Coronavirus and flying: expert advice on how to avoid catching Covid-19, other infectious diseases on flights
- Expert tips from medical professionals to help you avoid getting sick whilst flying
A lot of people currently won’t or can’t travel. With the spread of the novel coronavirus, countries, companies and airlines are limiting, or even banning certain trips.
It makes sense: the situation is complicated by the fact that travellers can show no or few symptoms, board a plane, and be almost anywhere in the world within hours.
It’s not only Covid-19 that can spread this way. Passengers with the common cold or flu can board a plane and spread their illness to other passengers.
But whether you have no choice but to travel while the epidemic rages, or you just want some good advice for when normality resumes, here are 12 top tips to help you avoid germs the next time you fly.
1. Have all your vaccines before you travel
Certain destinations require vaccinations or medicines for diseases including malaria and typhoid, but even a flu shot can help your body defend itself, according to Dr Scott Weisenberg, the director of travel medicine at New York University’s Langone Health centre.
Being properly vaccinated will help prevent catching an infectious disease that would weaken an immune system and potentially lead to the contraction of additional diseases, such as Covid-19.
