Information on COVID-19 Vaccine distribution for Mayo Clinic patients

Posted by Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung, Dec 24, 2020

For Mayo Clinic Patients:
The COVID-19 pandemic has made this a trying year for everyone. But there is good news to report.

An effective and safe COVID-19 vaccine is available now, and other COVID-19 vaccines will be coming soon. These vaccines have been tested under strict guidelines. Studies show that the first vaccine available, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and the next vaccine likely to be available, the Moderna vaccine, are 95% and 94.5% effective in preventing COVID-19.

Like many, you may have questions about these vaccines. This COVID-19 vaccine educational flyer will answer some of your questions. Be sure to follow Mayo Podcasts for up to the minute news about vaccination, COVID and more.

Mayo Clinic is working with other health care organizations, and state and federal authorities, to prepare for the fair and safe distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. But it will take some time to vaccinate everyone who wants to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

The first people who will be offered vaccination for COVID-19 are those with the highest risk of getting infected: front-line health care workers and adults in long-term care facilities. As more COVID-19 vaccines become available, more people will be offered vaccinations.

We will continue to share with you information about COVID-19 vaccines on our COVID-19 information hub and on Mayo Clinic News Network's COVID page. Mayo Clinic patients can expect emails from their care teams and see updates on Patient Online Services, Mayo's patient portal, about scheduling vaccination appointments at Mayo Clinic.

While COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing COVID-19, you should continue to follow other prevention protocols already in place:

Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth.
Stay at least 6 feet apart from other people.
Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 70% alcohol.

Mayo Clinic believes that COVID-19 vaccines will be effective in preventing COVID-19. When you are eligible to be vaccinated for COVID-19, we encourage you to schedule a vaccination appointment. Follow news from your state and local health authorities for further information.

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

seaspray | @seaspray | Feb 1, 2021

In reply to @sue6175 "Thank you for the info as what I am reading was disturbing. I too am scheduled..." + (show)

Your 2nd dose will be there for you. It is the rest of us cancer over 65 year olds that lose out. I will be the only one in my neighborhood not vaccinated and many are younger than me. But, I am not willing to stand in line with people and then go inside an unventilated old mall to receive it. I feel safer just staying at home. Unfortunately I have a brain MRI on Friday at Mayo and will be exposed by the young technicians there. It is what it is.

ga29 | @ga29 | Feb 1, 2021

In reply to @seaspray "It amazes me that as a cancer patient I was told by my doctor's NOT to..." + (show)

I went to the county health department. My 2nd vaccine will be at our county fairgrounds for a drive through, by appointment. No one gets out of their car, the nurse comes to your window. Then we drive to the other side and wait for 15 minutes for side effects. I prefer this to going to the store and being around so many people. As many people I know are losing their relatives who have weakened systems from illness, I wanted to go ahead and get mine. I am two weeks from a back fusion today, sooner than I would have liked if not for so many getting this virus in our county. I’m not going anywhere else, but my husband is still working. He had his first vaccine 2 1/2 weeks ago.

naiviv | @naiviv | Feb 2, 2021

In reply to @merpreb "@blueg1948- Welcome to Mayo Connect. My first question is, are you a patient at Mayo? If..." + (show)

I am a patient at Mayo Clinic but with the Spine Center and years ago with an Orthopedic physician. Don’t have a Mayo PCP because they ate not accepting Medicare patients for now. The ones that have been treated for years who have Medicare can still be treated there. I called last month and the PCP staff told me that and the waiting list runs now for 3 years!!! Wow!

baq315a | @baq315a | Feb 2, 2021

In reply to @sueinmn "As Colleen said above, "Mayo Clinic patients can expect emails from their care teams and see..." + (show)

Sue I sent you the info Mayo Roch gave me yesterday: no kore covid vaccines at Mayo except dose 2. Is the info correct or not? Please clarify.

Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Feb 2, 2021

In reply to @baq315a "Sue I sent you the info Mayo Roch gave me yesterday: no kore covid vaccines at..." + (show)

I am not a Mayo employee, but a volunteer mentor. I only have access to the official Mayo published info, but let's refer your question to our resident fact-finder.

@colleenyoung Can you confirm this?

Sue

baq315a | @baq315a | Feb 2, 2021

Here is Mayo-Roch 2 nd email to me: "

"Yes, I am sorry, unfortunately, that is the case. I apologize that there is no route to receive COVID-19 vaccination through Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville at this time. Should you have concerns about the State of Florida’s executive order that went into effect last week, I would route you to their Department of Health Covid-19 Response Team: 866-779-6121 or covid-19@flhealth.gov. Mayo Clinic is charged with complying with the laws and directives of the State of Florida.

Sincerely,

Brady

Department of Development

Mayo Clinic

Rochester, MN
http://www.mayoclinic.org/giving-to-mayo-clinic

seaspray | @seaspray | Feb 2, 2021

In reply to @baq315a "Here is Mayo-Roch 2 nd email to me: " "Yes, I am sorry, unfortunately, that is..." + (show)

LOL, they are behind as usual.....Local news said shipments were on the way for Mayo Jax.

baq315a | @baq315a | Feb 2, 2021

No No No please read what I sent you and then confirmed by what i sent you a few minutes ago. This is really bad patient communications. Maybe Mayo Development n Roch is totally wrong but I doubt it.

seaspray | @seaspray | Feb 2, 2021

In reply to @baq315a "No No No please read what I sent you and then confirmed by what i sent..." + (show)

Ok maybe the local news is wrong. Go on NBC local news online and you can read where it list Baptist downtown, Baptist South and Mayo as the hospitals that will be receiving the next shipment.

mollyv | @mollyv | Feb 2, 2021

I had to contact the kidney transplant team at Mayo Rochester about another matter, but also asked if I should be waiting for them to contact me about coming to the Clinic for the vaccine. They sent a reply stating that they will not be contacting to receive the vaccine, but instead should go through my PCP. I should try to get the vaccine as soon as I am able. It was a form letter, so I’m guessing that is what they tell everyone in the Kidney Transplant group. I’m really glad I asked, because I’ve been waiting to hear from them. I’m under 65 (by one year) so can’t get it yet in Minnesota, but as soon as they open to high risk individuals I’ll work like crazy to get it. Also, I was shocked to get a response through the portal in just a matter of hours, not 3-4 days! Hope this helps!