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.

In year three of the pandemic, public health shifts its focus to COVID’s burden on hospitals
With rapid tests more accessible and new reporting requirements, public health officials say COVID case counts and positivity rates are less reliable measures of community spread. Instead, they’re looking at how the virus is impacting hospital capacity.
Minneapolis public schools drops mask mandate
Minneapolis Public Schools announced Thursday that it is dropping its mask requirement. The district will also discontinue contact tracing and will not send notifications to parents when their students are exposed to others in their schools who have contracted COVID-19. 
CDC extends transportation mask mandate until May 3
The Biden administration will continue to require travelers to wear masks on planes and other forms of public transport,.
St. Paul Public Schools will drop mask mandate starting Monday
Effective Monday, St. Paul Public Schools will no longer require masks during times of low to medium community levels of COVID-19 in Ramsey County.
Possible spring COVID surge? Mayo infectious disease expert shares insights
When you look around, it would appear that many people think the pandemic is over. Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious disease expert at Mayo Clinic, says that’s “a deadly and wrong assumption.”