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It’s about smoothing the curve so the healthcare system can absorb the influx of patients. If the healthcare system is overwhelmed then it’s a problem.

Here’s a link to a great article.

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/preparing-...

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This is exactly what's happening in Italy. The majority of people are asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms, but smaller hospitals are nearing full capacity and thus are redirecting patients to other hospitals. ICU beds cannot all be reserved to covid patients, there are regular patients as well. All the restrictive measures put in place should help contain the spread and avoid overwhelming the healthcare system.

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