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As Covid cases in Maharashtra dip, state prepares paediatric task force
Maharashtra government mulls setting up paediatric Covid care centres and network of creches in anticipation of a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
With daily Covid-19 infections gradually coming down in Maharashtra, the state government, according to reports, is now preparing for the third wave of the pandemic and, as the first step, setting up a paediatric task force for Covid-19 treatment of children.
The government's principal scientific advisor, K Vijay Raghavan, recently said a third wave of the pandemic is inevitable, given the higher levels of the circulating virus, though he did not give any time frame. Explaining his comment, he later said that the wave is not unavoidable. If adequate precautions are taken and the virus does not get the opportunity to infect people, then there might not be any third wave. Even if it happens, it will not affect all places equally, Raghavan explained.
Considering that the ongoing rage of the pandemic is the second wave, the first wave took place in India in September 2020, when daily cases breached 97,000-mark. As Maharashtra remained at the forefront of both the first and the second waves of the pandemic, the Maharashtra government is already on its toes to prepare for the third wave, which may come in around July-August, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope has said.
Though there is no scientific claim, many people are anticipating that the third wave may impact children. More than 1.30 lakh minors in the state have been infected by coronavirus during the second wave which began around February 15, as per official data, quoted by news agency PTI.
"We will need new designs for isolation or treatment centres because generally mother has to stay with the child," Tope said
"As we prepare for 3rd wave capacity building in Maharashtra, I met AMC Sanjeev Jaiswal ji to discuss the measures we've undertaken in Mumbai. I have suggested to him that we create a paediatric covid care ward anticipating the next wave and the demographic it may target," Aaditya Thackeray tweeted a few days ago.
"Along with paediatric covid care centre, another aspect we are now focussed on is to create a network of creches for those parents who may have to be in covid care centres and may not have support to look after their children, that aren't infected by covid," he added.
From around 70,000 Covid-19 infections per day, Maharashtra is now registering around 50,000 cases per day as many districts have been able to bring the daily rise down, because of strict restrictions in place.
(With agency inputs)
