45 more flights with COVID-19 cases at Pearson Airport

Published February 24, 2021 at 6:24 pm

45 more flights with confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported at Pearson Airport in Mississauga recently, the majority of which were international flights that landed at the airport from abroad.

From February 15 to 20, at least 12 flights within Canada were reported arriving at or departing from Pearson.

The remaining 33 flights were international, with only two departing from the airport and 31 landing at Pearson from February 16 to 20.

A number of rows were affected on each flight.

According to the federal government, a row is considered affected if it’s three rows behind or in front of a row where a seated person is confirmed to have COVID-19 “during a period when they may have been infectious to others.”

Passengers who were sitting in the affected rows (or all passengers on the flight if rows aren’t specified) are advised to self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days and contact public health if they start showing symptoms of the virus.

While travellers are reminded to quarantine for 14 days after returning to Canada from abroad, recent information suggests some travellers are simply walking out of the airport and refusing to take the mandatory COVID-19 test or quarantine at a hotel upon arrival, opting for a $750 fine that is cheaper than the quarantine cost.

It’s also reported that Pearson Airport will launch a new COVID-19 testing study for staff and departing travellers, which the Greater Toronto Airports Authority says will allow for widescale workplace testing.

The tests should be available to all airport employees starting March 1 as well as to eligible departing travellers willing to volunteer.

All flight data is listed on the federal government’s website.

With files from The Canadian Press

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