Nearly 1,000 flights in Canada have carried at least one COVID-positive passenger since February, according to figures CTV News obtained from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
More than 370 domestic flights clocked at least one passenger who tested positive for COVID-19, according to the figures, and just shy of 600 international flights found the same. In total, between Feb. 4 and August 24 this year, 973 flights flew into or within Canada with carriers of the illness on board.
The last flight known to carry a COVID-19 case on board -- which fell outside the range of data PHAC provided -- landed in Toronto on Sunday, carrying passengers travelling from Edmonton.
Interesting:
Planes are *much lower risk* for COVID-19 transmission than what many people believe (but we still don't want infected passengers flying).https://t.co/COK6wQHmUU
— Isaac Bogoch (@BogochIsaac) September 4, 2020
Yes, about that:
The transmission of influenza viruses, for example, is facilitated in closed/semi-closed settings through direct person-to-person contact or from contaminated surfaces. At the beginning of the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic in 2009, air travel was the cause of the introduction of this new virus into countries not primarily affected, and aeroplanes are likely to be a major vector when the next pandemic occurs. The outbreak of SARS in 2003, and influenza A(H1N1) in 2009, illustrated how infectious diseases can suddenly appear, spread and even threaten the health, economy and social lives of citizens in countries that are not or not yet directly affected by the epidemic itself.
**
Based on influenza models, the new study shows you have an 80 percent chance of getting the flu off someone if you're sitting in the row in front or the row behind, or within two seats to either side. Otherwise, your chance of infection drops all the way down to 3 percent.
**
These droplets are not affected by air flowing through a space, but instead fall fairly close to where they originate. According to Emily Landon, medical director of antimicrobial stewardship and infection control at the University of Chicago Medicine, the hospital’s guidelines for influenza define exposure as being within six feet of an infected person for 10 minutes or longer.
“Time and distance matters,” Landon says.
Remember - workplaces, schools, houses of worship, salons and even private homes were restricted even if it could be demonstrated that no one was ill and that measures were in place to avoid infection.
Also consider that Canada never once enforced quarantines and the screening at airports consisted of an automated kiosk (not cleaned).
But, hey - as long as people aren't getting their hair cut.
No comments:
Post a Comment