Mask Advocates Cite Plane
Transmission Study in Call for Mandate
Transmission Study in Call for Mandate
By Alan Levin
Study documents
Chinese man who became infected on jet
Chinese man who became infected on jet
The 44-year-old man was chatting with his wife and son on a
flight from Singapore to China earlier this year when he let his guard down,
allowing his face mask to slip below his nose.
flight from Singapore to China earlier this year when he let his guard down,
allowing his face mask to slip below his nose.
That lapse appears to have been how he became infected with
Covid-19.
Covid-19.
The case, cited in a recently published study of an outbreak
among passengers on a January flight, is one of the first to document a
probable transmission on an airliner and is reviving calls for government
rules requiring masks. It comes as safety concerns raise questions about
whether passengers will return in sufficient numbers to keep airline companies
from collapsing.
among passengers on a January flight, is one of the first to document a
probable transmission on an airliner and is reviving calls for government
rules requiring masks. It comes as safety concerns raise questions about
whether passengers will return in sufficient numbers to keep airline companies
from collapsing.
Lawmakers and airline
unions -- which have sought more rigorous standards for months as
infections surge across the nation and reports circulate of passengers skirting
existing rules -- said the study adds new weight to their demands.
unions -- which have sought more rigorous standards for months as
infections surge across the nation and reports circulate of passengers skirting
existing rules -- said the study adds new weight to their demands.
“This report seems to confirm the tragic consequences of the
Trump administration’s abject failure to protect passengers by mandating
masks,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat. “Wearing
masks, like requiring seat belts or banning smoking, is absolutely fundamental
to protecting passengers and crew during these unprecedented times.”
Trump administration’s abject failure to protect passengers by mandating
masks,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat. “Wearing
masks, like requiring seat belts or banning smoking, is absolutely fundamental
to protecting passengers and crew during these unprecedented times.”
The head of a union representing flight attendants -- the
workers most exposed to passengers and who are called on to enforce airline
mask directives -- called the lack of action “inexcusable.”
workers most exposed to passengers and who are called on to enforce airline
mask directives -- called the lack of action “inexcusable.”
“This new study
underscores the urgent need for a single national policy that would mandate
that masks be worn, and worn properly, on all commercial flights,” said Julie
Hedrick, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants at
American Airlines Group Inc.
underscores the urgent need for a single national policy that would mandate
that masks be worn, and worn properly, on all commercial flights,” said Julie
Hedrick, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants at
American Airlines Group Inc.
All major U.S. airlines now require passengers to cover
their faces, but advocates for a federal mask requirement say it would make
enforcement easier, potentially making violations a crime. It would also set a
more uniform standard, they say. The Department of Transportation earlier this
month released a 44-page set of guidelines for airlines and airports that urges
mask usage, but officials have repeatedly said they don’t favor legal
requirements.
their faces, but advocates for a federal mask requirement say it would make
enforcement easier, potentially making violations a crime. It would also set a
more uniform standard, they say. The Department of Transportation earlier this
month released a 44-page set of guidelines for airlines and airports that urges
mask usage, but officials have repeatedly said they don’t favor legal
requirements.
The airline industry is facing a crisis as passenger counts,
which plummeted to about 5% of pre-pandemic levels in April, started coming
back but stalled in recent weeks at about 25%, according to
Transportation Security Administration data. Companies have warned of possibly
tens of thousands of layoffs once restrictions tied to initial federal aid
expire on Sept. 30.
which plummeted to about 5% of pre-pandemic levels in April, started coming
back but stalled in recent weeks at about 25%, according to
Transportation Security Administration data. Companies have warned of possibly
tens of thousands of layoffs once restrictions tied to initial federal aid
expire on Sept. 30.
“The Department of Transportation and FAA have been clear
that passengers should wear face coverings while traveling by air, for their
own protection and the protection of those around them,” the Federal Aviation
Administration said in a statement.
that passengers should wear face coverings while traveling by air, for their
own protection and the protection of those around them,” the Federal Aviation
Administration said in a statement.
The trade group for large carriers, Airlines for America,
said: “U.S. airlines are continuing to take extraordinary measures as part of a
multilayered approach to help protect the health and well-being of the
traveling public and employees.”
said: “U.S. airlines are continuing to take extraordinary measures as part of a
multilayered approach to help protect the health and well-being of the
traveling public and employees.”
