I fixed the formatting, typos, and expanded the jargon:
From a well respected friend and intensivist/A&E consultant who is currently in northern Italy:
I feel the pressure to give you a quick personal update about what is happening in Italy, and also give some quick direct advice about what you should do.
First, Lumbardy is the most developed region in Italy and it has a extraordinary good healthcare, I have worked in Italy, UK and Australia and don't make the mistake to think that what is happening here is happening in a 3rd world country.
The current situation is difficult to imagine, and numbers do not explain things at all. Our hospitals are overwhelmed by COVID-19, they are running 200% capacity.
We've stopped all routine, all Operating Rooms have been converted to Intensive Care Rooms and they are now diverting or not treating all other emergencies like trauma or stroke. There are hundreds of patients with severe respiratory failure and many of them do not have access to anything above an oyxgen mask.
Patients above 65, or younger patients with comorbidities, are not even assessed by Intensive Care. I am not saying not tubed, I'm saying not assessed and no staff attends to them when they arrest. Staff are working as much as they can, but they are starting to get sick themselves and are emotionally overwhelmed.
My friends call me in tears, because they see people dying in front of them and they can only offer some oxygen. Ortho and pathologists are being given a leaflet and sent to see patients on ventillation. PLEASE STOP, READ THIS AGAIN AND THINK.
We have seen the same pattern in different areas a week apart, and there is no reason that in a few weeks it won't be the same everywhere, this is the pattern:
1) A few positive cases, first mild measures, people are told to avoid the Emergency Department. People still hang out in groups, everyone says not to panic.
2) Some moderate respiratory failures and a few severe ones that need intubation, but regular access to Emergency Departments is significantly reduced so everything looks great.
3) Tons of patients with moderate respiratory failure, that over time deteriorate to saturate intensive care first, then intubation equipment, then CPAP hoods, then even O2 masks.
4) Staff gets sick, so it gets difficult to cover for shifts, mortality spikes from all the other causes that can't be treated properly.
Everything about how to treat them is online but the only things that will make a difference are: do not be afraid of massively strict measures to keep people safe. If the governments won't do this at least keep your family safe: your loved ones with a history of cancer or diabetes or any transplant will not be tubed if they need it even if they are young. By safe I mean YOU do not attend them and YOU decide who does and YOU teach them how to. Another typical attitude is read and listen to people saying things like this and think "that's bad dude" and then go out for dinner because you think you'll be safe.
We have seen it, you won't be safe if you don't take it seriously. I really hope it won't be as bad as here but prepare.