Vietnam suspends entry of tourists from Schengen countries and UK
Ba Giang Son
March 14, 2020 | 04:06 PM GMT+7
Foreigners who contract coronavirus will have to pay for treatment but will still have testing fee waived.
Tourists enjoy peaceful atmosphere in Hoi An old town yesterday
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced to suspend temporarily entry for tourists who come from the Schengen countries and the UK, or have visited or transited through these areas within 14 days preceeding their expected entry into Vietnam.
The suspension will take effect from 12am March 15, 2020 and will last 30 days. The decision, which is taken following a request from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during a government’s meeting yesterday, will not be applicable to entrants for diplomatic or official purposes.
Foreigners who are experts, business managers, highly skilled workers entering Vietnam will be medical checked and quarantine shall be applied in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health.
Vietnam has informed all diplomatic missions, consular offices and representative offices of international organizations in Vietnam of the decision, and will maintain close monitor the epidemic and collaboration with other countries, international organizations and partners to promptly adjust prevention and control measures for the Covid-19.
Vietnam Airlines has also announced that from tomorrow, its flights departing from London, Paris and Frankfurt to Vietnam will not carry passengers. Flights departing from Vietnam to Europe are to be operated as normal in order to allow European passengers to return home.
The government has attributed the decision to the Covid-19 which has been spreading swiftly in a complex manner on a large scale across the world and has seen nearly 145,000 people infected and more than 5,400 deaths.
Vietnam has seen 33 new people contracting coronavirus since the final among first 16 patients were cleared of the disease in February 13, bringing the total number of the infected in the country to 49 to date.
Most of the newly-infected patients are related to passengers from two flights from the UK and the US back to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
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