Characteristics of 274 EMS encounters with 220 patients with confirmed COVID-19 from 14 February to 26 March 2020
| Total EMS encounters (n=274) | BLS transport (n=180) | ALS transport (n=31) | Not transported (n=63) | |
| Initial dispatch complaint, n (%) of column | ||||
| Difficulty breathing | 68 (25) | 44 (24) | 10 (32) | 14 (22) |
| Sick (unknown) | 68 (25) | 52 (29) | 6 (19) | 10 (16) |
| Infectious diseases | 51 (19) | 35 (19) | 4 (13) | 12 (19) |
| Trauma | 32 (12) | 17 (9) | 2 (7) | 13 (21) |
| Other* | 55 (20) | 32 (18) | 9 (29) | 14 (22) |
| Dispatched as ‘PPE advised’, n (%) of column | 196 (72) | 136 (76) | 16 (52) | 44 (70) |
| Origin of 911 response, n (%) of column | ||||
| Home/private residence | 128 (47) | 76 (42) | 16 (51) | 36 (57) |
| Long-term care facility | 118 (43) | 86 (48) | 12 (39) | 20 (32) |
| Outpatient clinic | 20 (7) | 14 (8) | 3 (10) | 3 (5) |
| Public/street | 8 (3) | 4 (2) | 0 (0) | 4 (6) |
| Initial vital signs, median (IQR) of column | ||||
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg (n=238) | 130 (110–146) | 130 (110–142) | 132 (97–155) | 130 (110–140) |
| Heart rate, beats per minute (n=230) | 90 (80–108) | 92 (80–110) | 97 (72–115) | 88 (76–96) |
| Respiratory rate, breaths per minute (n=238) | 21 (16–24) | 20 (16–24) | 24 (16–30) | 18 (16–20) |
| Peripheral oxygen saturation, % (n=197) | 93 (89–96) | 92 (89–95) | 92 (83–96) | 95 (92–97) |
| Temperature, Celsius (n=172) | 37.7 (36.9–38.8) | 37.8 (37.1–38.8) | 37.5 (36.4–38.2) | 37.3 (36.7–38.3) |
| EMS provider impression, n (%) of column | ||||
| COVID† | 72 (26) | 53 (29) | 4 (13) | 15 (24) |
| Flu-like symptoms | 47 (17) | 37 (21) | 4 (13) | 6 (10) |
| Respiratory distress | 46 (17) | 27 (15) | 11 (36) | 8 (13) |
| Weakness | 37 (14) | 25 (14) | 0 (0) | 12 (19) |
| Altered mental status | 16 (6) | 8 (4) | 4 (13) | 4 (6) |
| Injury/pain | 16 (6) | 13 (7) | 1 (3) | 2 (3) |
| Cardiac | 15 (6) | 6 (3) | 6 (19) | 3 (5) |
| Other‡ | 25 (9) | 11 (6) | 1 (3) | 13 (21) |
| Any mention of COVID-19 in EMS record, n (%) of column | 169 (62) | 117 (65) | 17 (55) | 35 (56) |
*Bleeding/pain, cardiac and stroke/headache.
†COVID-19 impressions were added to the electronic health record as an option on 8 March 2020.
‡Vaginal haemorrhage, seizures, obvious death, gastrointestinal haemorrhage, epistaxis, dehydration, urinary tract infection, diabetic hypoglycaemic, unspecified convulsions and skin infection.
ALS, advanced life support; BLS, basic life support; EMS, emergency medical services.