The pandemic strikes quick and hard. The country is now on level 3 alerts. Fire departments around the country have established quarantine special task forces, 125 to be exact, for the care taking or transportation of those who are positive or suspected to be positive for COVID-19. In the past 7 days, 567 patients were transported in average every day, which accounts for more than 1/5 that 119 emergency services, can handle. National Fire Agency (NFA) said earlier today that people who have the need to go to a hospital for emergency medical assistance are encouraged to consider alternatives before calling a 119 ambulance. The emergency medical service resource is limited and valuable and, therefore, it is the best to leave it to those in critical conditions.
NFA points out that all the 119 emergency phone lines of the fire departments in all 22 counties and cities in Taiwan are capable of handling 60 calls simultaneously, including those for fire and medical rescue. In addition, the rescue crew has to wea full protective gears on duties associated with patients tested or suspected positive for COVID-19, and they cannot remove these gears for at least 2 hours to sometimes 8 hours. As the number of people to be taken care of and transported in this pandemic increases, rescue workers are under extreme pressure and they are in desperate need for supports and encouragement from all citizens.
For those who are test positive and waiting at home for the notification from a public health official, NFA says if you need to call 119 for consultation or help, remember to work with 119 dispatch by preparing the following information:
1. Your gender and age;
2. State of your consciousness;
3. Whether you are breathing normally; and
4. If you feel any other discomfort.
In addition, those who are test positive must be transported to a place or hospitals specified by the health care authority and, therefore, are asked to wait patiently for 119 to arrange for transportation after calling 119 for help. Those who are not critical as evaluated by rescue workers are asked to follow the instructions of Central Epidemic Command Center provided at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w01Hzxr_Z8Q, stay home with one person in one room, and keep monitoring body temperature. If you do not feel well, take an antipyretic pill to ease the discomfort.
Again, all citizens are encouraged to consider alternatives for medical assistance before calling 119 for ambulance. Save the limited and valuable emergency service resource to those who are critically ill.