Apparently, yes:

Considering the policy will apply to all visa-exempt non-EU citizens, I’m inclined to think it’s not #2.

I’ve got to be honest, having a pseudo-military group of women with neon pink guns (because gunmetal grey is a tool of the patriarchy) drag me to go see Captain Marvel sounds like a pretty good day to me.

I don’t think so. At least for me, getting in to a bed that’s made actually feels different. Maybe it’s just a sense of cleanliness or completion, but I will literally make my bed just so I can get in. I may be strange though...

I don’t think so. At least for me, getting in to a bed that’s made actually feels different. Maybe it’s just a sense…

I usually go with “A guy once told his friends ten puns in the hopes that one of them would make them laugh. Unfortunately, no pun in ten did.”

Thanks for calling me an asshole. Not quite sure I deserved it, as I haven’t been rude or even unpleasant to you.

Don’t you run a similar risk when you sit down at a table in a restaurant that has a table cloth? In fact, aren’t there a lot of situations where you run similar risks and most people don’t even give them a second thought?

No, I’m just indicating that this conversation has long since passed the point of diminishing returns. To be clear, I don’t mean with you, but with the entire thread.

Actually, I think the mistake I made was asking if there was any data indicating that the re-use of blankets and pillows on aircraft was a significant concern. At this point, I’m just giving up, because I’m not going to get any.

Not really. I’ve spent plenty of time taking care of children. Is there an unusually high incidence rate of head lice acquired on aircraft that I’m not aware of? If you can point me to evidence, I’m happy to accept it.

I think I’m going to just give up. All I wanted to know is if there was data indicating that aircraft had higher disease transmission rates than other locales. And now I’m told that I should be freaking out and cleaning everything in sight because re-using blankets on an airplane is equivalent to biological warfare…

And lice can’t get on to the seat and headrest that you’re using if you don’t use the pillow? Lice are also usually transferred via direct contact with hair, less frequently from contaminated surfaces.

Keep in mind I’m not saying there’s no risk at all. I’m asking (and not getting any answers at all, frustratingly) if there’s a greater risk on an airplane than in other situations. I’m not convinced that there is.

But you’re comfortable putting your hand on the door handle of a McDonald’s washroom?

But that comes back eventually to my main point, which is that we overestimate the risk of disease transmission because we find the notion of sharing fabrics unpleasant. Your risk of infection isn’t substantially different just because you’re on an airplane.

Yes, I know; dangers abound. What I’m trying to figure out is if the re-use of blankets and pillows represents a real risk or if the risk is being overestimated. The only data I’ve managed to find so far suggest that the risk of disease transmission from these sources is pretty minimal.

You understand that that’s not even remotely analogous, right? That was semi-deliberate biological warfare using a disease that the target population had no immunity against. And as much as you may not enjoy air travel, it really doesn’t qualify as biological warfare. Hyperbole is not necessary here; if you have data,…

Uncommonly, transmission may occur by:

No, I’m Canadian, but I’ve been living here for two years. The medication thing is a bit of a mixed bag. Generally, I’ve found I have a bit of an out with doctors as an expat. They know the North American systems are different, so if I go in knowing what I want, they’re usually willing to give it to me.

Turns out that they don’t actually spread that easily. I found a couple of links further down, but long story short, people overestimate the danger of disease transmission on aircraft in the same way that they overestimate the danger of travelling on aircraft themselves.