The COVID-19 pandemic has left some people feeling hesitant to perform CPR, particularly on strangers.
Some organizations like the Heart and Stroke Foundation have revised their guidelines and recommend hands-only CPR with no rescue breaths during the pandemic.
However, Khryspn Jensen, founder of first aid training provider Life Start Training Inc., said these recommendations do not take into account your family or “Steady 10” bubble.
“Circulating the blood with compressions and then giving breaths increases their odds of survival,” said Jensen. “Sometimes it can be two, as much as to threefold.”
“When you breathe into somebody, you’re giving them 16 per cent oxygen. When you jump back on the chest, you’re taking that 16 per cent oxygen and pumping it through the body to keep the brain alive.”
Jensen said four-in-five cardiac events happen at home or in public places, where you are likely to be with members of your bubble.
If you are uncomfortable giving rescue breaths, she still encourages you to perform chest compressions until first responders arrive.
At the end of the day, however, Jensen said you need to keep your own personal safety top of mind.
“If somebody is wearing their own face mask, I think doing compression-only CPR until EMS arrives is critical,” she said. “If they do have a barrier device, so like a pocket mask with a one-way valve on them, then they can give breaths.”
Jensen noted that out-of-hospital survival rates for cardiac events remain below 10 per cent and have not increased over the years.
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