In a bid to take precaution against the third wave of COVID-19, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has written to Union Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan, requesting him to issue necessary directions for emergency transport services/ambulance suitable for children and neonatals, 'in view of high risk for infants and children in upcoming wave.
Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Priyanka Kanoongo in a letter to Rajesh Bhushan wrote that the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is impacting several children and adolescents as India grapples with escalating virus cases in the second wave of this pandemic situation. She said that doctors have confirmed that even newborns and infants are testing Covid-19 positive, though their condition remains under control and rarely turns fatal. Further, a third wave of Covid-19 is projected tohit the country and according to experts it may affect children in large numbers.
There are guidelines on the management of the new born in a maternity ward and in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), but there is an urgent need to reorganize a Neonatal/children Emergency Transport Service (NETS) to prepare specifically for neonatal and children for third wave of Covid-19, she urged.
Keeping in view high risk involved for infants and children in upcoming third wave of COVID-19, the chairperson has requested the secretary to kindly issue necessary directions for emergency transport services/ambulances suitable for children and neonatals. In this regard NNF clinical guidelines for neonatal emergency transport services may kindly be referred.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the COVID Task Force for AIIMS, Dr Naveet Wig on today said that the COVID-19 crisis is "a dynamic situation" and to prevent a third wave of the pandemic, there is a need to keep changing strategies.]
Wig told ANI in an interview said, "The COVID crisis is like a Test match, it is not a One-Day match. We have to keep changing our strategies all the time. It is such a dynamic situation that no one formula will take care of this." "Public support is important. People have to understand this disease, how it happens. Until and unless people participate, we will not be able to prevent it," Wig said.
Speaking about the recommendations of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC), the Chairman of the COVID Task Force for All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) said that these keep changing as new data becomes available.
