Cases down, Capital begins third wave preparations

NEW DELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said that the Delhi government has set in motion a plan to prepare for the next wave of Covid-19 infections in the Capital, which could require nearly 40,000 oxygen beds and 10,000 ICU beds, and potentially hit younger people, particularly children, harder.

The move comes at a time when experts have warned that a new wave of infections cannot be ruled out, especially due to the threat of more transmissible Sars-Cov-2 variants, low vaccination coverage, and the lifting of the lockdown that was put in place in an effort to flatten the pandemic’s curve.

“If the third wave of the coronavirus emerges, we have to be prepared in advance to fight it.

Took some important decisions today at a meeting with officials: 1. We will have a special task force to protect children from the third wave; 2 There will be better arrangements than before for adequate number of beds, oxygen, and essential medicines,” Kejriwal said in a tweet after the meeting.

“In the meeting (on Wednesday), the need for advance preparations for the third wave of Covid-19 were discussed. The third wave may require Delhi to be prepared with 40,000 oxygen beds, and the Delhi government is making preparations to install 10,000 ICU beds. Along with beds and oxygen management, management of medicine was also discussed. A committee comprising officials will be formed to overlook the availability of medicines, oxygen, and beds,” the chief minister’s office later said in a statement. Over the last four weeks, the Capital was battered by a devastating wave of infections – the fourth wave for city and the second nationwide since the pandemic began – with health care capacities inundated and critical medical supplies such as oxygen running out.

We will have a special task force to protect children from third wave. There will be better arrangements than before. ARVIND KEJRIWAL ,

chief minister