Maintaining social distancing protocols and other SOPs is a lot easier on the ground than on a plane, where you’re trapped inside a large metal box without any escape!
When on land, you can move away from people and keep yourself. This becomes harder when you’re stuck in a seat for hours with nowhere to go. However, it’s not impossible.
Safe flying is easily possible as long as you take some safety measures! First, let’s take a look at how the virus is transmitted so that you know what precautions to take in order to limit its spread.
How Coronavirus is Transmitted
Coronavirus is transmitted through two main modes: Contact with the virus or inhalation of droplets containing the virus.
If an infected person coughs or sneezes, the virus is expelled in the air droplets that the person releases. If another person is close to this infected person (less than 6 feet away), then the other person can also get infected by inhaling these respiratory droplets.
The droplets also down on the surfaces around the person, for example, clothes, plastic objects, and metal objects. If you touch the infected surfaces and then touch your face, the virus can enter your body through your mouth, nose and eyes!
How to Protect Yourself from Coronavirus on Planes
- Keep a sanitizer with you
As soon as you get in your seat, wipe all the surfaces around you with the sanitizer and then wipe your hands too.
- Maintain social distancing protocols
Your airline will fill every other seat or every third seat instead of flying at full capacity. This will enable you to maintain social distancing protocols effectively. Keep a distance of 6 feet from those around you!
- Don’t walk around the plane
If you need to go to the bathroom, make sure you go before getting on the plane. Don’t roam around the plane for any reason. Stay in your seat! The more you roam around, the more you’ll come in contact with others on the plane. Keep all the necessities you’ll need during the flight with you so that you don’t have to keep getting your luggage out of the overhead luggage area.
- Choose a window seat.
Research has shown that passengers that sit on the window seat have fewer chances of catching respiratory illnesses because they’re less exposed to others.
- Don’t touch your face!
Your nose, mouth and eyes are the main portals of entry for the virus. Avoid touching your face so that the virus doesn’t enter your body. Yes, this means toning down all your impulses to scratch your face!
- When it’s time to exit the plane, don’t rush.
There are always two types of people when exiting a plane: those who have an immediate rush to be somewhere and will do anything to get ahead and exit the plane first and those who stay calmly in their seats. Be the latter one!
Stay in your seat until a sufficient portion of the passengers have left the plane so that you can maintain social distancing protocols. After all, there’s no point in trying to leave the plane early and jeopardizing your safety, right?
- Don’t use any of the toiletries of extras provided to you.
This includes magazines, earphones, pamphlets and any other item that you can survive without. Bring your tablet or any other electronic gadget for your own entertainment. If the flight is short, try to bring some snacks with you so that you don’t have to eat the food they serve.
These precautions should keep you safe and sound! So, what are you waiting for? Get on a plane and start flying! After all, coronavirus isn’t going away anytime soon and it’s time we adapt and learn how to live with the virus using safety measures instead of restricting ourselves to a certain city or country.
That being said, Tanzania is a wonderful vacation destination where you should go to de-stress yourself. Check out the Expert Guide on Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania!