Information
November 2003
Quarantine Services
Quarantine Services at Canadian Airports
Quarantine Officers are stationed at the Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa,
Edmonton, and Halifax international airports.
Approximately 94% of all international airline travellers coming into Canada arrive through
the airports that will be served by Quarantine Services. The hours of operation are such
that quarantine professionals are on site for the arrival of all international flights
at these airports.
Quarantine Officers are Doctors and Nurses
There is one physician Quarantine Officer in Vancouver to supervise the western region
(Manitoba - west) and one physician Quarantine Officer is being recruited for the eastern
region (Ontario - east). Overall supervision is maintained by the Office of Public Health
Security in the Health Canada Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response.
Most airport Quarantine Officers are registered nurses with diplomas in Community Health
and/or degrees in Nursing. Most have significant experience working in public health, emergency,
or primary health care settings.
Responsibilities of Quarantine Officers
Quarantine Officers at Canadian airports have responsibilities that include:
- assessing ill travellers arriving on international flights who are suspected of having,
or having been in contact with, someone with a serious communicable disease;
- assessing the medical and travel histories of travellers who have died in-flight en
route to Canada;
- arranging for the diagnostic assessment of travelers by local health care providers
when necessary under the authority of the Quarantine Act;
- advising appropriate public health authorities when an individual is assessed under
the provisions of the Quarantine Act; and
- maintaining ongoing liaison with the airport authority, other government departments
at the Port of Entry, and with local emergency medical and public health authorities.
If there is a major international outbreak of a serious communicable disease such
as SARS, Quarantine Officers may also:
- perform visual screening of travelers arriving on international flights from an area
affected by this outbreak; and
- assess travelers who are identified by any of a variety of other screening measures,
such as thermal scanning, that are used.
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