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Tips: Traveling to Mayo to get medical care safely during COVID-19

Posted by Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung, May 6, 2020

Medical needs don't go dormant and wait for the current pandemic to pass. People still need cancer treatment, heart surgery, diagnostic procedures, joint replacements, lung assessments, wound care and compassionate care. Some medical needs can be met through telemedicine, but certainly not everything.

Compassionate care at Mayo Clinic COVID-19

Postponing nonessential appointments and surgeries in March allowed time to increase Mayo Clinic's COVID-19 testing capabilities. Mayo Clinic hospital and intensive care capacity meets and exceeds the current projected needs for COVID-19 patients, due to a revised, smaller expected COVID-19 peak. With these important favorable developments, Mayo Clinic is ready to safely treat patients whose care was delayed, in adherence with federal and state executive orders and guidance. Mayo is also welcoming new patients, and able to offer more phone and video visits to new and established patients. Read more about the new precautions Mayo added to minimize risk of COVID-19 transmission. 

What can you do to stay safe when:

  • Going to the hospital for appointments
  • Traveling to a hospital out of your local area
  • Staying at a hotel
  • Getting food

What are your tips?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

elizaba | @elizaba | May 8, 2020
In reply to @roch "I drove from North Carolina to MN with my dog at end of March and here..." + (show)
@roch


I drove from North Carolina to MN with my dog at end of March and here are a few things I did to keep safe on road:

- I packed a bag similar to a diaper bag and had essentials in it: toilet paper, hand sanitizer, disinfect wipes, baby wipes, gloves, paper towels, mask, Kleenex, etc....
- Packed food and water to have along the trip. Did buy some food and coffee at drive thru, but tried to avoid when possible.
- I used gloves when filling up on gas.
- Used credit cards only, avoid handling money.
- Wore mask when ever left car.
- After using rest room and wash hands, would take couple extra paper towels and use to open any doors on way out.
- Used hand sanitizer when ever I got back into car and before took off mask.

Every state was different as far as what was open.

I did stay one night a hotel. I only took into room what was absolutely necessary for night.

Safe travels

Laurie

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Really helpful this travel information. Once on the road was it easier than anticipated? Or less stressful than anticipated?

REPLY
Mentor
Laurie, Volunteer Mentor | @roch | May 8, 2020

@elizaba ,
To answer you question if easier then anticipated; it was actually easier then expected. There was less traffic on interstate, no problem finding gas stations open and the states I was in still had rest stops open. It was March so probably less traffic even without virus. I did not make hotel reservations in advance because not sure how many miles I was going to drive in a day. When decided it was time to stop for night, just had to find one that excepted dogs. I already had list of possible hotels in cities along the route. Hotels were not busy so was not worried.

Laurie

REPLY
elizaba | @elizaba | May 8, 2020

Laurie thanks so much for your response. So helpful. Heading towards WI from the east mainly through Penn. So who knows. Happy you and your dog made it there w/o issues. Elizabeth

REPLY
jerrynord | @jerrynord | May 8, 2020
In reply to @roch "I drove from North Carolina to MN with my dog at end of March and here..." + (show)
@roch


I drove from North Carolina to MN with my dog at end of March and here are a few things I did to keep safe on road:

- I packed a bag similar to a diaper bag and had essentials in it: toilet paper, hand sanitizer, disinfect wipes, baby wipes, gloves, paper towels, mask, Kleenex, etc....
- Packed food and water to have along the trip. Did buy some food and coffee at drive thru, but tried to avoid when possible.
- I used gloves when filling up on gas.
- Used credit cards only, avoid handling money.
- Wore mask when ever left car.
- After using rest room and wash hands, would take couple extra paper towels and use to open any doors on way out.
- Used hand sanitizer when ever I got back into car and before took off mask.

Every state was different as far as what was open.

I did stay one night a hotel. I only took into room what was absolutely necessary for night.

Safe travels

Laurie

Jump to this post

Good points. If one has to stay in a motel I would look for an outside access instead of going inside.
Where in Minnesota?

