Just as the world was dealing with the threat of an unprecedented global pandemic in the form of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the United Kingdom (UK) said last week that there was a new strain of the virus, more contagious that the other ones.
In the UK itself, the highest, fourth level of alert was introduced in some areas, and Christmas relaxations of COVID measures were reduced or recalled. India and several other countries — including France, Switzerland, Turkey, Estonia, Belgium, and the Netherlands — have already suspended air travel with the UK or are considering it.
Happy New Year #COVID20 pic.twitter.com/KVrn0gjWz1
— Atif (@Atif68369134) December 21, 2020
UK PM Boris Jhonson confirms #mutation of Coronavirus with higher spread rate…
Le year 2020 be like : pic.twitter.com/UVL0WNjlAO
— UmderTamker (@jhampakjhum) December 21, 2020
#COVID20 wow I was looking up to 2021 pic.twitter.com/h0S7Lzhg0p
— fahad majbal (@fahadmajbal1) December 21, 2020
Twitterati also expressed concern over UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s upcoming India visit on Republic Day as the chief guest of the parade, drawing a parallel with the ‘Namaste Trump’ event earlier in January, when US President Donald Trump had arrived in India for a high-profile public tour amid the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
“Namaste trump = spread of coronavirus in india
Boris johnson = mutant coronavirus to spread in india
Stop boris johnson to come on republic day because he will not come alone he will bring staff of 200 to 100 people it will lead to spread of covid 2.0,” posted an user in a somewhat bizarre but alarmed tweet on the matter.
Namaste trump = spread of coronavirus in india
Boris johnson = mutant coronavirus to spread in india
Stop boris johnson to come on republic day because he will not come alone he will bring staff of 200 to 100 people it will lead to spread of covid 2.0#GodiMediaAgainstFarmers pic.twitter.com/PGOy62sQqN
— बेरोजगार मनराज सिंह (@manraj_mokha) December 21, 2020
Feb 2020 ~ Namaste Trump ~ Covid 1.0
Jan 2021 ~ Welcome Borris ~ Covid 2.0 ? pic.twitter.com/DuBOMePwQS
— Vinay Kumar Dokania ?? ?️ (@VinayDokania) December 21, 2020
Journalists on Twitter also rang the alarm bell, sardonically referring to the UK PM’s visit as ‘Namaste Boris’, and hoping that the Indian government does not “repeat it’s [sic.] mistakes” as it did ahead of the ‘Namaste Trump’, reportedly not suspending flights until it was too late to effectively cut the spread of the virus.
In Britain, Boris Johnson has announced stricter restrictions ahead of Christmas to cut the spread of the virus, while UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News on Saturday that the new strain of coronavirus currently circulating in parts of England is already “out of control”.
Source: Free Press Journal
