Covid-19: US sets up task force to bring citizens home
(Baonghean.vn) - While the Covid-19 pandemic continues to spread rapidly around the world, thousands of Americans abroad are unable to return home due to travel restrictions imposed by various countries. The US State Department has had to set up a task force to find a way to bring its citizens home.
The US State Department admits it does not yet know the exact number of US citizens stranded abroad due to travel bans. However, the number is estimated to be in the thousands, with some 2,000 US citizens in Peru alone trying to return home.
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| Thousands of Americans are stranded abroad. Photo: CBS News |
With more than 276,000 people infected with Covid-19 and more than 11,400 deaths, many countries have decided to close their borders or restrict travel, including some countries that made decisions so quickly that Americans were left with no time to react.
Lauren Davenport, an American citizen stranded in Morocco, said they received no warning before the official announcement that foreigners had 48 hours to leave Morocco.
Even in Peru, the announcement was made exactly 24 hours in advance. Although the US Embassy in Morocco said people could book flights via London to return home, the ticket price was up to $1,485 - double the original price, so many people could not afford it. Currently, thousands of American tourists in Argentina, Cambodia, Guatemala, Peru, Honduras, Japan, Uzbekistan, El Salvador ... are calling on the government to help them return home.
The US State Department said the safety of US citizens abroad is its highest priority and is considering all options to assist Americans abroad.
The US State Department also affirmed that it continuously assesses travel conditions in all areas affected by Covid-19 to provide appropriate guidance to citizens.
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| US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he would do everything possible to bring citizens back home. Photo: The Hill |
One emergency measure taken by the US is to establish a task force called the Coronavirus Global Response Force to support plans to evacuate citizens back home.
With no full information on the number of people stranded abroad, the State Department is advising citizens to register online through their embassy websites for assistance. President Donald Trump has also announced that he is considering mobilizing the military to bring American citizens back home.
Meanwhile, domestically, Illinois and New York have followed California in declaring citywide lockdowns, effective tomorrow (Sunday). Accordingly, about 70 million people are required to stay at home and only go out for essential reasons. This is considered the most drastic measure applied in the US to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic.
