China to set up special vehicle fleet for high-risk pre-hospital medical missions

BEIJING — Special vehicle fleets will be built for high-risk pre-hospital medical missions, such as transferring COVID-19 patients, to reduce the risks of virus transmission and cross infection between patients and medics during transfer, according to a recent circular issued by the National Health Commission.

The special fleets for COVID-19, formed by an assigned number of negative pressure ambulances and medical workers, will be fully responsible for transferring suspected, confirmed and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases in the "wartime" response while in charge of the pre-hospital medical emergencies as a regular routine, said the circular on advancing the response capability for pre-hospital medical emergencies amid COVID-19 containment on a regular basis.

It stressed the training of coordinators of emergency medical centers and required more detailed inquires of patient's information ahead of dispatching ambulances.

Management of emergency departments and fever clinics should also be tightened across the country to ensure prompt flow of patient care and to increase the effectiveness of treatments, read the circular.