How To Stay Healthy Onboard
 

according to one media source anyway...


1/ From the second you board the aircraft until you de-plane, never touch your face. Eye and Nose rubbing is also taboo.


2/ Wipe down arm rests and table trays - especially the latch - with an antiseptic disposable towel. Ignore any looks you might get.


3/ Only drink water you know is coming from a bottle. (ice is ok), Never drink the coffee or tea.


4/ In the lavatory, use the anti-bacterial gel instead of the soap and water, or use your own bottled water.


5/ Never put anything in the seat pocket in front of you. Avoid over-handling anything that is already in the seat pocket.


6/ Forget the dab of antibiotic ointment in the nostrils. It's a myth.


Generic advice for generic airlines. I know my own airline is scrupulous about cabin cleanliness. Water is however, uplifted from local municipal supplies.

Whilst it's true that germs are all around us once on board a typical airliner, unless you are immunosuppressed all the normal characters will have minimal, if no effect on you. Hand washing after touching high traffic areas and/or toilets goes without saying to alleviate possible nasty infections. The elephant in the cabin is that which we breath, the filters aren't changed/cleaned often enough for the removal of some really nasty virus' and not to forget the toxic fumes that have sometimes made their way into the interior from the engines due to faulty MX….Perhaps we should wear masks, now that's guaranteed to get you strange looks :8


SHJ

Also, may I add, consider using your own anti bacterial hand gel after visiting the toilet and returning to your seat. Doesnt matter if washing your hands in the wc, touching the door lock and handle afterwards is pretty grim germ wise.

Why just on the plane?

Travelling puts you in places, trains, taxis, buses, rental cars, etc. you don't normally use. You stand in endless queues in close contact with other travellers. Travellers rarely will cancel their trip just because a case of the sniffles, non-refundable tickets et al.

Avoid touching your face anytime the day of travel. If you've got the sniffles wear a disposable face mask. Do the rest of us a favour.

Why is ice OK, when water isn't. OK it was made in the flight kitchen but it's just as likely to be straight out of the tap. My philosophy, drink beer - water makes you rust.

Don't use soap and water? Why? Lather up and wash your hands while you sing 'happy birthday' (to yourself). That's about the right length of time.

It's a myth that the HEPA filtres aboard aircraft are not changed/cleaned often enough. And they are fine enough to filtre out viruses. But it gets repeated often enough it must be true. Do a search here and you'll find lots of discussion on this subject.

You are exposed to the air other people are breathing in two or three rows in either direction. The air circulation is lateral so you are not exposed to 'everyone else'. So if you are sitting next to a sniffler look out, but that guy 10 rows back with the sneezing fit probably won't infect you.

And if you do catch a cold while travelling, it is likely you caught it in a queue and not on the plane.