United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is India’s chief guest at the Republic Day celebration in Delhi in January, may not visit the country next month amid concerns over the new coronavirus strain found in Britain, an NDTV report said. 

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the Chair of the Council of the British Medical Association, in an interview with NDTV, said that though it is too early for the UK government to decide on the PM’s visit to India, Johnson’s trip “may not be possible, particularly if this level of infection and spread continues”.

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The new variant of coronavirus has prompted more than 40 countries, including India, to ban flights from and to the UK as the British authorities have said the new strain is 70% more transmissible. After British authorities announced that they have found a new coronavirus strain, London and parts of England went under tougher restrictions as Johnson said the new strain has become prominent in the UK capital. 

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Dr Nagpaul told NDTV that the authorities “cannot make a decision today about something five weeks from now”, adding that changes to the virus’ reality happen on a day-to-day basis. He further told the news media that “one consideration is that the trip to India may not be possible, particularly if this level of infection and spread continues.”

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As of now, around 40 countries have banned flights to and from the UK and around 30 nations have shut their borders to people travelling from Britain or South Africa, where another variant has emerged, to stop any further spread.

Meanwhile, contrary to the British officials’ statements that the new variant of the virus is “out of control,” the WHO on Monday said that is “not out of control.”