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Stop Singapore flights, Kejriwal urges Centre amid concerns over new strain
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal hinted that the alleged new strain could mark the advent of the third wave of Covid-19 in the country and urged the Centre to give priority to identifying vaccines for children to fight the virus.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday requested the Centre to suspend flights to and from Singapore with immediate effect in the wake of an alleged new strain detected in that country, which is suspected to affect more children. Hours later, Union aviation minister Hardeep Puri replied to Kejriwal saying no flight, except a few under the Centre’s Vande Bharat mission (to bring back Indians), is operating between India and Singapore.
Kejriwal hinted that the alleged new strain could mark the advent of the third wave of Covid-19 in the country and urged the Centre to give priority to identifying vaccines for children to fight the virus.
The chief minister’s comments came in the wake of a new strain of Covid-19 detected in Singapore, forcing it to shut schools from Wednesday as it is suspected to affect more children, like the Indian strain of the virus.
However, a section of foreign media stated that the strain, which the Singapore government said was affecting more children, is actually B.1.617 and that there is no new “Singapore strain”. Hindustan Times could not independently verify this.
“The new form of Covid-19 that has come to Singapore is being said to be extremely dangerous for children. In India, it may come as a third wave. My appeal to the Central government: 1. Air services with Singapore be cancelled with immediate effect 2. Priority on vaccine options should be worked out for children too,” the chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi.
Union minister Puri replied to Kejriwal saying international flights are shut since March, 2020. “Kejriwal ji, international flights are shut since March 2020. We do not even have an air bubble with Singapore. We are only bringing back Indians who are stranded there through some Vande Bharat flights. They are our own people only. Still, we are closely monitoring the situation. All precautions are being taken,” he tweeted in Hindi.
Also Read| No new Covid strain detected here, Singapore health ministry counters Kejriwal
When asked about this alleged new variant during the Union health ministry’s press briefing, Dr VK Paul, member (health), Niti Aayog, said the Central government is examining the matter. “We are examining the report you’re referring to about the particular variant,” he said.
Singapore warned on Sunday that the new coronavirus variants, such as the one first detected in India, were affecting more children, as the city-state prepared to shut most schools from Wednesday and drew up plans to vaccinate youngsters. All primary, secondary and junior colleges will shift to full home-based learning from Wednesday until the end of the school term on May 28.
“Some of these (virus) mutations are much more virulent, and they seem to attack the younger children,” said Singapore education minister Chan Chun Sing.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said Kejriwal stated wrong facts in his tweets and criticised his “callousness” as a chief minister.
“It seems Arvind Kejriwal doesn’t check facts before speaking or he intentionally speaks to create a controversy. While demanding a ban on flights between India and Singapore, the CM ignored the fact that all normal flight operations between the two countries stand suspended since April 24, 2020. Not only that, Kejriwal also ignored the fact that the Covid strain B.1.617, which has now been found in Singapore, has been active in India since March 2021, especially in Maharashtra. One fails to understand why Kejriwal is now trying to create panic for this strain of Covid,” he said.
