PLEASE NOTE
COVID-19 shares many of the same symptoms as other serious viral pneumonias that require a period of convalesce before returning to full activities - a process that can take weeks or months depending on symptom severity (1). MEDICAL RECOMMENDATIONS (2, 3): • Divers who have tested positive with COVID-19 but have remained completely asymptomatic, should wait ONE month before resuming diving. • Divers who have had symptomatic COVID-19, should wait at least THREE months before applying for fit-to-dive clearance conducted by a diving medicine specialist. • Divers who have been hospitalised with or because of pulmonary symptoms in relation to COVID-19, should wait at least THREE months before applying for fit-to-dive clearance conducted or coordinated by a diving medicine specialist, with complete pulmonary function testing (at least FVC, FEV1, PEF25-50-75, RV and FEV1/FVC, and an exercise test with peripheral oxygen saturation measurement) as well as a high resolution CT scanning of the lungs. • Divers who have been hospitalised with or because of cardiac problems in relation to COVID-19, should wait at least THREE months before applying for fit-to-dive clearance conducted or coordinated by a diving medicine specialist with cardiac evaluation, including echocardiography and exercise test (exercise electrocardiography). GENERAL RECOMMENDATION
• Divers and dive centers should observe strictly the guidelines for disinfection of diving gear (as issued by the diving federations and DAN Europe /Divers Alert Network).
REFERENCES
(1) Return to Diving Post COVID-19 - issued by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) in the USA. (2) Diving after COVID-19 pulmonary infection. A position statement of the Belgian Society for Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine (SBMHS-BVOOG). (3) Recreational and professional diving after the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak - Position statement of EUBS & ECHM VERSION: 22.05.2020
The present is a sample of a Health Declaration Form that a dive centre or dive professional may want to adopt and submit to customers and students, before taking up any diving activity with them. The Form has been developed by the DAN Europe Medical Division team, based on information available as of May 2020. The epidemiological situation is constantly evolving.As a result, this document may be subject to changes and updates.. |