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.

Unpacking legal questions surrounding new Minneapolis mask order
New rules announced by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey state, starting Tuesday anyone over the age of 2 is required to wear a face mask, or face covering, when entering Minneapolis businesses and other establishments.
How I read COVID-19 data: A primer from MPR News' data reporter
Every day at 11 a.m., the Minnesota Department of Health releases new data on COVID-19 cases in the state. The updates can be confusing, with dozens of new points of information, missing context, and tons of questions. Here’s a look behind the scenes.
Pandemic puts a crimp on voter registration, potentially altering electorate
Most places where Americans usually register to vote have been closed since March. It's led to a big drop in new registrations right before an election that was expected to see record turnout.
Stockholm won't reach herd immunity in May, Sweden's chief epidemiologist says
Sweden's controversial strategy has become a rallying cry of anti-lockdown protesters in the U.S. But not even the official behind the country's coronavirus approach is sure it was the right call.
The pandemic is driving America's schools toward a financial meltdown
With state income and sales tax revenues crashing, one expert predicts, "We're about to see a school funding crisis unlike anything we have ever seen in modern history."
County fair organizers across Minnesota face tough decisions
So far, about 1 in 3 Minnesota county fairs have been canceled for this summer, with more expected to follow in the wake of last week’s cancellation of the State Fair. Organizers of fairs that have not yet called off plans for 2020 are weighing the potential health risks against long-standing traditions.
'Everybody respected him': Faribault pastor remembered for compassion, embrace
Craig Breimhorst was the kind of guy who would walk into a room, and within 10 minutes was friends with everyone — which came in handy when he started his own church in Faribault over 30 years ago. He died on April 16 at 71, Rice County’s first victim of the coronavirus.