The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) is committed to preventing the spread of COVID-19 to passengers, workers and the surrounding communities where they live. As part of a research study, we are pleased to announce that the GTAA is partnering with university-affiliated epidemiologists to study the effectiveness of frequent antigen testing to identify COVID-19 in the workplace.
Starting March 8, 2021, airport workers volunteering to participate in this study will take an antigen test three times per week, scheduled Monday to Friday, for the duration of eight weeks. The program is available to airport workers that are not exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. Testing will be available at the Terminal 1 testing centre.
The research study is supported in part by funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). Testing services are made available at the airport through Fionet, together with Alpha Labs, and OnPoint1 Health, and under the supervision of a licensed medical doctor. Tests used in the Workplace Antigen Testing Study are Panbio antigen, provided by the Government of Ontario.
Rapid antigen tests use bilateral anterior nose swabs, not nasopharyngeal swabs. Antigen tests that give a presumptive positive result will be confirmed with a rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. If a study participant is diagnosed as positive with the PCR test, they will be required to immediately self-isolate and public health will be notified. They will no longer be able to participate in the remainder of the study.
Understand the study
Antigen tests for COVID-19 are inexpensive and provide fast results. In people who have a high amount of the virus, an antigen test can have similar accuracy to PCR-based tests. In people who have a lower amount of the virus, antigen tests may provide falsely negative results.
By testing multiple times per week, over multiple weeks, we can better understand how antigen tests can improve workplace safety by reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19 through quicker identification and isolation of the virus.
This study will produce scientific data that will help inform health and safety policies about possible future workplace testing programs. The findings may also have application to other workplace settings.
Eligibility
We are recruiting 500 airport workers to participate.
Have a personal electronic device capable of connecting to the internet (such as a cell phone)
Any participants that meet the following criteria are ineligible to participate:
Participant unable or unwilling to provide informed consent in the registration process
Currently exhibiting or have exhibited the following symptoms within 14 days of test appointment: Fever, chills, cough or worsening of chronic cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, loss of sense of smell or taste
Current diagnosis of respiratory illness or diagnosis of respiratory illness within 14 days of test appointment
Frequent nosebleeds (more than 2 per month) and/or active nosebleed within 24 hours of the test appointment
Nasal surgery within previous 3 months
Acute facial trauma or injury
Unable, or unwilling, to provide required sample
Investigator believes participant is unsuitable for inclusion in the study (i.e., has serious condition(s) or other reason(s) that could limit their ability to participate in the study; or impact the scientific integrity of the study)
Participate in the study
Starting March 8, 2021:
Let your employer know that you intend to participate in this program
Register through the Fionet Platform
Book your three weekly appointments through your Fionet profile
Arrive for your appointment at the Terminal 1 testing centre
Wait at the Terminal 1 testing centre waiting area for approximately 30 minutes until you get the text or email notification that your results are ready
View your results through your Fionet profile
Results
If your antigen result is negative, return to work as usual and come back for your next appointment in a few days.
On rare occasions, an antigen sample may produce an invalid result. In these instances, you will need to take another antigen test to provide a new sample.
Go to the Testing Information booth and wait for a staff member. They will allow you to skip the line to test again right away.
If your antigen result is positive, you will need to take a confirmatory PCR test.
Until PCR testing becomes available onsite, you will need to go to a public health testing centre for your confirmatory PCR test.
We recommend you leave the airport in a private vehicle.
If you do not have a private vehicle, you may call City Taxi Toronto at 416-740-2222 to be safely transported.
The pick-up location is Terminal 1, Level 1, Door E.
Please note City Taxi Toronto will be using vans where only the furthest back seat is available for use, in order to ensure a safe distance between the positive passenger and the driver.
The cost of the transport is the responsibility of the passenger and is part of the zoned, flat-rate system.
Contact information
Fionet Support Service: 647-490-0371
Questions and answers
No. The Workplace Antigen Testing Study is available on a voluntary basis to airport workers without symptoms of COVID-19.
Yes, to receive a test at the airport as part of this study, your results will be included in the research.
If you do not want your results to be included in the research, do not take a test as part of this study.
The study is voluntary. You can book a private test elsewhere.
