3 month old's hands swabbed at security?
Was passing through airport security (Canada) with my 3 month old when I was told we were selected for a "random" search. They swabbed both of our hands. When I objected to her hands being swabbed they just put on a new swab pad. Is this commonplace for babies? What if any chemicals are in the pads? She has her hands in her mouth all the time (I did wash them afterwards with water).
Best Answer
The cotton swabs used in those kinds of procedures are usually sterile and the same suppliers as you would find in a hospital or doctor's office. In a country like Canada, I would expect that those swabs are completely harmless to any individual, no matter newborn or adult.
The swabs are usually used to test for illegal substances(explosives and/or drugs). Here is some info on the machines used.
I had that kind of random search/test done last year September at a german airport as a German citizen (caucasian) so I wouldn't assume any racial profiling.
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Why did the TSA swab my hands?
As CNN explained, the Transportation Security Administration randomly swabs passengers' hands at checkpoints and airport gates to test them for traces of explosives. This was an expansion from simply swabbing luggage and other items.What do they swab for at airport security?
Explosive Trace Detection (Swabbing) Screening officers may swab your carry-on baggage, clothing, shoes or laptop. When a trace of person is required, the screening officer will swab your hands, waist area and foot (or footwear) and then use ETD technology to test for explosives.Three-Month-Old Baby - What to Expect
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