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.

America went shopping for clothes again in June
U.S. stores and restaurants got a boost in June as retail sales jumped 7.5 percent. Spending on clothes doubled. But this was before a new surge in the coronavirus prompted renewed shutdowns in some states.
Number of laid-off workers seeking jobless aid stuck at 1.3M
Unemployment remains painfully high in the U.S. even as economic activity slowly picks up. That reality will be on display Thursday morning when the U.S. government releases data on the number of laid off workers who sought unemployment benefits last week, as well as how retailers did in June.
July 16 update on COVID-19: New cases up as deaths, hospitalizations flatten
The latest numbers come a day after state health leaders pressed Minnesotans to stay vigilant to slow COVID-19’s spread and encouraged families to make plans for others to care for young children should parents fall ill with the disease.
This city's coronavirus safety measures could become best practices
The fishing port of New Bedford, Mass., is protecting essential workers during the pandemic with a set of enforceable guidelines that experts say could be a model for other cities.
'He shouldn't be doing that': Trump weighs in on Navarro op-ed attacking Fauci
The White House has disavowed a “USA Today” opinion piece by trade adviser Peter Navarro, who says Fauci has been wrong about the coronavirus. Fauci tells “The Atlantic” the attacks are "bizarre."
NPR radio ratings collapse as pandemic ends listeners' commutes
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the public broadcaster lost about a quarter of its radio audience in the second quarter of 2020, compared with a year earlier. Even so, digital audiences surged.
A COVID-19 success story in Rwanda: Free testing, robot caregivers
Despite its limited resources, Rwanda has vowed to identify every case. So you could be walking down the street and a health worker will ask if you want to be tested.