Agreed. Wholesale testing would be great to run the numbers, but would be impractical logistically.
Aren’t you concerned with the possible ARDS numbers as Italy has? I know our area ICUs and ERs don’t run near capacity where I live, but the larger metro areas concern me looking forward - IF - we get substantial H2H transmission.
As an intensivist, we are planning day for what would happen with increased demand. We are looking at using anesthesia circuits in OR for vents if need be, We are looking at several contingencies. I think the data point towars not becoming overwhelmed. We did not get overwhelmed with H1N1, and this is not presently as serious as H1N1. So historically, I think we will be OK.
But lets assume for the moment that we get overwhelmed. Can we transfer people to outlying hospital with telemedicine? Probably, can we think outside of the box, most likely. Are we preparing, yes we are. But I truly believe we are extrapolating numbers that are not Bourne out with the data.
Italy — socialized medicine, different cultural norms — and something I did not know, the oldest population in the EU. It makes sense that they would be in trouble. Perhaps what we should do is collect our resources at paces that have large elderly populations, South Florida, Scottsdale, and and places that are demographically old.