Passengers arrive at a local airport – PHOTO: VGP

The ministry sent the urgent dispatch to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam and air carriers including Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, Bamboo Airways and Pacific Airlines on December 1 to tighten control over Covid-19 infection prevention after a flight attendant of Vietnam Airlines violated quarantine regulations at the airline’s quarantine center and at his home, leading to domestic Covid-19 transmission in HCMC.

The ministry also asked the airlines to continue strictly complying with regulations on controlling flight crew as mandated by the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control and the preventive measures of the Ministry of Health.

Pilots of flights transporting Vietnamese citizens and foreign experts, investors and highly skilled workers from other countries to Vietnam have to wear N95 face masks or masks of similar quality, wear protective gear, regularly use a hand sanitizer and use a personal toilet. After landing, they are not allowed to travel on the same vehicle as flight attendants or maintain contact with passengers, other members of the flight crew and the ground staff at foreign airports.

Flight attendants and other members of the flight crew have to wear protective gear, restrict contact with passengers, use a personal toilet and strictly comply with other preventive measures during flights. They must not maintain any contact with the pilots during the flights and the ground staff at foreign airports.

The flight crew have to comply with regulations on quarantine and Covid-19 testing following the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control’s official dispatch No. 3588 and the Ministry of Health’s decision No. 879.

After arriving in Vietnam, the entire flight crew and all passengers have to remain under quarantine and take Covid-19 tests. If all of them test negative for Covid-19 in the first attempt, they will have to take the second test after at least 72 hours from the first test.

If all of them test negative for Covid-19 twice, they will have to remain under home isolation following the Ministry of Health’s guidance.

In case any of them tests positive for Covid-19, all the others will be quarantined for 14 days at the quarantine centers. SGT