Hanoi (VNA) - There will be temporarily no commercial flights to bring home overseas Vietnamese who voluntarily pay for quarantine fees, foreign ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said on December 3.
Speaking at the ministry’s regular press conference, Hang said relevant agencies will only conduct flights to repatriate those who are in extreme difficulties and circumstances.
With the aim of leaving no one behind, Vietnamese agencies have coordinated with domestic and foreign airlines to organise flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home safely, in accordance with quarantine capacity at home.
More than 240 flights have been conducted so far to repatriate over 66,000 Vietnamese from some 50 countries and territories, she said.
Asked about bad deeds regarding entry into Vietnam, Hang said in order to realise the dual goal of containing the pandemic and boost economic recovery, the Government has opened doors to foreign diplomats, experts, and investors.
Agencies have created the best possible conditions for foreign diplomats, experts, skilled workers, and their relatives to come to Vietnam through arranging flights and quarantine.
Negative acts that change the humanitarian nature of the flights need to be condemned and punished in line with law, she stressed.
Regarding Vietnam’s view on studying and distributing a COVID-19 vaccine, Hang said Vietnam is keeping a close watch on developments and welcomes the research outcomes of companies and countries.
“We hope that after they are accepted, the vaccines will be popularised, creating more opportunities to contain the spread of the pandemic, especially in developing countries,” Hang said.
She said that apart from efforts in COVID-19 prevention and control, the Vietnamese Government has instructed relevant agencies to focus resources on vaccine research and production at home, while stepping up coordination with prestigious foreign producers and suppliers so that Vietnam will have the vaccine as soon as possible.
Relevant agencies have also devised policies and regulations on the support, reception, transportation, preservation, distribution, and use of vaccines./.