Experts share vital tips to save children from third wave of Coronavirus

Last week, paediatrics experts raised an alarm and stated that children will be the prime targets of the third wave of COVID-19. As per Dr Ravi, NIMHANS Bengaluru, the COVID-19 third wave will attack children predominantly as most adults have also been infected or inoculated.

Dr Nitin Shinde, infectious disease specialist said, "Paediatric vaccine rollout is important. Otherwise, the third wave will affect unvaccinated people below 18 years of age.

Vaccination has started in the country. 18 to 44 year old do not get vaccinated. The second stage vaccine is not available for those above that age group. If the third wave of corona occurs then the question is how to stop it.

The country has a large population under the age of 12 years. Every home has children, they need to be protected from the waves of the coronavirus. Dr. Devi Shetty has warned the parents about this.

The number of children under the age of 12 in India is 16.5 crore. If 20 per cent of them are coronary in the third wave, then 5 per cent of them will need critical care i.e. ICU.

If that happened then it would be a huge strain on the healthcare system. Because 1.65 lakh pediatric ICU beds will be required. In today's situation across the country we are struggling with 90 thousand ICU beds for adults and 2000 ICU beds for children.

Young children cannot be kept in the ICU without their mother or father. Adults are cared for in ICU by nurses, doctors. However, small children cannot stay with them.

If a child is breastfed, he will have a mother. It is also possible to remove the oxygen mask from the baby, for which the responsibility of putting oil in the eye will increase.

Infants who are in ICU cannot even be sedated, as they need to breathe properly to maintain oxygen levels.

This means that young children are still far from being vaccinated, but their parents need to be vaccinated as soon as possible. About 30 crore young parents will have to be vaccinated in the next few months, she said.

If you do not get the government vaccine, you will have to pay for it in a private hospital. The first dose is 800 to 1500 rupees. The cost of two doses for both parents will be between Rs 3,200 and Rs 6,000. The cost goes to low-income or low-income people.

For this, the central government should get vaccines from global vaccine manufacturers at a lower rate and when the vaccine arrives, it should give 70 per cent to the Ministry of Health and 30 per cent to private, government hospitals. 30 crore doses should be taken from these companies. So as to vaccinate 30 crore people in a few months.

If the government vaccines hospitals at a rate of Rs 500, they will be willing to pay Rs 100 or Rs 150 for injections. "Given the current crisis, parents will not hesitate to pay Rs 650 to avoid further costs and risks," Shetty said.