Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Your chances of getting sick in the air soar if your neighbor is ill
How risky is it to fly on an airplane? You may be relieved to learn that the risk of an airplane crash is much smaller than a car accident. But what about the chances of being infected by an airborne virus during a flight? There often are passengers who cough or sneeze around you. How far is safe enough to avoid infection?
An in-flight study was conducted on ten medium-range flights, lasting about four hours or so, in single-row aircraft. Researchers checked the movement of the passengers during the flight and found that about 60% of the passengers left their seats once or more. The more people move, the higher the chances of spreading the virus, including flight attendants. Also, the longer the flight is, the more moves are made to go to the lavatory or just to stretch bodies. The researchers also collected environmental samples before, during and after the flights and tested them for common respiratory viruses. The results were all negative. So, what does the research say?
You may also wonder how contaminated the surfaces of objects you most likely touch during a flight, such as the seat buckle, bathroom lock, lavatory flash button, and tray table.
One researcher says one person's mild sickness may be another person's severe disease. You may not want to be just protective but also preventive.
Enjoy reading and learning what could prevent you and others from getting sick on your next flight.
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