b'64 YYZOPERATIONSThe airport reconfigured an existing lab from a previous project for its current wastewater pilot. Were trying to prove that we can test and have the results in aWhen airports such as Toronto Pearson International establish much shorter time on a regular basis, perhaps 24 hours or less. an early warning system, they become active partners [in MacIntosh and Qadir emphasize that safeguarding publicsafeguarding their travelers and their facilities], Qadir explains. health is the overriding priority, but ancillary benefits are emergingAt the same time, they have the most technologically advanced as well. Utilizing such tests as wastewater, were able to monitortesting available to make informed decisions on their own. for COVID and its variants without having an invasive or intrusiveDemonstrating the ability to respond nimbly to the ever-process and with an easy flow for our passengers, MacIntoshchanging landscape of public health, GTAA recently expanded its says. It allows them to have the experience they want whilewastewater surveillance pilot to include screening for mpox. we are able to monitor many health issues that airports,All told, the project at YYZ has been as complex as it is municipalities and countries may face. important. For the sake of industry esprit de corps, MacIntosh offers insight that may help other airports considering similar Powerful Tool programs: If you want to take an innovative stance, then look Project stakeholders point out the strategic value of securing earlyto things such as weve done, or other approaches, that can data about potentially emerging health threatssupport the continued improvement of the health and well-Public health authorities around the world are currentlybeing of passengers in their travel. We want to be part of the working to safeguard airports and their travelers by providingdevelopment of the technology to do that. detection tools for SARS-COV-2 and its variants, Qadir says.Regarding GTAAs motivating force, MacIntosh says its all (But) most of the time their resources are stretched thin, andabout keeping passengers safe through the course of normal their testing methods are not comprehensive enough to establishoperations. But we cant do that in the way we did it two years an early warning system, which is key in informing about newago, he laments. threats. Indeed, the pilot project at YYZ may be the shape of things to The extremely promising project at YYZ that leverages targetedcome at other airports metagenomic sequencing shows there is another way, he adds. March | April 2023AirportImprovement.com'