Amid the coronavirus crisis, the World Health Organisation has maintained its stance that face masks only need to be worn by those who are ill with COVID-19 symptoms or caring for someone who may be infected. However, on Thursday the health organisation will enter into talks with world leaders to see whether there is evidence to support reconsideration.
With international travel being one of the main reasons the virus spread so rapidly, will these protective measures become uniform for travellers?
In recent months, as news of the virus grew, and the epidemic became a pandemic, many travellers were spotted wearing protective clothing in a bid to ward off the spread of coronavirus.
In March supermodel Naomi Campbell posted images of herself in a white hazmat suit, face mask and goggles at an airport.
The model revealed all of the items were purchased from Amazon. Accompanying the image she wrote: “Safety first. All bought on @amazon 6 weeks ago.”
However, it turns out these items might not offer the protection travellers hope for, which is why, so far, they have not been made mandatory for people flying internationally.
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“If a person who has flu-like symptoms wears a mask, they’ll sneeze into the mask instead of into the air,” said Dr Yu.
“But when it comes to a healthy person wearing a mask to try to avoid germs, it’s not guaranteed to protect you against any virus, especially if the mask doesn’t fit properly. “The coronavirus particles are smaller than those filtered by most of these masks, so they won’t necessarily block them. Coronavirus particles measure 0.1 micron, as opposed to the 0.3 micron blocked by most masks.”
Most modern aircraft are fitted with a HEPA filtration system, which experts say removes around 99.7 percent of all particles in the air.
Dr Yu pointed out that the area most at risk for infecting travellers is the area surrounding a sick passenger.
In a statement issued following the WHO’s pandemic announcement, a spokesperson said that “those within the same row, and two rows in front and two rows behind” would be the most at risk of infection.
So, if masks aren’t the way to stay protected, how can passengers in the future ward off illness and germs?
Kelly A. Reynolds, a professor and environmental microbiologist at the University of Arizona, explained that it’s easier to protect yourself if you clean your plane seat.
“Studies have shown that disinfecting wipes and hand sanitisers can kill bacteria and viruses that are much more difficult to kill than coronavirus,” said Reynolds.
Passengers can always wipe down tray tables, armrests and areas surrounding their seats with disinfecting wipes.
Meanwhile, Vicki Stover Hertzberg, professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, shared her top tips on staying safe while flying with the New York Times
She said: “Book a window seat, try not to move during the flight, stay hydrated and keep your hands away from your face.”
However, the CDC and government health officials worldwide continue to maintain that hand washing is the ultimate way to ward off germs.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): “Soap and water are more effective than hand sanitisers at removing certain kinds of germs, like Cryptosporidium, norovirus, and Clostridium difficile1-5.
“Although alcohol-based hand sanitisers can inactivate many types of microbes very effectively when used correctly, people may not use a large enough volume of the sanitisers or may wipe it off before it has dried.”
