April 23, 2020
Rainy Friday. Across Minnesota, we’ll see some rain and snow overnight into Friday. Rain totals through Friday will stay relatively low, with most of the state likely to see under a quarter-inch of rain. Because the precipitation and cloud cover Friday will be more widespread, tomorrow will be colder than today. Most of the state will see highs in the 50s. COVID-19 in Minnesota today: School will stay shut through the end of school year, Walz says. Minnesota schools will continue distance learning for the rest of the academic year, Walz announced Thursday, as the state reports 200 deaths tied to COVID-19 and 2,942 confirmed cases. Weeks into distance learning, frustrated parents say “I just can’t do this.” Amid the barrage of learning apps, video meet-ups and emailed assignments that pass as pandemic home school, some frustrated and exhausted parents are choosing to disconnect entirely for the rest of the academic year. “I wanted to get into a fetal position and hide out,” says Sarah Karpanty, a professor who is also teaching her own two middle schoolers online. Walz plans to ramp up testing significantly. When will that happen and will you be eligible to get tested then? Partnering with Mayo Clinic and the U of M, Gov. Walz’s plan calls for 20,000 diagnostic tests and 15,000 antibody tests to be performed daily statewide. State officials are unclear about exactly when the plan would be fully implemented, but when the testing ramps up, everyone with symptoms will be able to get tested. Here are more details about Minnesota’s expanded testing plan. What Trump didn’t see coming a month ago. A day before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, President Trump was calling the outbreak "unexpected" and urged people to "stay calm. It will go away." And in April alone, the number of deaths has gone up almost tenfold, from 4,780 to more than 46,000, as of Wednesday. Let’s sing together, again, this Friday! You’re invited to our Bring the Sing Home on Friday, this time featuring Bill Withers' "Lean on Me." At 5:53 p.m. Friday, MPR News and our friends at The Current and The Classical MPR will broadcast the song for Minnesotans to sing along with us. Step out the door, open your windows, and sing loud and proud! Are you graduating this May? How is the COVID-19 pandemic impacting your graduation and your job hunting plan? Share your story with us here and help inform our reporting. — Jiwon Choi and Matt Mikus, MPR News | 