The coronavirus pandemic is causing major medical supply and personnel shortages. This fact, combined with a massive increase in the number of sick patients, is putting the U.S. healthcare system under significant strain.
Dozens of doctors, nurses and EMTs have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and an even larger number are being forced to quarantine after possible exposure. And—considering that 90 percent of registered and licensed nurses are women—women make up some of the largest numbers of those on the frontlines fighting the virus.
In an attempt to alleviate massive pressure on the healthcare industry and inevitably brace for more, the U.S. is implementing several measures—from invoking emergency war-time acts to retrofitting factories to respond to unprecedented supply needs.