BC’s top doctor asks airlines to track, improve screenings for sick passengers

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) On a day B.C. records no additional deaths, but 13 new cases of COVID-19, B.C.’s top doctor wants airlines to do a better job keeping track of passengers.

During Tuesday’s province update, Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said concerns are being raised about how many infected people are still getting on planes. She said airlines need to do a better job checking passengers for symptoms.

“It is not just flights from the U.S., I will note. There are flights from other countries, but there are also internal flights. We’ve had people who were actually sick on the flight coming in from Toronto, other parts of Canada, so yes, these are things that cause me great consternation.”

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She added, airlines also need to find better ways to track of who sat where.

“To be able to more efficiently identify people that are within rows of somebody who has developed symptoms. Those are things that would be really helpful.”

Henry also said no one with symptoms should be getting on a plane in the first place. She suggests there be more “flexibility” for sick customers who need to cancel flights.

“All of the airlines need to have processes in place to screen out people, but we need to be honest about it and part of that means, if we are not feeling well, we need to have the ability to postpone or change our flights.”

One of the latest warnings was about a flight from Kelowna on July 6 where at least 17 cases have been linked to people partying together on or around Canada Day.

There are now 209 active cases in B.C. with five of the 14 patients hospitalized in critical care.