Man Dies After Paramedics Refused to Enter Facility Over COVID-19 Fears

A 56-year-old man was stricken with a heart attack, but paramedics allegedly refused to enter the acute-care facility where he was taken ill, out of fear of COVID-19. 

It happened at a facility in the city of Rialto, about 50 miles from Los Angeles. Police bodycam video shows a cop going into the facility while paramedics remained outside. 

The officer pushed the man’s bed — which had no wheels — down the hall while nurses continued doing chest compressions. Only when he was brought outside did the paramedics start treatment. 
Sadly, the man died.

A police report on the incident says nurses in the facility were “distraught” and “pleading for help.” 
“Fire personnel insisted on the patient being brought to them outside before they began life-saving efforts and made no effort to assist me,” the report continued.

Paramedics allegedly claimed there was a state law that kept them from entering, but no such law is in place. However, according to reports, there was an outdated memo that circulated more than a year ago during the height of the pandemic, advising paramedics to minimize their exposure to COVID-19. 

“I, frankly, was appalled,” Deputy Mayor Ed Scott told Inside Edition. “It’s just horrific to think that your last moments — the help you needed might not be there. Our officer frankly deserves a medal for going in and getting the patient out.”

The paramedics who were involved have been placed on leave pending an outside investigation.

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