Health

January 13, 2022 7:04 PM

ERs are overwhelmed as omicron continues to flood them with patients

Omicron may cause milder disease but the sheer number of patients is making this wave far worse for the health-care system. With packed emergency rooms, patients can wait days to get moved to a hospital bed.

by Will Stone

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January 13, 2022 6:22 PM

Nursing home operators fear 'collapse' after another COVID wave

In the early stages of the pandemic, nursing homes and assisted living facilities faced enormous challenges and grief, as the virus had severe and deadly consequences on residents. Now some say the system of caring for vulnerable people is itself in danger.

by Peter Cox

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January 13, 2022 4:00 PM

Rapid omicron spread closes Minn. schools on short notice

The swift onslaught of omicron cases is sending teachers and students home in Minnesota. The exponential rise in absences has forced many districts to pause in-person classes and implement a variety of distance-learning plans for much of the rest of January.

by Elizabeth Shockman and MPR News Staff

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January 13, 2022 1:37 PM

Supreme Court halts COVID-19 vaccine rule for U.S. businesses

The Supreme Court has stopped the Biden administration from enforcing a requirement that employees at large businesses be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask on the job.

by The Associated Press

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January 13, 2022 12:16 PM

Duluth mayor orders 30-day mask mandate as COVID cases climb

“If you want to be mad at me, be mad at me. That’s what I’m here for. It’s still the right decision,” Emily Larson said Thursday as she announced a mask mandate for indoor public gathering spaces for people older than 5.

by Dan Kraker

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January 13, 2022 10:48 AM

What's it like to be in high school during the omicron surge?

As COVID-19 sweeps through schools and some return to distance learning, we heard first-hand accounts of what life is like in school during the pandemic from high schoolers around the Twin Cities.

by Cathy Wurzer, Alex Cheng and Melissa Townsend

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January 13, 2022 9:55 AM

Your COVID and omicron surge questions, answered by a doctor

Amid a record-breaking surge of COVID-19 infections, Dr. Susan Kline of the University of Minnesota Medical School took audience questions about the pandemic.

by Cathy Wurzer and Kelly Gordon

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January 13, 2022 5:38 AM

More than 1 million fewer students are in college, the lowest enrollment numbers in 50 years

People are sitting out college in droves. During the pandemic, undergraduate enrollment has dropped nearly 7 percent. The long-term effects of this decline could have a dramatic impact on the economy.

by Elissa Nadworny

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January 13, 2022 4:00 AM

Go back to school and ditch weekly testing: The advice from one children's hospital

Dr. David Rubin discusses guidance from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia that says schools should stay open for in-person learning and discontinue required weekly testing.

by Ari Shapiro, Jonaki Mehta and Courtney Dorning

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January 12, 2022 7:13 PM

Coronavirus FAQ: Why are some folks hacking home COVID tests by swabbing their throat?

The FDA-approved tests call for a nasal swab. Some doctors are tweeting that they're doing a throat swab too — though they don't recommend this step to the public. Here's a look at the swab debate.

by Sheila Mulrooney Eldred

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