Two women from Chatham who recently returned from Europe are wondering why Canada wasn't doing more at the airport to keep people safe from COVID-19.
Tricia Eskritt Xavier posted a message on Facebook March 26 that said, when she landed the night before, a handful of security guards in masks and gloves at Toronto Pearson International Airport were handing out pamphlets at arrivals about isolating when they returned from overseas, but there were no measures to encourage any social distancing whatsoever inside the airport. She added more can be done here in Canada.
"The staff of Toronto Pearson Airport are our front line of defense to protect the people of Canada when travellers are returning to this country and I am mortified at their behaviour," she said.
Eskritt Xavier flew from Dublin airport to Heathrow in London, England and said Dublin had lines marked on the ground just about everywhere to assist with social distancing and nothing was open for business, not even a coffee shop. Eskritt Xavier added pop and chips were available at vending machines and water fountains were covered up with garbage bags. In London, she said every store and restaurant was closed except for a small convenience-style store where only self-checkout was available with payment by card. The Chatham woman said normally Heathrow is like a huge mall where anything and everything one could want is available yet it was all closed when she went through with tape all over on the ground in public spaces to help with social distancing.
"Given the extremely serious nature of this pandemic these are necessary measures and I saw no one upset or complaining. Everyone understood this was required for their safety," Xavier wrote.
She said the Toronto Airport had stores and restaurants open and lit up like it was business as usual when she landed.
"Seriously, since when was a designer purse an essential service? I was beyond disgusted," said Xavier. "The government is so adamant in the press to say all non-essential services must close, yet Pearson Airport businesses are allowed to be open to sell you luxury makeup, perfume and designer clothes and accessories?"
Eskritt Xavier said March 25 was a long day but she is thankful to be home and starting her 14-day isolation.
The Chatham woman said she was going to contact airport officials in Toronto to share her experience and disgust. She also notified local MPP Rick Nichols, local MP Dave Epp, Premier Doug Ford, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
When asked if she was questioned during screening, Eskritt Xavier replied "Screened???? We weren't screened for anything! Anywhere!"
"When the plane landed somebody came on on the speaker on the plane before we disembarked and said if you're not feeling well or showing signs of the virus please talk to one of us," she said. "Otherwise 14 days of isolation. That's it."
Sophie Farrugia of Chatham had a similar experience at the airport in Toronto when she returned from Glasgow on March 26 after working there since August 2019. She said there were many people coming inside the Toronto terminal to pick up passengers and not staying outside to minimize the risk of infection.
"I felt as though what was being portrayed on the news as to what they were doing at the Toronto airport was far more preventative as to what actually happened," Farrugia said. "No one took my temperature, the only measure they had as to if people were symptomatic was their word."
Farrugia said the Toronto airport was dead and all internal businesses were closed with security officers handing out flyers to every passenger on self-quarantine measures and asking questions about travel history and symptoms but she didn't see anyone wiping down the self-serve kiosks after each use.
She added she is out around $2,000 because her trip was cut short due to COVID-19 and she isn't getting refunded.
A spokesperson for Toronto Pearson said the airport has been taking many measures to promote physical distancing, and its agency partners are working hard to process passengers as quickly and safely as possible, but passenger behaviour is proving difficult to change.
In an email to Blackburn News, Tori Gass, Senior Communications Advisor, said the safety measures they had taken at that point included:
- On March 15, we began holding planes on the tarmac and at gates to help control the flow of passengers
- Reconfiguring stanchions to create more space between passengers in line-ups in customs halls
- Adding signage throughout the airport
- Adding overhead announcements continually throughout the day in all areas of the airports
- Adding messaging to the airport's website and sharing on its social media channels
- Removing seating or spacing seats apart in our eateries to discourage groups gathering together
Toronto Pearson said it is also working closely with Health Canada and Canada Customs to ensure that arriving passengers are safely, effectively and efficiently screened. A spokesperson for the airport added it has recently enhanced cleaning procedures to keep employees and passengers safe and is asking the public to keep a safe distance from others when picking up baggage and isolating for 14 days if arriving from another country.
"The safety of our passengers and our employees is always our top priority. That’s why we’ve invested in additional cleaning hours, additional hand sanitizer stations at key locations, enhanced disinfection of washrooms and regular disinfection of passenger processing kiosks and handrails," a message from Toronto Pearson said.