Airports work to reduce coronavirus transmission but risks still remain, study says

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Thu, 2021-02-11 21:20 — mike kraft

Airports have taken steps to reduce coronavirus transmission but risks still remain, study says A new Harvard study says airports should focus on ventilation systems and mask policies. Lori Aratani Washington Post

Airports have taken significant steps to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, but challenges remain, including upgrading and enhancing ventilation systems and adjusting operations to accommodate more people safely once demand for air travel returns, Harvard University researchers said.

The report Thursday by a team at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health focused on the curb-to-curb portion of the journey, assessing the risks travelers might face from the time they arrive at the airport until they land at their destination and claim their bags.

It is part of a growing amount of research, some of it funded by the aviation industry, that airlines hope will convince the public that air travel is safe as long as proper precautions are taken.

Federal health officials still continue to urge people to avoid travel. Researchers said even though their report found airports and airlines have taken steps to reduce the risks that someone will catch the coronavirus, there are no guarantees.

To be clear, we are not saying that it is safe to fly,” said Leonard Marcus, founding co-director of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, a joint program of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, during a briefing with reporters. “As efforts to overcome the covid-19 crisis continue, there are risks to any activity in public spaces.”

However, he said, for those who do need to travel, measures taken by airports “do significantly reduce the risk of contracting the virus.” ...

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