Airport trays are many times dirtier than toilets.
Scientists studying the surface of airport baggage trays have discovered many bacteria and viruses that are dangerous to human health.
According to the latest research, this "blacklist" has been updated with an item that surprises many people: the luggage tray at the airport security gate.
Plastic trays - used at airport checkpoints around the world and touched by millions of passengers as they drop off shoes, laptops, luggage and other items for X-ray screening. Scientists who swabbed the most used plastic trays at Helsinki Airport in Finland found the presence of bacteria, viruses that cause the common cold andinfluenza A virus
"The presence of bacteria and viruses in the airport environment has not been previously investigated,"Niina Ikonen, a virologist at the Finnish Institute, who was involved in the research, said.
The findings, published in the journal BMC Infective Diseases, could help improve public health strategies in the fight against the spread of infectious diseases worldwide.
Many of the surfaces we touch every day can spread germs to us, including our cell phones, kitchen sponges, and even that cute rubber duck in the bath. But the surge in air travel in recent years has accelerated the worldwide spread of diseases like the flu that the studies above have discovered.
So, washing your hands, coughing into a handkerchief, tissue or your sleeve, especially in public places, can help reduce the risk of spreading the disease to others and yourself. These simple precautions can help prevent pandemics and are most important in crowded areas such as airports where many people travel to and from different parts of the world.
