Reference no: EM133031094

You are to write a short essay applying the theory and analyzing the case study through the criteria of the theory.

Alessandro is a 68-year-old doctor. He has moderate chronic obstructive airways disease. He contracts COVID-19 while caring for patients with the same disease. He develops respiratory failure. Jason is a 52-year-old businessman who contracted COVID-19 while travelling for business reasons. He is otherwise well but develops respiratory failure.

The triage question: There is only one ventilator remaining. Who should receive ventilation?

The UK government received modelling that predicted that COVID-19 would lead to 500,000 deaths in the absence of measures to reduce spread. This could be reduced to 20,000 by implementing major social distancing measures (lockdown). The economic effects arising from restriction of liberty will predictably result in large numbers of job losses, mental illness, and increased medical risk (e.g. unemployment is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease). 7 Cancellation of elective operations and interventions will result in prolongation of suffering and potentially death. Those suffering from non-COVID illness may not be able to receive treatment in hospital because there are no beds available.

The lockdown question: How should we balance preventing deaths from COVID-19 with causing deaths and reductions in well-being from other causes?

Q1: After a close, careful reading of this article, you are to (1) provide a brief explanation of utilitarianism, including the relationship between the lower and higher pleasures, in your own words. (2) Identify 3-4 criteria that are used through the utilitarian model. (3) Provide what each criterion means, (4) Apply each criterion to a specific instance described in the article.

If you were on the board of this hospital and a utilitarian, what would you suggest as a policy for care in lieu of a pandemic?