TRAVEL TIPS
Airplanes, and airports, are some of the germiest places you visit. Flying exposes you to more germs than you might expect. A study by Travelmath, found the airplane bathroom flush button had 265 bacteria colony forming units (CFU) per square inch, trays have 2,155 CFU per square inch (8x higher than the toilet flush button), overhead air vents had a 285 CFU per square inch. As you might assume, the bathroom isn't the only place to exercise caution by knowing which areas to watch out for, you can begin practicing good airport hygiene.
When traveling through the airport, do your best to avoid touching your face and mouth without washing your hands or using hand sanitizer first. It can seem like a hassle but you should also make sure to wash your hands again before eating at an airport restaurant.
Once you find your seat, use a disinfecting wipe and spray (anything that can kill bacteria and viruses will work) to clean down any smooth surfaces starting with the tray table. After wiping down the tray table you can turn your attention to buckles, armrests and airvent control. For planes with plastic seatback pockets, and leather or pleather seats, you can also give those surfaces a wipedown and spray. Don't forget to use hand sanitizer after you're done.
In the wake of COVID-19, many airlines are taking more aggressive cleaning measures to combat the spread of disease and contagions. It's likely that bacteria counts on airport and airplane surfaces are much lower now, but it doesn't hurt to follow the guide below when traveling by plane.
How to Protect Yourself
There’s no way to escape every germ, every time. But you can lower the chances you’ll get sick with some simple steps:
Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and cleanse your hands often.
Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth until you have sanitized your hands.
Use a spare paper towel to grab the public restroom door handles.
Wear a face mask which has become the new normal.
Try to keep 1 meter distance between yourself and people around you. Its not easy when you sitting next to a fellow passenger, in this instance wear a mask.