DDMA calls emergency meeting to take call on International flights over ‘Omicron’ scare

As the newly detected COVID-19 variant stirs tension among the officials across the country, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had called upon an urgent meeting of the concerned officials on Monday, Nov 29 to formulate an action plan on the international passengers arriving in the National Capital.

DDMA calls emergency meeting to take a call on International flights

As per an ANI report, the meeting will be chaired by the experts and the representatives of the Aviation Ministry, who will decide upon the COVID measures for the passengers arriving from other nations, especially from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Hong Kong, Botswana, as these are the places where ‘Omicron’, the new COVID variant has been detected.

"They may take a call on RT-PCR testing of passengers de-boarding from international flights and quarantining of passengers from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Hong Kong etc," government sources said to the news agency.

Anil Baijal, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, has also directed concerned officials to ensure rigid compliance to COVID appropriate behaviour in public areas and adequate preparedness in hospitals to manage any potential emergency, as per the news agency's report. According to government sources, Delhi LG Anil Baijal has directed the chief secretary, police commissioner, and other relevant officials to ensure strict adherence to COVID norms and prepare the infrastructure to deal with the looming threat.

States enhance vigil on the new variant 

This comes in after other states, including Gujarat and Maharashtra, tightened the noose on international travel and directed all international passengers to get RT-PCR test reports. Maharashtra also declared compulsory quarantine for passengers from South Africa. In response to the growing worry, India has added many nations to the list of countries from which visitors will be required to take additional precautions upon arrival in India, including post-arrival COVID-19 testing.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an emergency meeting over the new variant alert and had directed the officials to enhance monitoring and screening on the airports and urged them to strengthen the vigil. The meeting was chaired by the Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Principal Secretary to PM PK Mishra, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, and NITI Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul. 

New COVID-19 variant ‘Omicron’

The scare of the new variant's spread has gripped the world, as the new variant has been detected with 50 mutations, with 30 on the spike protein of the virus. Over 100 in South Africa have been infected with the virus and cases of the same have also been discovered in Hong Kong, Israel, Belgium and Botswana. 

The multiple mutations on the variant can either make it less or more transmissible, fatal and infectious. However, as per reports, the new variant had infected and invaded the immunity of the people who were vaccinated earlier.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: PTI/ Twitter/ Pixabay)