The BC Centre for Disease Control warns airline passengers that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 on eight recent Vancouver flights.
On Tuesday, the BCCDC added two new domestic flights in and out of Vancouver's major airport to the list of potential COVID-19 public exposures.
Now, the following flights have been added to the list of affected flights:
- August 22: Air Tahiti Nui Flight 68, Tahiti to Vancouver
- August 22: Air Tahiti Nui Flight 68, Vancouver to Paris
- August 28: Air Canada Flight 122, Vancouver to Toronto
- Aug 24: Flair 8711, Vancouver to Prince George to Edmonton
- Aug 25: Air Canada 128, Vancouver to Toronto
- Aug 26: Air Canada 210, Vancouver to Calgary
- Aug 26: Air India 1143, Delhi to Vancouver
- Aug 26: WestJet 3100, Fort St John to Calgary
A complete list of all current affected domestic and international flights in and out of British Columbia is provided on the BCCDC public exposures page.
Any travellers returning to B.C. are encouraged to check the BCCDC website for updates about flights with an exposure risk, and those travelling from outside of Canada must arrive prepared with a 14-day self-isolation plan.
The country's two largest airlines ended their onboard seat distancing policies on July 1, raising health concerns amid a pandemic that has devastated the travel industry.
On social media, a few people ask why airlines are permitted to ignore physical distancing protocol while other businesses must adhere to them; others simply say they won't travel with airlines that don't have distancing policies in place.
Currently, the Government of Canada states that you should avoid all travel outside of the country until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a global travel advisory, the government notes that "This advisory overrides other risk levels on this page, with the exception of any risk levels for countries or regions where we advise to avoid all travel."
With files from The Canadian Press and Lindsay William-Ross.
