With COVID-19 cases on the rise, B.C. Ambulance Service members have been weathering the second wave.

When the pandemic hit, the agency was forced to add levels of protection for paramedics and their patients. That protection has been credited with keeping infection rates among members to almost zero.

With 30 years of experience as a paramedic, Brad Cameron, B.C. Emergency Health Services superintendent of patient care delivery for Greater Victoria, has never experienced this. B次元官网网址淚t has added a level of complexity our paramedics have never seen before.B次元官网网址�

On average, B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) sees about 1,400 calls a day across the province. Of the 4,500 employees, eight have tested positive for COVID-19 B次元官网网址� one of which was on the Island B次元官网网址� since the start of the pandemic to the end of October. But of those eight positive cases, seven were found to have contracted the virus from family members B次元官网网址� not on the job.

Unlike the sterile environments found in hospitals, members of B.C. Ambulance Service are entering homes and encountering an B次元官网网址渆normous viral load,B次元官网网址� Cameron explained. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not the same environment B次元官网网址� they canB次元官网网址檛 slip up.B次元官网网址�

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Paramedics cannot risk cross-contaminating their units or emergency rooms.

This means paramedics are suiting up differently for calls and itB次元官网网址檚 creating some challenges B次元官网网址� aside from the equipment itself being uncomfortable. While paramedics are gearing up, theyB次元官网网址檙e often faced with family members or the person who has called them, demanding they drop the extra protocols because the patient doesnB次元官网网址檛 have COVID.

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 know that and we canB次元官网网址檛 take a risk,B次元官网网址� Cameron said. B次元官网网址淭hey get quite angry and take it out on the paramedics.B次元官网网址�

Like many, BCEHS faced a shortage of personal protective equipment when the pandemic hit and was forced to find alternatives while keeping up with daily demand. Early supplies of N95 masks ran out but 3M Elastomeric Facepiece Respirators (EFR) had already been sourced. However, that was no small task.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not just a matter of giving someone a mask and saying B次元官网网址榟ereB次元官网网址檚 your new maskB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� We had to fit test the entire province for the new EFRs,B次元官网网址� Cameron said.

Paramedics were then fitted again for another N95 alternative B次元官网网址� as well as being outfitted with gowns, gloves, eye protection and more.

B次元官网网址淭he complexities of what we put our paramedics through is unbelievable,B次元官网网址� Cameron said.

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