New York City and New York State have been devastated by hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 patients and many deaths; and are just beginning to see the light at the end of the dark tunnel.
Not surprisingly, Ross Nelson in his May 2nd column titled “ We cannot eliminate all risk ,” ends it with this nasty partially true, parting shot: “In passing, New York State now forbids resuscitating victims without a pulse. They simply get to die without aid. Welcome to COVID America.”
It is true that cardiac arrest patients are no longer to be transported to hospitals if they do not have a pulse, according to a new order issued by the governing body of New York City's emergency medical services, Regional Emergency Medical Services Council of New York.
Typically, if someone has had cardiac arrest, such as a heart attack or severe trauma, EMS units will try and take that person to the hospital, even if there's no blood flow, while working to bring their pulse back en route.
Emergency officials said that the reasoning behind the order is that it will prevent extra patients going to hospitals if those patients really have no hope of being saved. It will also decrease the amount of time emergency medical technicians are out on a call where there is no hope for saving someone. The body will be taken care of with respect, officials said.
