In order to protect its citizens from Omicron, Covid’s new variant, the UK government has announced that those travelling into the country will need to show a negative coronavirus test before departure. A negative lateral flow or PCR test taken within the last 48 hours before boarding a flight has been made must. This is applicable to travellers from all countries above the age of 12. The UK government is also in talks to take further decisive action to contain the new variant.
Earlier, the UK earlier banned flights from South Africa while also putting 10 African countries on its red list. They only allowed UK and Irish citizens or UK residents in these countries to return home.
The variant has spread to several countries including India, where 21 cases have been reported as of December 5. Seven people had tested positive with the Omicron variant in Maharashtra, and in the latest development, nine more people from Jaipur have tested positive.
Whether the vaccines available in the market will give protection against Omicron is still being studied. But from the current cases, it has been understood that the symptoms of these variant are mostly mild.
