infectious diseases

What infectious diseases can you catch in flight?

The close proximity to other passengers of the plane exposes travelers to the risk of contracting some infectious diseases . These can range from a simple cold to more serious diseases, as happened, for example, in the case of SARS.

Air quality and disinfection and disinfestation standards (to kill insects and other carriers) of aircraft are regulated by international laws stipulated by the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Most newly built airplanes have air recirculation systems, which pass 20-30 times through a series of high efficiency particulate filters (HEPA) that capture 99.9% of the 0.1 particles -0.3 microns in diameter, including bacteria, fungi and large viruses. Periodic ventilations then change the air in the cabin every 20-30 times per hour. As a result, the environment is not conducive to the spread of germs and the risk of getting sick is limited.

Infection transmission can occur between passengers sitting in the same area of ​​the airplane, usually due to coughing or sneezing by the infected person (respiratory droplets and secretions). Furthermore, contagion by direct contact between the two persons or indirect contact with the seat or other contaminated objects of the plane is not excluded. Among the diseases that can be contracted in flight are flu, tuberculosis, measles, rubella, chickenpox, meningitis and mumps.

To minimize the risk of getting sick during air travel, people with an active infectious disease must delay their journey until they have recovered (some airlines refuse the flight to symptomatic passengers). The risk can be further reduced by resorting to mandatory and recommended prophylaxis for the country of departure / arrival. Also, remember to wash your hands regularly and thoroughly (or use an alcohol based hand sanitizer), especially after using the restrooms and before preparing or eating food.