These days, no travelers can escape the stories about H1N1 flu. Even though so far, Swine Flu seems to be usually relatively mild, and hasn’t mutated. Yet.
But much of the talk has been about keeping sick passengers off of planes, and some have speculated about issues with potentially ill flight attendants. But passengers are being bombarded with messages about precautions to take, and anedotal evidence suggests that many of us indeed washing our hands more carefully than usually or wearing masks.
Flight attendants, who come in contact with more of the plane, at least are unionized with provisions for sick days. And I have seen hand sanitizers in more than one galley.
But the biggest dangers may come from groups we barely think about.
In a recent story from Reuters Health, Dr. Michael Bell makes the point that perhaps the “greatest threat” could come from a low-paid airline contractors, such as cleaners who have low wages and limited benefits, which means they are less likely to call in sick.
“That individual may be just as effective at spreading infection as anybody else,” Bell told a meeting sponsored by the independent National Research Council on the role that airports and aircraft play in transmitting disease. ”
Although Dr. Bell doesn’t mention other groups specifically, I believe he has a valid point about those airline and airport workers at the bottom of the pay and benefits scale. If you don’t have sick days, or if you don’t get paid for them, or you are simply worried about losing your job for not coming to work, you are going to be more likely to show up.
Healthy or not.
Which means potentially a whole lot of airport, shop and restaurant workers, hotel workers, and shuttle drivers, not being malicious, but perhaps not putting public health at the top of their personal priority list. (And I’m not singling out travel industry employees. Americans take less time off than almost any workers on earth. And in a time of economic uncertainty, it’s not unreasonable to want to protect your job and paycheck.)
What does this mean for the wary traveler?
Probably just to use common sense as much as possible, and if you are being vigilant against catching the flu, not to lower your guard as soon as you step off the plane. Handrails on shuttle buses or trams, tables in airport restaurants, countertops at stores — all of them could be germ magnets.
And yes, for all those who have commented about approaching contents of seat back pockets with caution, this confirms and adds to that sentiment. Even if it means going through SkyMall catalogue withdrawal. Just until flu season is over.
(Photo: Fernando Freitas – FF/Flickr Creative Commons)
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
