So far so good. I didn’t lose my lunch… or my dinner, or my breakfast. Maybe the airplane water wasn’t tainted with bacteria after all. This time.
Still, if you don’t hurl from the water or the food, then there are plenty of other ways you can fall ill from flying the friendly skies. In fact, bacteria is as close as the seat pocket in front of you. At least that’s what a new report claims. Health experts say that you are basically fishing around for cold and flu germs each time you stick your hand in an airplane’s seat pocket. Even if you don’t hook a fingernail clipping, a used tissue or a wad of discarded gum, you are likely to catch some type of bug.
Studies show that cold and flu viruses can survive for up to 24 hours on fabric and tissues, and even longer (in excess of 36 hours) on nonporous surfaces like plastic and metal. Food for thought the next time you reach for the in-flight magazine and see a mysterious stain on the front cover.
By the way, health experts, who are not OCD freaks, suggest you keep personal items in a Ziploc bag for protection if you plan to store them in the seat pocket.
While you are at it, you might want to stock up on plastic gloves too. According to the airline health study, airplane tray tables are also a haven for bacteria. No surprise there. After all, how many times have you seen parents changing their kid’s diaper on a tray table and turning it into a virtual petri dish of germs?
In the past, airplane tray tables have tested positive for the superbug Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), which is often fatal once contracted. University of Arizona researcher Jonathan Sexton spent the better part of 2007 testing airplane tray tables from three major airliners and found that a staggering 60 percent contained MRSA. To avoid catching the nasty bug, experts suggest that you clean tray tables with antibacterial wipes before using them.
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The Ugly Truth About Airplane Water
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