Social-distancing measures may be flattening the curve
This is part of our Coronavirus Update series in which Harvard specialists in epidemiology, infectious disease, economics, politics, and other disciplines offer insights into what the latest developments in the COVID-19 outbreak may bring. Projected COVID-19 caseloads at the state’s largest health care system indicate that social-distancing measures have worked well enough that Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) will be able to avoid the kind of harrowing situation Northern Italy faced when a surge of patients outstripped the region’s ability to respond, a top emergency-preparedness physician said Thursday. Paul Biddinger, medical director for emergency preparedness at Partners Healthcare and vice chairman for emergency preparedness in Mass General’s Emergency Medicine Department, said the most recent modeling indicates the epidemic’s peak will stretch but not overwhelm the 1,000-bed hospital’s beds, staff, and equipment — in particular its supply of ventilators for patients who need help breathing. “Roughly about a week to two after the implementation and...