Expats in Vietnam staying as they feel safer than at home

Expats are breathing sighs of relief as Vietnam opens its economy on a ten day trial basis.

Vietnam’s hard work in convincing everyone it’s a safe destination amongst Southeast Asian chaos seems now to have borne fruit as the country announces its economy is now open. Albeit the opening is on a trial basis for 10 days, there seems no reason to expect anther lockdown at the end of the time allocated. Schools have now restarted and the tourism sector is now open again, with reports that the Vietnamese government’s swift action has defeated the virus’s efforts to take over the country as it has elsewhere in the world.

The message of Vietnam’s government at the beginning of the crisis that the country would swiftly be made safe for residents, expats and tourists seems to have born fruit, with the swift trial opening proof of its determination not to have its burgeoning economy wrecked by the pandemic. The aim was to protect both the welfare of its citizens with decisive, essential measures aimed at crushing the virus and its projected effect on the country.

From quarantining all visitors through suspending flights to and from affected world regions, refusing entry to arrivals from hard-hit countries and activating the March 22nd border closures, the measures taken seem to have prevented the type of uncontrollable outbreak now common in the Western world. Even Vietnam’s treatment of those found to be infected was a one-off in the general worldwide panic, as they were cared for humanely in quarantine and given accommodation at hotels, in resorts and also in military barrack facilities reserved for serving officers.

One quarantined British expat told reporters he’d felt his two weeks in quarantine were similar to being in a holiday camp, even although he was under lockdown the whole time. Another quarantined long-term international educator expat wrote in his blog he’d advise other expats who had no real reason to return to the home country to stay safe in Vietnam whilst the USA and UK becomes more dangerous by the minute.

Many other expatriates have decided to stay rather than risking infection in their own countries, with some actually cancelling flights due to their confidence in Vietnam’s response to the pandemic.