OF RETAIL RUMBLES, FLU-RIDDEN FLIGHTS
Harried shoppers and health-conscious travelers have options
Tips for protecting yourself while flying the phlegmy skies
So you’re headed to grandma’s house in Cleveland, and that jerk in 15C is hacking up a lung. With the cold and flu season in full gear, how are you — and millions of other Americans — supposed to protect yourself while flying the germ-ridden skies this holiday weekend?
Good luck, if you haven’t already got your flu shot. The vaccine takes about two weeks for your immunity to fully build up against the virus. If you got your shot in time, nice going. Your odds of getting the flu — and not infecting your fellow passengers — are cut by about half.
That still means it’s impor-
tant to be vigilant against Mr. 15C.
Rule No. 1 — and it’s not a shocker: Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, and wash your hands often and thoroughly with warm water and soap. If neither is available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer will work.
Do so “whenever it is reasonable,” said Dr. Lisa Hernandez, deputy health officer for the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department.
Nasty tray table
Rule No. 2: Wipe down that tray table with antibacterial wipes. Heck, wipe
away, at the back of the seat, the overhead bin, the seat belt, arm rest, safety instructions, in-flight magazine, window shade, air vent nozzle — you name it.
Rule No. 3: Show some courtesy, people.
Dr. Erica Pan, deputy health officer for the Alameda County Public Health Department, said if the person next to you is sneezing and coughing, ask him or her to cover their mouth.
Germs from respiratory droplets can be spread up to three feet away, Pan said. That’s you, Mr. 15C. Beyond that, said Pan, there may not be a lot you can do. Sure, a surgical mask would help. Few people pack them, but a scarf or wrap will do. That’s what Anotonia Conway, of
Los Gatos, used to cover up Tuesday, returning to Mineta San Jose International Airport when the passenger seated in front of her started coughing violently. It got so bad a flight attendant wearing protective gloves swooped in to deliver tissues and water.
Conway’s fallback: “Don’t breathe too deep. And try not to touch too much.”
“Lord knows, there’s nothing worse than sitting next to someone who is sneezing,” said Marcus Emery, 19, who said he started feeling a cold coming on a week before his flight Tuesday to San Jose airport on his way home from Southern California. His fix: Power down orange juice. But does that work?
Experts are dubious.
Studies show vitamin C doesn’t prevent colds and only slightly reduces their length and severity; taking zinc orally may help to treat colds, but can cause side effects and interact with medicines; and using echinacea hasn’t been proven to help prevent or treat colds — all this according to the National Institutes of Health. Meanwhile, for fans of the supplement Airborne: The company in 2008 agreed to pay $23.3 million to settle a lawsuit over false advertising of its “Miracle Cold Buster.”
Rule No. 4: Pick a smaller plane and shorter flight. Your risk of infection really does rise and fall depending on everything from boarding patterns to plane size.
In a study published in August, researchers at Arizona
State University found that the current practice of boarding in three sections — by first class, middle zone and back section — is the worst for reducing the number of infected people.
Boarding process
Using applied math and computer tools, the ASU researchers said the current boarding process forces passengers to stand together in the aisle as they wait to get into their seats, which adds more time for a tightly packed group to be exposed to a contagious passenger.
Instead, the researchers said, if boarding was done in a two-section, random way — where the plane is divided into two lengthwise sections and passengers board randomly — bottlenecks would be prevented, reducing the amount of time passengers are crowded in line next to each other.
Perhaps boarding just before takeoff is the best plan.
But if you’re on a jumbo jet, your odds of getting infected are higher. The study found that planes with fewer than 150 seats are better at reducing new infections.
The reason: There are fewer susceptible people overall, fewer people within one’s contact radius, and less time spent to get to seats.
Happy flying.