Knowing how to perform hands-only CPR can save a life. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, you should know that the risk of contagion is low. According to the Seattle Fire Department Medical Director, Dr. Michael Sayre, “performing Hands-Only CPR is essential to help buy precious time for help to arrive. Even if the victim has a contagious disease (and few victims of sudden collapse are contagious), your risk of catching anything is quite low since you are not giving mouth-to-mouth breaths.”
Around 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home so you’re more likely to perform hands-only CPR on someone you know. A cardiac patient’s chance of becoming a long-term survivor are more than doubled if a someone on the scene administers prompt CPR.
Administering hands-only CPR (without breaths) is a simple technique that only takes a few minutes to learn. Watch this short video to learn the steps for performing hands-only CPR – you could save a life.
If you see someone collapse, follow these steps:
- Call 911 – Give specific information to the dispatcher, starting with the location. Is an AED available? If so, send someone to retrieve it and use it as soon as you can.
- Make sure the scene is safe
- Quickly determine if the person needs CPR – If the person is not responsive or not breathing normally – tap them on the shoulder and shout, “Are you ok. Are you ok?” If the person doesn’t move, speak, blink, or otherwise react, then he or she is not responding.
- Begin Chest Compressions – Use two hands, with straight arms, and push down hard and fast in the center of the chest. Make sure compressions are at least 2-inches deep, and are at the rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
- Don’t stop compressions until help arrives or take turns with someone if you get tired
CPR/AED Resources
Hands-only CPR handout in 15 languages
CPR resources in many languages
Hands-only CPR video from the American Heart Association in English (in Spanish)