While not currently especially recommended for people living with diabetes, air travel is sometimes necessary, and people with diabetes will inevitably have to fly from time to time (for work, a funeral, or a family or medical emergency) during the current COVID-19 pandemic. It is helpful to know the proper precautions to take to make sure that you stay happy and healthy in the friendly skies, should you have to use air travel in the coming months.
The COVID-19 virus actually does not spread as easily on flights as originally reported, because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes. However, social distancing can be difficult on crowded flights (some airlines are promising to keep middle seats open to help with this), and sitting within 6 feet of others, sometimes for hours, may increase your risk of being exposed to the virus. Air travel however does require spending time in security lines and airport terminals, bringing you closer to other people and having to frequently touch common surfaces. These precautions can help you stay healthier for your trip.
Precautions to Take
- Wear a cloth mask at all times while at the airport and on a flight (removing your mask to eat a low snack is always okay).
- Wash your hands often (this is especially important after going through airport security, using the bathroom, and before eating).
- Carry and use hand sanitizer liberally. As part of their “Stay Healthy. Stay Secure” campaign, The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is temporarily suspending their 3-1-1 rules around liquids; TSA is allowing one oversized liquid hand sanitizer container, up to 12 ounces per passenger, in carry-on bags (all other liquids, gels, and aerosols brought to a checkpoint continue to be limited to 3.4 ounces/100 milliliters carried in a one quart-size bag).
- Physically distance yourself from other travelers as much as possible. Staying 6 feet away from anyone not in your party is ideal. Paloma Beamer, associate professor of environmental health sciences at University of Arizona, says, “Six feet 1 inch doesn’t make you safe, neither does 5 feet 10 inches make you not safe; it’s kind of a range. Some people are going to release a lot more virus when they’re sick than other people,” she said.
- Bring disinfectant wipes and use them to wipe down the storage trays during airport security, as well as wiping down your seat, armrests, and tray table once you board the plane.
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Helpful Tips
- As a person living with diabetes, you are allowed to pre-board all flights (COVID-19 or not). Use this to your advantage, to give yourself extra time to organize and have easy access to any low snacks and pump/CGM supplies you may need. Check out our other tips for flying here.
- In addition to wearing a cloth mask, it may be helpful to wear an N95 or KN95 mask underneath that, to make sure the air you’re breathing is more filtered. Additionally, face shields are helpful to prevent the virus from jumping into your eye, and catching the disease that way.
- Aim for a window seat, near the front of the plane, if you’re able to choose your seat when flying. “Because people are walking by you in the aisle seat, it’s shown in outbreaks of norovirus that people are more likely to get ill if they sit on the aisle because people are touching surfaces and walking by,” Charles Gerba, a professor of virology at the University of Arizona said. “So based on norovirus outbreaks, the window seat is better.”
- Talk to your healthcare provider about adjusting your medication doses for travel to stay in range as much as possible. Also, aim to eat and drink before arriving at the airport, so you can keep your mask on as much as possible.
- If possible, avoid public transportation or ride shares to and from the airport. Opt to have family drop you off, or pay to park at the airport to avoid more crowds and close proximity to strangers.
- Book a morning flight. Aircrafts are now being thoroughly cleaned every night, so aiming for a morning flight is a better guarantee that your vessel is free of viral particles than a flight going out later in the day.
- Don’t make friends with your seatmate: talking can spread viral particles in the air. The fewer people you talk to, the better. Bring a book, podcast, music, or get some shut eye instead.
- Don’t panic! By taking these necessary precautions, you can greatly reduce your risk of being exposed to the virus, and there is no need to panic.
If you plan to or need to travel by air, it’s best to check your state’s travel advisories as well as the CDC’s travel recommendations by country to assess your risk. After traveling, make sure to quarantine for at least 14 days to minimize spreading the virus to others (you may be asymptomatic but have the virus), or get tested if able.
By following these guidelines and the CDC’s precautions, you can stay healthy and safe should you need to travel during this time.
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