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Interesting but I think you have forgotten a few things. While the existing supply of masks is “finite” (i.e. already made, boxed and either in a story, medical facility, or on its way), the manufacturing of masks is an ongoing process, and can even be run with 3 shifts or more depending on the supply of raw materials and trained workers.

In other words, production should eventually keep up with demand or even supersede it.

Another overlooked factor is the U.S. military. They have medical facilities on their bases (somewhat limited but available in times of emergencies, but our greatest logistical advantage is our ability to put major temporary field facilities up and ready to go in a very short period of time (i.e. Tent Cities with basic sanitation (i.e. outdoor latrines in isolated sections of the encampments) which are themselves in isolation from the general populace.

When the terrible earthquakes and tsunamis hit Indonedia, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Thailand, possibly India, etc. about 10-15 years ago), our Navy put a whole U.S. city of 10,000 people in the area of the disasters near Indonesia in a matter of days. (Remember, an aircraft carrier can have a crew of up to 5,000 people).

We have a good number of aircraft carriers on various stations and some in ports for repairs or R&R. Other ships, esp. supply ships are also readily available to carry supplies to any coastal area of the US and its territories should the need arise to deliver anti-Virus supplies and health/living facilities for the people in heavily impacted areas (say Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, coastal US states/cities/ports).

We have enough unoccupied land in the continental US to house hundreds of thousands of infected or suspected infected people (our deserts are vast, so are parts of Alaska, Texas, Wyoming/Montana, etc.)

My son’s Army Engineering company put up several major temporary and/or permanent bridges in a matter of hours while under fire in Iraq. The COE (Army), Seabees (old Navy engineers), and other specially trained military units could create major tent cities/facilities in a matter of hours upon reaching the designed holding areas. That is what they were trained for, and trained well at that.

We underestimate our ability to do miracles in a normal. everyday manner. I remember an old saying that goes roughly like this (from the military, possible Corps of Engineers or the Marines). “We can do the possible immediately; the impossible take’s a little bit longer”.

Thank God we have enough men and women in the military and health support agencies/facilities to take on a major disaster immediately. I would put my money on them any day.

Millenial snowflakes need not apply. You’d only get in the way of “real people”.