Hospitals gear up for likely rise in Covid cases

Private hospitals are re-stocking medical supplies, identifying isolation areas, and reinforcing Covid-19 appropriate behaviour to deal with likely threats from the new virus variant, hospital executives told ET. "We have initiated the setting up of flu clinics again. Patients with flu-like symptoms will need to report to these clinics," said Sandeep Budhiraja, group medical director at Max Healthcare.

Hospitals are preparing themselves to deal with any spike in cases that could lead to panic, an executive said. "The discussions around Covid-19 have started once again as the numbers begin to rise. Skilled nursing staff have been identified and we are looking into our stocks. Overall, we are preparing ourselves so that if the infection accelerates there is no panic and shortage of medical supplies," an executive at Max Healthcare said on condition of anonymity.

Apart from providing more beds to deal with the infection, hospitals are also looking into the availability of medicines to ensure that there is no shortage. Hospitals are identifying isolation areas, figuring out duties for Covid-19 wards, and assessing stocks of medical supplies.


Though executives say admissions are not going up now, they are reinforcing Covid-19 protocols at hospitals. "These include appropriate masking, hand hygiene and social distancing. Communication regarding these is again being put up in hospitals and staff members are being asked to request patients and their attenders to adhere to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour," Budhiraja said.

Measures are also on to create awareness among hospital staff to disseminate correct information about the new variant to avoid misinformation, panic, said Paritosh Baghel, senior consultant, internal medicine, SL Raheja Hospital-Mahim.