Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, Helicopter Mobile Medical Team Nijmegen - Lifeliner 3, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, Nijmegen, HB, 6500, The Netherlands.
Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med. 2021 Feb 26;29(1):41. doi: 10.1186/s13049-021-00845-x.
During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the Netherlands, the demand for intensive care beds exceeded availability within days. Initially, patients were redistributed regionally by ground transport. When transport over longer distances became necessary, we initiated a new Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) operation. We hypothesize that the transport of contagious COVID-19 patients is feasible and safe for patients and HEMS personnel.
In this retrospective, single-centre observational study, flight and monitor data were used to calculate the exposure time of the retrieval team to COVID-19 patients. All the crew members (n = 18) were instructed on the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), dressing and undressing routine using buddy check supervision and cleaning procedures. All the team members were monitored for possible COVID-19 symptoms, as advised by our National Institute for Health and Environment. One month after completing the aeromedical transport all crew members were asked to donate a blood sample which was examined for the presence of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2.
From March 24 to May 25, 2020 the HEMS team transported 67 ventilated critical care COVID-19 patients. The exposure time was 7451 min (124 h and 11 min). One HEMS member reported pneumonia 6 weeks before the start of the patient transport. He tested positive for IgG SARS-CoV-2 by serology testing. We speculate that he was infected before the start of the operation; irrefutable evidence is lacking to support this claim because we did not perform serology testing before this operation started.
Occupational COVID-19 exposure during helicopter transport of ventilated critical care COVID-19 patients can be performed safely when proper PPE is applied.
在 2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）在荷兰爆发期间，重症监护病床的需求在数天内超过了供应量。最初，通过地面运输在地区间重新分配患者。当需要进行较长距离的运输时，我们启动了一项新的直升机紧急医疗服务（HEMS）行动。我们假设，对于患者和 HEMS 人员而言，转运有传染性的 COVID-19 患者是可行且安全的。
在这项回顾性的单中心观察性研究中，使用飞行和监护数据来计算救援队接触 COVID-19 患者的暴露时间。所有机组人员（n=18）都接受了有关正确使用个人防护设备（PPE）、着装和脱衣常规的指导，使用伙伴检查监督和清洁程序。按照我们的国家健康与环境研究所的建议，对所有团队成员进行了可能感染 COVID-19 症状的监测。在完成航空医疗运输一个月后，要求所有机组人员捐献血样，以检查是否存在针对 SARS-CoV-2 的 IgG 抗体。
从 2020 年 3 月 24 日至 5 月 25 日，HEMS 团队共转运了 67 例接受呼吸机治疗的 COVID-19 重症监护患者。暴露时间为 7451 分钟（124 小时 11 分钟）。一名 HEMS 成员在开始转运患者前 6 周报告患有肺炎。他的血清学检测 IgG SARS-CoV-2 呈阳性。我们推测他在行动开始前就已感染；但缺乏确凿的证据来支持这一说法，因为我们在行动开始前没有进行血清学检测。
在对接受呼吸机治疗的 COVID-19 重症监护患者进行直升机转运时，如果正确使用个人防护设备，则可以安全地进行职业性 COVID-19 暴露。
