Does flying raise your chance of getting sick? A new study finds where you sit and who’s around you can actually make a difference when it comes to picking up germs while on a plane.
I am a fan of the window seat. And it turns out, according to this new research, that sitting by the window lowers your chance of picking up germs while the aisle seat increases it.
That’s because an aisle seat exposes you more to other passengers and the crew, especially as they all move around the plane. But there is a catch with the window seat, and that is you need to stay put for the duration of the flight and not have a sick passenger sitting close to you.
Washing your hands often and wearing a mask will help to minimize your chance of picking up germs. Because respiratory illnesses are often spread when droplets are launched into the air when sick people sneeze and cough.
I’d also suggest you avoid touching your face, especially your eyes or mouth. And you can also ask to move if someone very close to you appears to be sick.
It’s a widely-held belief that traveling raises your risk of getting sick. But this study found a passenger who’s sick is likely only to infect maybe two other people.
A sick crew member could possibly infect four or five other travelers.
Overall, researchers found that the chance of infection on average was less than 3%. But you don’t have to be a germaphobe to cringe at the sound of coughing or sneezing - just take precautionary steps to protect yourself against the cold and flu while flying.
