Do we need a 14-day quarantine for the novel coronavirus? New study at Pearson Airport aims to find out

A new study at Toronto's Pearson International Airport will examinequarantine periods for travellers to determine whether 14 days in isolation is necessary to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Starting Thursday, passengers disembarking from international flights at Canada's largest airport will be invited to participate in the voluntary researchconducted by McMaster HealthLabs (MHL), a non-profit organization made up of scientists and doctors from Hamilton's McMaster University, the Research Institute of St. Joseph's Hamilton and other Canadian schools.

"Quarantine was put in place when [COVID-19] was a mysterious disease and 14 days seemed to be a safe way of protecting people," said Dr. Marek Smieja, a medical microbiologist and professor at McMasterwho co-authored the study.

MHL has also partnered with Air Canada and the Greater Toronto Airports Authority to create the study.

Several months into the pandemic, this is now the time to reassess thequarantine period and see if it still makes sense, saidSmieja.

"Today, we know an awful lot more about this disease, we have excellent lab tests to help guide us, and we think it's a good time to ask the question: do we need a long quarantine?" he said.

The researchers will ask volunteers to provide a swab sample when leaving the airport, along with two self-collected samples at the seven-day and 14-day mark during the government-mandated quarantine, Smieja explained.

Researcherswantto learn how often these travellers testpositive for the novel coronavirus at seven days and 14 days and whether that data could be used to influence quarantine policies in the future, Smiejasaid.

Participants will find outtheir tests results within 48 hours after their sample is tested at the Research Institute of St. Joe's Hamilton.

Those who test negative will have to remain in quarantine, and those who test positive will have to visit an assessment clinic for another swab and public health professionals will follow up, said Smieja.

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Canada's chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says officials are looking into whether it's practical to test people for COVID-19 when they enter Canada instead of requiring them to quarantine.

Scientists will have some data within a month, and most of the information they needwithin six to eight weeks.

"This is meant to inform the discussion of whether the quarantine, and the methods we have for keeping people safe...if the data supports that or not," Smieja said.

The data could also help determine ifan airport-based COVID-19 surveillance program is possible at [Pearson], saidJohn Gilmour, MHL's CEOin a newsrelease.

The studycomes as multiple flights arriving at the airport continue to report positive cases of COVID-19 on board.

Air Canada pushingfor eased restrictions

Air Canada, which is backing the study, urged the federal government to ease travel restrictions last month and get ridthe quarantine period for travellers from regions like the European Union, as those nations have removed the required quarantine period for Canadians.

However, there have been new flare-ups of the novel coronavirus in Europe and some countries there have re-imposed restrictionssince July.

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CBC News has learned the federal government has already spent at least $37 million to cover hotel stays and meals for more than 3,000 people arriving in Canada who can't safely isolate at home.

Thestudy is "extremely important"as it could provide an avenue to reconsider restrictions responsibly, based on science, said Dr. Jim Chung, the chief medical officer at Air Canada, in a newsrelease.

At Pearson Airport Thursday, travellers volunteering for the studytold CBC News they're hoping itcould lead to shorter quarantine periods.

David Keegan, who went to visit his sick mother in Ireland,had to quarantine there for 14 days. He'snow about to start another 14-day quarantine here.

"A month of quarantine for two weeks away," he lamented.

"I'm a Canadian living in Ireland and I'd like to be able to get home easier," said Stephanie Larkin, who had just completed her test at the airport.

A shorter quarantine wouldn't mean she'd opt to travel around the world, she said, but it would make essential travel less painful.

"If they reduce quarantine, it would definitely help."