The Government which just lifted the lockdown of airports has explained why one of the safety measures to control the virus may not be followed.
As some domestic fights have resumed operations, Mr Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation and Dr Sani Aliyu , the National Co-ordinator of PTF on Covid-19 others went on an inspection to see the readiness of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport In Kano in flights resumption.
After the inspection, Minister of aviation certified it ready for operation.
It was also noted by the Minister that Kano, Owerri, Port Harcourt and Maiduguri have joined Lagos and Abuja to commence.
Speaking on why a preventive measure might not be followed, He said
“Because of the nature of the airplane,the airplane is hygienic enough once you have your mask, you are safe to remain seated on your seat and where possible we will keep the distance.”
However, let me explain the mechanics and the going ons in an airplane that makes it safe in COVID-19 period. Airplanes are designed in such a way that the ambient air at altitudes is clean. It is not contaminated. The air is dropped in the aircrafts, pressurised and because of pressurization, the temperature of the air goes up to 200 degrees which is twice boiling water and there is no bacteria or virus that can survive it and it is suddenly cooled to about 2 degrees centigrate and then it is passed to a filter.
“Passing through the filtration system ensures that every single organism is screened and then it is passed to the cabin and once it is passed through the cabin, it comes
from the ceiling downwards.
“So, it is not coming from the cockpit to the rear, it is from the ceiling downwards and it drops on the floor and gets circulated.
“This circulation happens every two minutes. So, on a flight from Abuja to Lagos, the circulation will happen like 27 to 30 times. With this, it is ensured that it is more hygienic to be in an airplane than to be in an operating theatre in the hospital.”
With this mechanism in place, everything will be safe provided that we are decontaminating the airplane before we enter and decontaminating after we leave and also cleaning all the possible surfaces that one will touch.
“If this continues, then everyone is safe to remain in the cabin sitted next to each other with the mask on. So with this, yes you can be without physical distancing but in the departure and arrival halls and everywhere including the buses, you must remain physically distanced like at least six feet or two metres.”
