Covid-19: Two years since fight from China landed at Brize Norton

The flight carried 83 British people and 27 foreign nationals left Wuhan at 9.45am local time and touched down at Brize Norton at 1.30pm British time on January 31 2020.

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The arrival came as two cases of the virus were confirmed in England that morning.

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At the time, Wuhan was the centre of the coronavirus outbreak and it had been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organisation.

The plane arriving at RAF Brize Norton. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

Ambulances joined the plane on the runway, and passengers - including small children - began disembarked just before 2pm. 

Passengers walked down the stairs onto the runway wearing masks, and the first to leave appeared to be a young family.

Roads around the air base are closed for public safety - Station Road, Manor Road and Carterton Road - until 6pm.

While none of the people on the plane were confirmed to be infected with the virus, they had to quarantine for 14 days at Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral.

The plane arriving at RAF Brize Norton. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

People living near the air base expressed their concern at the time about the potential arrival of the virus so close to home.

Writing on Facebook, one mum who said she was 'just up the road' from the base said: "What about the pilots that could potentially become infected and the staff caring for them when they get to the hospital? 

"Not only am I scared for mine and my children’s lives I’m scared for the people caring for these people coming in.

"That’s me not sleeping for the next couple of months and becoming a recluse."

However, another wrote: "This is purely a precautionary measure. Nothing to fear - it is not like they are going to stop off for lunch."

Coaches waiting at the air base. Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

Following the evacuation, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement: "It's welcome news that our evacuation flight has now left Wuhan.

"We know how distressing the situation has been for those waiting to leave. We have been working round the clock to clear the way for a safe departure. The welfare of those trapped and public safety have been our overriding priorities."

When the flight arrived in Oxfordshire there were 9,692 cases of Covid-19 recorded in China.

As of today, two years on, there have been 375 million cases and 5.6 million deaths, with 16.5 million cases and 156,000 deaths recorded in the United Kingdom.

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