The dirtiest places at the airport: scientists have figured out what is best not to touch

A recently published study showed that it is impossible to touch the airport - these objects are dirtier than a toilet. The only problem is that avoiding contact with them is not so easy.

Фото: Depositphotos

The airport only seems to be a clean place, and the reality is much worse, the researchers found out that there are heavily polluted places, the newspaper writes.NEWS".

A group of British and Finnish scientists surveyed Helsinki Airport at the peak of the flu epidemic in the winter of 2015-2016. Researchers took microbiological samples from different areas and objects with which passengers are in contact. In addition, to identify the spread of viruses in space, they took air samples.

A total of 90 samples were taken - from toilets, from elevator buttons, chair armrests, cart handles, plastic trays for putting things during security checks, toys in a children's corner, etc.

Trays for the inspection of things turned out to be the dirtiest; the content of bacteria and viruses on them was higher than in the toilet.

50% of all trays tested contained adenoviruses and seasonal influenza viruses of type A, rhinoviruses that cause colds, and coronaviruses.

According to scientists, this is due to the fact that trays are passed from hand to hand, and each of them is in contact with hundreds of passengers a day. Although the guards must sterilize trays before handing over to the next passenger, they do not.

In addition to the trays, the escalator handrails, inspection tables and toys in the children's corner turned out to be very infected.

In 40% cases, adenoviruses were found on them, in 30% - coronaviruses, in 20% - endoviruses and in 10% - viruses of seasonal influenza type A.

In the air samples, only adenoviruses were isolated, mainly near the security checkpoint.

Much to the surprise, viruses of respiratory infections were not found in the toilet: neither on the toilet, nor on the handle for flushing, nor on the lock from the door of the booth. Perhaps this is due to the fact that in the toilet, visitors are trying to touch different objects as little as possible, in addition, cleaning is often carried out there.

It is important to note that the study was conducted only in one airport and in one season. Perhaps at other airports and at other times the results could be different. In addition, the researchers did not prove that the viruses they detected caused illness in airport visitors.

However, it must be borne in mind that the life expectancy of identified viruses reaches several days.

How to reduce the risk of infection at the airport

To reduce the risk of infection, it is necessary to wash and sterilize hands more often, and when sneezing, cover your nose with a napkin, and not with your hand, and especially not sneeze into the air.

Such simple precautions, according to Professor Jonathan van Tam of the University of Nottingham, can significantly reduce the risk of infection of the person and others.

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