Airplane toilets are one of the most bacteria-packed places on the aircraft. In a time where flying is already dangerous, visiting the enclosed spaced of a shared bathroom may prove too risky for some. But should the alternative be to wear a diaper and soil yourself?
That’s exactly what China’s aviation regulatory authority has recommended Chinese flight attendants do. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), in its new guidelines released on November 25, has recommended that cabin crew members wear “disposable diapers and avoid using the lavatories barring special circumstances to avoid infection risks,” according to CNN.
As part of recommendations for crew on flights to and from high-risk countries, they are also advised to wear "medical masks, double-layer disposable medical gloves, goggles, disposable hats, disposable protective clothing, and disposable shoe covers."
This would not be the first time those at high risk of contracting the virus were made to wear diapers. In Wuhan, at the peak of the crisis, medical staff were often forced to wear diapers due to being unable to change their PPE for 12 hours at a stretch.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has claimed that there was a low incidence of in-flight COVID-19 transmission, with just 44 cases from the start of 2020 until October. MIT Medical too has said that air travel is relatively safe due to the air quality onboard flight being high, due to air volume being continually refreshed every 2-4 minutes, as well as the use of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters.
The global aviation industry was estimated to have faced net losses of up to $118.5 billion in 2020.
