[Emergency Medical Services: COVID-19 crisis]

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated swift and ongoing adjustments within prehospital emergency medical services (EMS).
• EMS providers faced substantial occupational exposure risks, especially during aerosol-generating procedures like airway management and CPR.
• Interhospital transfers of COVID-19 patients, predominantly intubated, presented unique logistical and safety challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the critical adaptations required for prehospital emergency medical services during the COVID-19 epidemic.
• To highlight the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) and training for EMS providers.
• To discuss the complexities of interhospital transfers and the need for pre-hospital triage recommendations.

Main Methods:

• Review of operational challenges and adaptations in prehospital emergency medical services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Emphasis on risk assessment for aerosol-generating procedures.
• Discussion of personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements and training needs.

Main Results:

• Significant exposure risks were identified for prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) providers.
• The necessity for appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and adequate training was confirmed.
• Interhospital transfers of intubated COVID-19 patients were identified as complex operations.

Conclusions:

• Prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) required rapid adaptation to manage the COVID-19 pandemic effectively.
• Adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and provider training are essential for mitigating exposure risks.
• Development of pre-hospital triage and orientation recommendations, aligned with hospital protocols, is vital, especially during resource limitations.