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.

Minneapolis, St. Paul end vaccination-or-test order for bars, eateries
The cities last month began requiring proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID test to enter public places serving food and drink. With the current surge waning, the mayors on Thursday rescinded the controversial orders. Public masking mandates remain in place.
Pandemic bonuses, unemployment fix collide at MN Capitol
The DFL-led House is moving quickly on a $1 billion plan to financially reward front-line workers during the pandemic. The GOP-led Senate wants to first deal with a massive hole in the unemployment fund and deal with the pandemic checks later.
COVID’s long shadow
Host Angela Davis checks in with an ICU nurse from St. Cloud, Minn., who has been caring for COVID patients since the beginning of the pandemic. And, she talks with a Latina activist who hopes her father’s long battle with COVID-19 raises awareness about the sacrifices made by essential workers. 
Latest on COVID in MN: Pandemic path brightens as cases, hospital needs fall
Key metrics tracking the spread of COVID-19 in Minnesota continue to show the current surge in retreat, with cases, positive test rates and hospital bed use all falling steadily. Duluth’s mayor says she’ll let her city’s masking order expire on Saturday.
What a bottle of ivermectin reveals about the shadowy world of COVID telemedicine
An anti-vaccine group known for spreading medical disinformation is writing prescriptions for unproven COVID-19 treatments, with the help of a doctor whose medical license was revoked in Alabama.
If you tested positive and the contact tracer never called, here's why
Swamped by thousands of calls a day, contact tracing programs have been forced to adapt. Even though they can't call everyone, experts say it's too early to give up on this pillar of disease control.
Omicron continues pain for event businesses in MN, still not back to normal
The live event and hospitality industries have been hit extremely hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. But they say they have been, for the most part, left out of the financial aid many others have received.
A doctor answers questions about COVID-19 immunity, additional boosters and more
What do we know about the sister variant of omicron? Does someone recovered from COVID-19 have immunity for 90 days? Will we have to get another booster? These questions and more, answered by Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Melanie Swift.
Biden: Child credit money is available via tax returns
The Biden administration wants families with children to know that there is roughly $193 billion waiting for them — all they need to do is file their taxes to claim it.