Foreign Office tells British Nationals to leave China...

[cjt110]

..but says they "must pay their own way out of the locked-down nation"

"There will be no more evacuation flights arranged by the British Government, officials said today, but people in Wuhan, the city at the centre of the outbreak, may be able to hitch rides out of the disaster zone on other countries' planes." Source Daily Fail

I don't get this... why issue a warning saying people are to evacuate but not offer assistance?

Is there anyone who knows why the FO would issue an evacuation "instruction" but not offer to help?

I guess there's some symmetry here with the Home Office telling foreigners to leave the UK ? Although possibly for different reasons ...

Sorry I don't get if you are meaning because of the risk of infection or something else?

I could understand if a travel ban was in place, it was ignored and the FO didn't come to people's aide who were in said country. Here they are telling people to leave but not offering any assistance to help hem leave. That is what is puzzling to me.

The reason for the advisory will be concern about social and political unrest as well as (to an unknown degree) concern around virus and breakdown in medical services. If the virus and/or situation is severe, other essential services will begin to break down.

The govt are unable to offer further assistance as most consular staff have been removed from the country. Only "essential" staff remain - probably only those left in place to maintain the flow of diplomatic infomation.

I would leave.