COVID-19 risk on planes 'very low' with proper measures, Harvard review says

The risk of COVID-19 transmission onboard a plane is 'reduced to very low levels,' Harvard researchers concluded. The onboard ventilation systems coupled with measures such as masks, frequent cabin cleaning, and distancing during boarding and deplaning help keep the virus from spreading. 'This layered approach reduces the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission onboard aircraft below that of other routine activities during the pandemic, such as grocery shopping or eating out,' the report stated. The Aviation Public Health Initiative (APHI), comprised of faculty and scientists at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, published its Phase One report Tuesday, analyzing 'gate-to-gate travel' onboard planes. It has not been peer-reviewed.