No, they couldn't.
I heard from a former mucky muck at NASA that Atlantis could be outfitted and ready to fly in one week, if they really wanted to do it. Do you have different information?
Do you think NASA knew this was going to happen and decided to keep the crew in the dark? Or do you think they underestimated the problem? If its the former, then it is unforgivable. If the latter, then it is understandable.