Odisha Readies 3K Paediatric Beds For COVID 3rd Wave

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Bhubaneswar: In view of a possible third wave of COVID-19, the Odisha government has decided to set up 3,000 paediatric beds, including 250 ICU beds.

Public Health Director Dr Niranjan Mishra on Thursday told the media that the Centre had put the paediatric beds need for Odisha at 600. “3000 beds will be reserved for children in COVID Hospitals, Medical Colleges, and district headquarters hospital and 250 among them will be Intensive Care Units (ICUs) or Step Down Units (SDUs),” he said.

Only severe cases will be hospitalised, he added.

There is a growing concern for children due to the unavailability of vaccines. However, AIIMS-New Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria had earlier stated that while children will be impacted the most during the third wave, there has been no solid evidence to prove the same.

According to the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), it is “highly unlikely that the third wave will predominantly or exclusively affect children”.