McMaster HealthLabs (MHL) announced this month it is rolling out COVID-19 testing of arriving international passengers at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) as part of a new study co-sponsored by Air Canada and the airport.
The month-long research project will involve volunteers who will be tested on arrival—receiving their results back within 48 hours—then sent home with two additional testing kits that they are taught how to use, taking more samples after seven and fourteen days of quarantining. The data collected will remain confidential and will be anonymously aggregated for the purpose of the study.
This study will be among the largest of its kind and will seek to examine the number and percentage of arriving international passengers who test positive for COVID-19 during the federal government’s quarantine period. The findings of the study may be useful to the Government of Canada in its decision-making to control the spread of COVID-19 and in exploring policy options.
Initially, only passengers arriving from international destinations in Terminal 1 will be able to take part in the voluntary study and no traveler has to take part if they do not wish.
