Emergency workers wearing hazmat suits respond after pensioner collapses and dies of cardiac arrest in the street
Emergency workers in hazmat suits were called to a town centre after a pensioner collapsed and died in the street.
Police and paramedics were called to High Street in Stone, Staffordshire, after an elderly man went into cardiac arrest at around 12.30pm yesterday.
Despite the best efforts of medics and an off-duty nurse who performed CPR before they arrived, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. It is not yet known if the death was covid-19 related.
Emergency workers in hazmat suits were called to High Street in Stone, Staffordshire, after a man collapsed and died in the street yesterday
Photos show two paramedics in hooded respirators which West Midlands Ambulance Service said was standard protocol for potential covid-19 patients.
An Air Ambulance landed on a grassy area nearby.
During the first wave of the pandemic paramedics wore full hazmat suits when attending patients with potential covid-19 symptoms.
A Staffordshire Police spokesmen said: 'Officers were called to Stone High Street at about 12.35pm to reports of an elderly male taken ill.
'Ambulance and air ambulance crews were in attendance but, sadly, nothing could be done and the patient died at the scene.
Two ambulances and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Tatenhill attended the scene, but despite the best effort of medics, the man was pronounced dead at the scene
'There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.'
One eyewitness said: 'There were police and ambulances all over Stone. Everywhere was at a standstill. It looked serious.'
Another added: 'There were two ambulances, police cars and the air ambulance landed nearby.'
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: 'We were called at 12.17pm to the junction of Stafford Street and Christchurch Way in Stone following reports of a patient in cardiac arrest.
'Two ambulances and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Tatenhill were sent to the scene.
'Crews arrived to find an off-duty nurse and bystanders performing CPR on a man in cardiac arrest.
'Ambulance staff took over resuscitation efforts but sadly nothing could be done to save the man and he was confirmed dead a short time later on scene.'
NHS staff are instructed to follow Public Health England personal protective equipment guidelines which are categorised in three levels.
Level one, which is recommended while in a clinical setting during the pandemic, is required in low risk situations - it specifies single use gloves, Single use apron, surgical mask and eye/face protection if required for care procedure/task where anticipated blood/body fluids spraying/splashes.
Level two, recommended for medium risk situations such as when testing those with potential asymptomatic covid-19, it specifies disposable gloves, a disposable apron, fluid repellent surgical mask and eye protection.
Level three, recommended for high risk situations such as treating positive covid-19 patients, specifies disposable gloves, fluid repellent coveralls/long sleeved apron/gown, FFP3* or powered respirator hood and eye protection.
Guidelines for paramedics treating cardiac arrests during the covid-19 pandemic
The majority of patients who get COVID-19 will have mild symptoms, and it is estimated about 4 per cent to 5 per cent may be critically ill.
If a patient experiences a witnessed cardiac arrest in front of ambulance responders, commence compression only resuscitation using level 2 PPE: disposable gloves, disposable apron, fluid repellent surgical mask and eye protection.
If there is more than one responder on-scene, those trained in level 3 PPE should move to be at least 2m from the patient and don level 3 PPE before proving advanced life-support assistance.
Level 3 requires disposable gloves, fluid repellent coveralls/long sleeved apron/gown, respirator hood and eye protection.
Source: Gov.uk