New COVID-19 strain: India extends ban on UK flights till Jan 7

A decision has been taken to extend the temporary suspension of flights to and from the United Kingdom till 7 January 2021, informed Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday.

A decision has been taken to extend the temporary suspension of flights to and from the United Kingdom till 7 January 2021, informed Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday. The government has imposed a ban on flights coming to India from the UK with effect from December 22 in the view of new strain of COVID-19 detected in the UK.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a total of 20 persons have been found in the country with the mutant variant of SARS- CoV-2 virus reported from the UK. Meanwhile, the Government of India extended the suspension of scheduled commercial international flights till Jan 31, 2021 in the wake of COVID-19. However, restrictions shall not to apply on special flights and international air cargo operations approved by the Director General of Civil Aviation. (ANI)