Only people who are healthy are admitted on board the aircraft evacuating Ukrainian citizens from Italy, those who have been thoroughly tested for coronavirus infection. Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine - Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine Viktor Liashko announced this at a briefing.

“Italian doctors reported that three types of medical screening were conducted before boarding and only healthy people were allowed on board. Therefore, everyone we will bring back will be symptom-free and with official laboratory tests, which show that they don’t have the virus,” said Viktor Liashko.

Apart from that, he told, all evacuees were offered to fill out a consent to voluntary self-isolation. And when returned to Ukraine the people will be staying on self-isolation at home. The Chief Sanitary Doctor stressed that the violation of the conditions of this regime envisages liability, as well as selective control of compliance with the conditions of being in isolation, will be carried out.

Viktor Lyashko also said that on the plane carrying the evacuees there are two medical workers from the Ukrainian Center of Emergency Medical Assistance and Disaster Medicine, who are provided with express tests for coronavirus infection diagnostics. Upon arrival, the Ukrainian side will also check everyone.

The Chief Sanitary Doctor reminded that preventive measures are being taken in Ukraine to focalize the disease in the territory of our country.

“We see an increasing number of cases in the European Union. Therefore, all steps that we are currently taking in Ukraine are being done in an effort of precaution, to prevent the situation the European Union is facing,” he said, adding that healthcare facilities are being intensively prepared and a re-profiling process is taking place aimed to ensure the placement of all patients if their number rises.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told that from the Italian Republic 98 people from two buses had been evacuated and another 27 who had decided to undergo evacuation: "All those who confirmed their departure consent and were able to get there."

He also stressed that the Ministry is working intensively to help all Ukrainians who are staying abroad. The official once again urged citizens of Ukraine to abandon trips, visits and tours to other countries.

Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Kryklii assured that the Government is working to protect citizens both inside and outside the country and is making every effort to return Ukrainians back home.

“The majority of countries in the Schengen zone are also taking tit for tat measures like Ukraine is. Therefore, even more situations will occur. But I would like to appeal to the citizens that we control this situation, we are studying it. We discussed it with air carriers, with tour operators so that we could organize the process of future evacuation of citizens in an efficient and fast way,” the Minister emphasized.