Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - As more and more countries throughout Asia andEurope start to close borders with the COVID-19 pandemic showing no signs ofabating, thousands of Vietnamese citizens are rushing home.

An estimated 6,000 Vietnamese living or studying in Southeast Asia and afurther 1,000 from European countries were expected to land in airports acrossthe country on March 18, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam.

Among the 999 Vietnamese citizens returning from Europe, 325 will be touchingdown from the UK, France and Germany, three countries where the pandemic israging with increasing numbers of cases and deaths that have forced governmentsto implement unprecedented restrictions and lockdown measures.

There will also be 96 foreigners from outside the UK and Schengen zone. TheGovernment placed a ban on entry of tourists coming from the two areas fourdays ago.

As many as 78 flights expected to be carrying 5,711 Vietnamese passengersreturning from ASEAN countries will be arriving on Wednesday too. Noi Bai InternationalAirport in Hanoi is scheduled to receive 22 flights with 1,623 passengers,while Da Nang Airport will welcome seven flights with 342 passengers. Tan SonNhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City is preparing to receive 43flights with 3,159 passengers on board.

Cam Ranh Airport in Khanh Hoa province and Lien Khuong Airport in Lam Dong provincewill receive two flights transporting 220 and 159 passengers, respectively.

Can Tho Airport and PhuQuoc Airport (Kien Giang) will receive one flight each carrying 129 and 79passengers, respectively.

To Tu Ha, deputy director of Noi Bai International Airport, said the proceduresfor passengers from high-risk regions had become more time-consuming than usualas more stringent measures were in place to prevent the spread of the acuterespiratory disease in Vietnam.

All entrants would need to fill out compulsory health declaration forms, haveclinical samples taken by health workers, and be transported to designatedconcentrated quarantine sites for visitors from virus-hit regions.

The Hanoi Centre for Disease Control, Noi Bai border police and relatedauthorities had beefed up personnel to deal with the surge of passengers, butoverloading would be inevitable during peak hours when many flights landedsimultaneously, Ha said, urging for understanding on the part of passengers.

“While they are waiting for procedures to be completed, at noon or in theevening, Noi Bai has arranged free meals and drinks for passengers ifnecessary,” Ha said.

“All passengers need to stay informed of the rules and regulations during thistime to ensure safety for themselves and their families, and to contribute tothe concerted efforts made by the Vietnamese Government and public to fight thepandemic,” Ha said.

Passengers were asked to refrain from uncooperative behaviour towards lawenforcement authorities. They should also follow notices and instructions onflight information boards, added the airport official.

The transport ministry has recommended Vietnamese nationals overseas to reallyconsider their return trips to Vietnam as immigration rules had tightened andcountries could unilaterally halt or change flights with little notice. Healthofficials have also advised against air travel as airports and planes werefertile grounds for virus transmission.

However, if Vietnamese nationals truly wished to return home, the Governmentwould provide all necessary means to repatriate them.

The Vietnamese Government has discontinued issuing visas for foreigners for thenext 30 days starting March 18.

It has also required that all arrivals from ASEAN countries or transiting viaASEAN countries within 14 days prior to entry to Vietnam be sent to concentratedquarantine sites./.