St John is sending a doctor and two paramedics as part of the government chartered repatriation flight to support the return of New Zealanders from Wuhan, Hubei Province, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.
The St John staff tasked on the mission are clinically skilled and able to respond to any medical emergency that may occur; they will provide infection screening, reassurance, clinical advice and treatment for unexpected emergencies, to the returning passengers and flight crew.
St John’s team includes a specialist physician (the St John medical director), an intensive care paramedic and a paramedic, who will have full access to clinical equipment, consumables and medicines (if needed).
All appropriate precautions will be taken. The crew will wear Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to keep them safe from infection, they will follow standard processes for all interactions with the people returning from China and will not go beyond the airport to carry out their duties.
All St John ambulance personnel are skilled in the use of PPE around infectious diseases. Ambulance officers frequently deal with diseases that are significantly more infectious than coronavirus is thought to be.
The team have departed from Auckland today and are expected to return later this week.
Please attribute to Dan Ohs, St John Director of Clinical Development.
-ENDS-
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Beverley Tse
St John Communications Advisor
M 027 318 1553
E Beverley.tse@stjohn.org.nz