Coronavirus: Is it safe to fly now?

Gulf News

Air travel has been associated with the spread of new emerging viruses, both via importation of cases and through in-flight transmission. So can you get sick if you sit close to someone who is infected?  See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos  Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km  #Dubai #travel #airtravel

Transcript

00:00Before COVID-19 crippled global travel, the airline industry used to move about 5.5 million passengers per day.

00:09Now, up to 95% of the world's commercial planes are grounded.

00:15Air travel has been associated with the spread of new emerging viruses, both via importation of cases and through in-flight transmission.

00:25So we answer some frequently asked questions.

00:30Will I get sick if I sit next to or close to someone who's infected?

00:36A study published on the Annals of Global Health shows the risk of sitting next to an infected individual on a passenger plane is around 6%,

00:46and that is if you are seated within two rows of the infected person.

00:52Well, what about the transmission rate on board?

00:56A study published in the Epidemiology states that out of 4,252 passengers, in which 2,161 were traceable passengers,

01:07they identified 163 secondary cases.

01:12So the overall transmission rate was 7.5%.

01:17What exactly is the two-row rule for infectious diseases transmissions on aircrafts?

01:25Well, it's a rule based on the assumption that with air travel,

01:29most respiratory infectious diseases is associated with sitting within two rows of an infectious passenger.

01:37Is there some kind of on-board ventilation or filtration system?

01:43Yes, a WHO study stated that the ventilation system on board of an aircraft plays a crucial role in keeping infectious diseases at bay.

01:54A functional ventilation system, high efficiency particulate air filters, and a high exchange rate of air, as in 15 times per hour,

02:04is assumed to be even more preventative than negative pressure isolation rooms for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis cases.

02:15So what's the risk of disease being transmitted on board of an aircraft?

02:20Well, the quick answer is it's difficult to determine.

02:24However, researchers state that the environmental control systems used in commercial aircraft seem to restrict the spread of airborne pathogens,

02:33and the perceived risk may be greater than the actual risk.

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