A GP guide to air travel and SARS-CoV-2
With the prospect of international air travel no longer a flight of fancy, it is vital that we are able to navigate the risks and implications posed by COVID-19
Need to know:
- Air travel remains one of the safest travel alternatives, even in the COVID-19 era.
- The risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission on aircraft appears to be low — probably, in part, because of cabin ventilation systems that operate in-flight.
- Proximity to an infected person in-flight increases the likelihood of transmission, with movement around the cabin and fomite spread also playing a role.
- Preventive measures for those continuing air travel include consistent mask wearing, practising of social distancing in-flight and in transit before and after flying, and regular hand and surface disinfection.
Now SARS-CoV-2 vaccination programs are getting started, and Qantas has optimistically announced that flights to the UK and US will recommence in July this year, the risks of COVID-19 for international air travel are more relevant than ever.
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