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Sitting close to other passengers for long hours can cause germs to stick to your clothes. Washing your travel outfit as soon as you return home helps stop these germs from spreading. “Respiratory viruses are the most common infectious diseases that can be transmitted on planes … and are easiest to spread,” said Zachary Hoy, M.D., a board-certified pediatric infectious disease specialist at Pediatrix® Centennial Hospitalist of Nashville, referring to illnesses such as influenza, COVID and the common cold. Commercial jets reduce airborne illness risk by mixing outside air with filtered recirculated air; HEPA filters remove about 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns or larger. “It is less likely that particles can settle on passengers’ clothing with HEPA filters, and airline air is exchanged in the cabin much more frequently than offices or other buildings,” said Dr. Hoy. “But there are times when the air exchange is not running, such as getting off and on the plane and waiting on the runway.”
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