Public Advisory: Department Asking Passengers to Call 811 to Arrange COVID-19 Testing

  • Health and Community Services

December 20, 2020

The Department of Health and Community Services has issued several flight advisories this weekend because of recent travel-related cases of COVID-19.

The public should be reassured that when these flight advisories are issued, it is being done by Public Health out of an abundance of caution.

In order to identify cases of COVID-19 in the province, it is important for passengers who have travelled here on the identified flights to come forward for testing. Testing helps Public Health identify cases and starts the contact tracing process, which helps to reduce the risk of spread.

Passengers who have travelled on any of the flights listed below are asked to please call 811 to arrange testing:

  • Air Canada Flight 8862 from Halifax to Gander that arrived Monday, December 7;
  • Air Canada Flight 690 from Toronto to St. John’s that arrived Friday, December 11;
  • Air Canada Flight 8862 from Halifax to Gander that arrived Friday, December 11;
  • Air Canada Flight 8862 from Halifax to Gander that arrived Tuesday, December 15;
  • Air Canada Flight 690 from Toronto to St. John’s that arrived Tuesday, December 15; and,
  • Air Canada Flight 690 from Toronto to St. John’s that arrived Thursday, December 17.

People arriving to the province are reminded to follow the Special Measures Orders of the Chief Medical Officer of Health for isolation requirements. Even if someone receives a negative test result, Public Health encourages all passengers to continue monitoring themselves for symptoms for a full 14 days from the time of their arrival in the province.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

  • Fever (or signs of a fever, including chills, sweats, muscle aches, lightheadedness);
  • Cough;
  • Headache;
  • Sore throat;
  • Painful swallowing;
  • Runny nose;
  • Diarrhea;
  • Loss of sense of smell or taste;
  • Unexplained loss of appetite; or,
  • Small red or purple spots on the hands and/or feet.

For the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19, please visit: www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19.

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Media contact
Tina Newhook
Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 728-2837
tinanewhook@gov.nl.ca

2020 12 20 2:15 pm