Create Oxygen Buffer For Third Wave Of COVID-19, Supreme Court Tells Centre

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre to start preparing for the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic by creating a buffer stock of medical oxygen.

“We may enter stage three and if we prepare today, we may be able to handle it. Whatever stocks procured needs to be sent to the hospitals. It’s not about allocating it to the state but also the logistics to see that it is distributed to hospitals,” Bar and Bench quoted Justice DY Chandrachud.

The judge made the observation while hearing the Centre’s response to non-compliance of its direction to supply 700 MT of oxygen to Delhi.

“What is the problem in enhancing the supply (of oxygen)? If it’s not required then it can be stored. But then it can be said that there is no need for oxygen panic. This will be a buffer for Delhi,” he added.

His remark comes a day after the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr KV Vijay Raghavan, warned that a third wave of COVID-19 was “inevitable” given the high levels of the circulating virus.