Fly above these 5 Air-Travel Dangers

Millions of people waltz through airports and onto jets each year—carrying who-knows-what ghastly maladies with them.  It’s enough to make any germaphobe cringe.  But you can keep this brand of air sickness at bay with these key healthy-travel tips. 

Your biggest threat?  Neighbors. The people sitting beside you, directly in front of you, or in the seat behind are your most-likely sources of exposure to germs, according to a study published in the Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases.  Your best play in this situation?  Self-defense: “If you are sitting next to someone who is coughing, hold a tissue or handkerchief discreetly over your nose/mouth when they do it,” says infectious diseases researcher Abinash Virk, MD, of the Mayo Clinic. 

Also, keep your hands clean and away from your mouth and eyes. “ Hand hygiene is one the most important things you can do to decrease infection risk,” Virk says. ( But if you see a line for the lavatory, wait until it's died down, Virk says—crowding at bathrooms during the flight may expose you to others that you would not normally be close to.) 

Beware the waitWhen you’re on the airplane itself, your risk of respiratory viral infection is highest while sitting at the gate—without the air-conditioning on, Virk says.  This, by the way, is against policy. “ The FAA has a rule that the planes have to have their air-conditioning on while at the gate—based on an influenza outbreak related to such an event decades ago,” says Virk.  If your airplane is starting to feel stuffy, see if the flight attendant can nudge the pilot to fire up the a/c—for both comfort and health reasons. 

Watch out for these touchy spotsTray tables: Use an alcohol wipe and clean the tray table and the remotes, especially on planes that have been used for long trips, says Virk. Magazines: Just how many people have flipped through that SkyMall?  Skip it, unless you can disinfect hands immediately after reading it. Beverages: “Watch out for crew fingers in glasses or lime wedges used to serve drinks,” says Virk.  Ask for your own can, so you can pour it yourself, and pass on the citrus since it most likely has not been washed. 

Breathe easyThe air is heavily filtered in almost all large modern aircraft.  The HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters remove dust, vapors, bacteria, fungi and droplets containing viruses.  The air is re-circulated, but more frequently than in most office environments—15 to 20 air exchanges per hour, compared with 12 air exchanges per hour in typical buildings. 

In the airport, keep your hands to yourself The risk of picking up something is probably higher in the airports, thanks to all the handrails, lines, chairs, door knobs, etc.,  than it is in the air. ( Unless your seatmate is sick.)  So watch out for those hotspots while hustling to your gate.  This includes the security line, of course.  According to Virk, taking your shoes off is actually a minimal risk for infections—it’s just more of an “ick” factor.  Wear socks to decrease any risk of stepping on damp places, which might harbor bacteria.  Those x-ray bins, however, are another story: Travelers are ultra hands-on with these, so limit hand-mouth contact, and wash your hands immediately after using the trays, Virk advises. 

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