Mouth-To-Mouth Not Advisable Amid Covid-19, New CPR Guide Says Chest Compressions Are Enough

Place A Towel Over Unconscious Person’s Nose & Mouth, Updated St John Ambulance CPR Guide Says

When performing life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the last thing a hero wants is to become a victim of Covid-19 while giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Luckily, a recent update from St John Ambulance has instructions on how to perform CPR on adults during the pandemic.

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6 steps to remember when giving CPR

In its Facebook post on Monday (30 Mar), the organisation, together with the Resuscitation Council UK, highlighted a simple set of 6 steps to take note of:

1. Do not put your face next to theirs

Safe distancing is a thing now. Even though the unconscious person is likely not exhaling, it’s still better to be safe than sorry.

2. Call for an ambulance

While CPR helps the victim buy time, their best chance still lies with professional medical assistance and hospitals.

Make sure an ambulance is on its way before you perform the next few steps.

3. Place a towel or a piece of clothing over the person’s mouth and nose

This presumably acts as a substitute for a face mask, and is meant to protect the hero from becoming a victim of Covid-19.

4. Do NOT perform mouth-to-mouth

According to the the World Health Organization (WHO), the coronavirus spreads through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose.

Therefore, please do not perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, no matter how much you like the person. Simply place a towel or a piece of clothing over his or her mouth and nose.

5. Perform chest compressions to the tempo of “Staying Alive”

Staying Alive — an iconic disco song by the Bee Gees — runs at 103 beats per minute. This is close to the recommended chest compression rate of 100 beats every 60 seconds.

Also, it’s very aptly titled, considering CPR is meant to help people in distress “stay alive”.

6. Use a Public Access Defibrillator if accessible

More commonly known in Singapore as automated external defibrillators (AEDs), there are more than 1,000 of them located at various workplaces in Singapore.

There is also 1 AED available for every 2 Housing Board blocks islandwide, usually situated at lift lobbies.

AEDs are usually located every 2 HDB blocks at lift lobbies
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It’s all about safety at the end of the day

Do take note of the advisory, as it’s good to know what to do in case you’re put in the position of having to give someone CPR amid this pandemic.

Nobody wants to be put in the position where they encounter somebody in need, but don’t do anything to save them due to fear for their own safety.

The main aim is for both the unconscious person and the person performing CPR to come out unscathed.

Featured image adapted from Mayo Clinic.