2023-07-04 08:12:06
Airports are hot spots for disease outbreaks, study finds, including two high-traffic spots.
At the time of departure for the summer holidays, many French people go take the plane to get to their vacation spot. The airports will in fact be very busy. But whether for an internal or long-haul flight, a risk remains: that of falling ill. However, this is not regarding car sickness or a bad meal.
Inserm researchers wanted to study the level of proliferation of bacteria in airports because they are always very busy. For this, they used data collected in the most visited airport in Europe: Heathrow in London. But what they found is disturbing. Indeed, this place of passage is conducive to the proliferation of seasonal diseases and viruses.
Nevertheless, the most amazing thing is the place where they are most likely to reach us. The study in question was relayed on the official Inserm website.
Airport bars and restaurants, areas most at risk in terms of virus transmission
For 6 months, between February and August 2017, researchers used geolocation to follow 200,000 voluntary travelers. Then they have carried out measurements using specific equipment such as lamps or air filtration devices. Finally, they compared the data of the travelers with the levels of bacteria recorded in the different places of the airport.
It appears that high-traffic common areas would be most at risk for disease transmission. However, it is not the queues at the check-in counters or the halls where to sit that are singled out. In fact, the researchers reveal that the bars and restaurants of the structure are most at risk.
Moreover, this significant proliferation is not due to chance. The researchers explain that these are the places where staff and travelers have the most interactions. In addition, it can be difficult in these spaces to implement preventive measures such as social distancing.
A prevention that might extend to other very busy places
In order to limit the proliferation of bacteria, the researchers want to put in place several elements. First of all, disinfection of places and shared spaces via lamps or sprays would limit the spread. Then they plan to lay air filter system. In addition to facilitating the daily life of allergy sufferers, this system would alert the public in the event of a more intense episode. Finally, wearing a mask might also help during epidemic episodes such as gastroenteritis.
If these measures are not yet in place, the researchers hope that the study will raise awareness and expand to other high-traffic places. This includes in particular train stations, metro stations and shopping centres.
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