Safe takeoff

The government must introduce stricter safety protocols even as it plans to resume scheduled domestic and international flight operations next month.

The Nepal government on Monday announced resuming international and domestic flights from August 17. Although almost 93 percent of the global population now lives under coronavirus-related travel restrictions, and around three billion people live in countries enforcing complete border closures to foreigners, the easing up of travel and border restrictions is getting more and more imminent. Japan resumed international flights partially in the last week of June. India is gearing up to restart international scheduled flights on selected routes, including Germany, France and the United States, on a case-to-case basis. Nepal's decision, therefore, does not come as a surprise. With the recent announcement, the country joins the ranks of several others that have come to a tacit understanding that there is no alternative to tackling the virus while keeping the economy afloat.