Covid with a Twist

International travel is no fun anymore. I know of 6 people who have gotten sick on airplanes recently. Myself included.

This new strain/variant or whatever you want to call it, comes with a little twist-the flu. either Intestinal or stomach. Both not fun.

What is scary is how it is affecting people. I was sitting next to my travel friend who is 10 yrs younger than me. she was sniffling and coughing the whole flight. Me, nothing. I get home and the next day, I am sick. Cough, sore throat, congestion. The following day, I was bedridden. I am still not on my feet.

I notified her that I was ill as that is the honorable thing to do and went into quarantine for the 5 days. She said she had just a sore throat and cough. People all over the plane were hacking and coughing. A little boy was throwing up next to me. My attorney and his wife brought home pink eye and covid. I brought home a serious bacterial infection in both eyes after my last trip. My boss and his wife came home with a serious sinus condition.

The way this virus is morphing and attacking is scary stuff.

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cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

Planes have always been a vector for germs. The air is recycled and people are packed like sardines in those planes .I went on an overseas trip 15 years ago and every leg of the flight going there and coming home there was someone on the planes vomiting. Got back to the U.S. and was waiting in customs in Newark and a little girl started vomiting while we were in line. I got sick too, it was unavoidable. Had lymphodemia developing while flying and had to go to the doctor and take a couple days off.

akindheart · 61-69, F

@cherokeepatti we were so squished in, it was not funny. every part of the plane someone was hacking and coughing. my last trip, i came back with a serious eye bacterial infection. this is not fun.

Heartlander · 80-89, M

@cherokeepatti Actually, no. Unless things changed recently, the air in airline airplanes isn't recycled, but is a constant flow from the compressor part of the engine, through the heat exchangers, then the cabin and out modulating outflow valves. The modulating outflow is what manages the pressurization.

In general, the air exits the cabin at the feet level through side vents and doesn't recirculate, but where it enters is selective. Like from overhead vents or sidewall vents,
and whether it then flows through the cargo compartment. Where and how it enters the cabin affects the noise level and that may cause the airflow to move sideways for a while rather than vertically. So if I'm infected and reach up to divert the gasper vent away from me and on to someone else, it may be blowing pathogens from my contaminated fingers into someone else's eyes or nose.