How frequent flyers are more vulnerable to corona virus?

Wasn’t this a shocking news that commuters who travel with flight are not safe now due to this coronavirus outbreak? In India's COVID-19 count reached 1,98,706 including 97,581 active cases and 5,598 deaths. 95,527 patients have been cured/discharged so far. The disease also proved one thing that yes, we lived in different countries with separate borders but we all are interconnected with each other somehow.

 

The condition is alarming so that Indian Railway which never stops they also had to stop their operations, See the seriousness involved. Aviation Sector in India Stares at Rs 25,000 Crore Loss Due to coronavirus Crisis: Crisil. So, let us see why the condition is so alarming.

When an infected person coughs or sneezes, they shed droplets of saliva, mucus, or other bodily fluids. If a droplets fall on you—or if you touch them and then touch your face—you can be infected also.

These droplets can surely affect the people sitting closer. According to Emily Landon, medical director of antimicrobial stewardship and infection control at the University of Chicago Medicine, the hospital’s guidelines for influenza define exposure as being within the limit of six feet to an infected person. So, we can say Time and Distance matters in this deadly coronavirus days.

Respiratory the disease can also spread through the surfaces in which the droplets fall—like airplane seats and tray tables. How long those droplets last depends both on the droplet and the surface—mucus or saliva, porous or non-porous, for example. Viruses can vary dramatically to survive how long they last on surfaces, from hours or months. Therefore, to reduce its impact dry surface is more preferred.

HOW WINDOW SEATS KEEP YOU SAFE FROM CORONA VIRUS?

While booking your next flight ticket you must hope for a window seat. Because a person sitting in the window side not get infected from the person sitting either side of him. And less chance of getting infected with the persons sitting in front and back of your row.

Many airlines company have used different techniques to bring down the impact of coronavirus like Delta Airlines has begun using a fogging technique with a "highly effective, EPA-registered disinfectant" on certain flights.

In India, the DGCA said in the circular that "All aircraft shall be subjected to disinfection during transit halts when there are no passengers on board"

"In case transit passengers are on board, at least the lavatories and the galleries should be disinfected," it said adding that international flights should be subjected to deep-cleaning and disinfection processes upon arrival in India.

Till now, there is no exact treatment for this Coronavirus outbreak instead we have to follow the basic norms scheduled for us to follow like to practice social distancing, wash your hands regularly, etc. Because Distance that you are facing right now means so little when life means so much.

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-Compiled by Sahil Gupta (MBA in marketing & finance, Sri Balaji University, Pune)