Omicron COVID Variant Scare: PM Wants Review Of Plans To Ease International Travel

New Delhi: Amid rising global concern over the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has advised officials to review plans of easing restrictions on international travel.

The Prime Minister on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting, lasting almost two hours, to review public health preparedness and vaccination status in relation to the COVID-19 situation in the country.

The focus of the meeting was on the new, more dangerous variant detected in South Africa and a few other countries. Officials briefed Modi about omicron, its characteristics and the impact seen so far in different countries. Possible implications for India were discussed.

“The PM spoke about the need to be proactive in light of the new variant. He asked officials to review plans for easing international travel restrictions in light of the emerging new evidence,” said a PMO statement.

“The PM said that in light of the new threat, people need to be more cautious and the need to take proper precautions like masking and social distancing. PM highlighted the need for monitoring all international arrivals, their testing as per guidelines, with a specific focus on countries identified ‘at risk’,” the PMO said in the statement.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation plans to resume regular international flights with a rider vis-a-vis certain countries classified as ‘at-risk’. A number of countries like South Africa, Israel and Hong Kong have been added to the list from where travellers have to follow additional measures on arrival.

“The PM also directed officials to work closely with state governments to ensure that there is proper awareness at the state and district level. He directed that intensive containment and active surveillance should continue in clusters reporting higher cases and required technical support be provided to states which are reporting higher cases presently,” PMO statement further said.

States like Odisha have already announced curbs on passengers travelling from other countries where omicron variant has been found.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation plans to resume regular international flights with a rider vis-a-vis certain countries classified as ‘at-risk’. A number of countries like South Africa, Israel and Hong Kong have been added to the list from where travellers have to follow additional measures on arrival.

Also Read: Omicron Fear Spreads: Mumbai Announces Genome Sequencing, Gujarat Orders RT-PCR Tests, Delhi CM Calls For Ban On Flights; Check Details