The Dynamic Impacts of Serial Prevention-and-Control Policies Against COVID-19 Pandemic on Residents’ Emergency Medical Service Demands in China Pre- and Post-Reopening: An Observational Study

Abstract

Background

China has implemented serial prevention-and-control policies against COVID-19 pandemic pre- and post-reopening, yet it was unclear whether these policy adjustments resulted in changes in residents’ emergency medical services (EMS) demands.

Objectives

We aimed to assess the impacts of gradual loosening and reopening policies against the COVID-19 pandemic on residents’ EMS demands.

Methods

We conducted an observational study using a data set of 42,909 EMS call records from Nanning Emergency Medical Center during November 2022 to January 2023. We used joinpoint regression to reveal the temporal trends in the daily volume of EMS calls, and interrupted time series analysis to assess the dynamic impacts of serial policies against COVID-19 on the daily volume of EMS calls.

Results

The daily volume of EMS calls declined by an average of 2.378 calls per day during the period of “dynamic zero-COVID” policy. During the period of “20 new rules” policy, the daily volume of EMS calls slightly increased by an average of 5.362 calls per day. During the period of “10 new measures” policy, the daily volume of EMS calls significantly increased, by an average of 32.566 calls per day. During the “Adjustment 1” policy, the daily volume of EMS calls dramatically decreased by an average of 33.411 calls per day. During the “Adjustment 2” policy, the daily volume of EMS calls significantly continued to decrease by an average of 4.381 calls per day.

Conclusions

Residents’ EMS demands slightly decreased during the “dynamic zero-COVID” policy, slightly increased during the “20 new rules” policy, rapidly increased during the reopening “10 new measures” policy, dramatically decreased during the “Adjustment 1” policy, and continued to decrease during the “Adjustment 2” policy.