The Government of Canada warns passengers that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 on two recent Vancouver flights.
Last week, health officials added three separate flights to the list of affected flights in the city. Now, two additional Vancouver flights, one inbound and one departing, have been added to the list.
The following flights have been added to the list of affected flights:
- June 21: Air Canada 122 from Vancouver to Toronto
- June 25: Aeromexico 696 from Mexico City to Vancouver
In both flights, information about the affected rows is unavailable.
Passengers who were aboard those flights are asked to follow the B.C. CDC's guidelines for self-isolation and self-monitoring, as well as to use B.C.'s COVID-19 self-assessment tool to determine if they require testing.
The B.C. CDC says they list information regarding potential public exposure as they "become aware of flights with an origin or destination in British Columbia with a case of COVID-19 on board."
Any travellers returning to B.C. are encouraged to check the B.C. CDC 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.
Last week, the country's two largest airlines stated that they are ending their on-board seat distancing policies starting 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.
