When Demand Outstrips Supply: A Christian View of the Ethics of Healthcare Resource Allocation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presents the greatest challenge to global healthcare systems in living memory. This article deals with the ethics of rationing the supply of scarce healthcare resources, such as ventilators, during periods of high demand, such as the current pandemic. Existing ethical guidelines and commentaries are cited and critiqued from a Christian ethics viewpoint.