New Delhi : Satyendra Jain, was Delhi The Health Minister on Sunday urged the Modi government at the Center to ban international flights, as the first case of the Omicron variant was reported in the national capital.
Earlier in the day, a 37-year-old man who came Delhi One from Tanzania tested positive for Omicron, making it the first case of the new Covid-19 variant in Delhi and the fifth case in the country.
Hospital officials said that the patient, currently admitted at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital, has mild symptoms.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, November 30, asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider stopping international flights, saying the city is the worst-affected.
In a tweet, Kejriwal said, “Many countries have stopped incoming flights from Omicron affected countries. Why are we not following their suit? Even in the first wave, we took the time to stop foreign flights. ” The flight comes to Delhi.
The Health Minister of Delhi said that banning international flights is the most effective way to stop the spread of the Omicron variant.
“It is being reported that the gestational period in the case of Omicron may be longer than in other variants. This means that an infected person cannot be traced at the airport… All the cases have come from the affected countries. The central government should take this seriously.”
Jain said there is a 99 per cent chance that the mask can “protect people from all COVID-19 variants, be it alpha, beta, delta or omicron”.
“Experts are saying that the third wave of COVID-19 may knock in the country in January-February. This can be stopped if everyone wears a mask,” he said.
The minister said that over 90 per cent of the eligible population has received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Sixty percent have received a second dose. “We appeal to the remaining people to get vaccinated at the earliest,” he said.
Jain said that more than one lakh people are being vaccinated against Kovid-19 in Delhi every day. “If we continue at the same pace, everyone will soon be covered.”
Jain also pointed out that many people are yet to get their second dose of Covishield due to the huge gap of 84 days specified by the government between doses.
Responding to a question on booster dose, the minister said the city government would follow the notification of the central government and the recommendations of experts.
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