THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Nurses from Kerala have always been in great demand world over. Now during COVID-19, more than 55 nurses from the state are flying to New Delhi from Kochi on Sunday evening and the following morning, they will be airborne to Ireland in Air India's special flight as part of Vande Bharat mission.
Thirty-year-old Teena Mathew was supposed to fly to Ireland on April 9. With Irish visa valid for only three months, Teena was in panic mode wondering when she would be able to fly. But when she came to know of Air India’s Vande Bharat mission to Ireland, she immediately changed her tickets to Monday. Teena has got a job offer from a private nursing home with the help of her sister-in-law, Soumya Mathew, who is working with the Health Service Executive of Ireland.
"After a long wait, now things are falling into a groove. I will be taking the Indigo flight from Kochi on Sunday evening to New Delhi. On Monday morning, I will board Air India’s Vande Bharat mission flight to Ireland which is going for the evacuation of stranded Indians there," said Teena who has over five years of experience as a nurse.
She said that Air India’s special flight will be carrying several stranded Malayali nurses from Kerala to Ireland who couldn’t fly back with airline services coming to a halt due to the lockdown. After reaching Ireland, Teena will be on 14-day quarantine after which she will be appearing for theory and practical exams conducted by the Irish private nursing home. Only then will she be provided a work permit.