Coronavirus: Aviation

(asked on 2nd June 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of the 1 June 2020 to Question 45163 on Aviation: Coronavirus, what was the total number of passengers screened during the period in which a form of enhanced covid-19 monitoring was in place from 22 January to 12 March 2020.


Answered by
Nadine Dorries Portrait
Nadine Dorries
This question was answered on 10th June 2020

Symptom screening occurred through an enhanced monitoring process or approximately 250,000 passengers. Inbound passengers were not screened for COVID-19 using laboratory tests.

The enhanced monitoring process encompassed approximately 250,000 passengers. Over the monitoring period, between 22 January and 12 March, 129 ill passengers were identified and 59 of this group were taken for further assessment and COVID-19 testing by the National Health Service. Of the 59, none tested positive for COVID-19.

Enhanced monitoring and enhanced monitoring (by exception) included providing information to passengers through a variety of leaflets and posters at airports, and messaging and announcements in flight. Materials were made available in English and other languages. Enhanced public health protection measures including early warning of any symptomatic passenger in flight and the submission of a General Aircraft Declaration from the flight’s Captain.

Sick passengers who were identified by cabin crew were isolated and then transferred to either NHS hospitals or a specially commissioned facility (such as The London Isolation Centre) and if deemed clinically necessary tested for COVID-19.

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