Catching Colds and Flying on Planes

Reader Contribution by Amanda Sorell
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I’ve heard there’s a link between catching colds and flying. Am I more likely to get sick if I travel on a plane?

Yes! According to a 2004 study

published in the Journal of Environmental Health Research, plane travelers are up to 113 times more likely to catch a virus than their ground-bound counterparts.

Why is this? The study put forth a series of potential culprits: fatigue, low outside air replacement, dry cabin air, and proximity of people to one another in a small space. While all of these may play a part, the researchers found that an airplane cabin’s low humidity — which weakens humans’ defenses against infection — is likely the greatest factor in passengers’ heightened susceptibility to infection.

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