Integration of aeromedicine in the response to the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

There is limited guidance on the use of helicopter medical personnel to facilitate care of critically ill COVID‐19 patients. This manuscript describes the emergence of this novel virus, its mode of transmission, and the potential impacts on patient care in the unique environment of rotor wing aircraft. It details the development of clinical and operational guidelines for flight crew members. This allows other out‐of‐hospital clinicians to utilize our framework to augment or supplement their own for the current response effort to COVID‐19. It further serves as a road map for future response to the care of high consequence infectious disease patients.

Airflow Characteristics in Aeromedical Aircraft: Considerations During COVID-19

“…Key strategies for the safe and effective transport of COVID-19 patients include selection of appropriate patients for transport (6), minimising the utilisation of aerosol generating procedures (AGPs), and ensuring the correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE) (3,7). Despite some consensus on personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines (8)(9)(10), the utilisation of these guidelines is challenging for clinicians and aircrew in both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft.…”

“…The correct level of PPE is determined by the risk and type of exposure, and donning and doffing procedures need to be followed (13). Additional strategies to minimise the exposure of pilots and aircrew must be considered to ensure that patient transfers can be performed safely (3,14,15).…”

Bulle de réanimation aeroportable pour virus émergent (BRAVE)

“…Dans le cadre de la COVID-19, des recommandations spécifiques ont été faites concernant les modalités de transport et le niveau d’équipement nécessaire pour les soignants au contact du patient [3] , [4] , [5] . En France, la Direction générale de la santé a édité une fiche technique synthétisant les modalités de transport aérien des patients COVID-19, dans laquelle il est notamment recommandé de maintenir une distance d’environ un mètre entre le patient et l’équipage [6] .…”

The chronicles of COVID

“…This brief commentary is intended to accompany the journal's podcast on several articles. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has occupied most of our personal and professional lives this year. This August edition of the journal has 9 contributions about the pandemic and our colleagues' Collectively, the 9 articles in the August edition of JACEP Open provide a broad description of both the COVID epidemiology and the health care response.…”

“…Unfortunately, both Castillo et al 1 and Davis et al 2 found this strategy could lead to missing patients with COVID. Castillo et al 1 looked at several San Diego facilities and found a low but present rate of coinfection (2%) in “Rates of Coinfection With Other Respiratory Pathogens in Patients Positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19).” Davis et al 2 performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis in “Viral and Atypical Respiratory Co‐infections in COVID‐19: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis” and found an overall 12% coinfection rate. Influenza was the most common viral pathogen, and mycoplasma was the most common bacterial coinfection.…”