The Supreme Court on Thursday said that according to experts, the third wave of COVID-19 in the country was inevitable which will affect children and emphasised the need to prepare for the same including vaccinating people of age groups with young children.
It asked the Centre to prepare for the third wave well in advance and create a buffer stock to prevent panic among the public. The top court also held that the Centre’s formula to distribute oxygen to state governments, particularly the national capital, was “a gross underestimate”. A bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah said, “The third surge which is around the corner, according to experts, will affect children. What is the problem in enhancing the supply? It will save from oxygen panic and create a buffer.”
The top court told the Centre, which claimed though it supplied 730 MT oxygen on Wednesday, that this much oxygen was not required in Delhi. However, it also emphasised the need for a speedy vaccination process and suggested forming a committee of experts for oxygen audit as sought by the Union government. Earlier, during the hearing, the top court observed that the Centre’s oxygen formula requires complete revamp.
News Source : Bar Bench
