Airlines prepare for virus in flight
CDC recommends crews wash hands frequently
In today’s fast-paced world, people travel globally, making it much harder to keep a virus localized. That fact of life has recently been driven home by efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, which began in Wuhan, China.
As of Friday afternoon, the new coronavirus had sickened more than 9,600 people across China, and 213 people had died.
“All U.S. cases traveled from Wuhan, China,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told USA TODAY in a statement. “However, (the) risk to (the) U.S. general public is still considered low.”
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness from the common cold to more severe infections such as pneumonia, Middle East respiratory syndrome (known as MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Initial symptoms of the virus include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. But in more severe cases, an infection can cause pneumonia, kidney failure or death.
One of the first lines of defense is the monitoring of passengers and crew flying in from areas where the virus is active.
While the CDC does not discourage healthy people from wearing surgical masks as a precaution, the agency is recommending their use only for patients thought to have the virus and the medical professionals who interact with them.
If a passenger experiences symptoms of the virus, which officially is known as 2019-nCoV, he or she is advised to call ahead to their doctor or emergency room and then seek medical attention immediately. If infected, the person should be isolated, wear a face mask and frequently wash their hands to reduce the likelihood of spreading the virus.
In its guidelines for cabin crews, the CDC recommends airline personnel wash their hands frequently and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
If a passenger exhibits symptoms (fever exceeding 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, a persistent cough or difficulty breathing while in flight, the CDC says flight attendants should offer the person a surgical mask, keep the sick person at least 6 feet away from other passengers and designate one staffer to tend to them.
The designated caretaker should wear a surgical mask, eye protection and a gown over their uniform. All bodily fluids should be treated as if they are infectious, and afterward, all disposable items that came in contact with the passenger should be put in a biohazard bag for proper disposal. Then, all contaminated surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected in accordance with airline protocol.
Upon arrival, CDC staff will evaluate the passenger to determine whether he or she should be transported to a hospital for further tests and treatment.
John Cox is a retired airline captain with US Airways and runs his own aviation safety consulting company, Safety Operating Systems.