Cancellation of flights from UK will impact Goa tourism, says Chief Minister Pramod Sawant

Cancellation of flights connecting the UK and India will affect tourism in Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Monday.

He also expressed apprehension that flights coming from some other countries might also be cancelled for a certain period.

Earlier in the day, the Civil Aviation Ministry said that all flights connecting the UK and India will remain suspended from Wednesday till December 31 in view of the emergence of a mutated variant of the coronavirus there.

"The cancellation of flights coming from the UK will definitely have an impact on Goa's tourism, which is dependent for its revival on international tourists, mainly those coming from the UK and Russia," the chief minister told reporters.

He said some countries were seeing the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"In such scenario, we will also have to take precautions," Sawant said even as he ruled out the imposition of night curfew in the coastal state.

"There are no such guidelines on a night curfew from the Ministry of Home Affairs," he said.

Appealing Goans to be vigilant and get themselves tested for Covid-19 if symptoms warrant them, the CM said the fatalities generally occur due to people delaying seeking treatment.

"People don't undergo (Covid-19) tests on time after onset of symptoms. People who are infected continue to remain at home for 8-10 days. If patients receive treatment at a primary stage, than they can recover from the infection," he added.

Sawant said the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the upcoming festive season was in place in Goa.