NEW York state has sparked anger with new guidelines telling paramedics not to resuscitate anyone found without a pulse amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Emergency workers had previously been told to spend up to 20 minutes trying to revive patients, but the state Health Department said the change was necessary to protect staff and conserve resources.

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2 New York state has told paramedics not to resuscitate anyone found without a pulse Credit: AP:Associated Press

Hospitals in New York City and across the country are seeing overwhelming numbers of patients because of the ongoing pandemic.

Reports have emerged of 911 calls reaching levels up to a third higher than normal and of a drastic shortage of personal protective equipment for medical staff.

The new guidelines come after a directive by the Regional Emergency Services Council of New York earlier this month saying paramedics should spend 20 minutes trying to resuscitate cardiac-arrest patients at the scene, but should not take them to hospital for further treatment should those efforts fail.

Guidelines issued last week said that no attempts should now be made to resuscitate patients who have no pulse when paramedics arrive, the New York Post reported.

'NO SECOND CHANCE'

A memo from the New York Health Department said the change was "necessary during the COVID-19 response to protect the health and safety of EMS providers by limiting their exposure, conserve resources, and ensure optimal use of equipment to save the greatest number of lives".

But first responders reacted angrily to the decision.

Oren Barzilay, president of the Local 2507 union, which represents paramedics and emergency medical technicians among others, said: “They’re not giving people a second chance to live anymore.

“Our job is to bring patients back to life. This guideline takes that away from us."

One paramedic acknowledged that only three or four of every 100 people with no pulse are successfully revived by intervention, but added: "For those three or four people, it's a big deal."

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A statement by the New York Health Department said that, even before the pandemic, its new approach had been used by other emergency services around the US and other parts of the world.

It reads: "These changes are based on standards widely agreed upon by the physician leaders of EMS Regional Medical Control Systems across NYS and the Medical Standards Committee of the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council."

The coronavirus has so far infected almost 820,000 people and killed at least 45,000 across the US since January.

2 One medic said the new guidelines are 'not giving people a second chance to live anymore' Credit: Reuters

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