All passengers arriving from UK today, tomorrow to undergo RT-PCR tests
Dec 21, 2020
New Delhi [India], December 21 : Just minutes after the Civil aviation ministry banned all flights arriving from the United Kingdom from December 22, the ministry issued a circular stating that all passengers arriving from the UK today and tomorrow will have to undergo mandatory RT-PCR test at airports in India.
The circular stated, "As a measure of abundant precaution, passengers arriving from UK in all transit flights (flights that have taken off or flights which are reaching India before 22nd Dec at 11.59 pm) should be subject to mandatory RT-PCR test on arrival at airports."
The circular also mentions that considering the prevailing situation in the UK, the Indian government has decided that all flights originating from the UK to India shall be temporarily suspended till 11:59 pm, 31 December. This suspension will start from 11.59 pm, 22 December.
Airlines operating flights to/from India from other countries shall not board any passenger from UK to India and shall ensure that no passenger coming from UK is boarded in the flight for any destination in India either directly or indirectly.
Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri, tweeted, "We have decided to take all necessary precautions as a result of the situation arising out of the spread of a new strain of coronavirus in some countries. All flights originating from U.K into India will be suspended temporarily from 22 Dec to 31 Dec 2020."
"Those found positive on arrival should be sent for institutional quarantine set up by state/UT governments, in collaboration with the states/UTs concerned. Those found negative should be advised to isolate at home for 7 days and will be medically monitored by the States/UTs", the tweet added.
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday reassured the people of the country that the Central government is alert about the new coronavirus strain emerging from the United Kingdom, adding that there is no need to panic.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday requested the Central government to ban all flights coming from the United Kingdom after a new strain of coronavirus emerged in the UK, which is a "super-spreader."
"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.
On December 20, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson informed the public that a new variant of COVID-19 virus has been found in UK.
He tweeted, "Given the early evidence we have on this new variant of the virus, and the potential risk it poses, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned."
