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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COVID-19 on the rise in Minnesota
While the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations remains among the lowest in the pandemic, the uptick warrants vigilance — especially given that the state is also seeing some increases in COVID-19 detected in wastewater.
Coronavirus FAQ: Is it wiser to get a booster now or wait for the new fall booster?
Maybe it’s not a summer surge but COVID numbers are definitely ticking up. For those with concerns due to personal risk factors or the start of the school year, the booster question is top of mind.
Minnesota health data: Opioid impacts remain high, COVID-19 levels remain low
Amid recent reports concerning increases in COVID-19 activity, we take a closer look at wastewater monitoring. We also look at some existing data related to the ongoing negative impact of opioid addiction.
Republicans' excess death rate spiked after COVID-19 vaccines arrived, a study says
After vaccines became widely available in 2021, "the excess death rate among Republican voters was 43 percent higher than the excess death rate among Democratic voters," Yale researchers say.
Health data roundup: COVID-19 in deer, cannabis-related emergency visits for kids
We’ve got mainly good news on COVID-19 in humans, but bad for deer. Also: cannabis storage safety and a recent downward trend in marijuana use among Minnesota teens. 
Future of Us: Forced to downsize their funerals, Hmong families returned to their roots
COVID-19 hit Hmong Minnesotans especially hard. Of COVID-related deaths among Asian Minnesotans in 2020, nearly half were Hmong. The loss came in the midst of pandemic restrictions that forced many families to downsize their normally large and lavish funerals. As they did so, Hmong healer Xifu Yaj Ceeb Vaj says some found an opportunity to reground themselves in their culture's spiritual traditions.