What are the issues in this case
How would the principles guide Mrs X in the following case?
In a remote part of the country there has been an outbreak of a highly contagious virus, which is life threatening, especially to older people, those with existing medical conditions, and the very young. Supplies of the medicine to treat the condition are limited (and are most effective if applied early in the onset of the illness). Vaccinations against contraction of the illness are also in short supply. In neither case are supplies sufficient to meet the needs of the existing population, and while more will almost certainly arrive within a week or so, vulnerable members of the community who contract the disease risk dying.
Mrs X is the local Director of the health clinic. Her family lives locally, as do the families of most of the members of her medical team, including the health assistants who will need to administer the vaccinations and medicines and who will have to travel in pairs to the most isolated communities to do so. Moreover, these health assistants will have to do a great deal of over-time and you know that they have other calls on their time from responsibilities in their families and local communities.
Do the principles help Mrs X establish the priorities for treatment or decide what priority to you give to those working for the clinic? Or to decide what to make public about the priorities adopted?
And how can she act selflessly?