Arvind Kejriwal urges PM Modi to suspend flights from nations affected by Omicron variant

Amid the threat of a new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, Delhi Chief Minister, and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday urged the Centre to suspend flight services from the countries affected by the new variant. Taking to Twitter, the Delhi CM called out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested to take every possible step for preventing the new variant from entering India. 

"I urge Hon’ble PM to stop flights from those countries which are affected by new variant. With great difficulty, our country has recovered from Corona. We should do everything possible to prevent this new variant from entering India", he tweeted.

Kejriwal's tweet came on the same day when PM Modi chairs a meeting with top officials including Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul regarding the COVID-19 situation and vaccination in the country. 

New countries added to the list of affected countries from new variant

Amid the rise of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron (B.1.1.529), first detected in South Africa, a list of countries has been created which would need the travellers from these countries to follow the necessary measures on arrival. 

Recently, Hong Kong and Israel have been added to the existing list of countries at risk by India which applies additional checks, scrutiny, and post-arrival testing for the travellers from these countries. In a fresh advisory, in order to curb the prospects of the COVID-19 outbreak from the new Omnicorn variant originated in South Africa, the Centre has also announced that it will conduct rigorous screening and testing of all international travellers coming from or transiting through South Africa, Hong Kong, and Botswana.

The countries added to the list include the United Kingdom, Israel, China, Brazil, South Africa, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Botswana, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Singapore, and several other European countries. 

Image: PTI/ANI