Tag - 2019-nCoV

EMS Today Show Interview with Todd Stout on COVID-19

JEMS Editor Emeritus AJ Heightman interviewed FirstWatch president Todd Stout on COVID-19. Todd shares some history of FirstWatch helping with health surveillance and emerging infectious diseases, ways that FirstWatch customers are using data during this pandemic, the importance of resilience, and our commitment to helping provide helpful and actionable information for all first responders via our health intelligence pages, webinars, and articles.

Introduction to the Staying Informed, Staying Healthy, & Staying in Charge Article Series

Any time there is a novel virus, regardless of what it is or where it came from, there is a learning curve for virologists, infectious disease doctors, epidemiologists, other health care workers, first responders and the public.  This is even more pronounced when it is a global event, since different countries note and report different data points and have different thresholds for including these elements in a report.  Those countries with their own robust health systems, especially with epidemiologically-based public...

New COVID-19 Resource Page on EMS.gov

A new COVID-19 resource page on EMS.gov provides easy to find links to the most relevant and up-to-date information from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NHTSA Office of EMS and other Federal agencies involved in the response to the pandemic. This includes guidance for treating potential COVID-19 patients, information on PPE use and supplies and processes for handling healthcare providers who have been exposed to coronavirus.

Ryan White Act Expanded to Include COVID-19 Reporting

Executive Summary: For those Public Safety Agencies reporting an employee’s possible exposure, and expecting notification of a positive COVID-19 disease result from the hospital or public health officer, the expanded Ryan White Act of 2009 update has been published by NIOSH/CDC and will address this issue.  Furthermore, emergency response employees covered by the Act have been defined.  Full Report: The CDC/NIOSH has updated the Infectious Diseases and Circumstances Relevant to Notification of Emergency Response Employees: Implementation of Sec.2695 of the Ryan White...

4th Webinar in a Series: COVID-19 EMS Patient Management: Myth vs. Reality | Recording and Handout

This joint webinar of PCC, AIMHI, IAED, NAEMT, CAA, and FirstWatch was the 4th in a series. We were proud to see that over 1,300 people registered for it. With Matt Zavadsky from MedStar moderating, our presenters for Solano County, California were Dr. Bela Matyas from Solano County Public Health, Ted Selby from Solano County EMS, and Jimmy Pierson from Medic Ambulance. They provided incredibly useful and practical information from their ongoing experience providing care for COVID-19 patients quarantined at Travis Air Base. One example of insight shared is how they balanced the needs of the community for EMS coverage with the...

COVID-19 Process/Policy Template

The intention of the COVID-19 Process/Policy Template is to provide agencies, medical directors, or others who want to utilize it, an outline/template on which to build an agency-specific policy/protocol to address COVID-19. This includes suggestions for development and/or oversight committees, outside partners and stakeholders, as well as preparation and process for EMS workers who provide best practice care for patients as well as providing for the protection of pre-hospital providers and medical director(s). Its application is totally up to the user. This document...

COVID-19 Revised CDC Definition Feb 27, 2020

Executive Summary: A revised Criteria to Guide Evaluation of PUI for COVID-19 and Footnotes have been developed by the CDC to better define what currently makes a person fall into ‘A Person Under Investigation Status’ (aka Case Definition).  It consists of an Introduction, the Criteria Chart, List of Affected Geographic Areas of Widespread or Sustained Community Spread, and Footnotes to clarify specific application.   Download the Full Update

COVID-19 Update 2/25/20

Executive Summary: The COVID-19 outbreak is rapidly evolving into a global event which potentially puts people all over the world at risk for being infected by it.  Although it not as lethal as SARS-CoV or MER-CoV, it does, in some countries, seem to have very efficient sustained person to person transmission, which requires careful monitoring and updated recommendations and guidance to hopefully prevent a pandemic.  Today’s report includes a Situation Update from both the CDC and PHAC, as well as...

COVID-19 Webinar, including pediatric discussion, with Paramedic Chiefs of Canada on Wednesday, February 26th, 2020

This Paramedic Chiefs of Canada (PCC) webinar is presented in conjunction with the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED), and FirstWatch. View Webinar Recording View Webinar Slides (PDF Format) Additional Resources Mentioned During the Webinar: COVID-19 Update 2/25/20 Questions and Answers Description: This webinar was the 3rd COVID-19 webinar and provided an update on COVID-19, specifically as it relates to emergency call centers, paramedic and EMS services, and other responders. Also presented, the pediatric implications and potential EMS system impacts to support advanced planning.  Like most disaster pre-planning...

COVID-19 Webinar, including pediatric discussion, with Paramedic Chiefs of Canada on Wednesday, February 26th, 2020

This Paramedic Chiefs of Canada (PCC) webinar is presented in conjunction with the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED), and FirstWatch. View Webinar Recording View Webinar Slides (PDF Format) Additional Resources Mentioned During the Webinar: COVID-19 Update 2/25/20 Questions and Answers Description: This webinar was the 3rd COVID-19 webinar and provided an update on COVID-19, specifically as it relates to emergency call centers, paramedic and EMS services, and other responders. Also presented, the pediatric implications and potential EMS system impacts to support advanced planning.  Like most disaster pre-planning...

COVID-19 PCC Webinar #2 – Presentation Supporting Documents – URL & Resources

This list of URLs provides current, as of 2/12/20, URL links to both Canadian (PHAC) and American (CDC) COVID-19 Case Definitions, including a rapid use CDC Flowchart for ID and Assessment, CDC Interim EMS and PSAP Guidance, and Interim Guidance for All Health Care Workers.  There are also links to Home Pages with links to a wide variety of COVID-19 information, and helpful Appendices from PHAC’s Routine & Additional Precautions Guidelines.  Paramedic Chiefs of Canada (PCC) COVID-19 Webinar #2 -...

Coronavirus Webinar with Paramedic Chiefs of Canada on Thursday, February 13th, 2020

2nd PCC Webcast in a Series: 2019-nCoV "Coronavirus" - Feb-13-2020 View Webinar Recording View Webinar Slides (PDF format) Download Webinar Slides (PowerPoint format, for your teaching purposes) Additional Resources Mentioned During the Webinar: This list of URLs provides current, as of 2/12/20, URL links to both Canadian (PHAC) and American (CDC) COVID-19 Case Definitions, including a rapid use CDC Flowchart for ID and Assessment, CDC Interim EMS and PSAP Guidance, and Interim Guidance for All Health Care Workers.  There are also links to Home Pages...

Coronavirus Webinar with Paramedic Chiefs of Canada on Thursday, February 13th, 2020 | Recording and Handouts

2nd PCC Webcast in a Series: 2019-nCoV "Coronavirus" - Feb-13-2020 View Webinar Recording View Webinar Slides (PDF format) Download Webinar Slides (PowerPoint format, for your teaching purposes) Additional Resources Mentioned During the Webinar: This list of URLs provides current, as of 2/12/20, URL links to both Canadian (PHAC) and American (CDC) COVID-19 Case Definitions, including a rapid use CDC Flowchart for ID and Assessment, CDC Interim EMS and PSAP Guidance, and Interim Guidance for All Health Care Workers.  There are also links to Home Pages...