Pushing Air Canada to release mandatory detention in favor of a test-based strategy

Although several flights landed in the country with COVID-19 positive passengers, Air Canada is pushing for the removal of the 14-day mandatory detention period for travelers returning to the country in favor of a test-based approach.

The airline revealed in a social media post on Tuesday that more than 99 percent of the 15,000 voluntary COVID-19 tests taken by international customers at Toronto Pearson International Airport were negative tests.

“We believe the test-based strategy is a safe alternative to the 14-day quarantine,” the Post said.

The study began on September 3 in partnership with McMaster HealthLabs (MHL) and lasted a month. All participants were volunteers who agreed to be tested after arriving in Toronto. They were then sent home with two additional test kits and taught how to take samples seven days later and 14 days later.

They got their first test results back in 48 hours.

In a test test for COVID-19, Air Canada said 80 percent were found in the initial test and the rest were diagnosed after a second test.

All participants were given a 14-day quarantine to comply with federal regulations.

Air Canada said the results are still fundamental and will help in gathering information to help guide future policy decisions.

“Understanding that we need to live with this virus for a short period of time, we are following a relationship and layered approach as a way to keep our employees and our customers safe,” Air Canada Chief Dr Jim Chung Medical Officer said in a news release issued last week. “We believe testing is important to protect employees and customers until the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available.”

Chung said rapid tests could allow governments to relax “blanket travel restrictions and restrictions” while ensuring health and safety.

“Through the preliminary results from our partnership with the MHL and GTAA, we further strengthen our confidence in the effectiveness of the test, including the self – management test.

In March, the U.S. and Canadian governments agreed to close borders for unnecessary travel. Although the Government of Canada has recently relaxed some border travel policies, allowing more extended family and international students to enter the country, the ban has been extended several times since then.

A spokesman for Canada’s Public Health Agency said there were no exceptions to the mandatory detention period, regardless of policy changes.

“This is because a negative test for COVID-19 does not prove that a passenger is COVID-19 free,” the spokesman said.

These restrictions have had a severe financial impact on many airlines, many of whom have chosen to pause operations or to suspend some flights.

At the same time, several domestic and international flights reported that COVID-19 positive passengers were on board during the last 12 days of September.

According to the Canadian government, between September 21 and October 2, at least 28 domestic flights had a passenger onboard, which tested positive for COVID-19.

At least 26 flights have landed or departed from Toronto, classified as a COVID-19 hotspot due to the increasing number of infections each day.

There are also 26 international flights affected by the positive case of the coronavirus novel.

Here are the international flights affected by the COVID-19 case:

• American Airlines Flight AA6020 from Philadelphia to Montreal on September 21

• Nippon Airways Flight NH116 from Tokyo to Vancouver on September 21

• Air Canada Flight AC846 from Toronto to Munich on September 22

• Air Canada / Air India flights AC848 / AI7310 depart from Toronto to London on September 22

• Air France flight AF356 from Paris to Toronto on September 22

• Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET553 from Toronto to Addis Ababa on September 22

• Air Canada Flight AC855 from London to Vancouver on September 23

• Air Canada Flight AC1255 from Kingston, Jamaica to Toronto on September 23

• Air Canada Flight AC43 from New Delhi to Toronto on September 24

• Air Canada Flight AC45 from New Delhi to Vancouver on September 25

• Air Canada flight AC871 from Paris to Montreal on September 25

• Air Canada flight AC1241 from Cancun to Montreal on September 25

• Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET552 from Addis Ababa to Toronto on September 25

• Air Canada Flight AC0873 from Frankfurt to Toronto on September 26

• Lufthansa Air Flight LH6794 from Frankfurt to Montreal on September 26

• Aeromexico Flight AM696 from Mexico City to Vancouver on September 27

• Air India Flight AI1143 from Delhi to Vancouver on September 27

• Air Transat flight TS573 from Lyon to Montreal on September 27

• Cathay Pacific Flight CS829 from Toronto to Hong Kong on September 27th

• Emirates Flight EK241 from Dubai to Toronto on September 27

• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL681 from Amsterdam to Vancouver on September 27

• Air Canada Flight AC794 from Los Angeles to Toronto on September 29

• Air Canada Flight AC80 from Toronto to Tel Aviv on September 29

• Air Canada Flight AC992 from Mexico City to Toronto on September 29

• Turkish Airlines Flight TK17 from Istanbul to Toronto on September 29

• Air Canada / Jazz on AC8491 / QK8491 flights from Washington to Toronto on September 20