COVID-19 MEDEVAC Best Practices: The Development of a Standardized Medical Operating Guideline.

Powell-Dunford, Nicole; Crowley, John S

COVID-19, a highly infectious virus, presents self-evident problems with regards to aeromedical transportation. Droplet size, proximity of caregiver from the patient, severity of upper and lower respiratory symptoms, personal protective equipment (PPE) and turbulence of airflow are factors which may influence the transmission of any biological agent aboard an air transport platform. Given the relatively confined space of rotary-wing MEDEVAC helicopters and the lack of structural barriers between flight crew and passengers, transmission risk is high, particularly when close contact under these conditions last beyond 15 minutes.1 Some authorities strongly recommend against the rotary-wing evacuation of COVID-19 patients when ground or fixed-wing transport is available due to the high risk of transmission.2,3.