Prognosis
Airlines’ Middle Seats Cited as Covid Risk, With Caveats
- U.S. CDC study examined risks as carriers are filling planes
- Carriers no longer keeping middle row open as demand grows
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The risk of being exposed to the Covid-19 virus on an airline flight drops by as much as half when airlines keep middle seats open, a new study published by the U.S. government concludes, a safety practice the carriers have abandoned.
The study is the latest to roil the waters on a controversial topic: just how risky it is to travel during the pandemic. It did not attempt to estimate infection risks and was based on modeling done before the pandemic, so didn’t consider rules that now require face masks on flights.