Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Something happy for the Holidays

As one of many getting on a plane (tomorrow for me) the next few days for the Holidays, here's some cheer:
Tracing influenza transmission on long-haul flights in 2009 with passengers infected with the H1N1 flu strain, Australian researchers found that 2% passengers had the disease during the flight and 5% came down within a week after landing. Coach-cabin passengers were at a 3.6% increased risk of contracting H1N1 if they sat within two rows of someone who had symptoms in-flight. That increased risk for post-flight disease doubled to 7.7% for passengers seated in a two-seat hot zone.
It is true that flying ... once you are actually flying ... as opposed to arriving early at the terminal, waiting in line at security, sitting in the terminal for seemingly ever...waiting for what seems even longer ON the tarmac...does speed trips. But it always galls me (and most others I imagine) to spend hundreds of dollars for the right to be treated like cattle and exposed in a giant test-tube of viruses and bacteria.

There are the tips for avoiding getting sick (and good luck with that).

(Via AmericaBlog)

2 comments:

pansypoo said...

not traveling far is sorta nice.

Anonymous said...

Y'know...

A 3% (or even 7%) risk increase is not really all that much... Instead of a 1 in 300 chance, you now have a 1 in 280 chance....

You take a risk going to the grocery store too...

I mean, I agree that flying is now an unpleasant cattle drive, and I would avoid doing it on a holiday like the plague....

(Hint: take the first week in January off, go to mexico (with the family if you like) for a fantastic, relaxing late christmas; you'll be glad you did. I have to say that knowing everyone else is back at work on the longest Monday of the year adds a lot to the experience... ;-)

Or else we can all huddle in our houses and avoid contacting any people and their people germs....