Airplanes –Ticket to Infection?

A majority of reviews done on studies of ‘transmission of infectious diseases in-flight’ agrees that prevention of infections within airplanes boils down to a simple solution-proper ventilation and personal hygiene.

Increasing the ventilation of combined with the use of excellent air filters can considerably bring down the risk of air-borne infections spreading among air travelers. Experts voice the opinion that efficient environmental control systems can remove 63% of airborne disease-causing organisms. Computer generated models indicate that the risk of infection can be cut in half by just doubling the ventilation rate!

Good personal hygiene is an effective preventive measure - both for the self as well as for controlling the spread of an infection. Some simple practices that can be followed in-flight are

• Washing hands frequently (particularly before eating)
• Covering nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing
• Wearing a respiratory mask and being alert to symptoms of illness such as fever or shortness of breath