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.

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Guide our coverage: Pandemic reflections survey

Poverty and uninsured rates drop, thanks to pandemic-era policies
Child poverty is at a historic low, according to Census bureau data, and the rate of those without health insurance dropped in 2021. But the good news may be short-lived, as policy measures expire.
Wastewater showing recent COVID declines in Twin Cities, no new strains 
Minnesota has had a second consecutive week of mostly hopeful new info about COVID-19 as shown in everything from wastewater data to cases to hospitalizations. 
Should you get the new COVID booster? A Mayo doctor weighs in
Appointments to get the booster shots are open at the state-run vaccination site at the Mall of America. The state sites in Duluth, St. Paul, Rochester and Moorhead will start taking appointments next week.
Pandemic experience informs new ways to make kids feel welcome at school
Defiance, wandering the halls, refusing to go to class — those are just a few student behaviors Rochester Public Schools staff say they saw more of when their students came back to class after a year of distance learning. As school starts again, district leaders are testing out new ways to stop these behaviors before they start.
 Brand new booster paired with some hopeful COVID trends
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved a new COVID-19 booster shot yesterday that targets the recently circulating BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. The new Pfizer-BioNTech booster is available for anyone age 12 or older, while Moderna’s new version is for anyone age 18 or older.