Daily Covid-19 numbers reported in the past few days in Chandigarh point at the downward trend of the second wave of the pandemic. After learning a few lessons from the second wave, the UT Administration is already bracing for a possible third wave and is against lowering the guard.

Arun Gupta, Principal Health Secretary, UT

‘We will fill gaps’

No one can predict the third wave but we are preparing for the areas we were found wanting in the second wave. There were three areas of concern in the second wave — oxygen, ICU beds and trained manpower — and we will fill these gaps for the imminent surge in infection.Rs

“No one can predict the third wave but we are preparing for the areas we were found wanting in the second wave. There were three areas of concern in the second wave, oxygen, ICU beds and trained manpower, and we will fill these gaps for the imminent surge in infection,” said Arun Gupta, Principal Health Secretary, UT.

Gupta added: “In addition to three oxygen generation plants, three oxygen plants each with a capacity of 1,000 litre per minute have been approved for the PGI. This will take care of 50 per cent requirement of the hospitals and amounts to at least 10 MT of liquid oxygen. We are trying to establish mini-oxygen plants for civil hospitals and a proposal has been sent in this regard. Besides, the administration also had purchased 400 oxygen concentrators.”

The most critical factor in the second wave has been ICU beds and despite increasing the capacity for more than double from the first wave, the patients were found wanting for such beds.

The GMCH-32 has been requested to increase at least 50 ICU beds. The mini-Covid care centres will be on standby so that they can be opened within two-three days if the need arises.

The PGI has also stepped up the measures for the third wave. Prof Jagat Ram, Director of PGI, said: “We are in the process of procuring more ventilators. Even in the second wave, the proportion of severity of Covid has been in older adults only. Younger children were also affected by infection but not of great magnitude. It is unlikely that paediatric will be greatly involved in the third wave as these were not vaccinated in the second wave also. There may not be an exclusive group to be involved in Covid. Nevertheless, there are already 30 beds set up in the paediatric ward for Covid patients. We should be ready, whatever comes.”

The UT Director of Health Services, Dr Amandeep Kang, said: “We have started preparing for the third wave if at all it comes. We will hire four-five paediatricians and purchase PICUs. Children may be susceptible because they have not been vaccinated.”