Foreign nationals stranded in Peru
Britons in a hostel in Peru that were due to be repatriated by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) have been told they could be quarantined for up to three months after two travellers in the hostel tested positive for Covid-19
Peruvian authorities have told around 140 guests in the Pariwana hostel in Cusco (including nine British and one Irish citizen) that they will now be confined to their rooms for 23 hours a day and could be quarantined for up to three months.
Currently, it is reported that there are around 12,000 EU nationals in Peru. The FCO is allegedly waiting for permission for three more flights to get around 1,000 people out of Peru.
However, many of those stranded have reported poor communication from the British embassy. A flight which left Lima on Wednesday was due to take a number of people that were either not given enough time to reach the chartered aircraft or simply told initially that they were not to board the flight.
Understandably, the situation is causing much anxiety amongst stranded travellers, who have been urged by their respective countries to return home, and are now not sure when they will be able to return home, especially considering the country’s strict travel restrictions.
In contrast Germany has so far sent out 70 charter flights to retrieve stranded German nationals from 21 different countries, including Peru, India, New Zealand and The Philippines. The country is also organising charters for a further 25 countries.
The US’ state department is currently arranging 16 flights to bring 1,600 US citizens back home from various points around the world over the next few days.
Travel restrictions around the world and drastically reduced flights, along with country-wide lockdowns, are making it incredibly difficult for travellers to return to their home countries. The governmental response of countries is crucial in ensuring the wellbeing and safe return of their citizens – communication is a key factor in ensuring repatriation operations are carried out as seamlessly as possible at this difficult time.