They were required to follow guidance and update regulations in the host countries and airlines, ensure enough documentation to take flights, especially medical certificates if needed.

The ministry directed Vietnamese representative agencies abroad to closely work with the host authorities, international airports and airlines to provide detailed information about Vietnam’s immigration policy, affirming that Vietnamese citizens could return home without certification documents from representative agencies abroad.

They were also required to check the number of Vietnamese citizens stuck at airports and offer support measures if necessary.

For further assistance, citizens could visit official websites of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad, or citizen protection hotline of the Foreign Ministry’s Consular Department 84.981.84.84.84.

Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore supports 35 citizens stranded in airport

At the Changi Airport

At the Changi Airport hirty-five Vietnamese citizens, mainly students, have been stranded while transiting at Changi Airport due to unannounced flight cancellations by Singapore Airlines.

They are scheduled to leave Singapore for Ho Chi Minh City on flight SQ178 on March 23 morning. However, Singapore Airlines cancelled the flight, leaving the passengers to manage by themselves.

Right after receiving this information, the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore sent a diplomatic note asking Singapore Airlines to take appropriate measures to ensure the rights of the Vietnamese citizens, said Ambassador Tao Thi Thanh Huong.

Huong added that the embassy made contact with the management board of the Changi Airport, proposing it to assist the Vietnamese citizens while waiting for a new flight, as well as relevant agencies in Vietnam to arrange the reception of the citizens.

According to the ambassador, Singapore Airlines on late March 23 pledged to take the Vietnamese citizens to Hanoi on March 24 morning on its flight, and pay for part of their meals while waiting at the airport.

The embassy will continue implementing citizen protection measures so that they can come back home at the earliest time, Huong said.

To date, no Vietnamese in Singapore have been infected with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

The Singaporean government earlier announced that all short-term visitors will no longer be allowed to enter or transit through Singapore from 11:59 pm on March 23 in view of the growing risks of importing coronavirus cases into the country./.

Embassy advises Vietnamese in Canada to avoid non-essential outbound trips

An empty street in Vancouver, Canada, amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Embassy of Vietnam in Canada has asked Vietnamese citizens living here to avoid non-essential travel from home, particularly outside Canada or between parts of the country, as the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues spreading.

The embassy advised Vietnamese people to only travel if the situation is urgent and to rigorously comply with regulations and instructions set by the local government, it said in a statement released on March 22.

On the same day, Canadian Health Minister Patty Hajdu said the government of Canada will use tough enforcement measures, which include the threat of prison and massive fines, if people don’t take self-quarantine and practice social distancing as required.

Over the weekend, local social media displayed images of people gathering on beaches and in parks and restaurants despite the fact that all provinces and territories have declared states of emergency or public health emergency to slow the spread of the virus.

However, the federal government’s approach is to call on people to voluntarily adhere to the rules which include a 14-day self-quarantine for those returning from abroad.

As of 6pm on March 22, Canada reported 1,430 confirmed cases, with 20 fatalities./.VNA/VNN