B.C. no longer posting COVID-19 exposure notifications for flights
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control is no longer posting notifications about COVID-19 exposures on flights to and from the province.
A message on the centre's website indicates that it has ceased posting exposure notices as of Nov. 16.
"All passengers are required to be fully vaccinated to board a plane, train or cruise ship for domestic travel in Canada as well as to enter Canada from international travel," the message reads.
"Anyone who is travelling should monitor their health before, during and after travel. If you develop symptoms, self-isolate and get tested."
B.C. is not the first province to stop publishing exposure warnings. The federal government's COVID-19 exposure website indicates that Alberta, Ontario and Quebec have all been providing limited information on such cases to the Public Health Agency of Canada for months.
In B.C., the change does not appear to come alongside a decreased volume of coronavirus exposures.
CTV News Vancouver's monthly tracking of flight exposures shows September and October saw B.C.'s second- and third-highest exposure totals, respectively, since the pandemic began. The all-time record was set in August.
CTV News Vancouver tracking of flight exposure notifications since the pandemic began.
Data for November is incomplete, but the rate of posted notifications does not appear to have slowed down significantly, if at all.
As of Nov. 16, there had been a total of 78 flights that took off from or landed at B.C. airports and had a confirmed COVID-19 case on board and had been added to the BCCDC list.
The most recent flight added to the list landed on Nov. 13, but there's typically a lag between when a flight lands and when an exposure notification is posted. Most of the 78 flights on the list for November landed between Nov. 1 and 7.
On just those seven days, there were 62 flights added to the list, a rate of just under nine per day. That would put B.C. on pace for roughly 266 flight exposures this month, on par with September and October.
Studies suggest that the risk of contracting COVID-19 on an airplane is low, though there have been some examples of it happening.
In total, the BCCDC posted exposure notifications about 2,972 flights from the start of the pandemic to Nov. 16.
The vast majority of those - 2,165, or 73 per cent - were domestic flights. The requirement that passengers on domestic flights be fully vaccinated took effect on Oct. 30.
CTV News Vancouver flight exposure tracking.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires at suspected Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
Iran fired air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones, which were suspected to be part of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
In his new book 'As Long as You Need', hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.