The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on Mar. 11, 2020.
The CDC began closely monitoring the outbreak caused by a new coronavirus strain first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019, which quickly spread to southeast Asia, Europe, Canada and the U.S. The first case in the United States was announced on Jan. 21, 2020, in the state of Washington, where the patient recently returned from Wuhan.
The World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency on Jan. 30, 2020. The announcement came shortly after the first human-to-human transmission of the virus in the U.S. was confirmed by the CDC.
EMS has taken the global stage with its frontline response to the pandemic. The EMS1 COVID-19 includes the latest news, videos, podcasts and analysis about EMS training, safety measures, assessment and treatment of patients with COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccine development and supporting the mental health of providers through the pandemic.
(Photo/American Ambulance Association)
- Calif. county EMS crews told to ‘assess and refer’ patients due to staff shortages
- EMS providers help address nurse shortage at Mass. school district
- Staff shortages force N.C. EMS agency to ask FEMA for ‘ambulance strike teams’
- ‘Unprecedented surge’ in COVID cases among L.A. police, firefighters, medics
- ATCEMS down 20% of workforce, reallocates staff, cadets to cover shortages