SARS Patient Transport Guidelines

The guidance is  on the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/emtguidance.htm.

Among other recommendations, the CDC guidelines state that

• SARS patients should be transported using the minimum number of EMS personnel and without non-SARS patients or passengers in the ambulance.
• Receiving facilities must be notified prior to transport of SARS patients in order to give them adequate time to initiate appropriate infection control procedures.
• Personal activities (including eating, drinking, application of cosmetics and handling of contact lenses) should not be performed during patient transport.
• Goggles or face shields must be worn in the patient-care compartment and when working within six feet of the patient. Corrective eyeglasses alone are not appropriate protection.
• Fit-tested N-95 respirators should be worn by personnel in the patient-care compartment at all times and by the driver if the driver's compartment is open to the patient-care compartment.
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should only be performed using a resuscitation bag-valve mask equipped with HEPA filtration of expired air.

Extensive information on SARS is available at the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/. In addition to reviewing federal guidelines on SARS, local fire departments should contact their appropriate local and state health authorities for additional guidance.