Air travel is “relatively safe” when it comes to the spread of coronavirus, an expert from the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.
David Nabarro, WHO special envoy for Covid-19, said this was because of modern aircrafts’ air filtration systems.
“So the one good thing about aeroplanes is that the ventilation system includes really powerful filters which means that in our view they are relatively safer,” he told BBC News.
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Nabarro added that travellers should respect social distancing rules.
“In general, I would like to ask everybody just to respect the physical distancing norms, but to be perhaps particularly careful in confined settings, especially when there’s singing or shouting,” he said.
Many travellers have the misconception that they are more likely to get ill after a flight because they presume the “same air”, carrying every passenger’s sniffle, sneeze or cough, is getting recycled and pumped around the aircraft.
In fact, modern jets have very advanced ventilation systems, making transmission via the air you breathe onboard unlikely.
“Given the excellent ventilation system on modern commercial aircraft and that the main method of transmission [of respiratory infections] is by direct contact and/or airborne droplet, most risk is isolated to those passengers sitting in the same row or that behind or in front of someone sick,” Dr David E Farnie, medical director of Global Response Centre for MedAire Worldwide, told The Independent.
1/13 Ringwood, Hampshire
With flights grounded around the world due to the coronavirus outbreak, photographers have been able to capture stunning images of star trails – the streaks of light left by stars as the earth rotates – without the usual interruption caused by air traffic.
Nick Lucas/SWNS
2/13 Miserden, Gloucestershire
Using long exposure times, the shifting positions of the stars relative to Earth’s rotation can be captured to create a striking orbital effect.
Brian Johns/SWNS
3/13 Highams Park, London
One photographer who has been taking advantage the quiet of skies, Jawad Saleem, said: “I’ve travelled up and down the country in search of elusive clear skies. Isolation and lockdown meant I had to be creative in capturing my favourite subject.”
Jawad Saleem/SWNS
4/13 Ramshaw Rocks, Staffordshire
Ben Lockett, a student from Staffordshire, also noted how the new social conditions assisted him greatly in capturing pictures during his daily exercise slot.
Ben Lockett/SWNS
5/13 Shropshire
“I usually end up spending a lot of time removing light trails caused by passing aircraft, but I only had one plane to remove from these images, instead of the usual 20-30!”
Andrew Fusek Peters/SWNS
6/13 Hampshire
Photographer Andrew Whyte described the process of getting his shots despite the restrictions to travel imposed by the government.
Andrew Whyte/SWNS
7/13 Hampshire
“On Friday night I continued to observe the lockdown and didn’t even cross the threshold of my front door,” he said.
Andrew Whyte/SWNS
8/13 Coaly Peak, Gloucestershire
One photographer who has been taking advantage the quiet of skies, Jawad Saleem, said: “I’ve travelled up and down the country in search of elusive clear skies. Isolation and lockdown meant I had to be creative in capturing my favourite subject.”
Brian Johns/SWNS
9/13 Shropshire
“At a time when there’d usually be a steady passage of friends and couples on their way home from the pub or taxis dropping off partygoers, I saw a single person out for a walk and no cars at all.
Nick Jackson/SWNS
10/13 Hampshire – Before lockdown
“Light trails through the sky from air traffic can cause a major visual distraction in star trail images. Removing these trails is a time-consuming task so it’s a real bonus to not have to do it.”
Andrew Whyte/SWNS
11/13 Leicestershire
Mark Humpage/SWNS
12/13 Shropshire
Nick Jackson/SWNS
13/13 Portishead, North Somerset
Jon Mills/SWNS
1/13 Ringwood, Hampshire
With flights grounded around the world due to the coronavirus outbreak, photographers have been able to capture stunning images of star trails – the streaks of light left by stars as the earth rotates – without the usual interruption caused by air traffic.
Nick Lucas/SWNS
2/13 Miserden, Gloucestershire
Using long exposure times, the shifting positions of the stars relative to Earth’s rotation can be captured to create a striking orbital effect.
Brian Johns/SWNS
3/13 Highams Park, London
One photographer who has been taking advantage the quiet of skies, Jawad Saleem, said: “I’ve travelled up and down the country in search of elusive clear skies. Isolation and lockdown meant I had to be creative in capturing my favourite subject.”
Jawad Saleem/SWNS
4/13 Ramshaw Rocks, Staffordshire
Ben Lockett, a student from Staffordshire, also noted how the new social conditions assisted him greatly in capturing pictures during his daily exercise slot.
Ben Lockett/SWNS
5/13 Shropshire
“I usually end up spending a lot of time removing light trails caused by passing aircraft, but I only had one plane to remove from these images, instead of the usual 20-30!”
Andrew Fusek Peters/SWNS
6/13 Hampshire
Photographer Andrew Whyte described the process of getting his shots despite the restrictions to travel imposed by the government.
Andrew Whyte/SWNS
7/13 Hampshire
“On Friday night I continued to observe the lockdown and didn’t even cross the threshold of my front door,” he said.
Andrew Whyte/SWNS
8/13 Coaly Peak, Gloucestershire
One photographer who has been taking advantage the quiet of skies, Jawad Saleem, said: “I’ve travelled up and down the country in search of elusive clear skies. Isolation and lockdown meant I had to be creative in capturing my favourite subject.”
Brian Johns/SWNS
9/13 Shropshire
“At a time when there’d usually be a steady passage of friends and couples on their way home from the pub or taxis dropping off partygoers, I saw a single person out for a walk and no cars at all.
Nick Jackson/SWNS
10/13 Hampshire – Before lockdown
“Light trails through the sky from air traffic can cause a major visual distraction in star trail images. Removing these trails is a time-consuming task so it’s a real bonus to not have to do it.”
Andrew Whyte/SWNS
11/13 Leicestershire
Mark Humpage/SWNS
12/13 Shropshire
Nick Jackson/SWNS
13/13 Portishead, North Somerset
Jon Mills/SWNS
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which has done extensive research on the topic of air transport and communicable diseases, backs up the assertion that people onboard an aircraft are no more likely to fall ill than anyone else in a confined space.
Its fact sheet on Public Health Emergency Preparedness highlights the importance of modern air filters on planes, which “have a similar performance” to those used to keep the air clean in hospital operating rooms and industrial clean rooms.
“Hepa (high-efficiency particulate air) filters are effective at capturing greater than 99.9 per cent of the airborne microbes in the filtered air,” it states.
The modern cabin air system delivers around 50 per cent fresh air and 50 per cent filtered, recirculated air.
“Air supply is essentially sterile and particle-free,” says IATA.
To find out how to keep safe on public transport, click here.