Photo by Judy Griesedieck for MPR News May 20, 2020 Plans for reopening bars, restaurants and other gathering spots are expected today
Good morning. Welcome to the middle of the week. Here's a look at the latest before we head into yet another big news day.
Warmer and clearing clouds. Twin Cities highs in the upper 70s with southeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Nighttime lows in the mid-50s. Statewide highs in the 70s with evening lows from the mid-40s to upper 50s. More on Updraft | Forecast
Minnesota's inching back toward normalcy will take a new leap today. State officials will unveil a new plan for the phased reopening of bars, restaurants and other "places of public accommodation," as Steve Grove, the employment and economic commissioner, said on Twitter.
We don't have details yet, but we can look to what other states have done. Some places have limited the number of tables restaurants can fill for dine-in. And if we look to Maryland, four days after the state began reopening its economy, there was a new spike in cases.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 isn't going away in Minnesota. Health officials reported a spike of hospitalizations yesterday as the total number of confirmed cases passed 17,000.
545 people remain hospitalized; 229 in intensive care
11,540 patients no longer needing isolation
If COVID-19 is keeping you up at night, you're not alone. About a third of us are dealing with high anxiety right now and most of us have some amount of psychological distress.
But there are some things we can do to help. Sleeping better, for one, which can get better from keeping a routine during the day and exercising. Cutting alcohol, even moderate amounts, helps too.
And if you're having weird dreams, a sleep medicine physician has an explanation. "Dreams are a manifestation of the emotional tone that we're going through during the day. So if you are going through a lot of stressful experiences during the day, your dreams are going to feel more stressful," Dr. Michael Howell told MPR News' Tom Crann.
Asian Americans are facing a new wave of racism due to some people holding the false belief that they're to blame for COVID-19. So, we asked a historian and community leaders and asked for their advice for non-Asian Americans to become allies to their peers during this difficult time. Here are their answers. — Cody Nelson, MPR News | @codyleenelson
