Aviation authority sets up COVID-19 hotline

Hanoi (VNA) - The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has set up a hotline, on 024 3872 7912, to address bottlenecks in the implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

Aviation agencies nationwide have been urged to strictly observe the Prime Minister’s dispatch on COVID-19 prevention and control as well as measures to repel the spread of the pandemic.

A member of staff at northern Quang Ninh province’s Van Don International Airport is among the newly-emerging COVID-19 cases in the community.

Airport staff must wear face masks and wash their hands regularly. They are also asked to check passengers’ body temperature and disinfect devices and high-risk public areas at airports.

Meanwhile, passengers are required to closely follow health regulations before boarding the plane and during the flights, and keep their masks on the whole trip.

A representative of the Vietnam Airlines Group, which includes national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, budget carrier Pacific Airlines, and the Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO), said it has tightened preventive measures on all routes.

Vietnam Airlines will heighten the alert to Level 3 on flights from Hai Phong starting from January 29. Social distancing measures will be applied and only water served.

The carrier has not flown from or to Van Don since January 9.

Precautions remain in place on other domestic air routes, the representative said.

Vietnam has reported 1,651 infections to date, including 786 community transmissions./.