A new study suggests that the risk of passengers being exposed to the virus from an infected person on the plane could be reduced by between a 23% and a 57% if the middle seats are empty, compared to a full flight.
No masks
Researchers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Kansas State University have estimated the distance that airborne virus particles travel inside a plane. To do this, they used aerosol-emitting mannequins to measure the flow of virus particles through mock-ups of airplane cabins.
However, the study did not take into account the use of masks because it was based on a previous study conducted in 2017, before the pandemic.
It also did not consider whether passengers are vaccinated against COVID-19. The CDC says vaccinated people can travel with low risk to themselves, although the agency still recommends against traveling unless it is for essential activities.
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The news
Leaving middle seats empty on a plane could give passengers more protection against coronavirus
was originally published in
Xataka Science
by
Sergio Parra
.