Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 30

AIIMS-New Delhi chief Randeep Guleria on Friday said Covid-19 was now entering tier 2 and 3 cities and it had become essential to train even village doctors in handling the virus. The government today tasked 14 regional centres of excellence, including AIIMS-New Delhi, PGI-Chandigarh, JIPMER-Puducherry and AIIMS-Bhubaneswar and Bhopal to conduct training of government, and private doctors across smaller towns and even villages in the management of Covid.

The Centre also issued guidelines on the management of Covid in children with more and more infections being seen in those under 18 years. Guleria said it was crucial to reduce cases and appealed to people to launch “break the chain movement” by gifting masks to those who are not complying and also by preventing crowding.

“Health infrastructure can work to a limit but if cases continue to rise like this, the situation will become very challenging,” the AIIMS chief warned.

He said the second wave’s rate of rise had been too rapid for the health infrastructure to cope and the doubling rate of cases reduced drastically.

“Going forward, proper management of Covid is the key. The pandemic is going to tier 2,3 cities. Training of doctors is needed to handle the disease. The ministry has formed 14 regional centres of excellence at 14 locations to conduct mentoring of doctors so that everyone is ready to manage the infection when it strikes,” Guleria said. He asked everyone to avoid misuse of drugs.

Use steroids only in 2nd phase of Covid

• People think Remdesivir and steroids will help. These are not needed. Covid-19 has two phases – the first is when the virus spreads in the body causing fever and congestion. Sometimes, when it spreads to lungs, oxygen falls and anti-viral drugs are given.
• The second phase is when the immune system fails and the body inflames. That is when steroids are needed. If given early, steroids can promote viral replication.