‘New’ COVID-19 strain: Kejriwal, Gehlot urge govt to ban flights from UK immediately
This comes after UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Sunday had said that the new strain of Covid-19, being seen in their country is "out of control".
New Delhi: As the news broke out that a new mutation of coronavirus has emerged in the UK, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot urged the Centre to ban all flights from the country.
“New mutation of coronavirus has emerged in the United Kingdom, which is a super-spreader. I urge the central government to ban all flights from the UK immediately,” Kejriwal tweeted.
New mutation of corona virus has emerged in UK, which is a super-spreader.
I urge central govt to ban all flights from UK immediately.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 21, 2020
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday also urged the Centre to ban all flights from the UK and other European countries after the emergence of a new strain of novel coronavirus.
The new strain of novel coronavirus emerging in the UK is a matter of great concern. Government must take prompt action, prepare a contingency plan to contain the same and also immediately ban all flights from the UK and other European countries,” said Gehlot in a series of tweets.
When coronavirus had started spreading, we were late in banning international flights, which had led to a drastic spike in cases.
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 21, 2020
Rajasthan CM further said that our medical experts must be ready with a treatment plan in case of any outbreak of the new strain of the virus.
“India needs both a preparedness plan as well as steps to restrict any movement from affected country or countries. Our medical experts must be ready with a treatment plan in case of any outbreak of the new strain of virus. Health protocols must be adhered to even more strictly,” he added.
India needs both a preparedness plan as well as steps to restrict any movement from affected country or countries.Our medical experts must be ready with a treatment plan in case of any outbreak of the new strain of virus. Health protocols must be adhered to even more strictly.
2/— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 21, 2020
This comes after UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Sunday had said that the new strain of Covid-19, being seen in their country is “out of control”.
Following this announcement, several countries in Europe have taken precautionary measures and placed restrictions on the flights coming from UK.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday announced new tier-4 Covid-19 restrictions in parts of England, including London, due to the rapid spread of a new variant of coronavirus, limiting the celebrations.
CNN reported that the Netherlands government is banning all passenger flights coming from the UK from Sunday morning until the New Year in order to minimise the risk of the new strain from spreading in the country as much as possible, according to a press release.
Countries outside Europe like Canada has too responded to the new strain in UK and announced the decision to suspend flights from the United Kingdom amid a genetic variant of the coronavirus which was identified in the UK.