St John WA prepared for COVID-19
Since COVID-19 was first identified St John WA has been working closely with the Department of Health to ensure it is well placed to respond appropriately to this continually evolving global health issue.
St John WA CEO Michelle Fyfe said we want to assure the WA community that we are doing our due diligence to stay ahead of the challenges that may arise and are looking at any and all contingencies to ensure we can respond to the needs of the community as always.
“Personal protective equipment is an important measure taken by our paramedics and frontline medical staff to assist in protecting their individual health and to contain the spread of any potential communicable or infectious disease,” Ms Fyfe said.
“As we have seen in numerous countries around the world, this virus has the potential to spread quickly and demand for the widely-used disposal face masks will inevitably result in a supply shortage.
“We have taken measures early to ensure a sustainable option which provides the same high level of protection to our people and the community. St John has sourced reusable facemasks (respirators) which will be given to full time paramedics and frontline medical staff for their ongoing use.
“We want to show these masks to the public in order to prepare the community ahead of time so they are not alarmed when they see a paramedic or medical staff wearing one, as they do look quite different to the other disposable ones we most commonly use,” Ms Fyfe said.
“This is not in any way a suggestion that disposable masks are any less effective, it is simply about finding longer term, sustainable solutions, particularly with COVID-19 continuing and knowing we are not far off the next flu season.
“We want to assure the WA community that we are doing our due diligence to stay ahead of possible challenges that may arise with this developing health situation, and will be looking at any and all contingencies to ensure we can respond to the needs of the community as always,” Ms Fyfe said.
If anyone has any questions or concerns regarding COVID-19 you can call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080.
