Covid19 Medevacs?

[Invertago]

Hey just looking to see what sort of procedures the medevac companies are using to keep safe while transporting Covid-19 patients? What PPE is provided, what kinda aircraft disinfecting procedure is used? Thanks!

[North Shore]

At my place, a confirmed COVID calls for gloves, respirator mask, gown, and faceshield for loading and offloading, and an N95 paper mask for in flight. The patient will be loaded into the aft spot on the sled, furthest away from the door.

Once we get back, the a/c is left on the ramp (wx permitting) with the doors open for about an hour, then we have a contract cleaner wearing a full tyvek suit wiping everything down with disinfectant. Cockpit gets wiped with peroxide wipes prior to every shift as part of the pre-flight. We also have vinyl seat-covers over the sheepskin. Generally, the medics are trying to intubate the patients prior to flight, so that the risk of droplets is smaller.

That all being said, we've only flown a handful of patients...

[C-GGGQ]

Pretty similar to that for us too. Told we are getting some fancy UV light thingy to disinfect after the wipe down. Haven’t actually had a Covid patient yet though. Ambulance dispatch has slowed us right down overall trying not to move people around if they can help it.

[Tertius]

Have you guys had many COVID flights? Has there been a jump in flight requests?

[C-GGGQ]

For us in Manitoba 0 covid flights. And our requests have dropped way off. It hasn’t got into the north yet and the best way to keep it that way is to not bring people down here to get exposed so im told our triage section at the provincial dispatch is leaving most people where they are these days. Being much stricter as to whats absolutely necessary

[digits_]

For us in Manitoba 0 covid flights. And our requests have dropped way off. It hasn’t got into the north yet and the best way to keep it that way is to not bring people down here to get exposed so im told our triage section at the provincial dispatch is leaving most people where they are these days. Being much stricter as to whats absolutely necessary

Are you saying medevac has finally evolved into only taking actual medevac patients

[C-GGGQ]

For us in Manitoba 0 covid flights. And our requests have dropped way off. It hasn’t got into the north yet and the best way to keep it that way is to not bring people down here to get exposed so im told our triage section at the provincial dispatch is leaving most people where they are these days. Being much stricter as to whats absolutely necessary

Are you saying medevac has finally evolved into only taking actual medevac patients

Lol exactly! “We’re only bringing down the really critical patients now”
“..... we’re literally the Critical Care aircraft..... isn’t that we were always supposed to do?!”

[2112]

Gown, gloves, goggles and N95 when loading/unloading a covid positive patient. During flight N95 only but the medics stay gowned up. Also we are now reqired to wear surgical masks for all patient transfers that are not covid positive. I'm yet to move a covid patient myself but a few of our crews have already. Like everyone else here our call volume has dropped substantially.

[North Shore]

Are you saying medevac has finally evolved into only taking actual medevac patients

Lol exactly! “We’re only bringing down the really critical patients now”
“..... we’re literally the Critical Care aircraft..... isn’t that we were always supposed to do?!”
[/quote]

Ain't that the truth! I like the fact that we have an odds-on chance of actually sleepiing through the night...

[iflyforpie]

This whole thing has done a very good job showing you what actually is essential. Oil is negative now but none of us are dying or starving for the lack of burning it.

Yep.. masks, gloves, and face shields for all patient transfers, gowns for Influenza Like Illnesses or suspected COVID patients. Have to wear an N95 for whole flight if the patient is ILI. I haven’t carried any confirmed cases. Daily post flight cleaning of aircraft by the AMEs. Let the plane air out for 15 min after carrying ILI patient and wipe down of all surfaces by a third party contractor.

Pretty much only essential flights and repatriations to clear hospital wards and reduce exposure. We usually have something everyday but now it’s pretty much one patient a day with many skunked days. Flying about half the hours I normally do.

The whole thing is anticlimactic. Except for the abundance of caution BS, I could get used to this.

[C-GGGQ]

This whole thing has done a very good job showing you what actually is essential. Oil is negative now but none of us are dying or starving for the lack of burning it.

Yep.. masks, gloves, and face shields for all patient transfers, gowns for Influenza Like Illnesses or suspected COVID patients. Have to wear an N95 for whole flight if the patient is ILI. I haven’t carried any confirmed cases. Daily post flight cleaning of aircraft by the AMEs. Let the plane air out for 15 min after carrying ILI patient and wipe down of all surfaces by a third party contractor.

Pretty much only essential flights and repatriations to clear hospital wards and reduce exposure. We usually have something everyday but now it’s pretty much one patient a day with many skunked days. Flying about half the hours I normally do.

The whole thing is anticlimactic. Except for the abundance of caution BS, I could get used to this.

Anticlimactic is an excellent way to put it. Our critical care aircraft are always flown less than our basic care but basic is barely flying and my crew got skunked an entire 7 day rotation. While all the planning has been for “we’ll be flying till we drop once this kicks off” hopeful that it wont. The other major change for us is normally the FO’s at least rotate through critical and basic care bases so that the flying is spread out somewhat evenly. Now crew’s are locked in. No changing to keep interactions low.