Moncton’s Fire Chief remains in self-isolation after learning of the potential for exposure to COVID-19 onboard a WestJet flight.
Conrad Landry says he returned from a trip with his family on March 7th and just this week learned there was a PEI woman onboard who was symptomatic.
Landry also heads up the Emergency Measures Organization for Moncton.
He says this is proof, no one is immune to the risk of this virus, “There’s no exception. We are following the same guidelines that Public Health of Canada and Public Health of New Brunswick are recommending. Because I work in emergency services, I am not any different. I want to help spread the message.”
The advisory from PEI’s Health Minister about Flight 3440, which had flown from Toronto to Moncton, was for passengers in rows 6 through 12.
Landry says he wasn’t in those rows, but he felt they should be taking those precautions anyway,”We could have been in contact with that person during luggage pickup or elsewhere, so we are just not taking a chance. The whole family has isolated themselves in the house until Sunday.”
He says he is feeling fine and so are the other members of his family, with no symptoms.
Landry says he has never dealt with anything like COVID-19 before, “During H1N1, we prepared everyone with a pandemic plan, and SARS hit Ontario quite big, so that was as close as it came, but nothing to this size in New Brunswick. I think the province, the country and Moncton are doing everything right. It is going to happen, we just need to flatten that curve.”
The General Manager of Culture and Recreation for the City of Moncton Catherine Dallaire was also on that flight with her family.
She is also in self-isolation, but a Spokesperson with the City told us, she is also doing well.
