VIDEO I don't think hospital systems anywhere in the world are ready for a 200% increase in mostly elderly patients in a matter of days.
Italy is in a terrible state because the country lacks any sort of additional resources to deal with this crisis.
Their limited resources are so strained that the Russians are patrolling and disinfecting the streets.
Many other European countries are also reaching their ICU capacity limits and mostly depend on medical supply imports from China, which are slower and turn out to malfunction.
From what I'm seeing, I hope and expect the US will squeak by as there seems to be a rapid increase in production and supply in medical equipment. To the point where the US might be able to start exporting equipment abroad if their own needs are covered.
The fact that the treatment for COVID-19 seems to be standardized means that you can add human resources fairly quick as well by training nurses/doctors of other departments to specifically help deal with this disease.
If all else fails you could even get the police, firemen and other type of first responders and the military to help out. I would say that on a federal and state level the US is equipped fairly well to deal with a crisis such as this.
Some countries like The Netherlands are well prepared 'on paper' but just can't seem to get the numbers of ventilators and masks required if China keeps sending broken junk.
Doctors are now calling their elderly patients to ask in advance if they want further treatment in the ICU if they get corona.
And everyone understands the alternative is to die peacefully with some comfort, an option which some elderly had already chosen when they opted not get treated.
