Lockdown Level 4 V2.0: different trauma patterns in Auckland in 2021?

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) resulted in the implementation of public health restrictions to reduce transmission. These restrictions have reduced trauma-related admissions to hospitals. Auckland, New Zealand, had two periods of Level 4 lockdowns, in 2020 and 2021. In the 2021 lockdown, Aucklanders were generally less compliant with the restrictions. Therefore, we hypothesised that trauma-related activity would be greater in the 2021 lockdown compared to 2020. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study of trauma admissions to Auckland City Hospital (ACH) during 2020 (26 March to 27 April 2020-33 days) and 2021 (18 August to 21 September 2021-35 days) lockdown periods was performed. RESULTS: Trauma admissions and trauma call activations increased from 97 to 105 (8.2%) and from 35 to 46, respectively, in the 2021 lockdown compared to 2020. The numbers of males and road related injuries requiring admission were increased from 49 to 66 (p = 0.077) and from 21 to 28 (p = 0.439), respectively, in 2021 compared to 2020. Major trauma admissions increased from 13 to 23 in the 2021 lockdown compared to 2020. CONCLUSIONS: Trauma-related presentations to hospital were higher in the 2021 Auckland lockdown compared to 2020. Lockdown fatigue and reduced compliance in 2021 may have contributed to this finding, suggesting that future lockdowns may be less effective.