Covid variant Omicron: India to review plans for easing travel restrictions

Amidst mounting concerns over the latest Covid-19 variant Omicron, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked officials to review plans for easing international travel restrictions in light of the emerging new evidence.                                                                                                           

Reviewing the Covid situation at a high-level meeting in New Delhi against the backdrop of Omicron's emergence, Modi highlighted the need for monitoring all international arrivals, their testing as per guidelines with a specific focus on countries identified as "at-risk", reports our New Delhi correspondent.

India yesterday announced the resumption of scheduled international flights from December 15 after a break of 20 months due to the pandemic.

The Indian PM was briefed about Omicron along with its characteristics and the impact seen in various countries and its implications for India, the Indian PMO said in a statement.

Modi was given an overview of the sequencing efforts in the country and the variants circulating across India when he directed that genome sequencing samples be collected from international travellers and community, tested through the network of labs already established and early warning signal identified for Covid-19 management.

The Indian PM also reviewed the national situation relating to Covid-19 cases and test positivity rates.

The Indian PM was apprised of the progress in vaccination and the efforts being made under the house-to-house jab drive when Modi directed that there is a need to increase the second dose coverage.