Small planes and new rules of planting will save from infections
American scientists simulated the spread of pathogenic microorganisms in the cabin and identified the conditions under which the risk of infection is minimal.
About their work they reported in the journal Physical Review E.
Passenger air travel can be one of the fastest ways to spread infectious diseases. High probability of being infected by another person on Board arises from the fact that passengers are a long time in a confined space and are often residents of different regions of the world, which increases their vulnerability. The study’s authors singled out two factors having the greatest value for whether the people on Board to protect themselves from infection if one of the passengers is a carrier of the disease.
The first factor was the size of the aircraft. Simulations showed that a more secure flight, which flies less than 150 passengers. In this case, the lower the probability that among the people on Board will be a carrier of the disease, and less time that people spend close to each other in the queue for boarding.
The second important parameter, the authors called the method of Seating. In their opinion, the current system, when each passenger has a place in one of the classes of aircraft, increases the time that people spend on finding your place. As a result, they longer are in contact with each other. Safer, according to the simulation, would be a system in which the passengers freely chose to place in one half plane to the right or left of the aisle.