First aid elements used in potentially toxic / explosive environments in the context of the covid 19 pandemic

National Institute for Research and Development in Mine Safety and Protection to Explosion – INSEMEX Petroşani, 32-34 G-ral Vasile Milea Street, Petroşani 332047, Romania

^* Corresponding author: lorand.toth@insemex.ro

Abstract

Accidents are unplanned occurrences that result in injuries, illness, death, and loss of property and/or production. While there is no way to completely eliminate accidents, there are certain plans, preparations, and actions that can be taken to reduce them. First aid is usually a critical part in the management of acute injuries and conditions. The rescuer is the first person with medical training to arrive at the scene of a medical incident and the purpose of his actions is to maintain vital functions, to prevent the occurrence of dangerous complications for the life and health of the victim, before the intervention of medical staff. Despite current concerns about infection with the new coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), prevention of its spread and treatment, various lesions and conditions unrelated to this virus still occur. Prompt first aid can prevent an additional burden on the health system by taking care of simple ailments at the crime scene, rather than calling the ambulance system or transporting the victim to a hospital. This paper presents first aid elements in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the manoeuvres that will be performed minimizing the risk of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen.