, and hundreds of thousands are still waiting.
Minnesota joins multistate lawsuit over postal changes
Minnesota is joining a coalition of 14 states in suing to block service changes at the U.S. Postal Service, even as the postmaster general reversed himself and said he'd halt some of the changes following a national outcry.
COVID-19 case confirmed at Sturgis bar
The South Dakota Department of Health issued a warning on Tuesday that one person who spent several hours at a bar on Main Street in Sturgis has tested positive for COVID-19 and may have spread it to others.