Experts Say About The Risks Of Eating And Talking On The Plane

Photo illustration (Source: Antara)

JAKARTA - Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI), Prof. Tjandra Yoga Aditama, said that removing masks and eating while talking while on the plane could increase the risk of transmitting COVID-19.

"Removing the mask and eating while talking a lot certainly increases the risk of transmission, even though the plane is equipped with a hepa filter and others," he said, quoted by Antara, Saturday, October 23.

The airlines for certain travel routes will usually distribute food and drinks to passengers. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, they generally embed messages containing an invitation not to eat food and drinks on the plane.

They advise passengers to take home the shared dishes. Even so, Tjandra did not blame those who still opened the food and ate it on the plane.

Tjandra, who also serves as Director of the Postgraduate Program at YARSI University, advises you to travel safely as the COVID-19 case declines. He argues, there needs to be various adjustments in the new pattern of life with COVID-19.

"We all need to learn to adapt, both the wider community as well as officers and public policy makers," he said, who finally returned to using the airplane mode of transportation since September 2020.

Those traveling by plane need to have an antigen swab a few days before departure and when they return home must undergo a PCR test. According to Tjandra, the PCR test has become the gold standard with the highest level of accuracy.

This means that a negative PCR test result provides higher security for preventing the transmission of COVID-19. During queuing to board the plane, you are asked to queue at least 1 meter apart from other people, either in front, behind or between left and right queues.

Tjandra does not advise passengers to take off masks, including when checking identity cards (KTP) and airplane tickets, although this is sometimes asked by officers to check whether the face matches the identification card.

"Removing the mask even for a short time certainly creates a risk for transmission. The good thing is that it is not necessary to remove the mask," he said.