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.

WHO creates 'confusion' about asymptomatic spread. Here's what we know
That's the word some doctors used for a World Health Organization statement. At issue: 1) How many people are infected with COVID-19 but show no symptoms and 2) Can asymptomatic people infect others?
Structural racism and health care
Inspired by a recent conversation on black trauma, MPR News host Angela Davis talks with experts in the medical field about racial health disparities and how to fix them.
WHO expert clarifies remarks on COVID-19 virus spread
A top World Health Organization expert has tried to clear up “misunderstandings” about comments she made that were widely understood to suggest that people without COVID-19 symptoms rarely transmit the coronnoavirus.
As EPA steps back, states face wave of requests for environmental leniency
The EPA does not require companies to notify federal regulators if the pandemic interferes with pollution monitoring or reporting. That leaves states alone on the front lines of pollution control.
As economy continues to reopen, Duluth moves to 'normalize' masks
The cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are requiring people to wear masks in stores and other indoor spaces as Minnesota moves to reopen additional sectors of the economy this week. But Duluth is taking a different approach, trying to normalize the habit, rather than mandate it.
Feds spend billions on COVID-19 contracts, often without fully competitive bidding
In the government's hurried pandemic response, more than 250 companies, some with little or no medical supply experience, got contracts worth more than $1 million without fully competitive bidding.