Pilots, cabin crew to be tested routinely for Covid-19
New requirement applies to returning aircrew of the four local airlines and is part of stepped-up precautions
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The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said that aircrew of Singapore carriers returning from regions where travellers are allowed to serve their stay-home notices at their own accommodation will be exempt from Covid-19 testing.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Toh Ting Wei
Pilots and cabin crew working for Singapore carriers will be routinely tested for Covid-19 from Thursday upon their return from overseas.
This is part of stepped-up precautions to guard against the spread of the coronavirus in the community, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said yesterday.
"Existing protocols have been effective in keeping aircrew of Singapore carriers safe as there have been no positive Covid-19 cases among aircrew of Singapore carriers for more than three months," said CAAS.
"However, there is a need for continued vigilance and Covid-19 testing will provide added assurance for crew, their families and the general public that any imported infection can be quickly detected, and given necessary medical treatment promptly."
The last time flight staff were reported to have tested positive was when Singapore Airlines (SIA) said in April that three cabin crew members and a "tech crew member", a term for pilots, were infected with the coronavirus.
The new testing requirement applies to the aircrew of the four local airlines - SIA, SilkAir, Scoot and Jetstar Asia.
The crew will be tested using the polymerase chain reaction test, which is the testing standard used globally to diagnose if someone is currently infected with the coronavirus.
CAAS said that aircrew of Singapore carriers returning from regions where travellers are allowed to serve their stay-home notices at their own accommodation will be exempt from Covid-19 testing.
For example, aircrew that had travelled to mainland China and South Korea will not need to be tested upon their return to Singapore.
Pilots and cabin crew have been taking precautions while working, including donning masks on flights.
They also do not leave the aircraft overseas when working on turnaround flights.
In a layover, they wear masks, observe safe distancing measures and remain in their crew accommodation at all times.
They must be ferried between the airport and their accommodation in dedicated transport.
The authorities have been especially vigilant in some sectors, such as construction, where the incidence of positive Covid-19 results was high.
After the discovery of an infection cluster at Bukit Panjang's transport centre last month, officials announced plans to screen around 11,000 people working in public bus depots and interchanges.
These include all bus drivers as well as employees such as administrative staff.
