Coronavirus

For many, the dwindling of the coronavirus pandemic is a chance to reflect on a year of sickness and trauma. For Dr. Alex Garza, St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force commander, the last 14 months have offered unexpected lessons about public health. "A lot of the issues aren’t these scientific or medical issues," he said. "I think they’re more cultural and social."

A new Missouri Supreme Court order gives presiding judges a little more say in the details of operating their courts during the pandemic.

Any vaccinated Illinois resident will be automatically entered into a lottery for $10 million in prizes without having to take any extra steps to enter. Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the “all in for the win” vaccine lottery at an event in Chicago.

Across Missouri, more than 100 schools have spent over $3.5 million — often at taxpayers’ expense — snapping up ionization and other air-purifying devices in an attempt to keep kids safe from COVID-19. But experts warn the largely unregulated technology hasn’t been thoroughly tested in classroom settings and is “often unproven.”

Many funeral homes are offering memorial celebrations for family members who were unable to grieve properly last year. For months, funeral homes have had limited seating to help prevent the coronavirus from spreading. That led some families to delay celebrating their loved ones’ lives.

A federal program called P-EBT could help cover hundreds of dollars in groceries for families with children who lost access to meals because they attended class online and not in person during the 2020-21 school year.

Under the new law, Missouri counties and towns will only be able to issue orders that restrict access to businesses, churches and schools for 30 days when the governor declares a public health emergency. Without it, they can impose restrictions for 21 days. The law also bars officials from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccinations to use public facilities and services.

St. Louis-area food pantries are busy stocking shelves for this summer now that Missourians are receiving smaller unemployment checks.