NewDelhi Aug 23 :A committee of experts constituted under the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), set up on the directions of the Home Ministry, has concluded that the third wave of Covid-19 could peak around October.<\/p>\n
According to an exclusive report by Times of India, the report has noted that ‘paediatric facilities \u2014 doctors, staff, equipment like ventilators, ambulances, etc.<\/p>\n
are nowhere close to what may be required in case a large number of children become infected’. The report has been submitted to the PMO.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the group headed by NITI Aayog member VK Paul, in their recommendation shared with the government last month, has suggested preparing 23 hospitalisations for every 100 positive cases in a future Covid-19 infection surge.<\/p>\n
This estimation is higher than the projection the group had made in September 2020 ahead of the second wave, when it calculated that about 20% of patients with ‘severe\/ moderately severe’ symptoms would require hospitalisation, The Indian Express reported.<\/p>\n
After the Covid-19 second wreaked havoc, the recommendation to set aside a larger number of hospital beds is based on the pattern seen during April-June to this year. Reportedly, during its peak, on June 1 when the active caseload across the country was 18 lakh, 21.74% cases required hospitalisation in the 10 states with the maximum cases, of them, 2.2% were in ICU.<\/p>\n
The Centre is fully ready to tackle a possible third wave of COVID-19 and a provision of Rs 23,123 crore has been made for this purpose, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said on Friday. He said special emphasis is being given to strengthening paediatric care amid apprehension that the third wave may affect children more than others.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is fully ready to tackle a possible third wave of COVID-19. A provision of Rs 23,123 crore has been made to deal with it, said Thakur, who is also the minister for youth affairs and sports.<\/p>\n
Special emphasis is being given to strengthening paediatric care as experts fear that the third wave may affect children more than others, he said. Some experts have warned that the third wave of COVID-19 may affect children more while others have said there is little reason to believe this theory. However, experts concur that there is a need to improve paediatric Covid services in the country.<\/p>\n