Media statement regarding additional restrictions to address COVID-19 surge in Minnesota

The COVID-19 surge continues to seriously affect the communities that Mayo Clinic serves across the Upper Midwest. Alarming increases in community exposure rates and test positivity significantly challenge Mayo Clinic’s staffing and capacity to serve patients with COVID-19 and other conditions.

Mayo Clinic has approximately 1,500 of our 68,000 staff with work restrictions related to COVID-19 exposures or due to a COVID-19 diagnosis. More than 93 percent of these exposures occurred in the community, and the few cases of work-related exposure have occurred in break rooms or staff cafeterias where staff are not masked while eating. More than 93% of these exposures occurred in the community. In addition, a few exposures were work-related, occurring in break rooms or staff cafeterias where staff were not masked while eating. Mayo Clinic staff are not getting COVID from our patients. It is safe to come to Mayo Clinic, and people who need care can and should come in for care.

While Mayo Clinic recognizes the temporary sacrifices these restrictions may require members of the community to make, they will enhance Minnesota’s ability to gain control of the surge and return to safe and normal daily life sooner. Mayo Clinic appreciates your support in keeping its staff members and patients safe through following proven prevention measures of masking, social distancing and hand-washing. Working together, we will emerge a stronger Minnesota.

Media contact:

• Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, newsbureau@mayo.edu

Learn more about: Tracking and trending COVID-19