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| An End to Empty Seats on Canada’s Airlines | An End to Empty Seats on Canada’s Airlines |
| (5 days later) | |
| Photos of empty airports have come to symbolize the head-spinning drop in air travel during the pandemic. But the more surprising illustration for me involves a now-crowded space. | Photos of empty airports have come to symbolize the head-spinning drop in air travel during the pandemic. But the more surprising illustration for me involves a now-crowded space. |
| The parking lots of rental car agencies near the Ottawa airport are now overstuffed with unwanted cars. So many of them have piled up since air travel has fallen by 90 percent in Canada that the unwanted rentals have overflowed into the vast parking lot of a nearby convention center. | The parking lots of rental car agencies near the Ottawa airport are now overstuffed with unwanted cars. So many of them have piled up since air travel has fallen by 90 percent in Canada that the unwanted rentals have overflowed into the vast parking lot of a nearby convention center. |
| Recently, Canada’s two major airlines, Air Canada and WestJet, have been pushing to get more people back on their planes, urging politicians to substantially ease virus-related restrictions, including expanding border travel with the United States, as they move to restart additional routes later this month. | Recently, Canada’s two major airlines, Air Canada and WestJet, have been pushing to get more people back on their planes, urging politicians to substantially ease virus-related restrictions, including expanding border travel with the United States, as they move to restart additional routes later this month. |
| “This is hundreds of times worse than 9/11, SARS, or the global financial crisis — quite frankly combined,” Calin Rovinescu, the chief executive of Air Canada, told the Financial Post in an interview. | “This is hundreds of times worse than 9/11, SARS, or the global financial crisis — quite frankly combined,” Calin Rovinescu, the chief executive of Air Canada, told the Financial Post in an interview. |
| But at the same time that Mr. Rovinescu and his counterparts are working to get more people back in the air, they’ve made one change that gives some health officials pause. | But at the same time that Mr. Rovinescu and his counterparts are working to get more people back in the air, they’ve made one change that gives some health officials pause. |
| On Canada Day, both Air Canada and WestJet ended what the industry calls “seat blocking,” leaving a vacant seat between passengers. Though that gap was far short of the minimum recommended distance of 2 meters, it was still a gap. | On Canada Day, both Air Canada and WestJet ended what the industry calls “seat blocking,” leaving a vacant seat between passengers. Though that gap was far short of the minimum recommended distance of 2 meters, it was still a gap. |
| So while health officials are urging Canadians to keep their distance as various measures are eased, airlines are putting them in close contact in an enclosed space for flights that can last hours. | So while health officials are urging Canadians to keep their distance as various measures are eased, airlines are putting them in close contact in an enclosed space for flights that can last hours. |
| During recent testimony before the House of Commons health committee, officials from all of Canada’s major airlines played down the need to keep passengers apart and emphasized what they called a cascading or multilayered approach to making sure infections don’t spread aboard flights. That approach, they repeatedly said, includes taking into account the quality of the air filtration systems on planes. | During recent testimony before the House of Commons health committee, officials from all of Canada’s major airlines played down the need to keep passengers apart and emphasized what they called a cascading or multilayered approach to making sure infections don’t spread aboard flights. That approach, they repeatedly said, includes taking into account the quality of the air filtration systems on planes. |
| In an email, Air Canada explained the end of seat blocking to me this way: “While we would all like a single measure that reduces risk, we are left to use a combination of approaches to mitigate risk as far as practical.” | In an email, Air Canada explained the end of seat blocking to me this way: “While we would all like a single measure that reduces risk, we are left to use a combination of approaches to mitigate risk as far as practical.” |
| It added: “It is very important that people understand how efficiently aircraft ventilation works to refresh air regularly onboard every 2 to 3 minutes, which is a key reason there has been no reports of disease outbreak clusters onboard flights.” | It added: “It is very important that people understand how efficiently aircraft ventilation works to refresh air regularly onboard every 2 to 3 minutes, which is a key reason there has been no reports of disease outbreak clusters onboard flights.” |
| But scientists, public health authorities and physicians seem less enthusiastic about a return to jampacked cabins and, for that matter, about moving large numbers of people around the country. | But scientists, public health authorities and physicians seem less enthusiastic about a return to jampacked cabins and, for that matter, about moving large numbers of people around the country. |
| “From a public health perspective the physical distancing is one of the key public health measures,” Dr. Howard Njoo, the deputy chief public health officer of Canada, said at a news conference when asked about the airlines’ new plan. “Physical distancing is our recommendation.” | “From a public health perspective the physical distancing is one of the key public health measures,” Dr. Howard Njoo, the deputy chief public health officer of Canada, said at a news conference when asked about the airlines’ new plan. “Physical distancing is our recommendation.” |
| Dr. David N. Fisman, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health, agreed that having multiple measures can lead to greater overall control of infections and he added that he’s been surprised by the lack of outbreaks clustered around flights. | Dr. David N. Fisman, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health, agreed that having multiple measures can lead to greater overall control of infections and he added that he’s been surprised by the lack of outbreaks clustered around flights. |
