First responders may have high SARS-CoV-2 infection risks

Our Deputy Director Prof. Cath Noakes and colleagues have done some great work on the influence of masks on transmission risks in ambulances.

First responders may have high SARS-CoV-2 infection risks due to working with potentially infected patients in enclosed spaces. The study objective was to estimate infection risks per transport for first responders and quantify how first responder use of N95 respirators and patient use of cloth masks can reduce these risks.

Consistent with other work, this study demonstrated that the aerosol route is likely a primary driver of COVID-19 risk in enclosed spaces (Jones 2020; Miller et al. 2020), and face masks can reduce viral emissions from the patient and N95 FFRs can reduce exposure among first responders. (Taken from the article; original source below):

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15459624.2021.1926468