Air travel presents unique risks for contracting the virus
because conditions are so crowded. Research has shown airborne diseases such as
Covid-19 can be transmitted on planes, but risks aren’t well quantified.
because conditions are so crowded. Research has shown airborne diseases such as
Covid-19 can be transmitted on planes, but risks aren’t well quantified.
Most Documented
The Jan. 24 flight from Singapore to Hangzhou, China is the
most thoroughly documented case of a likely passenger-to-passenger infection of
Covid-19 to date.
most thoroughly documented case of a likely passenger-to-passenger infection of
Covid-19 to date.
About 100 of the 335 passengers had recently traveled to
Wuhan, China, where the disease erupted originally, and a handful exhibited
symptoms. As a result, everyone was quarantined for at least two weeks. They
were questioned in detail by infectious disease experts. The peer-reviewed
results of the study were published online July 6 by the journal Travel
Medicine and Infectious Disease.
Wuhan, China, where the disease erupted originally, and a handful exhibited
symptoms. As a result, everyone was quarantined for at least two weeks. They
were questioned in detail by infectious disease experts. The peer-reviewed
results of the study were published online July 6 by the journal Travel
Medicine and Infectious Disease.
The team in China concluded that one man most likely became
infected by fellow passengers after ruling out other possible contacts and
noting the timing of when he became ill.
infected by fellow passengers after ruling out other possible contacts and
noting the timing of when he became ill.
For an
hour of the flight, he went to talk with his wife and son, who were in a
different row.
hour of the flight, he went to talk with his wife and son, who were in a
different row.
“While
he talked, he reported that he did not wear his mask tightly, and his nose was
outside of mask,” the authors wrote.
he talked, he reported that he did not wear his mask tightly, and his nose was
outside of mask,” the authors wrote.
Two
people adjacent to him in the same row and two more across the aisle in the row
directly behind tested positive for Covid-19, including one was already showing
symptoms, the study found.
people adjacent to him in the same row and two more across the aisle in the row
directly behind tested positive for Covid-19, including one was already showing
symptoms, the study found.
Wuhan Infections
Ashok Srinivasan, a computer science professor at the
University of West Florida who specializes in modeling disease transmission and
has studied airline travel, said the paper highlights the importance of masks
in preventing the spread of the coronavirus in crowded environments.
University of West Florida who specializes in modeling disease transmission and
has studied airline travel, said the paper highlights the importance of masks
in preventing the spread of the coronavirus in crowded environments.
“I think it is important to wear the mask all the time,”
Srinivasan said.
Srinivasan said.
The study’s authors said the 15 other passengers who got
Covid-19 were infected while in Wuhan or by close contacts with family members
or others.
Covid-19 were infected while in Wuhan or by close contacts with family members
or others.
The aircraft, a Boeing Co. 787-9, is equipped with filters that remove the virus from
recirculated air and that may have lowered the chances that others became
infected, the authors said. All modern jetliners have such filters.
recirculated air and that may have lowered the chances that others became
infected, the authors said. All modern jetliners have such filters.
U.S. Lawmakers
The study acknowledged the researchers couldn’t completely
rule out whether the man had been infected elsewhere, but said the evidence
suggests “he probably acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection during the flight.”.
rule out whether the man had been infected elsewhere, but said the evidence
suggests “he probably acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection during the flight.”.
The leaders of two House committees overseeing
transportation policy have inserted language requiring the government to adopt
strict mask standards into separate bills. The bills have yet to be taken up by
the Senate.
transportation policy have inserted language requiring the government to adopt
strict mask standards into separate bills. The bills have yet to be taken up by
the Senate.
Representative Peter DeFazio, the chairman of the
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, called the study “intriguing,” but
said enough doubt remains that the FAA should conduct its own research.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, called the study “intriguing,” but
said enough doubt remains that the FAA should conduct its own research.
“That’s why I’ve repeatedly pressed the FAA to not only
commission its own study to better understand how the virus travels within the
airplane cabin, but also to mandate masks,” DeFazio, an Oregon Democrat, said
in a statement.
commission its own study to better understand how the virus travels within the
airplane cabin, but also to mandate masks,” DeFazio, an Oregon Democrat, said
in a statement.
Representative David Price, the North Carolina Democrat who
heads the Appropriations Committee panel overseeing transportation spending,
said in an interview that a federally
mandated mask rule is needed to set “an example for the entire country.”
heads the Appropriations Committee panel overseeing transportation spending,
said in an interview that a federally
mandated mask rule is needed to set “an example for the entire country.”
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