EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR HYPERBARIC MEDICINEEUBS & ECHM position statementon the advisability of recreational and professional diving andperforming diving medical examinations
during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak

As a result of strict preventive measures taken by almost all countries worldwide to combat the spread of SARSCoV2 and COVID-19 disease, there is a significant impact on the availability of healthcare resources, not only
hospital-based but also for emergency first aid and patient transport.
Generally, all sports activities are advised against, except those that can be undertaken alone or in pairs or verysmall numbers, and then only if sufficient distance between participants can be guaranteed and sharing of sports
equipment is avoided.

During (recreational) diving there is not only the impossibility to observe the minimum recommended distanceof one meter (as per the WHO recommendations on COVID-19 prevention), but it is also impossible to guaranteethat respiratory equipment will not be shared (e.g. in the event of an underwater out-of-air incident). The useof rental equipment may also pose a risk for transmission of the virus.

Moreover, because even with careful planning and restriction of diving depth, it is not possible to exclude
completely the occurrence of diving-related illness such as barotrauma, decompression sickness, immersion
pulmonary edema or (near-)drowning, the provision for a medical first aid and evacuation plan remains
mandatory for all diving. This kind of emergency planning is likely to be compromised during the current
conditions of (self-) isolation and personal protection, as well as by the scarcity of (para-) medical resources.

Finally, the decreased availability of hyperbaric chambers for treatment of diving-specific illnesses poses a
significant threat to the proper treatment of these conditions.

Therefore, the European Underwater and Baromedical Society (EUBS), in concert with the European Committee
for Hyperbaric Medicine (ECHM), recommends:
1.

That all recreational diving activities, either solo or in buddy pairs, should be suspended for theduration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2.

That all recreational diving medical examinations, as these are considered “non-urgent” and “notmedically essential”, should be postponed until a later date. Medical examinations by necessity impose
a close personal contact between the physician and the diver, which is incompatible with the current
recommendations of interpersonal distance. Diving federations requiring a diving medical examination
should consider providing interim guidance e.g. by prolonging the validity of the current medicalcertificate.

3.

The continuation of diving activity and medical examinations for professional divers are theresponsibility of the Employer after careful risk analysis, taking into account any advice from national
regulatory bodies, the urgency of the diving activity and the possibility to provide proper medical carein case of diving-related disease or injury. This may mean that in some areas diving activities should bepostponed unless such “guarantee of care” can be given without making use of public health care.

In case of any doubts, please contact the EUBS (www.eubs.org) or ECHM (www.ECHM.org).
Recommendations issued on 26th March 2020.

On behalf of the EUBS:/-/ signature/-/ signature/-/ signature

Ole Hyldegaard

Jean-Eric BlatteauPeter Germonpre

President

Vice-President

Honorary Secretary/-/ signature/-/ signature/-/ signature

Jacek Kot

Alessandro Marroni

Wilhelm Welslau

President

Vice-President

Secretary General

On behalf of the ECHM:2