The need to respond to medical emergencies at protest sites is creating unprecedented working conditions for emergency medical services teams already burdened by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Kaiser Health News.
The U.S. has entered a second week of protests against police brutality spurred by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis May 25. Responding to the protests amid a pandemic has put EMS teams in uncharted territory, according to Brent Stevenson, assistant chief of the Denver Health Paramedic Division.
EMS officials said it can be difficult for paramedics to wear personal protective equipment in a crowd and safely change into gear to shield themselves from bullets, rocks or tear gas if the situation escalates.
The large crowds can make it hard for paramedics to find patients and assess their health status. Tear gas can also cause symptoms similar to COVID-19, which may further complicate paramedics' assessments, officials said.
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