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How over 10,000 travellers may have been exposed to COVID-19 on flights: CDC

Air Travellers During COVID-19 Photo: MarketWatch

*A passenger may have been infected by COVID-19, potentially exposing 10,900 people ‘within a 6-foot range for droplet transmission’

*Many people won’t fly again until a vaccine is found, distributed, says airline executive

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In spite of the best-laid plans of most of the airlines, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed how more than 10,000 travellers on commercial flights may have been exposed to the novel Coronavirus since the pandemic began December 2019.

The agency in a statement to CNN, stated that it was briefed that there were 1,600 flights between January and August 2020, in which a passenger may have been infected by COVID-19, potentially exposing 10,900 people “within a 6-foot range for droplet transmission” to COVID-19.

“CDC identified and notified relevant health departments about these 10,900 on-board close contacts.”

The CDC said it acquired reports of positive Coronavirus cases among people who have been identified as contacts on flights.

However, the agency noted that this data might be rudimentary because of incomplete contact information, any resulting Coronavirus-related illness for contacts, delayed notification of an infectious traveller, and incomplete information about testing.

Try as they may, domestic air carriers have not been able to get travellers to buy into the positive spins about safety measures that have been put in place, report stated.

Unfortunately, there does not seem to be hope for a rebound to normalcy anytime soon.

Scott Kirby, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of United Airlines Holdings Inc., also told Bloomberg, that “this is lasting longer and is deeper than most people thought.

“And our view is demand is not coming back.

“People are not going to get back and travel like they did before until there’s a vaccine that’s been widely distributed.”

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