Are Hospitals Ready To Tackle The Third Wave Of COVID-19?
Image:  Shutterstock  Image:  Shutterstock  When the COVID-19 second wave struck, the oxygen crisis and the shortage of beds proved to be the two biggest concerns. While hospitals have already prepared themselves for the oxygen crisis, the matter of beds is also covered. Singh says, Since the government has suggested hospitals increase the number of beds, things are already shaping up. By the time the third wave sets in, we can expect a significant improvement in the numbers.With regards to infection control, Singh adds, Hospitals are putting together a dedicated infection control team that will act as an added safety layer to ensure the well-being of doctors and staff members.Speaking of lessons to learn from the second wave, Singh says, If anything, the second wave should always serve as a reminder of the shortcomings that we faced in terms of infrastructure, preparedness, oxygen availability, medicine shortage, and everything else. She feels that we are in a better place in terms of research and predictions about the third wave.Unlike the second wave, this time, we even have a projected time frame as to when the third wave will set in. Keeping all of that in mind, the remaining time at hand should go into preparing for the war. We might have undermined the second wave and thus were caught off-guard. However, we have witnessed what the second wave did to us, and we also know how the third wave might pan out. Preparedness is the key here, Singh says. She advises people to avoid stepping out unnecessarily, stay away from crowded places, and follow social distancing protocols at all times, wear face masks, wash hands at regular intervals, and most importantly, get vaccinated. Think of it as a way to strengthen ourselves in this war against COVID-19, she says.Read more: Boost Your Health With These Potent Superfoods!