New Delhi: Those under the age of 18 are nearly 41 percent of the Indian population.
Some studies have raised concern that if the third Covid-19 wave will occur, it can affect them more.
The center of the World Health Organization for Emergency and Trauma (WHO-CCET) of Southeast Asia has established experts to develop a toolkit that can be used by hospitals in India to deal with the potential of the crisis, if it happens.
According to the toolkit, published in the Journal of Emergency Surgery, Trauma and Shock, 57 million children may risk affected if the third wave touches the country.
To treat them, the toolkit advised, resources to meet 5.7 million hospital admissions and 2.8 million ICU patients need to be used.
It recommends that hospitals must have a well-defined area before the surge in the patient’s volume in the form of triage or screening area, pediatric icus, high dependency unit and backward ward.
“Ideally, all beds must have the ability to send oxygen.
The use of adult beds can be considered.
The beds must be arranged with high maybe from floor and electronic controls must be done,” Suggest experts.
Every patient who presents fever and respiratory symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, sore throat and difficulty breathing, or diarrhea, skin rash and the presence of Covid-19 cases recently confirmed in the household, must be tested for infection.
A child has an unstable breath or inability to ventilated with increasing PCO2 levels with respiratory insufficiency and diverse organ dysfunction syndrome, among others, must be considered for ICU revenues.
Experts involved in the development of toolkits including doctors from AIIMS, Kalawati Children’s Hospital advice, Teacher Hospital in Bahadur, Manipal Hospital and Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Florida, among others.
This toolkit also emphasizes the need to train staff to care for the psychological needs of children who are hospitalized with Covid-19.
In certain cases, consultation with mental health professionals may be useful.
Dr.
Arun Gupta, a pediatrician, who is also the President of the Delhi Medical Council, said the third wave opportunity was low.
However, he emphasized the need to prepare the line suggested by the Expert Committee.
“Many hospitals have done it,” he added.
Dr.
Rajesh Malhotra, Head of the AIims Trauma Center recently told TII they had assigned two new ICU floors with augmented 28 beds.
“The ICU will be operationalized on July 31 complete with the newly obtained advanced ventilators and monitors for possible third waves with special emphasis on pediatric care,” he added.
The AIIMS trauma center has been set for Covid-19 treatment.
Malhotra said they had bought 40 ventilators with pediatric mode, optical fiber bronchoscopy, laryngoscope and heart monitors with pediatric cuffs, among others, with emphasis on managing children with Covid-19.
Although it is feared that the third wave might be more influencing children, there is no scientific evidence to support this theory.