Coronavirus
What You Need
to Know Now
By Jeff Yapalater
The fears over coronavirus, Covid-19 are spreading faster than the illness. The Important take away is that most people with this illness recover, called Self Resolve by health authorities. Most of the emphasis has been on aviation concerning passengers. So far, there have been few restrictions on air cargo due to the inanimate nature of goods but direct cargo flights from the Wuhan area have been suspended. Governor Cuomo has this to say, “The State is working in coordination with the federal government. My concern was, in many ways the first step of this process, the step that we need to get right, we need to get right immediately is testing capacity. You want to be able to test people, you want to be able to get results quickly,” as he shared new information on the virus in NY. New Yorkers can call the State hotline at 1-888-364-3065, where experts can answer questions regarding the novel coronavirus.
Following are news clips about airline cancellations, modified schedules, website information, international travel information, and how the CDC and CBP are working with the Governor’s and President’s offices to control the spread and provide safety for travelers.
Important Preventative Actions
The coronavirus is a respiratory illness that can lead to pneumonia. It has similar symptoms to a cold or flu.
This virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. This means that the air will not infect you! The virus is on surfaces and you will not be infected unless your unprotected face is directly coughed or sneezed upon. This virus only has cell receptors for lung cells (it only infects your lungs) The only way for the virus to infect you is through your nose or mouth via your hands or an infected cough or sneeze onto or into your nose or mouth.
The use of masks is only to prevent you from your nose and/or mouth (We touch our nose/mouth 90X/day without knowing it!). This is the only way this virus can infect you – it is lung-specific. The mask will not prevent the virus in a direct sneeze from getting into your nose or mouth – it is only to keep you from touching your nose or mouth.
1) Instead of handshaking, use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc.
2) Use ONLY your knuckle to touch light switches. elevator buttons, etc.. Lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove.
3) Open doors with your closed fist or hip – do not grasp the handle with your hand, unless there is no other way to open the door. Especially important on bathroom and post office/commercial doors.
4) Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when they are available, including wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts.
5) Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return home from ANY activity that involves locations where other people have been.
6) Keep a bottle of sanitizer available at each of your home’s entrances. AND in your car for use after getting gas or touching other contaminated objects when you can’t immediately wash your hands.
7) If possible, cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you have to.
CDC and CBP Actions
At JFK and Newark airports, two of the 11 nationwide airports taking China incoming flights, CDC perssonnel are are at the aircraft inspecting passengers, asking questions, taking temperatures, directinjg some to secondary screenings, sending some to area quarantine faciities, and relassing other who are totally free of symptons. These passengers are not allowed to enter the Customs Border Protection area until cleared by the CDC.
Airline Actions
-American Airlines said it is suspending Milan flights through April 24. It is waiving change fees on all newly purchased tickets.
-Delta announced as of March 1, it is temporarily suspending daily flights between New York’s JFK’ Airport and Milan’s Malpensa Airport and will resume May 1.
Both AA and Delta Both said travelers with tickets to Milan this spring will be given several options, including a refund or re-booking.
-Istanbul-based Turkish Airlines has announced today that it has temporarily canceled all flights to Italy due to the coronavirus outbreak taking immediate effect.
-Alitalia will be running only one flight a day out of Israel, instead of its usual four beginning March 2. Italy is a popular transfer point for Israelis via Rome on Alitalia enroute popular to getting to North America.
-Wizz Air has cut similar flights that tend to this Israeli market.
-JetBlue is suspending cancel fees for new reservations to give customers booking confidence as Coronavirus concerns evolve. here Are No Current Travel Restrictions in JetBlue’s Network,
-Alaska Airlines said it will not charge change and cancellation fees for the next two weeks.The suspension covers new bookings as of Thursday, extending through March 12 for travel through June 1.
-Cathay Pacific has reduced the daily flights to China from four to one a day from JFK.
United, has cut flights to Asia and suspended service to mainland China and Hong Kong through April 30.
Important website for updated information
–Center for Disease Control (CDC) : www.cdc.gov/
-National Institute of Health (NIH): www.nih.gov/
-NYC Department of health: www1.nyc.gov/
-For a list of airlines with international flights that ar cencelling or modifying their flights toChina, toto: www.reute
-IATA link to Government Measures Related to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
www.iata.org/
-World Health Organization (WHO) website. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
The WHO has not called for restrictions on travel or trade.
-U.S. State Department Notifications: trave
Government Actions
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced a new push to make the now-in-the-works coronavirus vaccination fully covered by Medicare so seniors who want it and need it the most do not have to choose between shelling out and going without. On March 4, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation and Space, will convene a hearing titled, “From SARS to Coronavirus: Examining the Role of Global Aviation in Containing the Spread of Infectious Disease,” at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, 2020.
Industry Comments
CEO of IATA, Alexandre de Juniac, said: “These are challenging times for the global air transport industry. Stopping the spread of the virus is the top priority. Airlines are following the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO) and other public health authorities to keep passengers safe, the world connected and the virus contained. “The sharp downturn in demand as a result of COVID-19 will have a financial impact on airlines – severe for those particularly exposed to the China market. We estimate that global traffic will be reduced by 4.7 per cent by the virus, That scenario would translate into lost passenger revenues of $29.3 billion.
Potential Vaccines
A tested and effective vaccine is being developed by several firms across the world. A vaccine for distribution in the U.S.is about a year away due to testing and FDA approval.
Farmingdale NY-based Codagenix now partnering with the Serum Institute of India, could have trial vaccines ready for safety testing on human volunteers by May, an executive said. Codagenix, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing prophylactic vaccines and oncolytic virus therapies, t There are no licensed vaccines or therapeutics for this novel coronavirus, now referred to as COVID-19. Gilead Sciences Initiates Two Phase 3 Studies of Investigational Antiviral Remdesivir for the Treatment of COVID-19.-U.S. FDA grants investigational new drug authorization to study remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-1
