Rapid deployment of approximately 5,000 ventilation units available at a moment's notice
Germany is taking swift action to increase its intensive care (ICU) bed capacity in response to the rising number of COVID-19 cases. The German Hospital Association (GHA) has a total capacity of approximately 30,000 ICU beds, with 8,500 currently unoccupied and available for potential patients.
According to Gerald Gaß, president of the GHA, hospitals are well-equipped with protective materials to ensure the safety of patients and staff. Gaß has also called on patients to seek treatment in hospitals, assuring them that hospitals are safe places.
The GHA can activate an additional 4,000 to 5,000 ICU beds within a few days, if necessary. This can be achieved by temporarily expanding ICU infrastructure, reallocating resources, and mobilizing healthcare personnel.
Measures to increase ICU capacity quickly may involve repurposing existing hospital spaces, deploying mobile or temporary ICU units, recruiting and training additional medical personnel, and national coordination for resource sharing between hospitals and states.
During the pandemic, the German government has focused on monitoring ICU bed occupancy and hospitalization incidence as key indicators for implementing measures. When hospitalizations increase substantially, tighter public health measures are imposed to reduce spread and alleviate ICU burden.
However, rapid capacity expansion relies on flexible hospital management, logistical coordination, and sufficient trained intensive care staff, which can be a limiting factor. Detailed operational protocols for rapid ICU expansion are typically handled on regional and hospital levels, coordinated with federal guidelines.
The GHA has not yet activated the additional 4,000 to 5,000 ICU beds, but they remain a vital resource in the country's response to the ongoing pandemic. An image provided by dts Nachrichtenagentur depicts a German hospital during the current situation, serving as a visual representation of the country's efforts to combat the virus.
[1] Source: German Hospital Federation (2020). "Expansion of Intensive Care Capacity in Germany During the COVID-19 Pandemic". Retrieved from [URL]
Other science-based measures, such as repurposing existing hospital spaces and deploying mobile or temporary ICU units, are being considered to increase health-and-wellness capacities in response to the growing number of medical-conditions, like COVID-19. Gerald Gaß, president of the German Hospital Association (GHA), emphasizes the importance of recruiting and training additional medical personnel to ensure sufficient intensive care staff is available during this critical time.
