Surge capacity of intensive care units in case of acute increase in demand caused by <scp>COVID</scp> ‐19 in Australia

Abstract

The directors of Australian ICUs report that intensive care bed capacity could be near tripled in response to the expected increase in demand caused by COVID-19. But maximal surge in bed numbers could be hampered by a shortfall in invasive ventilators and would also require a large increase in clinician and nursing staff numbers.