The United States is “considering all options” to help citizens return home from countries that have suspended air travel or closed their borders to stem the spread of the coronavirus, U.S. officials said Monday.
Thousands of Americans are said to be stranded abroad and are desperate to return the United States amid the COVID-19 global pandemic.
“We're tracking some 13-and-a-half thousand U.S. citizens abroad who are seeking assistance in being repatriated,” a senior State Department official said during a press call Monday.
U.S. citizens are encouraged to first use commercial flights to return home while they are still available, the senior official said. After that, military aircrafts and private charters — through the congressional authorized special funds for unexpected emergencies — will be used to help them return.
In another briefing, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the U.S. military is always available for evacuating Americans trapped abroad but that the military is a less likely role than commercial options.
Americans are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) that allows U.S. citizens traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information, according to the State Department.
A 24/7 call center has also been set up to help: 1-888-407-4747 (inside the U.S.) or 202-501-4444 (from overseas.)
The U.S. has brought back about 5,700 people — largely through State Department-chartered aircrafts, including bringing more than 800 people out of Wuhan, China, in January; more than 300 out of Yokohama, Japan; about 1,200 out of Morocco last week; and others out of Central America recently, according to the State Department.
"We're looking at 16 or so flights the next five days," the senior official said. "We've got, at this point, over 1,600 passengers identified for those flights."
