What effect did the New Zealand COVID-19 lockdown have on computed tomography-head scan utilisation in patients presenting to the emergency department with traumatic head injuries?

Objectives: To explore the unique impact the first COVID-19 national lockdown in New Zealand (NZ) had on the utility of computed tomography (CT)-head scanning in patients presenting to the ED with head injuries.

Methods: Retrospective observational study of CT-head use in head-injured patients presenting to the ED during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown compared to the corresponding time period in 2019.

Results: During the lockdown period in 2020, the total number of ED presentations reduced by 30.