(MOFA) - In support of the citizen protection work carried out by diplomatic missions in Viet Nam, on 13 April 2020, Vietnamese authorities have coordinated with the British Embassy in Hanoi to repatriate about 100 British tourists on a Vietnam Airlines flight. They were previously stranded in Viet Nam and Cambodia due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A few of them tested positive for COVID-19 but made a full recovery after receiving treatment in Viet Nam. This flight also carried the facemasks, gifted by the Vietnamese government to the Government and the people of the United Kingdom.

On the return flight from the UK, Vietnamese relevant authorities, the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam in the UK and Vietnam Airlines have worked to bring home a number of Vietnamese citizens in the UK, including students under 18 years old, the elderly and people with difficult circumstances. The flight landed at Van Don International Airport on 15 April 2020 morning.  These citizens will be placed in mandatory quaratine and under surveillance in accordance with relevant regulations.

As per the Prime Minister’s direction, Vietnamese overseas representative missions have been reviewing and proposing plans for repatriation of Vietnamese citizens who wish to return home for reasons of immediate necessity, with priority given to children under 18 years old, the elderly, the infirm, taking into account the overall situation and the capacity of domestic quarantine facilities./.