The supplies of some drugs required to keep COVID-19 patients on ventilators are low enough that hospitals in Ontario are taking steps to conserve their use. While hospitals say they are not facing an immediate shortage, the rate at which the most severely ill COVID-19 patients consume the drugs is raising fears that the existing supply of certain medications will run out in a matter of weeks. Patients on ventilators must be deeply sedated and their chest muscles immobilized to prevent lung damage from the mechanical ventilation, said Scales. All three are on a Health Canada list current drug scarcities with "the greatest potential impact on Canada's drug supply and health care system." The hope is that physical distancing measures continue to rein in the spread of the virus enough to give time to build up the drug supply.

Source: CBC News April 15, 2020 00:28 UTC