| “That said, at the end of the day, proximity and crowding are important factors in facilitating disease transmission, so maintaining as much space as possible between individuals and requiring masks when space can’t be maintained seems quite common-sensical to me,” he said. “I can’t imagine that airplanes have some magical property that makes droplet borne transmission difficult if people are packed closely together.” | “That said, at the end of the day, proximity and crowding are important factors in facilitating disease transmission, so maintaining as much space as possible between individuals and requiring masks when space can’t be maintained seems quite common-sensical to me,” he said. “I can’t imagine that airplanes have some magical property that makes droplet borne transmission difficult if people are packed closely together.” |
| Dr. Cory Neudorf a professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s medical school and the medical director for health surveillance at Saskatchewan Health Authority, told me in an email that viruses can still pass between passengers even with the most vigorous filtration. | Dr. Cory Neudorf a professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s medical school and the medical director for health surveillance at Saskatchewan Health Authority, told me in an email that viruses can still pass between passengers even with the most vigorous filtration. |
| “Airplanes try to mitigate this through frequent air circulation and use of HEPA filters, but yes, you can still be infected if you breathe in the particles on their way to the filters,” he wrote in the email. | “Airplanes try to mitigate this through frequent air circulation and use of HEPA filters, but yes, you can still be infected if you breathe in the particles on their way to the filters,” he wrote in the email. |
| He added that limiting the number of people aboard planes cuts the risk of transmission in other ways. | He added that limiting the number of people aboard planes cuts the risk of transmission in other ways. |
| “Fewer people in a given shared space means fewer people touching shared surfaces, so risk is reduced, especially if you don’t have someone using the same arm rest or other surfaces as they walk down aisles, use the washroom etc.,” he wrote. | “Fewer people in a given shared space means fewer people touching shared surfaces, so risk is reduced, especially if you don’t have someone using the same arm rest or other surfaces as they walk down aisles, use the washroom etc.,” he wrote. |
| Air Canada will allow economy class passengers on flights that are nearly full to rebook at no cost. That, of course, assumes travel flexibility and the availability of flights with lots of empty seats. | Air Canada will allow economy class passengers on flights that are nearly full to rebook at no cost. That, of course, assumes travel flexibility and the availability of flights with lots of empty seats. |
| Updated July 7, 2020 | |
| The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization. | |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | |
| Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles. | |
| A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. | |
| The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth. | |
| The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. | |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | |
| Moris Moreno recently produced a record for The Times of air travel from Seattle to Boston with his family, although the middle seats were empty when he took to the skies. | Moris Moreno recently produced a record for The Times of air travel from Seattle to Boston with his family, although the middle seats were empty when he took to the skies. |
| [Read: Air Travel in the Age of Coronavirus: A Visual Diary of a Flight] | [Read: Air Travel in the Age of Coronavirus: A Visual Diary of a Flight] |
| I also asked Dr. Fisman about his personal travel plans: “I wouldn’t take a long haul flight if I could avoid it right now.” | I also asked Dr. Fisman about his personal travel plans: “I wouldn’t take a long haul flight if I could avoid it right now.” |
| This week’s Trans Canada section was compiled by Catherine Porter | This week’s Trans Canada section was compiled by Catherine Porter |
| Balarama Holness is a Montreal educator, broadcaster, law student, former professional Canadian football player, and one of the leaders of Canada’s current Black rights and anti-racism movement. He told Dan Bilefsky he aspires to be a “Canadian Obama.” | Balarama Holness is a Montreal educator, broadcaster, law student, former professional Canadian football player, and one of the leaders of Canada’s current Black rights and anti-racism movement. He told Dan Bilefsky he aspires to be a “Canadian Obama.” |
| Justin Trudeau is at the center of another conflict-of-interest investigation — his third since he became Prime Minister in 2015. This one is over his family’s connections to the international WE Charity, which his government had awarded a no-bid contract to disburse hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to student volunteers. This week, it was revealed that Mr. Trudeau’s mother and brother were paid more than 280,000 Canadian dollars over four years by the charity for speaking at its events. | Justin Trudeau is at the center of another conflict-of-interest investigation — his third since he became Prime Minister in 2015. This one is over his family’s connections to the international WE Charity, which his government had awarded a no-bid contract to disburse hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to student volunteers. This week, it was revealed that Mr. Trudeau’s mother and brother were paid more than 280,000 Canadian dollars over four years by the charity for speaking at its events. |
| For those feeling stir-crazy under coronavirus travel restrictions, you can travel — virtually — along the 360-mile Tshiuetin railroad in rural Quebec, from Sept-Îles to Schefferville. Partly owned and wholly operated by the three First Nations that it connects, the line is “a symbol of reclamation and defiance for those it serves,” writes Chloë Ellingson. Her photos are wonderful. | For those feeling stir-crazy under coronavirus travel restrictions, you can travel — virtually — along the 360-mile Tshiuetin railroad in rural Quebec, from Sept-Îles to Schefferville. Partly owned and wholly operated by the three First Nations that it connects, the line is “a symbol of reclamation and defiance for those it serves,” writes Chloë Ellingson. Her photos are wonderful. |
| A native of Windsor, Ontario, Ian Austen was educated in Toronto, lives in Ottawa and has reported about Canada for The New York Times for the past 16 years. Follow him on Twitter at @ianrausten. | A native of Windsor, Ontario, Ian Austen was educated in Toronto, lives in Ottawa and has reported about Canada for The New York Times for the past 16 years. Follow him on Twitter at @ianrausten. |
| We’re eager to have your thoughts about this newsletter and events in Canada in general. Please send them to nytcanada@nytimes.com. | We’re eager to have your thoughts about this newsletter and events in Canada in general. Please send them to nytcanada@nytimes.com. |
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