The Role of Israel's Emergency Medical Services During a Pandemic in the Pre-Exposure Period.
Disaster Med Public Health Prep
; 16(2): 477-481, 2022 04.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-844396
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
The scientific literature on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is extensive, but little is written about the role of emergency medical services (EMS). The objective of this study is to describe the role of Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national emergency prehospital medical organization, in the pre-exposure period, before widespread governmental action. These efforts were based on (1) phone diagnosis, dispatch, and transport; and (2) border management checkpoints.METHODS:
This is a descriptive study of MDA's role in pandemic response during the pre-exposure period. Medical emergency telephone calls from either individuals or medical sources were identified by a dispatcher as "suspected COVID-19" based on symptoms and travel exposure. Data were also collected for travelers approaching the MDA border checkpoint at Ben-Gurion International Airport.RESULTS:
The total number of protected transports during this time was 121. Of these, 44 (36.3%) were referred by medical sources, and 77 (63.7%) were identified as "suspected COVID-19" by dispatchers. The checkpoint was accessed by 156 travelers 87 were sent to home-quarantine; 12 were transported to the hospital; 18 were refused entry; and 39 required no further action.CONCLUSION:
EMS can work effectively in the pre-exposure period through instructing home quarantine, providing protected transport, and staffing border control checkpoints.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Emergency Medical Services
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Disaster Med Public Health Prep
Journal subject:
Public Health
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Dmp.2020.369
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