MPR News with Angela Davis

Answering your COVID questions for the holidays

A sign for COVID-19 testing
People arriving on international flights wait to be tested for COVID at Los Angeles International Airport on Dec. 3.
Mario Tama | Getty Images

Updated: Dec. 15 | Posted: Dec. 14

As of Wednesday, nearly 10,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Minnesota as the pandemic drags on. No one knows when it will end. But we do know some things that will help control the spread. As new strains appear and guidelines for vaccines, boosters and social behavior are adapting, questions continue to arise.

Does improving air filtration in your home or office help prevent the virus? What’s the best timing for a booster? How do you protect your young children who cannot get vaccinated? If your young children contract COVID, what can you expect in terms of their level of sickness? What’s the safest way to travel over the holidays? If you get a booster and it makes you feel awful, is that a good sign? 

MPR News host Angela Davis talked with two infectious disease experts who also answered your questions about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Guests: 

  • Dr. Priya Sampathkumar is an associate professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic and an infectious disease researcher. 

  • Kris Ehresmann is the Director of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division at the Minnesota Department of Health

Correction (Dec. 15, 2021): An earlier version of this post misstated the total deaths from COVID-19 in Minnesota. The article has been updated.