Julie Johnsson
January 29, 2009
Touch tray table. Touch mouth or eyes. Repeat.Those simple actions are a great way to pick up cold and flu viruses onboard an airplane, particularly this time of year when respiratory infections run rampant, said Dr. Michael Smith, chief medical editor with WebMD.com.Airplanes teem with common germs and bacteria found anywhere large numbers of people crowd into small places.But contrary to popular belief, germs at 40,000 feet are most frequently transmitted by touch rather than through the heating and cooling systems that circulate air through the cabin.A fellow passenger with a respiratory virus "touches something with their contaminated hand, you come along behind them and touch it," Smith said. While cold and flu viruses are airborne, "unless someone is sneezing or coughing in your face, that's not how most people contract these infections."It follows that airplane surfaces most frequently touched by passengers—tray tables, armrests, lavatory interiors—are the areas where microbes are likeliest to thrive. Some germs survive for several hours or longer on surfaces.By following a few simple steps, passengers can reduce common health risks on airplane flights, Smith said.•Don't touch your mouth or your eyes. "The germ is just not going to jump up from the countertop into your nose," Smith said. "It's the person putting it there."•Use a paper towel to open a lavatory door after you've washed your hands. It's the best way to avoid the unsavory tidbits lingering on bathroom door handles used by scores of people.•Stay hydrated. Humidity in an airplane cabin is typically very low, from 10 percent to 20 percent, drying out nasal passages and increasing the risk of respiratory infection.•Don't be shy. If you're seated next to someone with a raging cold, ask to move to an empty seat, if there is one. "If you're near somebody coughing and sneezing, moving only a couple of rows away makes a difference," Smith said.
Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune
January 29, 2009
Touch tray table. Touch mouth or eyes. Repeat.Those simple actions are a great way to pick up cold and flu viruses onboard an airplane, particularly this time of year when respiratory infections run rampant, said Dr. Michael Smith, chief medical editor with WebMD.com.Airplanes teem with common germs and bacteria found anywhere large numbers of people crowd into small places.But contrary to popular belief, germs at 40,000 feet are most frequently transmitted by touch rather than through the heating and cooling systems that circulate air through the cabin.A fellow passenger with a respiratory virus "touches something with their contaminated hand, you come along behind them and touch it," Smith said. While cold and flu viruses are airborne, "unless someone is sneezing or coughing in your face, that's not how most people contract these infections."It follows that airplane surfaces most frequently touched by passengers—tray tables, armrests, lavatory interiors—are the areas where microbes are likeliest to thrive. Some germs survive for several hours or longer on surfaces.By following a few simple steps, passengers can reduce common health risks on airplane flights, Smith said.•Don't touch your mouth or your eyes. "The germ is just not going to jump up from the countertop into your nose," Smith said. "It's the person putting it there."•Use a paper towel to open a lavatory door after you've washed your hands. It's the best way to avoid the unsavory tidbits lingering on bathroom door handles used by scores of people.•Stay hydrated. Humidity in an airplane cabin is typically very low, from 10 percent to 20 percent, drying out nasal passages and increasing the risk of respiratory infection.•Don't be shy. If you're seated next to someone with a raging cold, ask to move to an empty seat, if there is one. "If you're near somebody coughing and sneezing, moving only a couple of rows away makes a difference," Smith said.
Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune
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