Coronavirus and First Aid Training

Coronavirus and First Aid Training is a concern for many looking to attend a course given the nature of the course and the practical sessions a person must complete in order to qualify as a First Aider. For Fast Response PFA Ltd it is business as usual but we want to assure you that we are taking all the necessary safety precautions in the prevention of spreading the Coronavirus and are adhering to the latest Resuscitation Council UK Guidelines. 

Symptoms of Coronavirus:

• Cough
• Fever
• Breathlessness or difficulty breathing
• Aching muscles and extreme tiredness

For most people (80%) it is a relatively mild dose of flu.

For some people it can lead to serious complications, particularly pneumonia and can kill.

How We Are Making First Aid Training Safe

We are taking the sufficient steps as advised by the UK Resuscitation Council as follows:

• On arrival we check all learners and exclude anyone exhibiting respiratory virus symptoms (cough, cold, flu, fever).
• Check that no learner has returned from, or been in close contact with a person who has returned from a category 1 location.
• If someone has been in contact with someone who has returned from a category 2 location who is showing symptoms of fever they should also self-exclude.
• We ask all learners  to thoroughly wash or sanitise hands and continue to do this prior to every practical session. Please see the latest you tube video on how to safely wash your hands.

Prior to CPR practise, we explain to learners that the bigger risk by far is passing germs from hands because there are lots of protections in place to prevent infection during CPR practise. Between learners, we use alcohol/sanitising wipes on the manikin face and also wipe the forehead and chest where hands were placed (to prevent hand to surface/surface to hand contamination). More than one wipe may be required and we advise to allow the sanitiser/alcohol to dry naturally before the next person uses the manikin.

Recovery Position practicals will be talked through so there is no physical contact.

Each learner will be provided with a resuscitation face shield (learners must use the face shield facing the same way up each time), sterile bandages and slings and latex and protein free disposable gloves.

We replace lungs / airways / valves on every course.

We use Azo wipes after each learner practices with our manikins.

What You Should Do If You Think You have The Coronavirus?

• Stay at home and call 111 (NHS) as they will advise you or arrange for you to be tested
• Self isolate at home for the next 14 days as it can take this long for symptoms to appear
• Do not go to the supermarket – arrange a delivery of essential items to your home, but minimise your contact with delivery personnel to ensure you do not infect them and put them at risk.
• Rest
• Increase your fluids
• Take painkillers and flu remedies to ease symptoms
• Phone 111 if you experience increasing breathlessness and are concerned you may be developing complications or pneumonia

How To Deliver Safe C.P.R

Please see our latest guidelines in the delivery of safe C.P.R from Qualsafe