Delhi makes quarantine must for UK returnees
ON FRIDAY, another round of dry run for the Covid-19 vaccination programme was conducted across the country to check the delivery system and preparedness of those trained.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a meeting with the chief ministers of states and union territories on Monday to discuss the Covid-19 vaccine rollout plan.
The meeting will be held through video conferencing.
On Friday, another round of dry run for the
Covid-19 vaccination programme was conducted across the country to check the delivery system and preparedness of those trained.
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan visited a few session sites in Tamil Nadu assured people that vaccine roll out will take place soon.
India on Friday had
18,139 fresh cases and 234 new deaths.
It is expected that the vaccine procurement process will be complete in a couple of days and the rollout may take place next week.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Friday issued guidelines for airlines for carriage of vaccine packed in dry ice.
The MoCA has asked airlines to follow “welldefined procedures that meet global safety standards and requirements based on local conditions.”
All flight operators have to take special permission from the government before varying the Covid-19 vaccines packed in dry ice. Airlines staff has to be trained to handle the vaccine consignments appropriately and there should be constant monitoring of Co2 emissions from dry ice.
Meanwhile, Delhi government announced new rules for the United Kingdom returnees in view of rising cases of a new mutant variant of the Covid-19 virus detected in that country. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that all passengers arriving in the city from the UK, even though negative in tests must go through 7-day institutional quarantine and 7-day home quarantine. All those who test positive will be taken to institutional isolation centres.
At Delhi airport there was utter chaos and anguish among passengers as they were caught unawares with the new directive coming while their flights had already taken off. Several took to social media to air their grievances while some posted pictures of infants who were travelling on board and were now without baby food.
Passengers complained that they had got tested prior to boarding flights and were carrying their negative report in order to fulfill the Indian government’s requirement for flying in.
India has allowed a restricted number of flights from the UK for the time being, a move opposed by the Delhi government which has just overcome a major third wave and is still struggling to keep infection levels under check.