Empower Clinics steps up to make air travel safer in the coronavirus era, thanks to new agreement with SimpliFlying

Empower Clinics Inc (CSE:CBDT) (OTCQB:EPWCF) (FRA:8EC) is gearing up to help make air travel safer in the pandemic era, thanks to a new deal with leading aviation marketing firm SimpliFlying.  The Vancouver-based company announced Monday it had signed a memorandum of understanding with the aviation consulting group to provide COVID-19 testing support for airlines and travel bubbles.  SimpliFlying works with major aviation groups like American Airlines, Turkish Airlines, LATAM Airlines, Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Toronto Pearson Airport. The group is also working closely with airlines on travel bubbles that involve testing protocols using PCR tests, rapid PCR, rapid antibody and rapid antigen tests throughout the travel supply chain. READ: Empower Clinics KAI Medical Lab to launch FDA-approved saliva-based COVID-19 test on December 15 The group just launched SimpliTested to support the needs of key industries around the globe, in partnership with FDA and CE approved testing providers, reliable labs and cutting-edge exposure notification applications. As part of the MoU, Empower will provide COVID-19 testing support through its recently launched KAI ABC RT-PCR test protocol that differentiates between Influenza A/B and COVID-19, as well as the RT-PCR saliva test and rapid antibody and antigen tests. The firm may also provide additional support for other solutions such as contact tracing technology. For Empower, the agreement helps to solidify its subsidiary KAI Medical Laboratory’s foothold in the US. Empower told investors it is now able to expand phase four of its COVID-19 testing rollout, beginning with in-clinic testing (Phase 1) and culminating with a nationwide roll-out across the United States (Phase 4). Phase 4 will enable Empower to service enterprise level clients, including airlines, hotels, cruise lines and film production studios that require reliable, accurate, fast and mass batch testing capabilities to resume production in a safe and compliant manner. The partnership will bring access to labs across North America to support travellers, allowing airlines and airports the ability to turn around accurate test results quickly, according to SimplyFlying’s CEO Shashank Nigam. Easing travel-related quarantine restrictions Both companies are aiming to help eliminate the current 14-day mandatory quarantine period in Canada by establishing structured testing protocols to confirm that travellers do not have COVID-19. Empower CEO Steven McAuley said the two companies were complementary to each other. “Shashank and team have impressed me with their technical knowledge of the airline, tourism and hospitality industries, they understand exactly what is required to get these key industries back on track, back to work, to get consumers traveling again,” McAuley said in a statement. “Together, utilizing the operational and testing protocols coming to market right now from our wholly owned subsidiary KAI Medical Laboratory, has the potential to make a meaningful and lasting impact on these global industries." Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas