@article{ref1,
title="Emergency department presentations in the Southern District of New Zealand during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdown",
journal="Emergency medicine Australasia",
year="2021",
author="Allen, Manurereau T. and Thompson, Brianna C. and Atkinson, Brad and Fyfe, Christie E. and Scanlan, Meghan J. and Stephen, Rachel E. and Thomas, Sophie I. and Welsh, Grace N. and Wrigley, Rebekah and McLeay, Adam and Beck, Sierra and Dockerty, John D.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in presentations to Emergency Departments (EDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in the Southern Region of New Zealand. <br><br>METHODS: We conducted a retrospective audit of patients attending EDs in the Southern District Health Board (SDHB), from 1 March to 13 May 2020. We made comparisons with attendances during the same period in 2019. The 2020 study period included &quot;pre-lockdown&quot; (1 March - 25 March), &quot;level 4 (strict) lockdown&quot; (26 March - 27 April) and &quot;level 3 (eased) lockdown&quot; (28 April - 13 May). <br><br>RESULTS: Patient volumes reduced in all SDHB EDs during levels 4 and 3, mostly representing a loss of low acuity patients (Australasian Triage Scale 3, 4 and 5), although high acuity presentations also declined. Average patient age increased by 5 years; however, the proportions of genders and ethnicities did not change. Presentations of cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) and appendicitis did not change significantly. Trauma, mental health, Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) and infectious respiratory presentations decreased significantly during level 4, and infectious respiratory presentations decreased further in level 3. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Within the SDHB, patient volumes reduced during levels 4 and 3 of our lockdown, with reduced low acuity presentations. High acuity patient numbers also declined. Trauma, alcohol-related, infectious respiratory and ACS presentations declined while CVA & appendicitis showed little-to-no change.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1742-6731",
doi="10.1111/1742-6723.13749",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1742-6723.13749"
}