New Covid strain, December: A countrywide survey has found that as much as 2/3rds of people who had planned to take a flight out of India are more likely to drop their plans and bookings. This would come after a new Covid strain was found internationally. LocalCircles, a community social media platform conducted this survey which witnesses responses of over 10,000 people spread across 204 districts.
Months after the flight ban, the airline industry was recovering, however, now due to this new covid strain the airline services might have to face another hit in the first few months of 2021. 71% of people were clear enough to claim that they will not head out of the country in the next three months. A minuscule 2% had bookings, plans and were likely to travel abroad. But another 2% claimed that they might cancel their travel plans given the covid circumstances.
On the domestic front, 18% had travel plans while 34% would ‘evaluate’ the situation occurring due to covid in the next year. The survey report stated, “However, if India is able to contain the spread of Covid and the new virus mutations, domestic travel is likely to be strong.”
Also read: New covid strain may push recovery of international flights
The Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine had reported that the mutant coronavirus was 56% more transmissible than other strains. Even the British government claimed that this covid variant is 70% more transmissible and out of control. Ohter than this has pressured the UK government to impose a strict lockdown in London and South East England.
