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.

State agencies allowed pandemic cash to go to ineligible Minnesotans, Legislative Auditor finds 
The Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor says the Department of Labor and Industry did not comply with some state requirements for the Frontline Worker Pay Program leading to many ineligible individuals getting paid pandemic-era funds.
What to make of the new COVID variants, FLiRT
Dr. Ashish Jha, the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health and former White House COVID-19 response coordinator, returned to All Things Considered to speak with host Ailsa Chang about what the new variants could bring.
Class of 2024 reflects on tumultuous journey from 2020 to graduation
The class of 2024 may be one of the most unique college classes. They faced both a pandemic and a racial reckoning — many just as they were beginning college and leaving home for the first time. Now, with diploma in hand, they reflect on the tumultuous journey they made to walk across the stage on graduation day.
How the pandemic gave power to superbugs
A surprising outcome of the COVID pandemic has been the rise of antibiotic-resistant infections. How did that happen?
Feds charge 2 Minneapolis consultants in $1M COVID-19 fraud
A grand jury has indicted two Minneapolis business consultants on charges of defrauding government pandemic aid programs out of more than a million dollars.
Water safety and air quality awareness as we near the start of summer
Drowning death rates increased nationally during the course of the pandemic, according to a new study. Another seasonal risk as we head into summer: bad air quality. On Monday, air pollution in the Twin Cities was the worst it’s been since last June.
Toxic: How the search for the origins of COVID-19 turned politically poisonous
The Chinese government froze meaningful efforts to trace the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, despite publicly declaring that it supported an open scientific inquiry, an Associated Press investigation has found.
Cannabis, sneezes and a welcome decline in respiratory diseases
Pre-legalization cannabis use in Minnesota was on par with the national average according to a study from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Hospitalizations from infectious respiratory diseases continue to wane in Minnesota.