Heart charity discourages mouth-to-mouth during CPR

Saint John - The New Brunswick Heart and Stroke Foundation has discouraged mouth-to-mouth breathing during CPR due to potential COVID-19 transmission. But one first aid group says it's still safe to do so within your household bubble.

Khryspn Jensen, president of the Saint John-based company Life Start, saint the majority of heart attacks happen at home or in public spaces.

"Since most heart attacks could occur in the presence of family members, standard chest compression along with breath resuscitation should not be a concern during the pandemic”, said Jensen in a statement.

She said using breaths along with chest compressions can drastically increase the survivability rate of a heart attack.

Beverly Kemp, senior manager of health promotion with Heart and Stroke, said the organization doesn’t have recommendations for performing CPR within a family bubble.

She said the general recommendation is to use hands-only CPR and to lay a cloth or towel over the person’s mouth or nose while doing compressions to prevent COVID-19 spreading via air or saliva.

The Heart and Stroke website recommends only using mouth-to-mouth is “infectious transmission of COVID-19 is not a concern to you (e.g. the person is known to you)” in cases of drug overdose, drowning or a child experiencing cardiac arrest.

Kemp said it’s important for the public to remember that calling 911 and shouting for an AED – an automatic external defibrillator – is an important step if you suspect someone is having a cardiac arrest.

Melissa Dunfield, training co-ordinator for St. John Ambulance New Brunswick, said chest compression and ventilation are the most effective CPR strategy, and it’s most likely a person will be performing CPR on a family member or close friend.

You’re more likely to do mouth-to-mouth on someone you know, which is more effective than compressions only”, she said.

However, the hands-only approach can help people feel more comfortable stepping in if a stranger requires CPR.

Dunfield said there will always be people who will step in and help regardless, but other people are more hesitant.

“If someone feels they don’t have to be in direct contact with a person, it certainly would be easier to step forward”, she said.

St. John Ambulance recommends using personal protective equipment whenever performing CPR, including a face shield and a tube with a one-way valve, which eliminates direct contact. This equipment is standard in all WorkSafeNB approved first-aid kits.

The Telegraph-Journal has reached out to Public Health but did not receive a response at the time of press.