> and is this a goalpost that can ever be achieved?

It could absolutely be achieved. Literally the only thing keeping things from going back to more-or-less normal conditions right now is that there are many unvaccinated people getting extremely ill from COVID and filling up ICUs.

Again, what are normal ICU levels?

As far as I'm aware, ICU staffing is modified to achieve close to 100% capacity at all times with minimal spare beds, whether pre-Covid or post-Covid. If this is the case, then there's no scenario possible, regardless of what happens with Covid, where hospitals report anything but "few ICU beds are available".

Normal ICU levels are levels lower than "every available nurse and doctor is busy with ICU patients".

It's really not that complicated. Under normal conditions capacity can usually scale to meet the needs of the local community. Under COVID conditions, all theoretical capacity is already taken by COVID patients.

Yet, healthcare systems are currently rushing to axe many thousands of unvaccinated healthcare workers. Don’t you think it sends mixed messages to be claiming that there’s such a dire shortage of ICU capacity on one hand, but to be letting so many fully capable healthcare workers go? (many of whom have already been exposed to Covid and have natural immunity anyway)

The data collected in the US by the Department of Health has routinely shown ICU availability in my county (Santa Fe, NM). That data has generally indicated that roughly half the available ICU beds are filled, with 1 or 2 patients there due to COVID.

p.s. according to our local newspaper, this data is incorrect.

Not to mention standardised admission criteria and ICU eligibility criteria were chucked out the window in many countries when covid became a thing

Edit downvotes and no discussion. This place is getting worse