'COVID-19 doesn't spread by touching an infected person'

The petition is in connection with AI's flights bringing back stranded nationals to India. Representational pic/Getty Images

An expert panel of the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Friday told Bombay High Court that COVID-19 does not spread by touching a person who is a carrier of the deadly virus.

The expert committee, under the chairmanship of the civil aviation secretary, submitted a note to a division bench of Justice S J Kathawalla and Justice S P Tavade hearing a petition filed by Air India pilot Deven Kanani, who claimed the airline was not keeping middle seats vacant in flights bringing back stranded nationals to India.

The court had, on Thursday, asked the committee, set up to review public health care protocols for air travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic, if COVID-19 can be transmitted by mere touch of a person who is a carrier. The committee, in its note submitted to the court on Friday, said the virus can be transmitted by touch only under certain circumstances, like when an infected person's droplets from nose or mouth (coughing or sneezing) comes in contact with a surface or their clothes and another person comes in contact with that surface and then touches his or her nose, eyes or mouth.

"If an infected person merely touches a non-infected person the virus will not be transmitted. Transmission has to take place through droplets carrying the virus and ultimately the same reaching mouth, nose or eyes of the other person," the note said. The committee also said if passengers wear protective gear, mask and face shield provided by the airlines, then it would decrease the risk of spread of COVID-19. The HC has reserved its order.

The bench said all airlines shall adhere to the May 31 circular issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) asking them to try keeping middle seats vacant and provide wraparound gowns to passengers who are allotted such seats until HC passes an order.

Kanani in his plea claimed Air India was violating the guidelines laid down in a March 23 circular issued by the Centre. Air India had informed the court last week that the March 23 circular was superseded and a new circular was issued by the government on May 22. As per the airline, the new circular does not say the middle seat needs to be kept empty. The high court last week noted that a cursory glance at the May 22 circular showed it applied only to domestic flights and not 'Vande Bharat' international flights operated by Air India.

The court had then directed Air India and DGCA to clarify their stand. Air India later approached the Supreme Court, which, while allowing the national carrier to keep operating its scheduled flights with middle seats filled till June 5, observed that the government should be more worried about the health of citizens than the health of commercial airlines. The high court on Friday extended the apex court relief to Air India to book middle seats for 'Vande Bharat' flights till it passes the order on the petition.

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