The study, published Wednesday by the U.S. Centers, could reduce the risk of being exposed to the virus by 23% to 57% on single- and two-aisle aircraft when the middle seats are empty. Disease control and prevention.
Researchers from the CDC and Kansas State University used laboratory models to simulate how much exposure to virus particles could be reduced if middle seats in an aircraft cabin were kept vacant.
The models were based on the distribution of bacteriophage aerosols used as a surrogate to estimate the distribution of the coronavirus in the air. Bacteriophages are viruses that can infect bacteria. The analysis did not measure the impact of wearing masks, which are currently required on flights, but the researchers noted that a number of virus aerosols can still be released from an infectious masked passenger, and thus distancing can be helpful.
The models suggested that, with vacant middle seats, the risk reduction varies from 23%, which was observed for a single passenger who was in the same row, but two seats from an infectious passenger, up to 57%, observed when the middle seats open was a section of three rows containing a mix of people with Covid-19 and other passengers.
“When the contagious and other passengers who would have had middle seats were removed, leaving six contagious passengers out of the 12 total passengers left in the window and aisle seats, a 57% reduction in exposure was observed,” he said. the researchers wrote in their study.
In general, “it is important to realize that the present study addresses only exposure and not transmission,” the researchers wrote. More research is needed to determine the risk of transmitting the virus and causing disease.
Recent travel guide update
The agency said that as long as precautions for the coronavirus are taken, including wearing a mask, people who have been fully vaccinated can travel within the United States without first being tested before Covid-19 or then quarantined themselves.
For international travel, fully vaccinated people do not need a Covid-19 test before traveling unless required by the destination, and do not have to be self-quarantined after returning to the United States. They still have to undergo a negative Covid-19 test before boarding a flight to the US, and a follow-up test three to five days after their return, the CDC noted.
The CDC is considering someone who has been fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required dose of Covid-19. The updated guidelines do not apply to people who have not been vaccinated. The CDC advises anyone who has not yet been fully vaccinated to continue the journey.
Although Americans, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a mask and practice public health measures, such as physically removing and washing hands regularly, the CDC says.