Paramedics Making Changes Responding to Emergency Calls

ST. CLOUD -- The paramedic crews at Mayo Clinic Ambulance have made some changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Anuradha Luke says when you call 9-1-1 for help you will be asked similar questions multiple times.

If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, they will be putting a mask on you.

One of the simple things that they do is if the patient has the symptoms is put a mask on the patient, that way we can care for the patient, and have them be safe, our public be safe and our crews be safe.

Luke says when the crews arrive at your home they will also take a little bit longer to put on their extra personal protective equipment than normal.

That can be fairly anxiety-provoking if they have a family member that is quite ill, but again we're doing this to protect both the patient and our medics.