Per the CDC's guidelines, anybody who has tested positive for COVID-19 - or even suspects that they have it - must isolate for at least two weeks to help prevent the spread of the virus. However, despite the simple instruction, many people have chosen not to follow the rules.
Now, footage has emerged of a man being removed from a Ryanair flight after reportedly testing positive for the novel coronavirus.
Per BBC News, the video was posted to Twitter by a fellow passenger Fionn Murphy, who captioned the clip: "Ryanair flight to Pisa. Suspected corona boi onboard #Ryanair."
Watch the footage of the man's removal below:In the video, the man can be seen speaking to two people in full hazmat gear before he is removed from the Ryanair plane, which was scheduled to fly from London's Stansted Airport to Pisa on August 26.
After his removal, the staff disinfected his seat and the overhead cabins before the plane was finally able to depart, two hours behind schedule.
Per The Sun, a Ryanair spokesperson said: "A passenger who boarded a flight from London Stansted to Pisa on August 26, received a text message notification before departure that he had tested positive for Covid-19.
"The passenger and his travel companion were immediately offloaded and taken to a Stansted Airport isolation area where they were assisted by local public health authorities.
"Since this passenger and his companion had complied fully with Ryanair health regulations, they were both wearing masks at all times at Stansted Airport and for the very short period (less than 10 minutes) they were seated on the aircraft prior to departure.
"There was little if any risk of Covid-19 transmission to other passengers or crew members as all of whom were also wearing face masks at all times.
"The aircraft departed for Pisa following a delay of 1 hour and 20 mins to allow for the empty seats and overhead cabin bins to be disinfected to comply with all UK health authority guidance. Ryanair apologizes to all passengers for this short delay."
Murphy said: "At this point we started to feel a bit panicked, not knowing if the flight would be canceled, or worse we'd been exposed to the virus.
In an interview with Sky News, a fellow passenger from the flight said that he saw a fire truck make its way towards the plane before the men in hazmat suits entered.
"Once the men came on in hazmat suits, it got frighteningly real. I wanted to get off the flight straight away."
A spokesperson from Stansted Airport said: "The airport were made aware of the passenger by the airline and our fire service attended the aircraft and escorted the passenger (and travel partner) to an isolation area where they were put in contact with Public Health England, who then oversaw the passenger's onward journey."
