This CBC article was posted by [MENTION=17074]tracon[/MENTION] on May 11


As to your second question, there have been a number of interesting articles in a variety of publications about the difference in laws and culture in some other countries like Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and others. (SCMP, the Singapore StraitsTimes, BBC, and a variety of medical/scientific journals).

Some writers and scientists were looking to understand why these populations were compliant with using the mandated app for tracking, for contact tracing and for letting the government check on quarantines and so on. Among the answers I read were that some of these populations are trusting in their government, many are compliant, there is a centralized health system in those countries, and so on.

There are a couple of excellent papers out there on how Taiwan had set up much of this infrastructure after SARS 1.0. Similar developments in HKG. Further, some countries required anyone entering the country to download an app permitting tracking etc.

And of course, even with the EU's GDPR, there have been comments from some leaders that they want to look at this going forward.

Perhaps in Canada with the privacy legislation, there are some who don't want their info gathered or shared. Many don't have an issue with the government tacking, tracing or even taking temperatures. Considering all of the health records are stored by the provinces, they are not 100% private - or safe.

I think the issue is some people don't like the idea of Air Canada or its representatives (GAs, FAs), or airport employees, taking it upon themselves to be the determining factors in this new "Health Theatre", and deciding who can board a plane based on what the temperature gun says. These devices are not 100% accurate, body temperature fluctuates as we know, and some people run hot anyway. These new "temperature takers" are not qualified IMHO. Further, some wonder whether AC will be collecting this temperature data, where they may store it, what they may do with it.

I was not bothered by the HKIA security taking my temperature on both of my AC trips in February. It was all very civil and orderly.
But I was bothered by the behaviour of some of the cabin crews on 2 of the 4 flights.

As has been noted here by better posters than me, NONE of this "theatre" is going to ensure that AC employees or pax or airport workers are 100% non-contagious, given that people can be asymptomatic.

If nothing else, from my perspective and working background, this will all be fascinating to watch.
.