COVID-19: Coverage of the pandemic from MPR News

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May 4, 2020 4:51 PM

Not-so-small businesses continue to benefit from PPP loans

SBA data show that demand is still very high for the loans, and that smaller amounts are going out this time. But large, multimillion-dollar loans are still eating up a good chunk of the money.

by Danielle Kurtzleben

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May 4, 2020 4:51 PM

Republicans push Walz to speed up business reopenings

DFL Gov. Tim Walz says he’s working on reopening more businesses that were closed amid COVID-19 concerns, but he’s not sure when it will happen. Senate Republicans say the governor needs to move faster or those businesses will disappear.

by Tim Pugmire

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May 4, 2020 4:15 PM

FDA cracks down on antibody tests for coronavirus

These tests are designed to identify people who have been previously exposed to the virus. The Food and Drug Administration is now telling manufacturers they'll have to meet minimum standards.

by Richard Harris

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May 4, 2020 3:32 PM

How the pandemic is changing us

Right now, most of us are just trying to keep up with the daily deluge of information. But if history is a guide, this pandemic is quietly changing us and our culture. What might be the lasting effects of the coronavirus pandemic?

by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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May 4, 2020 3:07 PM

J.Crew bankruptcy filing may not be the last for retailers slammed by pandemic

The clothing retailer's troubles predate the health crisis. Other stores, like J.C. Penney and Neiman Marcus, are also struggling to survive extended closures.

by Alina Selyukh

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May 4, 2020 12:20 PM

A look at the science of coronavirus as the country loosens restrictions

All eyes are on states that are loosening social distancing restrictions and what that means for the spread and treatment of COVID-19 infections. We look at these moves, along with the latest science, with two epidemiologists.

by Kerri Miller and Breann Schossow

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May 4, 2020 11:38 AM

Meatpackers cautiously reopen plants amid coronavirus fears

A South Dakota pork processing plant took its first steps toward reopening after a virus outbreak among workers that was one of the worst in the nation. Smithfield Foods shuttered its Sioux Falls plant for over two weeks because of a coronavirus outbreak that infected over 800 employees.

by The Associated Press

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May 4, 2020 10:14 AM

How did the small business loan program have so many problems in just 4 weeks?

Not-so-small companies, like Shake Shack, and organizations like the LA Lakers were able to get loans that were meant for suffering small businesses. What happened?

by Cheryl W. Thompson, Bill Chappell, Graham Smith, Pallavi Gogoi, Danielle Kurtzleben , Jim Zarroli and Laura Sullivan

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May 4, 2020 8:42 AM

American public space, rebooted: What might it feel like?

Already, there are hints of what institutions and the spaces they occupy could look like, such as vibrating pagers to let you know it’s your turn somewhere or ballparks and movie theaters deliberately keeping seats empty. If even some come to pass, they could alter Americans' relationship with the public realm.

by The Associated Press

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May 4, 2020 8:24 AM

Coronavirus conundrum: How to cover millions who lost their jobs and health insurance

Over 9 million Americans have lost both their job and health coverage. To help them, COBRA is an option, but it could cost buyers more than if subsidies were increased for Affordable Care Act plans.

by Dan Gorenstein and Leslie Walker

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