Five ways to avoid germs while travelling

[Carrier]

An article with the above title is on the CNN website. It is aimed at the travelling public. Crews are exposed to the same hazards as the pax. What precautions do crews take? Do they frequently suffer from job related infections? Do they build up an immunity and not have to take the same precautions as an infrequent traveller? I believe medevac crews use gloves and masks as necessary but what about crews on ordinary passenger aircraft? If the crews do not take precautions are they increasing the threat to the pax?

Why are aircraft water supplies so suspect? Should there be some sort of germ killing equipment in aircraft air conditioning? Why is there not frequent adequate cleaning of the aircraft and of airport escalators, ATMs, etc?

[gingernut]

Five ways to spread germs......

Herd many people into unaturally small space (departure lounges are ideal)
Deprive them of fresh air and daylight
Put them under stress
Lock them in an airtight aluminium tube for several hours
Circulate droplet infections with airconditioning


Bingo.:uhoh:



If ya' think antiseptic wipes, treating water, masks (they are effective for about 2 minutes) etc will make a difference, then do it.

[Blues&twos]

But where's the fun in that?:E

Some of the healthiest people I've ever worked with were they guys at a local authority Refuse & Cleansing Division (I was on the bins and drains) - if you measure health by the very low number of days taken off sick with "poncey illnesses". I put this down to working outside in the fresh air, plenty of hard physical work (good general level of fitness) and a nice healthy exposure to a multitude of bacteria and viruses.

Gingernut is dead right, cram lots of over-sanitised people into a small enclosed place, it's like bug city.

[Jean-Lill]

I flew for 35 years and have not had any more colds or other illnesses than anyone else.

The only colds I got are from the person I am married to whom is in the medical profession who frequently has colds.

I know some crew get annoyed when other crew come to work with a bad cold as they are afraid of catching the virus and having to go sick themselves. I have never caught any colds or viruses from another crew members or passengers as far as I can remember.

[bunkrest]

When I first started flying I was averaging around 6 or 7 colds a year with accompanying ear problems....infact was spending most of my life half deaf and on antibiotics.

After 8 years things have improved...(maybe once or twice a year...)apparently there are only around 250 cold viruses (any medical professionals out there please feel free to correct me!) and once you've suffered through them you have immunity....

As for warding off infection I always have a handy pump of that hospital style hand gel at the ready...can't vouch for it working but certainly makes me feel better when a punter hands me one of there used tissues to dispose of....:yuk:

[gingernut]

Interesting Bunkrest, but I'm not sure that the theory of age/exposure relating to immunity holds water.


The cough & cold virus ('s) are pretty clever, mutating constantly to try and outwit the immune system.

I reckon that as you get older, you just get better at handlin' the symptoms:).

Good health.:ok:

[CAT1]

A doctor friend of mine told me the best way to get immunity from colds is to eat your own snot, exposing youself to small amounts of the virus which your body can deal with and develop some immunity. Maybe that's why it tastes so nice...........allegedly.

[gingernut]

:yuk::yuk::yuk::yuk::yuk:

watch ya'ed don't cave in.

[BeechNut]

Here are my 5 ways to avoid germs while traveling:

Avoid LHR Terminal 1
Avoid LHR Terminal 2
Avoid LHR Terminal 3
Avoid LHR Terminal 4
Avoid LHR Terminal 5.

It's simple really. I figure that every germ known to mankind has to have passed through LHR at some point or another...

:}

[C172 Hawk XP]

Lock them in an airtight aluminium tube for several hours
Circulate droplet infections with airconditioning

Yes, for many years there's been lots of jokes and complaints about the likelihood of "catching something" while travelling by air; the oft referred to well-known effect of being stuck inside the sealed aluminium tube !

Sorry, though . . . . . . it just isn't like that ! This was published in June this year, and summarises what has been known for many years:
Report dispels myth of aircraft cabin infections - News - Travel - smh.com.au (http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/cabin-sickness-a-myth-report-finds/2008/06/10/1212863605169.html)
I hate to be the one to spoil a good debate with nothing other than simple proven facts . . . . .:ok:

[gingernut]

Look, I hate to be controversial, 'specially as one day I may buy you a pint, but....

The report found that air particle filtration systems fitted on modern aircraft should remove the possibility of the transmission of infection that would otherwise exist in aircraft cabins using recirculatory ventilation systems.

isn't exactly a robust outcome measure is it?

Grade 1 or 2 evidence on this forum only please:)

Proper trials, multicentred, randomised, large numbers, not the opinion of an "expert." .....h'mmm, I can feel a bit of work coming on for the New Year.

Sponsors please?

[Blues&twos]

The report found that air particle filtration systems fitted on modern aircraft should remove the possibility of the transmission of infection that would otherwise exist in aircraft cabins using recirculatory ventilation systems.

The company that changes the filters though, you want to see their sickness bill.

[Captain Airclues]

In over 38 years of flying in longhaul aluminium tubes I only had five days off sick, and none of those in the last twenty years.

Is paranoia infectious?

Dave

[brummybirdlover]

I fly an unpressurised aircraft for a living, but last week I flew as a pax on a Q400 with the last vestage of a chesty cough, which I had been managing (and flying) with. It may have been just coincidence but that night after flying on the Q400 my chest felt awfull, coughing so much I hardly knew what to do with myself. Does the aircon/pressurisation agravate things? If so, is it a general thing or something particular to that aircraft. A friend who is now an FO but used to be cabin crew on the Bae146 and on the Dash 8 (no prizes for guessing the carrier!) said he never had a problem on the 146 but did on the Dash. (I suggested perhaps it was like a heavy smoker trying to breath cold clear air-the clean air on contaminated lungs being the problem!)