The Comparison of Emergency Medical Service Responses to and Outcomes of Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in an Area of Korea

Abstract

During the COVID-19 period, there were significant changes in the EMS responses to OHCA. These changes are considered to be partly due to social distancing measures. As a result, the proportion of patients with an initial shockable rhythm in the COVID-19 period was greater than that in the pre-COVID-19 period, but the final survival rate and favorable neurological outcome were lower.