The stark truth facing the aviation sector is that without international air transport, there would have been no coronavirus pandemic. The world simply cannot afford a second wave of infection and lockdowns. The aviation industry must play its part in helping to prevent the spread of the disease in future and act now to address the risks.
Until a vaccine for coronavirus is developed and society achieves immunity, the aviation industry has a key role to play in risk mitigation through non pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). It acted as a vector for the spread of coronavirus and now needs to move from being part of the problem to become a key part of the solution. Current proposals from airlines, airports and industry bodies are looking to return to ‘business as usual’ rather than addressing the core issues and are unlikely to provide the controls necessary. Without robust risk controls people won't have the confidence to fly.
Infrastructure epidemiology
Mott MacDonald has combined infrastructure and health expertise to look at the principles of epidemic control in the aviation sector.
Infrastructure epidemiology sets out to fully understand each step in the journey, the associated risks and the efficacy of interventions.
This approach is necessary for an effective industry-wide effort to reduce the overall risk of each individual flight and between flights.
Epidemiological control should centre on the three means of transfer:
- Reducing proximity to infectious people, where disease is spread through micro-droplet transmission in the air
- Reducing physical contact with infected people
- Ensuring the risks from fomites – handles, buttons, surfaces – are reduced through hygiene
Risk can be considered as a function of:
- The time spent in the facility itself
- The degree of social mixing / person-density
- The level of hygiene and sanitation
If exposure risk can be sufficiently reduced using evidence-based measures, the travelling public will be reassured that the risk of travel is no greater (or could even be lower) than performing normal daily tasks.
The new importance of ‘passenger touchpoints’
A review of the end-to-end passenger journey is essential to reduce the risk of infection in transit to and from the airport, between passengers and between flights. If a touchpoint is not critical, it should be removed to allow hygiene to be focused on essentials.
Passengers should be prepared for a different travel experience as the world exits from the current lockdown. It will not be ‘business as usual’.