Risk of catching COVID-19 on an airplane is 'very low,' says IATA

The IATA Thursday said that since the start of 2020 there had been only 44 cases of COVID-19 reported in which transmission is thought to have been associated with a flight journey. Some 1.2b passengers have travelled over the same period. “The risk of a passenger contracting COVID-19 while onboard appears very low. We think these figures are extremely reassuring. Furthermore, the vast majority of published cases occurred before the wearing of face coverings inflight became widespread,” said David Powell, IATA’s Medical Advisor. Aircraft airflow systems, High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, the natural barrier of the seatback, the downward flow of air, and high rates of air exchange efficiently reduce the risk of disease transmission on board in normal times, IATA said. The addition of mask-wearing adds a “further and significant extra layer of protection”, which makes being seated in close proximity in an aircraft cabin safer than most other indoor environments, the industry body said. IATA’s observation is based on a joint publication produced by Airbus, Boeing and Embraer.<br/>