REPLY
1 reply
fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | May 8, 2020
In reply to @roch "I drove from North Carolina to MN with my dog at end of March and here..." + (show)
@roch


I drove from North Carolina to MN with my dog at end of March and here are a few things I did to keep safe on road:

- I packed a bag similar to a diaper bag and had essentials in it: toilet paper, hand sanitizer, disinfect wipes, baby wipes, gloves, paper towels, mask, Kleenex, etc....
- Packed food and water to have along the trip. Did buy some food and coffee at drive thru, but tried to avoid when possible.
- I used gloves when filling up on gas.
- Used credit cards only, avoid handling money.
- Wore mask when ever left car.
- After using rest room and wash hands, would take couple extra paper towels and use to open any doors on way out.
- Used hand sanitizer when ever I got back into car and before took off mask.

Every state was different as far as what was open.

I did stay one night a hotel. I only took into room what was absolutely necessary for night.

Safe travels

Laurie

Jump to this post

@roch, Laurie, these are excellent tips for a driving trip. I'll forward them to my grands who are planning a drive soon to his parents' with their little dog. They live in PA. and I'm sure available conveniences differ from state-to-state. However, these are great regardless of the areas traveled. Thank you for sharing them!

REPLY
elizaba | @elizaba | May 8, 2020
In reply to @jerrynord "Good points. If one has to stay in a motel I would look for an outside..." + (show)
@jerrynord

Good points. If one has to stay in a motel I would look for an outside access instead of going inside.
Where in Minnesota?

Jump to this post

another good idea. Wisc is my destination

REPLY
mpeters | @mpeters | May 9, 2020

We are going to Mayo Clinic on Monday and Tuesday. They will greet us at the door, ask screening questions, and give us a mask. But what steps are we taking? I called the motel for reservations. The room we will get has been empty for three days. The person taking our card will have a plastic shield between us. We are bringing our air mattress, pillows, sheet, cotton blanket. We are bringing spray bottle of bleach and gloves for both of us. We will clean all hard surfaces. We have a good refrigerator in our car, so we are bringing our own food, drinks, and utensils. We will bring our own glasses. We are bringing a trash bag for our trash and extra toilet paper. We are going to put our tv clicker in a ziplock bag, We will ask that no one come in our room. I’m more worried about enclosed spaces at Mayo. Although all will be wearing masks, who’s to say someone didn’t cough or sneeze in the elevator? Also, the latest Medscape had an article about fecal transmission. Is it safe to go in their bathrooms? I’m looking forward to hearing from others about their tips.

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1 reply
lannonvarnum | @lannonvarnum | May 9, 2020

My husband and I will be at the Rochester Mayo Clinic May 17 - 22/23 for his diagnostic tests etc. our daughter is planning on driving us and picking us up.
We didn’t think we would need as car as nothing is open. We have not been informed about having a COVID test prior to arrival but will ask. We were told masks and temp taking will be necessary every day. Meals are a concern and finding our buildings (2) Gonda and Charlton but hopefully the concierge can help. Do most restaurants deliver?? All of your tips and hints were helpful, thanks so much! Linda S.

REPLY
3 replies
mpeters | @mpeters | May 9, 2020
In reply to @msherfinski "You need to have a Corona test performed before coming to the Clinic for a procedure..." + (show)
@msherfinski

You need to have a Corona test performed before coming to the Clinic for a procedure , doctor visit or anything. Mayo wants the check done by them and will not accept any other testing results from a different facility. You can have a test in Lacrosse which requires a72hour wait, or in Rochester which requires a 48 hour wait. You need to call for appointment. I needed to get a hotel in my case for 2 nights . Tuesday night (for actual test, another night for waiting period) There's no other way. I was just tested in Milwaukee last week but they won't accept that!! Stinks!!!

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This is news to me. Maybe you are talking about a different campus? We are going to Mayo Scottsdale.

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1 reply
msherfinski | @msherfinski | May 9, 2020
In reply to @mpeters "This is news to me. Maybe you are talking about a different campus? We are going..." + (show)
@mpeters

This is news to me. Maybe you are talking about a different campus? We are going to Mayo Scottsdale.

Jump to this post

I'm going to Rochester

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