2020 Theses Master's

A Quasi-Systematic Review on Risk Assessment and Containment Guidelines for Respiratory Disease Transmission on Aircraft

Fang, Courtney

Over the last decade, global air traffic has nearly doubled and with the growth of international travel and trade, comes the potential for the global transmission of infectious disease. This requires countries to have the capacity to respond to pandemic threats and for clear guidance on conducting risk assessments in an efficient and timely manner due to the dynamic nature of air travel. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed disjointed risk assessment and containment measures across the globe underscoring the need for harmonious evidence-based protocols and guidance in order to respond to emerging viruses and potential pandemics more efficiently and effectively. The conduction of this quasi-systematic review aims to examine and address changes in the international public health and aircraft guidance for infectious disease containment measures related to air travel amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic. It intends to examine the changes in the methods, models, frameworks, and best practices since the 2009 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) RAGIDA project (Risk Assessment and Guidance for Infectious Disease transmitted on Aircraft) that have shaped current responses to novel COVID-19.