Impact of COVID-19 'circuit-breaker' measures on emergency medical services utilisation and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes in Singapore

OBJECTIVE: To understand the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on emergency medical services (EMSs) utilisation and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes in Singapore. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study comparing data collected by the Singapore Civil Defence Force on EMS utilisation in Singapore from 1 April to 31 May 2020 to previous figures. RESULTS: Overall, EMS call volume and total out-of-hospital cardiac arrests remained comparable to past years. There was an appreciable decline in prehospital return of spontaneous circulation rates, albeit not statistically lower than pre-COVID periods (P = 0.078). CONCLUSION: The findings contribute to a growing body of literature internationally on the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on EMS utilisation and outcomes.