The plastic tray at the security inspection site of the airport has more bacteria detection than the toilet

by Anete Lūsiņa

In a survey that investigated where there are viruses that cause respiratory diseases such as influenza in the airport, the number of virus detection was higher in plastic trays used in security inspection sites than in toilets and handrails I understood that.

Deposition of respiratory virus pathogens on frequently touched surfaces at airports | BMC Infectious Diseases | Full Text
https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-018-3150-5

This was jointly done by Ninna Ikkonen of Finland National Institute of Health and Welfare et al. And Nottingham University of England.

Survey targets were: Toilet at Helsinki / Vantaa International Airport (top lid of toilet bowl, "sink" button, door key), plastic tray to put baggage at security inspection site, arm rest of chair of waiting space, escalator A rail of stairs, a plastic dog toy placed in a kids space, a handle of a cart, an elevator button, an automatic check-in machine touch screen, a desk and a glass panel of an immigration bureau, a cash register of a pharmacy , And air at the security inspection site.

As a result, no virus was found from the dirty toilet, while influenza virus A, adenovirus, rhinovirus, coronavirus was detected from the security inspection site tray. In addition, viruses are also detected from the plastic toy of kids space, the rail of an escalator, the desk of an entrance, the cash register of a pharmacy, the air of a security inspection place respectively.

Since it is impossible to inspect baggage without using a plastic tray, the research team suggests that risk can be reduced even by only disinfecting hands before and after safety inspection.