Scarcity in the Covid‐19 Pandemic

As we write, U.S. cities and states with extensive community transmission of Covid‐19 are in harm's way—not only because of the disease itself but also because of prior and current failures to act. During the 2009 influenza pandemic, public health agencies and hospitals developed but never adeq...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hastings Center Report 2020-03, Vol.50 (2), p.3-3
Main Authors: Solomon, Mildred Z., Wynia, Matthew, Gostin, Lawrence O.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
allocation of scarce resources
Betacoronavirus
Bioethics
Coronavirus Infections
COVID-19
Defense Production Act
Disease Outbreaks
novel coronavirus
pandemic
Pandemics
Pneumonia, Viral
public health emergency
SARS-CoV-2
Triage
U.S. federal government
Citations: Items that cite this one
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Summary:As we write, U.S. cities and states with extensive community transmission of Covid‐19 are in harm's way—not only because of the disease itself but also because of prior and current failures to act. During the 2009 influenza pandemic, public health agencies and hospitals developed but never adequately implemented preparedness plans. Focused on efficiency in a competitive market, health systems had few incentives to maintain stockpiles of essential medical equipment. Just‐in‐time economic models resulted in storage of only those supplies needed then. At the same time, global purchasing in search of lower prices reduced the number of U.S. suppliers, with hospitals dependent on foreign companies. There is still a possibility that the pandemic will be manageably bad rather than unmanageably catastrophic in this country. Immediate, powerful, and sustained federal action could make the difference.
ISSN:0093-0334
1552-146X
DOI:10.1002/hast.1093