OBJECTIVE To understand the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on emergency medical services (EMS) utilisation and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) outcomes in Singapore. METHODS This was a retrospective observational study comparing data collected by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on EMS utilisation in Singapore from April 1 to May 31, 2020 to previous figures. RESULTS Overall, EMS call volume and total OHCAs remained comparable to past years, however, there was a considerable decrease in prehospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) rates, albeit not statistically significant (p=0.078). CONCLUSION The findings contribute to a growing body of literature internationally on the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on EMS utilisation and outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Impact of COVID-19 'circuit-breaker' measures on emergency medical service (EMS) utilisation and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) outcomes in Singapore.