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BCCDC identifies 19 new Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­flights for possible COVID-19 exposure

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.
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The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is warning airline passengers they may have been exposed to COVID-19 on multiple recent Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­flights.  Photo: yvrairport / Instagram

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is warning airline passengers they may have been exposed to COVID-19 on multiple recent Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­flights. 

On Monday, Nov. 9, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ shared five new Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­flights that were added to the list of potential COVID-19 public exposures.

Since then, the following 19 new flights have been added to the BCCDC's list of affected flights:

  • Oct 22: Lufthansa 492, Frankfurt to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­(Rows 22 - 27)
  • Oct 27, Air Canada 226, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­to Calgary (Rows 1 -7)
  • Oct 27, Air Canada 855, London to Vancouver  (Rows 20 - 26)
  • Oct 28, WestJet 164, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­to Edmonton (Rows 17 - 23)
  • Oct 29: Air Canada/Jazz 8084, Seattle to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­(Rows 
  • Oct 30: Air Canada 114, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­to Toronto (Rows 43.- 49)
  • Oct 30: Aeromexico 696, Mexico City to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­(Rows 13 - 19)
  • Oct 30: Air Canada Flight 25, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­to Incheon (Rows 50 - 55)
  • Oct 31, Alaska Airlines 3304, Seattle to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­(Rows 18 - 21)
  • Nov 1, Air Canada 314, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­to Montreal (Not reported)
  • Nov 2, WestJet 711, Toronto to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­(Rows 14 - 20)
  • Nov 2: Flair 8157, Toronto to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­(Rows 29 - 32)
  • Nov 3, Air Canada 305, Montreal to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­(Not reported)
  • Nov 3: Air Canada 8418, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­to Kelowna (Rows 1 - 7)
  • Nov 3: WestJet 706, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­to Toronto (Rows 25 - 29)
  • Nov 4: United Airlines 1641, Denver to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­(Rows 22 - 27)
  • Nov 4, Air Canada 106, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­to Toronto (Rows 25 - 29)
  • Nov 4, Air Canada 123, Toronto to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­(Rows 31 - 35)
  • Nov 5: WestJet 0129, Calgary to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­(Rows 4 - 10)

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. Those travelling from outside of Canada, meanwhile, must arrive prepared with a 14-day self-isolation plan. 

The country's two largest airlines ended their onboard seat distancing policies on July 1, raising health concerns amid a pandemic that has devastated the travel industry.

On social media, a few people ask why airlines are permitted to ignore physical distancing protocol while other businesses must adhere to them; others simply say they won't travel with airlines that don't have distancing policies in place. 

Currently, the Government of Canada states that you should avoid all travel outside of the country until further notice due to the COVID-19 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."

With files from The Canadian Press and Lindsay William-Ross.