Dr. O'Brien, WREMAC Chair, has released a WREMAC Advisory in regards to the deadline of annual credentialing established in WREMAC Policy 2013-1. Provider credentialing will not be due until at least September 30, 2020. This date may be extended as evolving circumstances dictate. 
 
Please click here to download the advisory.
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FDA is alerting patients, caregivers and health care professionals that EpiPen 0.3mg and EpiPen Jr 0.15mg auto-injectors, and the authorized generic versions, may potentially have delayed injection or be prevented from properly injecting due to:

1. Device failure from spontaneous activation caused by using sideways force to remove the blue safety release
2. Device failure from inadvertent or spontaneous activation due to a raised blue safety release
3. Difficulty removing the device from the carrier tube
4. User errors

For more information, please click here. ​

Please find the attached documents:

1. EMS Viral Pandemic Triage Protocol
2. Patients Not Transported by EMS patient handout  

This EMS protocol has been approved by the New York State Commissioner of Health and should be implemented in all regions. 

Steven P. Dziura Jr.
Deputy Director
New York State Department of Health
Bureau of Emergency Medical Services & Trauma Systems
875 Central Avenue
Albany, New York 12206
Steven.Dziura@health.ny.gov
​www.health.ny.gov

NYS BEMS has released the guidance document 20-04 COVID19 EMS Provider Exposure. This document includes good information for if a provider has been exposed.

Dr. Walters and Dr. Faulk plan to provide further guidance on these topics in the next few days, so please stay tuned. 

As a reminder to all, it is important to visit the Bureau's policy page routinely to ensure you have the most up-to-date version of each policy.​
Currently, the policies available are:

• 20-02: COVID-19 EMS Practitioner Guidance V3.0
• 20-03: COVID-19 County Emergency Manager, County EMS Coordinator, and PSAP Guidance 
• 20-04: COVID19 EMS Provider Exposure (uploaded later today)
• 20-05: COVID-19 Response to Respiratory Emergencies

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Click here to download 20-05: COVID-19 Response to Respiratory Emergencies (V1.0)

It is important to visit the Bureau's policy page routinely to ensure you have the most up-to-date version of each policy.​

After care consideration and review by the WREMAC physicians, local medical directors, Offices of Emergency Services, and with review and approval of Public Health Directors in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua Counties the attached WREMAC guidance polices have been approved and authorized for use by our EMS providers.

Please see the attached WREMAC guidance policy on the approach to patients with “cold/flu/fever/cough” symptoms as it relates to possible COVID-19 exposure.

This does not provide you with unilateral authority to refuse transport and all patients are required to be assessed by a qualified EMT or higher. If after recommendation to not transport, there is resistance – please contact medical direction.

If non-transport is the recommendation – there are sheets you can provide the caller with information as a resource in English and Spanish.

Local Health Departments may issue additional leave behind information for non-transported patients in the future as they see fit.

We understand there are a lot of rapidly changing policies and guidance coming out over the last week. We anticipate the BEMS may release a statewide protocol similar to this. If/when this happens we appreciate your understanding in any adjustments or further guidance that may be added to this policy.


Assessment Procedure for Patients with Suspected COVID-19
Acute Respiratory Illness Precautions and Recommendations​ - English
Acute Respiratory Illness Precautions and Recommendations​ - Spanish