April 19, 2021: ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava has said that oxygen utilization has been more in the second wave of COVID-19.

“In the second wave we have found that the oxygen utilization was found to be 54. 5 per cent versus 41.1 per cent, so it is higher in the second wave. While requirement of mechanical ventilation is 27 per cent versus 37 per cent before. Ventilator requirement is much less yet oxygen requirement is higher,” he said at a briefing on the COVID-19 situation in the country.

“It could be explained by sudden surge in COVID-19 cases, creating panic among people who wanted to get admitted to hospitalsand thus oxygen requirement shot up. But this is limited data from hospital setting and more will have to be looked at,” he added.

Laying stress on rational use of oxygen, he said all hospitals and physicians should ensure that there is no wastage of oxygen.

The government has taken several steps to boost supply of oxygen to hospitals. Industrial oxygen limited to nine industries and special ‘Oxygen Express’ Trains will be run through green corridors for transport of liquid medical oxygen.