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.

St. Cloud, Moorhead reject mask mandates
Several other Minnesota cities are requiring masks in indoor public places, including Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester and Duluth.
Pfizer and BioNTech begin testing an omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccine
Though people who are vaccinated and boosted appear to be better protected against omicron, the highly contagious variant has still led to breakthrough cases and a surge in infections worldwide.
Osterholm: Twin Cities emerging from 'viral blizzard'
University of Minnesota infectious disease specialist Michael Osterholm predicted a “viral blizzard” due to the omicron variant of COVID-19 a few weeks ago. He says the Twin Cities is beginning to emerge from that, with case counts dropping daily.
Why Tonga is opting for 'contactless' humanitarian aid
It's a pandemic predicament. Tongans are desperate for help after the volcanic eruption — but with only one recorded case of COVID-19 in their island nation, they’re also eager to keep the virus out.
Why rapid COVID tests aren't more accurate, and how scientists hope to improve them
Recent research — and plenty of anecdotes — suggest some rapid tests may be less sensitive at detecting the omicron variant if you don't have symptoms. Here's how researchers hope to make them more effective.