[Emergency department : COVID-19 crisis and organizational aspects].

Ageron, François-Xavier; Sarasin, François; Pasquier, Mathieu; Carron, Pierre-Nicolas

Emergency departments are on the front line in the management of COVID-19 cases, from screening to the initial management of the most severe cases. The clinical presentation of COVID-19 range from non-specific symptoms to adult acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Diagnosis is based on PCR from a nasopharyngeal swab and emergency treatment rely on oxygen therapy. Patient's orientation (home, hospitalization, admission in intensive care unit) is a central aspect of emergency management. The shift from a strategy of systematic recognition of potential cases to the one of epidemic mitigation required hospital emergency medicine services to implement crisis management measures, to guarantee admission and hospitalization capacity.