The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is giving a heads up to airline passengers that they may have been exposed to coronavirus (COVID-19) on recent flights to Vancouver.
Last week, Vancouver Is Awesome shared 32 Vancouver flights that were added to the list of potential COVID-19 public exposures.
Since then, the following 18 new flights have been added to the BCCDC's list of affected flights:
- April 26: Air Canada 104, Vancouver to Toronto (Affected rows: 32-38)
- April 29: Lufthansa 493, Vancouver to Frankfurt (Affected rows: 39-45)
- April 30: Flair 8821, Calgary to Vancouver (Affected rows: 11-17)
- May 1: Air Canada/Jazz 8405, Calgary to Kelowna(Affected rows: 5-11)
- May 5: Air Canada 4, Tokyo to Vancouver (Affected rows: 25-30)
- May 5: WestJet 3116, Victoria to Calgary (Affected rows not reported)
- May 8: Air Canada 304, Vancouver to Montreal (Affected rows: 23-29)
- May 3: Air Canada 213, Calgary to Vancouver (Affected rows: 12-15)
- May 3: Air Canada/Jazz 8257, Vancouver to Nanaimo (Affected rows: 1-4)
- May 3: Air Canada/Jazz 8260, Nanaimo to Vancouver (Affected rows: 3-9)
- May 5: Air Canada 214, Vancouver to Calgary (Affected rows: 18-24)
- May 6: North Cariboo Air 102, Kelowna to Fort St. John (Affected rows: 2-8)
- May 7: Flair 8513, Saskatoon to Vancouver (Affected rows: 20-26)
- May 7: WestJet 3375, Calgary to Vancouver (Affected rows: 15-20)
- May 8: Air Canada 103, Toronto to Vancouver (Affected rows: 12-14)
- May 9: Air Canada 8839, San Francisco to Vancouver (Affected rows: 19-25)
- May 10: Air Canada/Jazz 8544, Vancouver to Winnipeg (Affected rows: 20-26)
- May 13: Air Canada/Jazz 8239, Terrace to Vancouver (Affected rows: 14-20)
Any travellers returning to B.C. are encouraged to check the public health agency's website for updates about flights identified for the risk of exposure.
Currently, the Government of Canada states that you should avoid all travel outside of the country until further notice due to the novel coronavirus 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."
Coronavirus: What to expect if you arrive in Canada via plane
Travellers entering Canada by air need to book a hotel for a three-night stay upon arrival. They also need to provide a negative result for a COVID-19 molecular test taken within a 72-hour timeframe of their scheduled flight.
All hotels are located near one of the four Canadian airports currently accepting international flights. These accommodations are privately owned and authorized by the Government of Canada.
Some of the hotels offer direct online booking for government-authorized accommodation. For all others, identify that you require accommodation for the COVID-19 mandatory three-night stopover to ensure you are booked correctly.
While in quarantine travellers will have three meals delivered to their rooms but hotel personnel are not permitted inside. Guests will be provided with cleaning supplies.
Find out more information about what to expect during your stay at a government-authorized hotel.
- With files from Elana Shepert
