Emirates Airlines and Dubai authorities have set the stage in the aviation industry for the way it has carried out their testing capacities for Covid-19 - and now they have launched new measures on rapid testing for plane passengers which can generate results in just a matter of minutes.
Around the globe, airports have applied thermal screening technology in addition to health questionnaires but Emirates' method is one of the first times that passengers have been subjected to a full on-the-spot coronavirus analysis.
Passengers on their flight to Tunisia on Wednesday were subjected to a blood check before leaving Dubai, Emirates Airlines disclosed in a release. Results were released within 10 minutes.
The Gulf carrier claimed it was the first to perform the fast blood checks. According to Chief Operating Officer Adel Al Redha, Emirates plans to apply the tests to other flights. To passengers traveling to countries needing Covid-19 test certificates, the procedure would provide quick confirmation, Redha said.
Earlier this month, Emirates Airlines resumed limited commercial flights after the United Arab Emirates grounded all passenger planes The flights are available to foreign nationals who wish to exit the country, but no incoming passengers will be authorized.
The number of Covid-19 cases in the UAE has been climbing since the emirati government applied mass testing. Of the more than 648,000 tests performed across the region, over 4,900 have been found to have contracted the disease as of late Wednesday.
A small number of testing facilities and slow delivery of results have impeded attempts in many countries around the world to identify and contain the virus. It is not yet confirmed if the new testing procedure will now be compulsory for all Emirates passengers, although preparations are being made at the airport to scale up the training program.
Unlike regular Covid-19 testing involving an unpleasant nasal swab and other laboratory examination that can take 1 to 2 days (sometimes longer) for the results, the Emirates and Dubai Health Authority procedure was a simple pin prick blood test, which was fast and convenient.
Etihad Airways, another major carrier in the UAE, is considering applying a new touchless self-service equipment at its central airport in Abu Dhabi to identify passengers with health issues, including the early signs of the novel coronavirus.
Emirates has also announced massive cleaning and disinfection of its aircraft will be conducted in Dubai after each flight. The carrier has implemented a sweeping clampdown, including flight ban and closure of borders, department stores, entertainment centers, and supermarkets.
