government has not released data on how many flights have included a passenger who later tested positive for COVID-19. ![]() A spokeswoman for the organization said it is reviewing the CDC’s new study.Įxposure on flights could be more common than most Americans realize. In that time, more than 1 billion people had traveled by plane. It is not clear how many people have contracted COVID-19 from traveling by plane throughout the pandemic.Ī November report from the International Air Transport Association said there had only been 44 confirmed or possible cases of COVID-19 associated with a flight since the beginning of 2020. Researchers noted that passengers could face more risk if they remove their masks to eat or drink, and transmission could also occur before or after a flight. ![]() ”īut these studies, too, had limitations. “Researchers said passengers could face more risk if they remove their masks to eat, and transmission could occur before or after a flight. Transport Command and by the Harvard School of Public Health Aviation Public Health Initiative have both indicated that the wearing of masks and air-filtration systems in place on flights significantly reduce the possibility of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 on a flight. “Multiple scientific studies confirm that the layers of protection significantly reduce risk, and research continues to demonstrate that the risk of transmission onboard aircraft is very low,” Airlines for America told MarketWatch. Those precautions include requirements to wear masks, enhanced cleaning procedures, and stipulating that passengers fill out health attestations before their trips. How easily does COVID-19 spread on flights?įor their part, Airlines for America and the International Air Transport Association, another industry organization, both pointed to research suggesting that the precautions airlines have implemented have kept travelers safe amid the pandemic. Multiple airlines referred MarketWatch to Airlines for America, an industry trade group, for comment. “We do not currently have plans to change any of our existing seating policies.”Ī spokeswoman for Allegiant noted that the company “has taken a multi-layered approach to our onboard health and safety program.” “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve worked closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, local government, and our industry peers to ensure we’re maintaining top health and safety measures,” a spokeswoman for Sun Country told MarketWatch. Some airlines have opted against blocking certain seats throughout the pandemic, including United Had policies that reduced capacity overall on flights without singling out middle seats, but generally those policies have also since been allowed to expire. “Some airlines have opted against blocking certain seats, including United, Allegiant, Spirit and Sun Country. “The impact of masking also was not considered in the current aerosol analysis because masks are more effective at reducing fomite and droplet exposures than aerosol exposures,” the CDC’s new study stated. In January, the CDC issued an order requiring travelers to wear masks throughout their trips, including onboard flights, when boarding or disembarking the plane and when waiting at the airport. The CDC’s new analysis was based on experiments conducted for a separate study back in 2017, before mask-wearing became commonplace. Notably, the study did not consider the effectiveness of mask-wearing in combatting the spread of COVID-19 on flights. These other particles include droplets, which are larger than aerosols, and fomites, pathogens found on surfaces that are not believed to be a common way in which the SARS-COV-2 virus spreads. The study only assessed the spread of aerosols, tiny airborne particles that the CDC has previously said play a role in spreading COVID-19, and it did not examine the role played by other particles that could spread the virus. “Physical distancing of aircraft passengers, including through policies such as middle seat vacancy, could provide additional reductions in SARS-COV-2 exposure risk,” the report noted. ![]() ![]() It is not yet clear to what extent reducing exposure actually decreases the risk of transmission, the CDC added. ” - Center for Disease Control and Prevention report “Physical distancing of passengers, including through policies such as middle seat vacancy, could reduce SARS-COV-2 exposure risk.
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