[UnpossibleJim]

I mean, there is a third option that neither of you have presented. We could fix the emergency room and infectious disease ward situation with federal money, and then move on instead of using federal money to prolong lock downs. Addressing infrastructure isn't always popular, or the fastest, but it lasts longer and solves the problem of overcrowding.

Yes, it might mean another 9 months to a year of lockdown, but it would be there still when (not if) another disaster occurs. Now, people will get angry at subsidizing private hospitals... but I could go on about how emergency care should be publicly funded anyway. But I digress.

[ben_w]

> Yes, it might mean another 9 months to a year of lockdown

Oh goodness no. There’s a supply limit for medical professionals that will take half a decade to solve even with unlimited funding. And as this is a worldwide issue, not just an American one, you can’t just outbid the rest of us for migrant healthcare workers.

[UnpossibleJim]

Is there a fix for this? Is it just a payment of loans issue, or is it a working conditions issue or is it a lack of interest issue? Or is it some combination of the three, or another, unknown thing (or a known, unmentioned thing)?

Granted, I have zero power. I ask because I'm curious and just want to know.

[ben_w]

It takes a long time to train medical professionals, and the current number is for the world 5-ish years ago (the training delay depends on the actual role, but that looks to me like the common one). If you want to have enough to cope with the extra demand from COVID, it will just take a long time.