---
title: "Staying Safe From Covid-19 While Giving CPR"
url: "https://expresstraining.com/blog/staying-safe-from-covid-19-while-giving-cpr/"
post_type: "post"
date_published: "2022-12-01T23:08:56+00:00"
date_modified: "2023-01-06T22:40:27+00:00"
categories: ["CPR"]
---

# Staying Safe From Covid-19 While Giving CPR

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic – and the high transmissibility of the virus – those in the healthcare industry and beyond have wondered if it’s still safe to perform CPR. The good news is, ​​hands-only CPR remains a safe and effective way to help someone in cardiac arrest with a very low risk of transmitting the virus. You can even perform it while wearing a mask. Here is everything you need to know about staying safe from Covid-19 while giving CPR.How Can You Protect Yourself While Giving CPR?You don’t need to do mouth-to-mouth during a pandemic. Studies show that patients who received only chest compressions, rather than CPR with mouth-to-mouth breathing, have a similar likelihood of surviving to hospital discharge.In fact, in 2008 The American Heart Association amended its CPR recommendations, issuing guidance that bystanders could perform hands-only CPR as the most effective means of trying to save someone’s life until help arrived. Providing high-quality chest compressions by pushing hard and fast in the middle of the victim’s chest, with minimal interruptions, is the quickest way to save a life.Why is Mouth-to-Mouth No Longer Required?If you took a CPR class ten years ago, you were likely taught to do chest compressions and how to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Today, mouth to mouth breaths are no longer emphasized, but rather presented as an option. Mouth to mouth breathing is considered a personal decision.While medical professionals and people with advanced certifications still do perform mouth to mouth, the American Health Association has deemed it less useful for non-medical professionals to perform the procedure. Chest compressions are more important in keeping the patients alive, so the attention is now focused on teaching this method alone.Can You Get Covid-19 From Performing CPR?While it’s still possible to contract Covid-19 from any type of close contact, it isn’t likely when you’re performing hands-only CPR. The likelihood of performing CPR during real medical emergencies hadn’t lessened since 2020; in fact, giving CPR is still one of the most surefire ways to help save someone’s life if they are in cardiac arrest or experiencing another heart-related emergency. The bottom line? Hands-only CPR is a safe and effective way to help someone in cardiac arrest with a very low risk of transmitting the virus.To stay as safe as possible while giving CPR, be sure to wear a mask or other type of protective equipment (PPE) during chest compressions.Ready to get up-to-date on your CPR knowledge? Take a CPR class in San Diego or Tustin with Express Training today!