Tips on Avoiding the Coronavirus on Flights - What Extra Precautions Should You Take?

While I am not a virologist and do not have expert knowledge on the subject, I would be traveling quite extensively over the next couple of months in spite of the coronavirus outbreak. As such, I just wanted to consolidate some of the tips regarding air travel that I have read over the last couple of days for anyone out there who is looking for a few tips - stay safe my road warriors!

Prior to Travel - Check For Symptoms

Make sure that you are fit to travel - check to ensure that you are not showing any symptoms of the coronavirus. According to Al Jazeera, these are the known symptoms of the 2019-nCOV:

• Fever

• Difficulty in Breathing

• Impaired Liver and Kidney Function

• Kidney Failure

• Severe Cough

• Pneumonia

Prior to Departure - Select a Window Seat

While it would probably be safer to fly in First or Business Class (as passengers and crew members are further apart), this is not always possible. As such, you might want to choose a window seat for the lowest likelihood of coming in contact with an infected person. National Geographic has published an article on how the Coronavirus can potentially spread on a plane. If you are lucky enough to be traveling in First or Business Class, there is a good chance that your seat comes with aisle access - skip the middle row and choose a window seat if you can. According to The Wall Street Journal, passengers are typically at risk only if they are within two or three rows of an infected person.

Photo Credit: Here’s how coronavirus spreads on a plane—and the safest place to sit, National Geographic

On the Plane - Wipe Down and Wash Your Hands

In an interview with David Powell conducted by Bloomberg, the most effective way to avoid getting infected with the coronavirus is through frequent hand washing. According to him, masks and rubber gloves may not be as effective as they do a "better job of spreading bugs than stopping them". The medical adviser also explained that virus cannot survive long on seats and armrests so the greatest risk of infection comes from physical contact with another person.

As an extra measure, do the #ShutterWipe but with an antibacterial wipe (which may be hard to come by now) or pour a small amount of hand sanitiser or disinfectant on a tissue first - I am sorry but a hot towel is just not going to be sufficient.

At The Destination - Stay Safe and Monitor

Continue to monitor for symptoms, stay away from crowded areas where possible and be sure to practice good personal hygiene. While traveling during this period may put you at a greater risk of infection, it is simply unavoidable for some of us and the best thing you can do is to try mitigate that risk by taking additional precautions.