The COVID coordination committee, set up between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai’s private hospitals, has directed all private hospitals and nursing homes to prepare for an anticipated third wave of COVID-19.

The head of the coordination committee, Dr Gautam Bhansali of Bombay Hospital, stated that a meeting was held with the representatives of 56 leading, medium and small hospitals in Mumbai and extended suburbs on Saturday. It was emphasized during the meeting that every hospital must have a pediatric core committee to handle the wave among children. The hospitals have also been directed to have enough nurses and doctors available to treat pediatric COVID patients.

Bhansali stated that all hospitals will have to prepare triage areas and have enough PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) and medicines, such as monoclonal antibodies, and will have to update their oxygen stock.

The state anticipates that 4,000 metric tonnes of oxygen will be required per day compared to its current production capacity of 2,000 metric tonnes. Health minister Rajesh Tope said that the day the consumption surpasses 750 metric tonnes per day, the state will go in an auto lockdown mode.

Bhansali stated that the next 15 days are crucial for the city. With festivals currently going on, if people continue to follow COVID-appropriate behavior, the number of daily cases can range between 500 and 600 in Mumbai; otherwise, it can soar up to 6,000 cases per day.

Bhansali added that the infectivity will be more in this wave, though severity will be less as around 80% of the people in Mumbai eligible to get vaccinated have got their jabs. He further stated that in the next fortnight, they intend to inoculate 10% more from the eligible population. Vaccination is less in slums and they are getting CSR (corporate social responsibility) funds to inoculate the residents there, stated Bhansali.

Dr Ajit Desai, a cardiologist and a member of the state COVID-19 task force, said that as predicted, around 10-12% of the patients in the next wave will be from pediatric age groups. The transmission will come from adults, so, adults must get immunized. Children should also follow masking and social distancing. 

Intensivist Dr Khushrav Bajan, another task force member, stated that they have a paediatric task force headed by Dr Suhas Prabhu. For the third COVID wave, he said that they have calculated the requirement for pediatric beds. He added that children can develop multi organ inflammatory syndrome from COVID-19 and need for immunoglobulins could arise which have to be stocked.

Source: The Indian Express