CS 316346-A 04/23/2020

What Airline Workers Need to Know about COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a 

respiratory illness caused by a virus called

SARS-CoV-2. Symptoms often include a 

fever, cough, or shortness of breath. Our 

understanding of how the virus spreads 

is evolving as we learn more about it, so 

check the CDC website (https://www.cdc.gov/

coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/howcovid-spreads.html) or the latest information.

The virus is thought to spread mainly from

person-to-person:

Between people who are in close contact

with one another (within about 6 feet).

Through respiratory droplets produced

when an infected person coughs, sneezes,

or talks.

Recent studies indicate that the virus can be spread by 

people before they develop symptoms (pre-symptomatic) 

or who never develop symptoms (asymptomatic). It 

also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by 

touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and 

then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their 

eyes. However, this is not thought to be the main way the 

virus spreads. Older adults and people of any age who have 

serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher 

risk for more serious complications (https://www.cdc.gov/

coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-athigher-risk.html) from COVID-19.

CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings (https://

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/

diy-cloth-face-coverings.html) in public settings where 

other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, 

especially in areas of significant community-based 

transmission. Cloth face coverings may prevent people 

who don’t know they have the virus from transmitting it 

to others. These face coverings are not surgical masks or 

respirators and are not appropriate substitutes for them in 

workplaces where masks or respirators are recommended 

or required.

cdc.gov/coronavirus

AIRPORT PASSENGER ASSISTANCE WORKERS

6 ft

As an airport passenger assistance worker, how 

can I protect myself?

As an airport passenger service worker, potential 

sources of exposure can occur from assisting, 

transporting, or escorting a person with COVID-19 and 

their belongings or by touching your mouth, nose,

or eyes. 

• Limit the amount of time you are in close contact 

(closer than 6 ft) with others, including passengers 

you are assisting, to the extent feasible.

• Provide a facemask to any visibly sick person 

you are assisting if one is available and they can 

tolerate it. Ask them to cover their mouth and 

nose with tissues when coughing or sneezing. 

Follow employer’s guidelines for additional steps 

as required. 

• Practice routine cleaning and disinfection of 

frequently touched surfaces. These include 

wheelchair handles, motorized carts, other 

transportation and assistive devices, and 

communication systems such as two-way radios, 

tablets, or other mobile devices. Follow the 

directions on the cleaning product’s label.

• Follow your employers’ normal guidance for 

handling service/support animals.

• Proper hand hygiene (https://www.cdc.gov/

handwashing/index.html) is an important infection 

control measure. Wash your hands regularly with 

soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and 

water are not readily available, use an alcoholbased hand sanitizer containing at least

60% alcohol.

• Key times to clean hands in general include: 

» Before, during, and after preparing food

» Before eating food

» After using the toilet

» After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing 

Accessible version: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/airport-passenger-assistance-workers.html
cdc.gov/coronavirus

As an airport passenger assistance worker, how can 

I protect myself? (continued)

• Additional times to clean hands on the job include: 

» Before and after work shifts

» Before and after work breaks 

» Between escorting, transporting, or providing 

assistance to passengers

» After touching frequently touched surfaces

» After putting on, touching, or removing cloth

face coverings

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with 

unwashed hands.

What steps should my employer take?

Your employer should develop a COVID-19 health and 

safety plan to protect employees. This plan should be 

shared with you and your coworkers. Your

employer should:

• Take steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 

if an employee is sick (https://www.cdc.gov/

coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-whensick.html). Actively encourage sick employees to stay 

home. Sick employees should not return to work until 

the criteria to discontinue home isolation are met 

(https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/

disposition-in-home-patients.html), in consultation 

with healthcare providers and state and local

health departments. 

• Provide information on who to contact if employees 

become sick. 

• Implement flexible sick leave and supportive policies 

and practices. Consider drafting non-punitive 

emergency sick leave policies if sick leave is not 

offered to some or all employees. 

• Designate someone to be responsible for responding 

to COVID-19 concerns. Employees should know who 

this person is and how to contact them.

• Provide training on proper hand washing (https://

www.cdc.gov/handwashing/index.html) practices 

and other routine infection control precautions. 

This will help prevent the spread of many diseases, 

including COVID-19.

• Provide employees with accurate information about 

COVID-19, how it spreads, and risk of exposure.

• Provide employees with appropriate personal 

protective equipment (PPE) when necessary, taking 

into account potential PPE shortages, and provide 

training on using the PPE.

• Provide employees with access to soap, clean running 

water, and drying materials, or alcohol-based hand 

sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol at

their worksite. 

• Provide disposable disinfectant wipes so that 

commonly touched surfaces can be wiped down 

by employees. For disinfection, use products that 

meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2

(https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/listn-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2), diluted 

household bleach solutions, or alcohol solutions 

with at least 70% alcohol, and are appropriate for the 

surface. Follow manufacturer’s directions for use.

• Provide tissues for ill passengers and no-touch 

disposal receptacles for use by employees.

• Conduct frequent cleaning of employee break rooms, 

rest areas, and other common areas.

• Place posters that encourage staying home when 

sick (https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceuticalinterventions/tools-resources/educational-materials.

html), covering coughs and sneezes (https://www.

cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/etiquette/coughing_

sneezing.html) and washing hands often (https://

www.cdc.gov/handwashing/materials.html) at the 

entrance to the workplace and in other workplace 

areas where they are likely to be seen.

• Follow all applicable federal regulations and public 

health agency guidelines.

Where can I get more information?

Stay informed. Talk to your employer, supervisor, union 

representative, or airport personnel who are responsible 

for responding to COVID-19 concerns. See these sources 

for more information on worker exposures to COVID-19:

CDC Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers 

to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 

2019 (COVID-19) website: https://www.cdc.gov/

coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-businessresponse.html

NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic website:

www.cdc.gov/niosh/emres/2019_ncov.html

CDC COVID-19 website:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/

OSHA COVID-19 website: www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/

controlprevention.html

CDCINFO: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) |

TTY: 1-888-232-6348 | website: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/

dcs/ContactUs/Form