COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus

911 Call Takers

Public safety telecommunicators can play a vital role in keeping the EMS provider safe. EMS medical directors and agencies should collectively come up with modified caller interrogation questions to help identify suspect patients. The query process should never supersede the provision of pre-arrival instructions to the caller when immediate lifesaving interventions, such as CPR. The following is an updated example all-caller interrogation; ensure to follow your local agency protocols.

These screening questions should not delay the dispatch of appropriate resources. The call interrogation may include questions such as:

  1. Does the patient have a fever/chills and/or cough and/or respiratory symptoms?
  2. Has the patient been exposed to anyone who is self-quarantined for confirmed case of the novel coronavirus?
  3. Has the patient been exposed to a person with a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus or a location to which there has been a confirmed case?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, EMS should be advised to don the appropriate body substance isolation prior to entering the residence / building location.