It was just a couple of days back that we came to know of a mutated strain of the COVID-19 Novel Corona Virus spreading rapidly through the United Kingdom. Yesterday, the Indian Government decided to temporarily suspend all flights to and from the UK, from Wednesday. However, it looks like this decision should have been implemented immediately. A flight which arrived at our nation's capital Delhi, yesterday night, carried 266 passengers & crew members from the UK. Upon arrival, all the passengers and the flight's crew were made to undertake the RT-PCR test for COVID-19 and it has now come to light that 5 of them have tested positive for COVID-19! Almost immediately, another report of 2 passengers who arrived on a flight at Kolkata from the UK, also tested positive.

The test samples of these infected people have been sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), for further research. The people who tested positive have been taken to care centres. Experts in the UK have estimated the new mutated strain of the Corona Virus to be more infective and 70% more transmissible than the original. Just like India, over 40 other countries have also temporarily suspended flight services to the UK. A couple of days back, Italy reported that it had detected the new strain of the Corona Virus, in one of the people it had tested there and it came to light that they had recently returned from the UK. The person and their partner are currently in isolation.

The Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has told the media that the Indian government is fully aware of the situation spreading in the UK and is taking all necessary steps to handle it. He requested the public not to panic and asked people to not unnecessarily involve themselves in unfounded imaginary situations. Dr. Harsh Vardhan had recently stated that the government is also examining the emergency use approval requests from various pharma companies for their COVID-19 vaccines and that after thorough examination and confirmation of the vaccine's safety, the COVID vaccination drive in India might begin from January. Stay tuned for updates...