Nothing. The Workplace Antigen Testing Study is a free of charge research study and tests are provided by the Government of Ontario.
Yes. You need to create a participant profile that will be used to book an appointment and deliver your results to you, using the Fionet Platform, starting March 8.
Yes. Appointments can be made through the Fionet Platform, starting March 8.
Yes. Please bring:
Your phone or a device so that you can access your Fionet profile digitally.
Your RAIC or Employee ID to verify your identify.
No problem, you are welcome to participate in the study.
Outside of your planned interruption, we ask that you make every effort to participate as close to the study testing expectations as possible so that we can collect adequate data.
We understand that this can come up that may influence your ability to make your appointments.
However, we ask that you make every effort to participate as close to the study testing expectations as possible so that we can collect adequate data.
We ask that you make every effort to attend your appointment, as appointments are limited daily. Not attending could be taking away a slot from someone who needs it.
If you are late to arrive to your appointment, you have missed your slot. You can log in to your Fionet profile to see the next available appointments to rebook.
If you miss your appointment completely, please log in to your Fionet profile to see what other appointments are available to rebook.
Testing for airport workers will be conducted in Terminal 1, sharing the same facility as the outbound departures testing.
The testing facility is located in Terminal 1, Level 2 South Landing. You can access the testing area by entering through the parking garage or inside the terminal.
Parking Garage access is available on Level 5
Terminal building access from Departures – Level 3
Terminal building access from Arrivals – Level 1
The Terminal 1 testing centre is open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00.
The Terminal 1 testing centre is open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00.
You may schedule your testing appointments within that window on a weekly basis.
We recommend scheduling your testing appointments before your shift wherever possible.
The regularly scheduled frequent antigen testing will use a Panbio antigen test.
Bilateral anterior nose swabs (not nasopharyngeal) are used to collect the antigen specimens, administered by a medical professional.
A bilateral anterior swab (anterior tip) goes 1-1.5cm into the nostril, the nurse swirls the swab for 15 seconds and then performs the same procedure on the second nostril. This is a less invasive swab and is preferred by many.
A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is the most common test used in Canada currently. It is looking for genetic material from the virus.
An antigen test is looking for the presence of viral proteins.
The reason they are called rapid is because of the time it takes to give your results.
Your results will be available through your Fionet Platform, starting March 8.
You will receive a notification via text or email (chosen at registration) when your results are ready to view.
Rapid antigen test results are expected to be available within 30 minutes of your testing appointment.
If in the rare instance that your test results are invalid, you should retest again while you’re at the testing centre.
Go to the Testing Information booth and wait for a staff member. They will allow you to skip the line to get your second test right away.
No. If you test positive by PCR test you should no longer participate in the Workplace Antigen Testing Study.
No. Your RAIC will not be taken away, but you will not be able to work and will be required to begin a 14-day isolation period.
No. You are responsible to notify your employer if you have tested positive, with antigen results confirmed by a rapid PCR test, for COVID-19.
If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you are responsible to communicate your results to your employer.
If you employer contributes to the airport wide COVID case log, they will identify positive cases for the log as per the usual process.
This study is available to airport workers on a voluntary basis.
Please contact your employer to understand their policy for sick leave associated with COVID-19 isolation.
If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, please do not come to work and consult public health or your regular medical professional.
Dr. Kevin Schwartz, an infectious disease specialist, is leading the study in association with the technology providers, Luminultra, Response Biomedical, and Abbott Rapid Diagnostics Jena GmbH, and the strategic partners, the GTAA and National Research Council of Canada.
Testing services are made available at the airport through Fionet, together with Alpha Labs, and OnPoint1 Health, and under the supervision of a licensed medical doctor.
Privacy is of critical importance. Program participants will be informed of how their data will be used at the time of registration.
All data is stored in Canada and is not shared outside of pre-approved testing partners that require access to meet the requirements for carrying out the pilot program’s operation. Private personal information will only be retained long enough to meet the requirements of the pilot program.
Participants who test positive will have their contact information and test results shared with the Ontario Laboratories Information System and relevant public health agencies.
Yes. We are offering airport workers parking validation if they use the Terminal 1 parking garage to access the testing centre for their appointment. We will need to take some of your information down for our own auditing purposes.
