Russia extends suspension on flights to and from UK through Feb 16 - Covid-19 response HQ
MOSCOW. Feb 2 (Interfax) - Russia has extended its suspension on flights to and from the United Kingdom through February 16, the Russian coronavirus response headquarters said.
"The operative headquarters on preventing the import and spread of the novel coronavirus infection across Russian territory has adopted a decision to prolong the suspension of flights to and from the United Kingdom until 11:59 p.m. on February 16, 2021," a headquarters spokesperson told reporters on Monday.
This decision is part of measures to protect the health of the population, it said.
Russia first suspended air passenger traffic with the UK from December 22, 2020 and until January 12, 2021 after a new Covid-19 variant was identified in the UK. The measure was subsequently extended through February 1.
Only one person was diagnosed with the UK coronavirus strain in Russia before the New Year. The patient has already recovered.
The Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) said earlier that in December the Novosibirsk-based Vector Research Center had sequenced the UK Covid-19 strain from samples taken from the aforementioned patient. It is currently studying this variant of the virus.
