Joseph, please stop minimizing the threat! It’s pikuach Nefesh!
As stated earlier by someone, the flu lasts 8 months every year. If we let this spread without restrictions, we can Ch”v have 1/2 the population infected (if not more, no one has immunity yet) over the course of about 3 months. And unfortunately as seen, the percentage needing hospitalization IN ALL AGES is much greater than with the flu.
When the flu is out of control in any given year, the medical community gets more vocal urging people to get vaccinated to limit cases. So there may still be time to turn the tide.
And for better or worse, we have a free market economy, so hospitals don’t just have tons of extra beds and ventilators as “spares”. They estimate amounts, and if it’s a small town hospital that can’t afford it, they may even have less than necessary for a bad flu season and direct patients elsewhere when full.
In any given yea does your supermarket double their shmurah Matzah stock for example, because maybe this year people will be extra hungry or whatever? No, they look at the past and order accordingly, with maybe a bit extra to control for variables. Matzah is expensive, and loses value after Pesach. Hospital equipment and rooms even more so. And I assume with technology constantly changing, equipment needs to be replaced every few years to be up to date. The government may have some contingency plans, but within reason. This pandemic is unreasonable, from a logical POV based on how modern medicine has spoiled us. So yes we were caught unprepared. Hashem is showing us that He’s in charge, but we have the obligation from Him to GUARD OUR LIVES VERY STRONGLY!