More than 340 Vietnamese nationals returned to the home country from Taiwan (China) on May 29 as the Vietnamese government continues to repatriate its citizens at a time when the global coronavirus infections approach 6 million.
| Passengers at a Taiwanese airport. Source: Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
Especially, two thirds of the returnees are pregnant women who are laborers in Taiwan.
The passengers were carried home on national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines’ largest and most modern plane, Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. All of them, including crewmembers, have been quarantined upon arrival in the central city of Danang.
| Returnees on Vietnam Airlines' largest and most modern airplane Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner |
Returnees are children under 18, the elderly, people with pre-existing diseases, stranded tourists, workers of expired visas, and students who finished school, according to Vietnam Airlines.
| All passengers and crewmembers wear PPE. Photo: Vietnam Airlines |
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Though Taiwan has effectively controlled the virus, all passengers and crewmembers were asked to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), face masks, and gloves.
Vietnam Airlines has required all passengers to equip PPE since May 15 after two attendants tested positive with the virus after a repatriation flight from Russia.
| Passengers get medical check at a quarantine facility. Photo: Tien Phong |
In the course of Vietnam’s border closure to foreign visitors, only repatriation flights have been allowed and Vietnam Airlines remains the main carrier commissioned the task.
So far, Vietnam has repatriated nearly 5,000 citizens from around the world like the US, Canada, Europe, India, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Japan.
