Yes I definitely think there were ways to prevent the health care system from being overrun. For example in NZ (I am a kiwi), early border shut and "hard and fast" lockdown means NZ has been mostly covid free. `

I hear you, look at Sweden - they did leave everyone to carry on with life, and left old people to die. Hence they have by far the worst death rates in Scandinavia, the highest hospitalisation rates with hospitals reaching capacity and at breaking point according to media. Many swedes have expressed how that is an outworking of their socialist values, that it is expected that old people will die for the freedom of the many.

In addition to China building massive hospitals, they also had huge lockdowns. I just don't think it was avoidable.