Scientific Study Shows That Boarding Passengers Back to Front on Planes Increases COVID-19 Transmission By 50%

By
Sarah
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If you’re wondering who the hell does mundane seating scientific studies on aeroplanes, well, here’s your answer.

And though the prospect of conducting such a study seems laughable in “normal times”, we aren’t living in “normal times” anymore.

Scientific Study Shows That Boarding Passengers Back to Front on Planes Increases COVID-19 Transmission By 50%

According to Bloomberg, a scientific study has concluded that boarding passengers seating at the back of the aeroplane first actually increases the chances of catching the virus by a shocking 50%.

Many airlines had actually shifted to such a boarding process to attempt to reduce the risk of infection, but it seems like it has simply (and literally) backfired.

The Royal Open Science Journal published the study, revealing that the procedure is two times as risky as letting passengers in at random. However, one benefit to this was that the contact between seated passengers and those walking down the plane was lowered.

Reportedly, the increased risk of exposure is due to closer contact of passengers in the same row being gathered in the aisle while they stow away their luggage.

Scientists from various institutions such as the University of West Florida and Florida State University have simulated 16,000 possible passenger movements for the study. However, their findings show that the new boarding procedures were not any better than the usual ones.

The study also suggested lowering passengers’ risk of exposure to the virus by discontinuing the use of overhead bins and boarding passengers in the window seats before those in aisle seats.

Singapore And Travel Bubbles

Speaking of aeroplanes and flights, travel bubbles will be our lifesavers in the pandemic.

After all, how else can we travel out of this hot and humid country conveniently?

But seeing as this new study reveals the potential risk of aeroplanes as a literal vehicle for COVID-19 transmission, let’s hope that everyone in the plane is truly virus-free before they merrily make their way into another country.

The travel bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong is finally going to un-burst itself and become reality on 26 May.

That means, you can finally escape our concrete urban jungle and our breakneck pace of life for a change—oh wait. Anyway, the tickets have already been sold out but you can click here if you would like to find out more about it.

If you missed your chance at snatching up a flight ticket, don’t worry. You might get another one in the near future!

Authorities in Singapore have submitted a proposal to Taiwan for the establishment of an air travel bubble.

In addition, a proposal to mutually recognise vaccination certificates between both countries has also been submitted.

According to Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung, Singapore is also looking towards establishing air travel bubbles with Australia, New Zealand, Brunei and mainland China.

Mr Ong noted that there has been no evidence to suggest that travellers from these areas have resulted in community cases, hence these are “natural partners” that Singapore would like to establish air travel bubbles with.

However, Mr Ong also added that the rise in COVID-19 cases will lead to air travel bubbles being disrupted. He raised the example of Singapore’s upcoming travel bubble with Hong Kong.

Hopefully, all goes well and we’ll see more travel bubbles soon!

Featured Image: beeboys / Shutterstock.com

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Sarah
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