The SMS lifeguards were stopped during the corona pandemic - now the app starts again

Today, there are over 23,000 registered text message lifeguards in Stockholm County - private individuals who can do cardiopulmonary resuscitation and are alerted via an app when someone nearby has a cardiac arrest.

Last year, the lifeguards responded to more than 800 alarms and in half of the cases, they started cardiopulmonary resuscitation before the ambulance even reached the scene.

Chief physician: "Needed to stop all possible spread of infection"

But during the corona pandemic, the app was shut down.

- When the spread of infection was greatest, we needed to stop all possible spread of infection and then we judged that it was wisest to close this service.

It means that you have to run to a person you do not know and be close to it, says chief physician Patrik Söderberg.

Patrik Söderberg, chief physician in the Stockholm Region.

Photo: Lisa Liljefors / SVT

The call to the lifeguards: Only compressions - no breaths

So far this year, the alarms about cardiac arrest to SOS Alarm in Stockholm County have increased compared to the same period last year - from just over 500 to 600. But some of the alarms do not turn out to be cardiac arrest once the ambulance arrives at the scene.

How have you previously reasoned about the possibility of saving lives versus reducing the spread of infection?

- It is always a trade-off.

We have been in an extreme situation in this pandemic.

Earlier in March and April, we were in a situation where the spread of infection was very large and where we did not want it to increase.

Now we are in a different situation.

Now that the spread of infection has decreased, the region believes that the service can start again.

The new guidelines during the corona pandemic are that lifeguards should only do chest compressions and no breaths.

Christer received help for cardiac arrest

Christer Melén in Stockholm is one of those who received help from the text lifeguards last year when he suddenly had a cardiac arrest on the way home from work.

Hear more about how it went when he got help in the video above.