PM briefed about ‘Omicron’; asks officials to review plans to ease int’l travel restrictions

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Saturday briefed about the new ‘Omicron’ variant of the coronavirus, and he asked officials to review the plans to ease international travel restrictions in light of the “emerging new evidence”.

At a meeting to review the Covid situation, Modi was briefed about the global trends on coronavirus cases and officials highlighted that countries across the world have experienced multiple COVID-19 surges since the onset of the pandemic, a Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) statement said.

During the meeting, the officials briefed the prime minister about the new variant of concern, ‘Omicron’, along with its characteristics and the impact seen in various countries, the PMO said, adding that its implications for India were also discussed.