COVID: Experts ask Centre to increase ICU & Ventilator beds; prepare for 4 lakh cases/day

The top COVID management authority in the country has raised an alarm to the government and has asked it to step up the preventive measures to mitigate the spread of the deadly coronavirus to curtail the speculated COVID third wave in the country.

Prepare for 4 lakh cases/ day; Add more ICU beds & Ventilator beds: COVID management authority to Centre

Based on a report by the news agency ANI, a senior member of the top COVID management body has asked the centre to adequately prepare for the unforeseen future, as the country might face up to 4 lakh cases per day. The body has asked the central government to add more beds to the current health infrastructure so that the dire situation, as witnessed during the second wave shall be avoided. They have recommended the addition of 2 lakh ICU beds,1 lakh ventilator beds and an adequate amount of oxygen beds to the current health infrastructure.

In addition, routine services are also to be maintained, they said, "This will need 2 lakh additional ICU beds with 1 lakh ventilator beds. This will be in addition to vaccinations and Covid appropriate behaviour," sources told ANI.

Pace up COVID vaccination & focus on preventive measures, experts advise Centre

The COVID management body also recommended to the centre, that India needs to pace up COVID vaccination across the country and emphasise non-pharmacological methods of prevention to evict the probability of the upcoming waves.

Speaking to ANI, one of the experts said, the COVID management authority has "recommended government to increase vaccination and stick to non-pharmacological interventions such as COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, wearing mask, social distancing and containment zone." 

Earlier, on July 15 AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said that with waning immunity, the emergence of a more transmissible coronavirus variant will be capable of escaping the immunity shield created till now. He also hinted that the lockdown relaxations can be the likely cause of a possible COVID third wave in the country. Dr Guleria stressed that the third wave can be only fought by following COVID-appropriate behaviour such as maintaining social distancing, avoiding crowded places, wearing masks, and getting vaccinated.

The AIIMS director said that to predict the trajectory of a possible third wave, several studies and modelling have been conducted. He continued, “One such model from an IIT shows that if all restrictions are lifted and if a virus (variant) is also able to escape immunity then the next wave can be bigger than the second wave. If some restrictions are kept and the virus also remains stable then cases will not be much and if we keep more restrictions then cases will further reduce."

India on Sunday reported 39,742 new COVID cases, 39,972 recoveries, and 535 deaths and vaccinated more than 43,31,50,864 people till now.
(With ANI Inputs)
Image: PTI