3rd Wave Looming, May Imperil Kids, PMO Told

Panel: States need to boost Covid care facilities for kids

- Pradeep Thakur

New Delhi: A committee of experts constituted under the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) has warned of an imminent third wave of Covid that could peak around October and sought better medical preparedness for children who might be at similar risk as adults.

The report of the committee, set up on the directions of the home ministry, has noted that “paediatric facilities — doctors, staff, equipment like ventilators, ambulances, etc. are nowhere close to what may be required in case a large number of children become infected”. The report has been submitted to the PMO.

The report has called for prioritising vaccination among children with co-morbidities and a special focus on those with disability. Even with “strict interventions”, the peak of the third wave is expected to arrive by late October, the experts have concurred with earlier assessments of different institutions. Several studies have spoken of the likelihood of a third wave but these are estimates.

The vulnerability of children as they have not been vaccinated have been discussed with most experts of the view they are not prone to severe infections though that can pass the virus to others. Other estimates have said the third wave, seen to be the result of renewed mobility, may prove to be less severe than the second.