- Details
- Hits: 2783
Drive-thru COVID-19 test site in HealthReach parking lot
From the Albert Lea Tribune
Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea on Monday opened a drive-thru coronavirus testing site for patients in the area in the parking lot of its HealthReach campus.
Tricia Dahl, operations administrator for Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and Austin, said 21 people were tested at the site Monday, and five people had been tested as of 11 a.m. Tuesday.
The drive-thru testing sites were piloted in Rochester last week and opened Monday in Albert Lea, Austin, Owatonna and Red Wing. At the four Health System sites, 100 tests were conducted in the first day of testing, Dahl said.
People who have symptoms of COVID-19, including sore throat, dry cough and fever, and who think they should be tested, are asked to first call their primary provider before coming in, Dahl said. A provider or nurse will ask the patient questions, and based on the answers to those questions, will be directed to the test site if appropriate. A nurse will call ahead to place the order for the test.
- Details
- Hits: 1992
By MPR News
Gov. Tim Walz announced new measures Monday the state will take in its ongoing effort to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.
The governor’s latest executive order requires bars, restaurants, gyms, coffee shops, breweries and other venues to close to dine-in guests as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, and lasts until Friday, March 27 at 5 p.m.
Walz’s measure allows businesses to continue takeout and delivery services. It does not cover essential businesses like grocery stores, convenience stores or pharmacies, the governor said.
“We are not going to stop this from spreading, but we can stop how fast it spreads,” Walz said.
Walz announced a second executive order to address the needs of food and hospitality workers in the state, whose jobs will be affected by the temporary closure. The order bolsters the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund, in part to make benefits available to workers and suspend payments in by the impacted employers.
“This will be the single largest unemployment request in Minnesota history,” the governor said.
- Details
- Hits: 787
Mankato Clinic is operating a drive-through method for Coronavirus (COVID-19) screening. Patients who are concerned they are infected with COVID-19 and are experiencing difficulty breathing, fever and cough, need to call Mankato Clinic's COVID-19 hotline at 507-389-8548 BEFORE coming to the clinic. A nurse will complete a phone screening to determine if additional screening is needed. If testing criteria is met, the nurse will direct patients to the drive-thru screening location.
IMPORTANT: Patients cannot use the drive-thru screening method unless they call the hotline first, complete a phone screening and are instructed to go to the drive-thru location.
We ask for your patience when calling the hotline as we are experiencing high call volume.
- Details
- Hits: 671
The Area Food Shelf of New Richland will be open Tuesday 3-6:30 p.m. However, we will not have you wait in the Gathering Room. We will hand out numbers and ask you to wait in your car. If you are walking, we will find a place inside for you to wait. Please wait in your car until we come and get you or hold up a sign with your number. Thanks for the cooperation.
- Details
- Hits: 3276
The Minnesota Department of Health confirmed a presumptive positive COVID-19 case in Waseca County, a person in their 40s. The individual developed symptoms March 12 related to overseas travel, and is not hospitalized.
Waseca County affirms that this is an event they have been expecting, planning for, and are now ready to respond to as needed. Waseca County is a strong community, and has experience working together and caring for each other during stressful times. We, with our partners, will continue to support the community as we respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.
In preparation for events such as the COVID-19 outbreak, Public Health uses levels of response. The first, containment, focuses on isolation, contact identification and quarantine. The second phase, community mitigation, considers actions such as school closings, canceling of large community events, and promoting virtual or video faith and other services. While Minnesota has not at this time had any community transmission of COVID-19 (all have been travel-related illnesses), Public Health urges the community to continue implementing mitigation strategies to slow transmission of the disease using the guidance provided by Governor Walz and the Minnesota Department of Health.