Passenger with coronavirus removed from Ryanair flight by staff in hazmat suits

A passenger was removed from a flight by staff in hazmat suits after it emerged they had coronavirus.

The Ryanair London Stansted to Pisa was due to depart on Wednesday when a passenger received a text just after taking his seat that said he had tested positive for COVID-19.

A video posted on Twitter showed three staff wearing head-to toe protection gear including full-face gas masks talking to the passenger.

Other passengers were all looking on at what was happening while a flight attendant tried to assist.

Ryanair said the passenger and his companion were only onboard for 10 minutes before they were taken off the plane and put in an isolation area at the airport where they were assisted by local health authorities.

Read more: How government payments for self-isolating in high-risk local lockdown areas will work

They added because the passenger had fully followed the rules and was wearing a mask: “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 plane departed an hour and 20 minutes late after the empty seats and overhead cabin storage was thoroughly disinfected.

Ryanair apologised to all those affected by the delay.

The passenger has not been named but it is possible they breached coronavirus restrictions by not self-isolating while awaiting the result of their coronavirus test.

Read more: Manchester bans outdoor bank holiday drinking under renewed lockdown

Current guidance by the government states if you have been in contact with someone who been confirmed to have COVID-19 you must self isolate for 14 days.

You must also self isolate if you have symptoms, live with someone who has symptoms or someone in your support bubble has symptoms.

If you get a coronavirus test because you have symptoms you must self isolate until you get the result.

However, it says if you think you have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 but they have not had it confirmed, you do not need to self-isolate - although you should take extra care.

Read more: WHO warns young people flouting lockdown rules could lead to spike in deaths

Italy is currently one of the few countries Britons can visit without having to self isolate when they return.

The government took Switzerland, Jamaica and The Czech Republic off the exemption list on Thursday.

Anyone in those countries who does not arrive back in the UK before 4am on Saturday must enter self-isolation when they land.

Several have already faced similar measures including Spain, France, and the Netherlands.

Italy has seen a recent uptick in cases but it is nowhere near as bad as it was at the start of the pandemic and is relatively low compared to many of its European neighbours.

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