Is There a Health Risk From Pillows, Blankets, and Tray Tables?
DeHart, a frequent flier just back from a trip to Asia, doesn’t worry about pillows or blankets, either. “These blankets and stuff are pretty well cleaned. I don’t know in the medical literature of any spread from a fomite like that,” he says. “You can’t say this hasn’t happened. But I don’t worry about it. I will certainly use a blanket to stay warm and cozy so I feel like going to sleep. Although usually I use my own air pillow because it adjusts.” If you’re going to worry about contamination on airplanes, shift your focus from the overhead compartment to the onboard water system. A recent EPA study found coliform bacteria – germs associated with feces – in water from galley water taps and lavatory faucets in 17% of airplanes tested. Every expert tells WebMD the same thing: The best way to protect yourself against germs is to wash your hands. Hand washing removes viruses as well as bacteria. Of course, it gets complicated if the water you wash with is itself contaminated. Gendreau ha
