
Flying soon? Pack your antiseptic wipes! Five tips to avoid getting sick while flying
June 1, 2016
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Public places are full of bacteria and viruses. Whether you are planning a trip to the mall, grocery store or gym, you are guaranteed to encounter germs. However, two of the biggest culprits are airports and airplanes. A recent study looked at the dirtiest places, and the bottom line was that airports and airplanes are dirtier than your home and most public places.
“The general consensus from this study: Airports and airplanes are dirtier than your home (NSF, 2011). Surprisingly, it is the one surface that our food rests on – the tray table – that was the dirtiest of all the locations and surfaces tested. Since this could provide bacteria direct transmission to your mouth, a clear takeaway from this is to eliminate any direct contact your food has with the tray table. It’s also advisable to bring hand sanitizer for any other dirty surface you may touch along your journey,” according to Travelmath.
Planning to fly is time-consuming. You need to make sure you pack everything you need for your trip, prepare your travel documents, arrange for transportation to and from the airport and, based on the results of the study, it’s clear you should put some more thought into protecting yourself from germs.
The study found that the dirtiest places on airplanes are:
The study also found that the dirtiest places in airports are:
Five tips to avoid getting sick while flying
No one wants to get sick while flying, but it happens because people are exposed to potentially ill individuals or surfaces that could harbour germs. Here are some tips to prevent getting sick while you travel: