In the predicted third wave, along with doctors and other medical staff, even parents of infected children may be in the frontline as the government discusses allowing them into Covid-19 wards.
This follows reports that children below the age of 18 years may be more vulnerable to Covid during the third wave. The health and family welfare department is considering allowing parents into the paediatric Covid-19 wards.
Explaining this to DH, sources in the department of health and family welfare and department of medical education said this had been discussed in the recent meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee for Covid and the task force constituted to study the expected third wave.
“It is under discussion to allow parents of children below teenage to the Covid-19 wards if the cases are mild and moderate,” the sources said.
This is mainly because it would be difficult for the medical staff at the hospitals to handle children below the age of nine years as they are dependent on their parents.
“We have to allow at least one of the parents into the ward to manage/handle kids,” they said.
The Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) is planning to train parents and nursing staff to handle children in Covid wards.
Speaking to DH, Dr Sacchidanand, vice-chancellor of RGUHS, said, “We are planning for a virtual training programme for parents and nursing staff as they may need to deal with kids, which is not an easy task.”
“Nursing staff cannot handle the kids by themselves. Parents need to be allowed. The parents should be trained to wear PPE kits, monitor oxygen levels and other basic things. We are planning for a virtual training for this. We will also connect them to counsellors and psychiatrists to keep themselves mentally strong to handle the situation,” Sacchidanand said.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels | Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks