Health officials are notifying the public about new coronavirus exposures on two flights through Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
Both flights took place over the weekend.
- July 24: Air Canada Flight 311, Montreal to Vancouver, rows 1-4 and 12-14
- July 26: Air Canada flight 007, Vancouver to Hong Kong, rows 22-28
People in the affected rows should monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19.
Anyone who develops symptoms should contact a health-care professional or call 811 immediately to arrange a test.
The two new exposures bring the total number of flights through the Vancouver airport with reported exposures since June to 33.
On Wednesday, YVR announced new Transport Canada COVID-19 screening protocols that will take effect on July 30.
Under the new rules, Canadian Air Transport Secuirty Authority (CATSA) workers will conduct temperature screening at all passenger and employee screening checkpoints.
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“The airlines will not do it anymore. It will be one temperature screen that is done by CATSA at the same place for everybody with the same technology,” said Vancouver Airport Authority vice-president of operations Robyn McVicker.
People that do not pass the screening will be rebooked on a flight 14 days later.
YVR says it is also rolling out new COVID-19 protection measures, including:
- Adding an autonomous Nilfusk cleaning device, outfitted with a sensor package from local vendor A&K robotics, to clean floors;
- Deploying multiple Hygena units throughout the airport. These units provide rapid and accurate sanitation verification;
- Using UV technology to detect cleanliness of surfaces and clean high-touch areas such as escalators;
- Deploying our Green Machine to regularly clean curbside areas;
- And facilitating Transport Canada’s new mandatory temperature checks.
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