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.

New clues to the biology of long COVID are starting to emerge
Scientists have begun to find abnormalities in the immune systems of some long COVID patients that might help explain the syndrome, at least in some people. But there is still much more to learn.
Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee says she was pepper-sprayed in racist attack
In an interview with PopSugar, the St. Paul gymnast said that she was waiting for a ride with her friends, all of Asian descent, when a group sped by in a car yelling racial slurs. One person in the car pepper-sprayed her on the arm, she said. Suni Lee is currently in Los Angeles for the latest season of "Dancing with the Stars."
Unemployment is unavailable to many who lose jobs over vaccination rules
Companies are now following through on COVID-19 vaccine requirements, and people across the country are being fired from their jobs after rejecting the jab. In many states, jobless benefits are off-limits for people who refuse to get vaccinated as a requirement for continued employment.
How SARS-CoV-2 in American deer could alter the course of the global pandemic
Scientists have evidence that SARS-CoV-2 is circulating in white-tailed deer in the U.S. They say the findings could essentially dash any hopes of eliminating the virus in the U.S. — and the world.
Latest on COVID-19 in MN: Hospital needs jump; cases surge
“We find ourselves in a really truly alarming spike in cases in recent days,” the state’s health commissioner said, adding that waning vaccine immunity is likely contributing to the surge. The burden on Minnesota hospitals is growing rapidly again.
Feds increase spending for MinnesotaCare program
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra announced Wednesday that President Joe Biden’s administration will send an additional $100 million to Minnesota next year to help people with low incomes buy health insurance.
What does it mean to have long-haul COVID?
Early studies show that anywhere between 10 and 30 percent of COVID-19 patients will experience long COVID symptoms. MPR News host Angela Davis spoke with two doctors about long-haul COVID — what we know about the condition and how to treat it.
NFL fines Green Bay Packers, Aaron Rodgers for violating COVID protocols
With Aaron Rodgers sidelined by the diagnosis and league protocols on Sunday, the Packers lost 13-7 to the Kansas City Chiefs. He remains at home as part of a league-imposed 10-day quarantine.