(CMR) The chance of survival for some COVID-19 patients could decrease significantly in Los Angeles as the LA County’s Medical Services Agency (EMS) has instructed ambulance crews not to transport patients who have little chance of survival.
This directive comes as the number of COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles continues to rise, resulting in increased deaths and hospitalizations.
Ambulance crews have been instructed to perform resuscitation for at least 20 minutes on patients showing no breathing or pulse signs instead of taking them directly to the hospital.
Only patients who can be stabilized during the resuscitation period should be transported.
The EMS also asked ambulance crews to conserve oxygen by only administering it to patients with oxygen saturation levels below 90%.
Dr. Christina Ghaly, the LA County director of health services, said hospitals had reached a point of crisis and had to make ‘very tough' decisions about patient care.
Los Angeles County is the worst-hit county in the US with COVID-19 cases and deaths.
According to Johns Hopkins University, there were 840,611 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 11,000 deaths from complications from the virus in Los Angeles County on Wednesday.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid