Germs – the unavoidable plane passengers nobody wants onboard that will be there no matter how much we sanitise.
There’s no surprise in that, but what you might find a little shocking is how they’re getting onboard.
While one would expect the unwanted plane passenger to come from coughing or a lack of hand sanitisation, a study on British travellers found a shocking number of dirt came from travellers’ handheld electronics such as mobile phones and tablets.
Which? – the British consumer organisation – found electronics aren’t just dirty, they’re so unhygienic that they’re actually dirtier than toilet seats.
Angela Vassallo, the director of infection prevention/epidemiology at Providence Saint John’s Health Centre in Santa Monica, California, US said while travellers can blame sneezers and coughers for some onboard germs, a high number is actually being spread by touch, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Your hands go from scrolling through your iPhone for a song to laying on armrests, taking a booklet out of the seat pockets, eating from the table tray and opening the toilet door.
Of course, the infamous restrooms are also big culprits for spreading germs.
Although most people know wash their hands after using the restrooms, Vassallo stressed the importance of washing and drying your hands before opening the bathroom door.
To be extra cautious, she recommended applying hand sanitiser once you’ve returned to your seat.
To wipe down your seating area, Vassallo suggested using hydrogen peroxide wipes.
What do you do to avoid spreading inflight germs?
