March 06, 2020 | 16:06 (GMT+7)
Foreign Ministry: citizen protection in COVID-19 - hit areas is priority
Citizen protection in areas affected by the COVID-19 outbreak is one of the top priorities of the Vietnamese Government, Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang told a regular press conference in Hanoi on March 5.
Hang said the Foreign Ministry and Vietnamese representative agencies have actively and proactively launched measures to support and protect Vietnamese citizens living, studying, working and travelling abroad, especially in epidemic-hit areas.
The Foreign Ministry actively updated information and warned Vietnamese citizens not to travel to affected areas. They also advised Vietnamese people living in the affected areas to follow guidelines and directions by the host authorities, and avoid taking unnecessary trips.
In coordination with ministries, agencies and localities, the Foreign Ministry directed Vietnamese representative agencies abroad to work closely with the host authorities, asked Vietnamese embassies to regularly provide news about efforts on disease prevention and control, ensuring that medical care will be provided for infected persons and mitigating issues that negatively impact Vietnamese citizens.
Vietnamese representative agencies abroad have launched hotlines round-the-clock, particularly in affected areas to offer instructions and stay ready to support citizens if necessary, she said.
As for infected Vietnamese citizens abroad, Vietnamese representative agencies are required to regularly contact and ask the host authorities to offer treatment. At present, Vietnamese patients are in stable conditions.
About the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s dispatch of three quick-response teams to Vietnam to help Korean citizens under medical supervision, Hang affirmed that the Vietnamese agencies concerned will directly handle the RoK’s request.
According to Hang, Vietnam still regularly shares information and creates favourable conditions for the RoK to conduct citizen protection measures in line with Vietnam and international law and practices.
Source: VNA