That doc’s right. Any patient with shortness of breath could help slam the mostly-filled ICU’s, costing millions of dollars apiece if it is COVID-19 (long stays). It’s preferable to spend a few hundred a person up front doling out the treatment to anybody with a breathing problem, fever and cough, since testing is still just ramping up.
the main issue with HCQ is, side effects - heart arrhythmias. (besides protecting supply for lupus and other maintenance users)
The hospitals that are treating with HCQ/Zpak, are doing so as part of a controlled double blind study to learn what the effects vs benefits are. If the regime is prescribed randomly outside a medical environment, outside a study, does that risk adding fuel to the fire of ICU unit demand, with adverse reactions/sudden cardiac issues, coming in needing instant care?