COVID-19: Chennai Trade Centre gets 360 beds; additional 500 to be added soon

The patients who have been admitted to government hospitals, either in their recovery phase or need oxygen support, will all be referred to the CTC Covid-19 facility.

As the second wave of Coronavirus has put hospitals in a tight spot when it comes to bed availability, the Chennai Corporation has made 360 beds set up at the Covid Care Centre in Chennai Trade Centre. Of the total beds placed, 300 beds can provide patients oxygen support, as per a report by The IE. Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi, who has been newly appointed, has been inspecting the facilities at the centre.

It is to note that the facility at the CTC has been developed to handle patients who are moderately ill due to Covid-19. For the treatment, the authorities have distributed lines and have installed oxygen flow metres each and every bed in the facility. According to a senior civic official, the aim for setting up these beds is to support crowd reduction at tertiary hospitals, which have been seeing influx in admissions.

The patients who have been admitted to government hospitals, either in their recovery phase or need oxygen support, will all be referred to the CTC Covid-19 facility. So far, arrangements of 360 beds have been made and there will be an addition of 500 for the patients soon, the report citing the official said. The area has been divided into two halls. While Hall 1 will have all 360 beds, the expected addition of 500 beds will be done in Hall 2.

Meanwhile, the health department of Tamil Nadu has revised their hospital admission protocols. Now, Covid-19 patients with oxygen saturation level (SpO2) above 96 will not be admitted to any hospital. The move comes in view of handling seamless operations at a time when Covid-19 cases have been seeing an upsurge.

Primary healthcare or Covid centres can admit patients having the oxygen saturation level between 90-94. However, if the condition of a patient worsens and the oxygen saturation level falls below 90, the patient needs to be shifted to government hospitals, medical college hospitals, or hospitals dedicated only for Covid-19 patients.