Cathay Pacific Airways has given its full support to a move by the Hong Kong Government to introduce additional precautionary measures for departing passengers at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA).
Under a new initiative from the Department of Health, all departing passengers will be given a temperature check before passing through Immigration. The move aims to curb the further spread of atypical pneumonia by preventing people who are infected from leaving Hong Kong. Members of the Auxiliary Medical Services will be called in to perform the body temperature checks, using ear thermometers, at special counters set up at the airport.
Cathay Pacific has been fully co-operating with the Department of Health, the Airport Authority, airlines and other related parties to work out the logistics of the new precautionary measure. Details of the scheme will be announced and implemented in the coming week
Cathay Pacific General Manager HKIA Victor Ho says: “This is a sensible move by the Government to prevent those infected with atypical pneumonia from leaving Hong Kong. We will render all assistance in implementing the new precautionary measures and will continue to work closely with Hong Kong Department of Health on the development of the initiative.”
Cathay Pacific has implemented a number of measures to protect passengers and staff since the atypical pneumonia outbreak began. These include issuing travel advisories, screening passengers at check-in, distributing facemasks to passengers inflight and more stringent cleansing of aircraft.
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