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EK starts rapid COVID testing before flight

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EK starts rapid COVID testing before flight

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Old Apr 16, 2020, 7:28 pm
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by BRITINJAPAN4
OK so lets say one pax is shown positive, does this mean that the whole fight is at risk , the whole airport ?
Somewhat of an overlap between these two probably, but not 100% of either.
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 9:16 pm
  #17  
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Here is the actual press release from EK https://www.emirates.com/media-centr...or-passengers/

In the release, you will notice that it is Dubai Health Authority that is conducting the testing in cooperation with the airport authority who has made a specific area available for this project. They have also implemented ways to ensure social distancing for check in and boarding and have installed protective barriers at check in to help protect staff and passengers.

The tests are conducted in the check in areas before immigration and security so passengers will not be able to sit in the lounges waiting on test results.

Having read the quoted article in the OP, it misses out a lot of the detail. I would advise the nay-sayers to have a look at the linked EK Press release before piling in after reading the Bloomberg one.
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 9:35 pm
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by LifeontheBeach
I agree. There might be infections of other types due to these tests.

Are these medical professionals conducting the tests or airport staff? If the latter, then its like asking a Graphics designer to fix a leaky sink.

Are the needles disinfected/single use?

I'd not choose to subject myself to blood test before I fly.
😂
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 11:00 pm
  #19  
 
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Originally Posted by ericw
If it is a blood test, then it is most likely the antibody test with 80-90% accuracy (I heard most likely false negative instead of false positive).
However, antibody tests do not work for pre-symptomatic or early symptomatic cases when the patients do not produce any antibodies yet.
That's why we heard reports from some European countries that the "rapid test" ordered from China only had 30% accuracy.
Asssume for a moment that I had it and got over it, developed antibodies, and have 0 viral load (undetectable by the method currently being used which is RT-PCR)... I'd test positive on EK's antibody test and not be allowed to fly? This makes no sense since I'd be unlikely to get it or spread it

Theatre.
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 11:27 pm
  #20  
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Originally Posted by Saltire74
Here is the actual press release from EK https://www.emirates.com/media-centr...or-passengers/

In the release, you will notice that it is Dubai Health Authority that is conducting the testing in cooperation with the airport authority who has made a specific area available for this project. They have also implemented ways to ensure social distancing for check in and boarding and have installed protective barriers at check in to help protect staff and passengers.

The tests are conducted in the check in areas before immigration and security so passengers will not be able to sit in the lounges waiting on test results.

Having read the quoted article in the OP, it misses out a lot of the detail. I would advise the nay-sayers to have a look at the linked EK Press release before piling in after reading the Bloomberg one.
As others here and several websites have pointed out, this test is just for publicity and goodwill.
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 11:34 pm
  #21  
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Originally Posted by iFlyMoreThanYou
As others here and several websites have pointed out, this test is just for publicity and goodwill.
That may well be true but the Bloomberg article leaves a lot of detail out leaving only half of the story.

Am not saying what is happening is right or wrong or theatre or whatever. More pointing out that the full report was not posted (not the OP’s fault) but there are other sources that people can check before coming up with wild ideas.
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 11:42 pm
  #22  
Zol
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Originally Posted by LifeontheBeach

Are the needles disinfected/single use?
Are you serious?
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 7:15 am
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by Zol
Are you serious?
I don't take anything from granted. I ask this every time when I go for a flu shot and I never saw the clinic staff offended by this.

They understand that it's my backside on the line, and I will do my due diligence.
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 7:21 am
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by BRITINJAPAN4
OK so lets say one pax is shown positive, does this mean that the whole fight is at risk , the whole airport ?
Good point. It a pax shows positive, and since all other all other pax may have already been in contact with with the one showing a positive, then they have to cancel the whole flight if they're serious about it.
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 9:41 am
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by Zol
Are you serious?
Whilst one would expect the Dubai Health Authority to use a fresh needle, not every country offers this.

For many years, a medical team at LAD (Luanda) used to pull aside incoming passengers without a yellow fever certificate and threaten them with a yellow fever jab with a used syringe. $100 used to get them to produce a certificate for you with no jab. Not sure what happened if you were skint!

The same team also had a desk in the check in hall selling yellow fever certificates (no need for jab) for $20 if you realised you had forgotten yours when flying out.

They must have made millions as they operated for over a decade.
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 8:34 pm
  #26  
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As above, complete theatre https://www.rcpa.edu.au/getattachmen...d-tests-f.aspx
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Old Apr 18, 2020, 2:02 pm
  #27  
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Originally Posted by cargueiro
Whilst one would expect the Dubai Health Authority to use a fresh needle, not every country offers this.

For many years, a medical team at LAD (Luanda) used to pull aside incoming passengers without a yellow fever certificate and threaten them with a yellow fever jab with a used syringe. $100 used to get them to produce a certificate for you with no jab. Not sure what happened if you were skint!

The same team also had a desk in the check in hall selling yellow fever certificates (no need for jab) for $20 if you realised you had forgotten yours when flying out.

They must have made millions as they operated for over a decade.
For some reason I am entirely unsurprised by those 'additional income generating operations' in LAD. Angola has been known as a particularly corrupt country. Which - in Sub Saharan Africa - is saying something.....

But back on the topic of needle (re) use, I would expect civilised countries (and certainly I include the UAE here) would have single use needles. And I would actually expect those needles to be removed from their sterile packaging before use in my presence (as would happen when I go for an injection at my doctor's rooms in my - Sub Saharan - country)
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Old Apr 20, 2020, 12:09 am
  #28  
Zol
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Originally Posted by cargueiro
Whilst one would expect the Dubai Health Authority to use a fresh needle, not every country offers this.

For many years, a medical team at LAD (Luanda) used to pull aside incoming passengers without a yellow fever certificate and threaten them with a yellow fever jab with a used syringe. $100 used to get them to produce a certificate for you with no jab. Not sure what happened if you were skint!

The same team also had a desk in the check in hall selling yellow fever certificates (no need for jab) for $20 if you realised you had forgotten yours when flying out.

They must have made millions as they operated for over a decade.
But we aren't talking about every country or Angola, the thread is specifically about DHA @ DXB
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Old Apr 24, 2020, 6:49 pm
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by LifeontheBeach
I don't take anything from granted. I ask this every time when I go for a flu shot and I never saw the clinic staff offended by this.
They are being polite.
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Old May 4, 2020, 4:11 pm
  #30  
 
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This would be so ridiculous. Not sure folks would be willing to submit to blood tests . And if you are looking for antibodies - then it serves no purpose practically. Time for EK to stop this drama in the name of safety. If mandatory blood tests are implemented on EK flights - guess the option would be to totally avoid EK and fly other airlines.
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