Foresee suspension of UK flights to be additional prolonged: Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri

New Delhi: Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday mentioned that he foresees a “short extension” of the suspension of flights from the United Kingdom to comprise the unfold of the brand new variant of coronavirus that was first detected in that nation.
This comes a day after six individuals who had not too long ago returned to India from the UK had been discovered optimistic for the brand new mutant pressure of the coronavirus.
“I foresee a short extension on this temporary suspension. I do not see the extension to be long or indefinite,” Puri mentioned whereas addressing media at an annual press convention on Civil Aviation.

I foresee a brief extension on this momentary suspension. I do not see the extension to be lengthy or indefinite: Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on the momentary suspension of flights from the United Kingdom attributable to new variant of coronavirus pic.twitter.com/j4Xsl1G40m
— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2020

The authorities has imposed a ban on flights coming to India from the UK. All flights originating from the UK to India are suspended until December 31, 2020, with impact from December 22. Puri defined that the Ministry is monitoring developments in different international locations too and can take additional choices accordingly.
“We had imposed temporary suspensions when we had eight to nine flights daily from the UK. The passengers who came in from the time of the announcement to the next day were subjected to compulsory quarantine at the point of arrival. Even those who tested negative were required to go in mandatory quarantine. We went one step further and we did contact tracing and genome sequencing of passengers from the UK who have come to India since November 25,” he mentioned.

All important stakeholders incl airways have been alerted. Exact SOPs to be formulated with Ministry of Health and Dept of Pharmaceuticals once we know actual particulars of vaccine. Detailed SOPs will likely be laid down: Secretary, Civil Aviation Ministry on transportation of COVID19 vaccine https://t.co/KUbYFLkjGe
— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2020

“What will happen on December 31. This is something on which we are applying our minds. We already on 29th (December). We are getting the full picture. I also see that flights from the UK are currently suspended in other countries too. We are monitoring this and will take a decision accordingly,” he added.
The Union Health Minister acknowledged that samples of three UK returnees to the nation have been examined and located optimistic for brand spanking new Covid pressure in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, Two of them are on the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad and one in National Institute of Virology, Pune.

All these individuals have been saved in single room isolation in designated Health Care services by respective state governments. Their shut contacts have additionally been put below quarantine. Comprehensive contact tracing has been began for co-travellers, their households and others, the central authorities mentioned.