TN Govt To Set Up Expert Panel To Handle Presumed Third Wave

The five-member committee consists of Siddha experts who have a track record of treating infectious diseases, especially among children

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin

Chennai: With the presumed third wave of Covid-19, the Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy has formed an expert committee to guide the government in handling the crisis. The five-member committee consists of Siddha experts who have a track record of treating infectious diseases, especially among children.

According to a source in the directorate, the panel comprises Dr P Sathiyarajeswaran, Director in-charge of Siddha Central Research Institute (SCRI), Chennai, Dr Meenakshi Sundaram, Professor, National Institute of Siddha (NIS), Tambaram, Dr. J Sriram, lecturer Grade II, Government Siddha Medical College, Dr S Joseph Maria Adaikalam, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, The Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University and Dr Parthiban, Autism specialist from Swabhimaan Trust.

The committee was formed at a meeting convened on June 21 by the Directorate here to review the preparedness for the third wave of Covid-19. The panel comprises mostly of Siddha Kuzhanthai Maruthuvam pediatricians. According to Dr Sathiyarajeswaran, the committee has already submitted base data and come up with guidelines to treat the infected.

"The screening which is being followed now, especially the RT-PCR tests would continue. The emphasis will be on effectively using the therapeutic drugs and following a herbal diet regimen," he told PTI.

"Unlike the first wave which has reported very less number of children about 70,000 testings positive for the infection, the point to ponder is the majority of children were under mild infection and very rarely multi-systemic infection occurs in the second wave," says the document on guidelines.

It lists diarrhea, vomiting, fever, cough, eye infection, vasculitis, along with fever and cough for children among the symptoms.

(With inputs from PTI)