Kejriwal urges the Center to halt air travel with Singapore and prioritize childhood vaccination options over new COVID strain

New Delhi (India), May 18 (ANI): Amid concerns over a third wave of COVID-19 in the country, which many health experts say is likely to target children, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said a New COVID variant The virus discovered in Singapore is said to be deadly for children and could trigger a third wave in the country.

In this context, the Delhi Chief Minister has asked the central government to immediately stop air traffic with Singapore and to work out vaccination options for children on a priority basis.

In a tweet today, Kejriwal said: “The new COVID variant in Singapore is said to be extremely dangerous for children, there could be a third wave in India. My appeal to the central government: 1. Flight connections with Singapore will be continued.” canceled with immediate effect

2. Priority in vaccination options should also be given to children.”

Earlier, Center K Chief Scientific Advisor Vijay Raghavan had said on May 5 that the ‘third phase’ of COVID-19 was inevitable.

While briefing the media on the COVID-19 situation in the country, Vijay Raghavan said, “Variants are transmitted in the same way as the original strain. It does not have the characteristics of new types of transmission. It infects people in ways that make it even more transmissible if it gets in, makes more copies and passes on, just like the original.”

“A phase three is inevitable given the higher levels of circulating viruses, but it is not clear in what time frame this phase three will take place. We should prepare for new waves,” the director said

The scientific advisor had said.

On May 12, the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) approved Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials in children aged between two and eight years.

While India’s daily surge in coronavirus cases is witnessing a decline, with just 2,63,533 new infections recorded in the last 24 hours, the number of deaths due to COVID-19 continues to remain alarmingly high with 4,329 more fatalities, the highest number in any day since Start of the pandemic.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the country also witnessed a massive rise in the number of recoveries with 4,22,436 new discharges.

The cumulative caseload stands at 2,52,28,996, including 2,15,96,512 recoveries, 33,53,765 active cases and 2,78,719 deaths. (ANI)