You’re packed into a narrow seat at close quarters with hundreds of people breathing the same air in an enclosed metal tube hurtling through the sky at 35,000 feet. It’s a recipe for disease transmission, isn’t it? Actually, according to scientists, you’re better off in a plane than in a classroom or a movie theatre.
It’s certainly a common perception to regard aircraft as a hotbed of infectious germs, and one that gained strength after U.S. Vice President Joe Biden declared on NBC’s ‘Today Show’: “When one person sneezes it goes all the way through the aircraft.” Scientific studies contradict that myth, as does the fact that nearly 2 billion people travel by air each year without major outbreaks of infection.
Here are some facts and advice designed to lessen your fears and minimize your risks.
Photo Credits: Antoski photo, melhi