Hundreds of American, Southwest airlines employees test positive for COVID-19

[SheltieLover]

[link:https://www.localmemphis.com/mobile/article/news/health/coronavirus/hundreds-of-american-southwest-airlines-employees-test-positive-for-covid-19/522-f23b904a-60d0-49f5-8c45-30137c1e2891|

Hundreds of airlines employees have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days and that number is expected to continue rising, according to information released by multiple unions.

Around 100 American Airlines flight attendants and at least 600 Southwest employees tested positive for COVID-19, their respective unions say.

Additionally, a second AA flight attendant has died of the novel coronavirus, sources say. He was a St. Louis-based flight attendant.

[ProfessorGAC]

1. As Bad As This Is...

...I'm surprised it's not worse.
Hundreds of strangers in 9000 cubic feet of space 2 to 5 times a day?
They seem to be sitting ducks.

[SheltieLover]

2. I agree!

[mucifer]

3. and 3 out of every 100 might die

[ProfessorGAC]

4. Yes

Imagine the numbers if the cases were more like what I figured it would be.
3% of 700 is enough. What if it were a much bigger number? Geez!

[robbob]

5. But when you think about it, it IS much more then 700...

The 700 airline employees were most likely infected in the course of their duties. In the days that followed they worked God knows how many more shifts, which exposed them to thousands more travellers. This situation is an epidemiologist’s worst nightmare...

[ProfessorGAC]

6. True

Now, let's move on to how many passengers on those packed planes carried it forward.
Talking a potentially huge number!

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. I'm one of them.

I flew from Bakersfield to Jax via DFW back on the 16th.

I'm fine so far, but I have no doubt that some of the people I was near would have subsequently tested positive. The odds are too good.

I put up a thread on the day of the journey;


https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213106571

[ProfessorGAC]

8. I Read That Thread

I had forgotten about it.
Glad you're doing OK.
One fun fact: the link you posted came up in the color of a read thread. So, even on a link DU software remembers you read it. Thought that was cool!

[Hugin]

11. It very well could be higher.

It would be interesting to know the demographics of the Flight Attendant population.

I'd imagine age wise it's a fairly constrained group.

However, their inoculate levels were pretty high. Possibly, higher even than some of the health care professionals who at least had some PPE and sanitizing protocols in place when this all broke out. So, any comparison to the general population would be confounded.

My heart goes out to them. The eye of the storm, indeed. Along with several other groups receiving additional gov subsidies, the Senate Dems should add these people to the top of the list.

[ProfessorGAC]

12. Let's Hope Not

But, there's no way to counter your concerns.
Hoping they're going to get through this.

[Hugin]

13. I have no problem with being proven wrong.

In fact, I welcome it.

Especially, in this situation.

Take care ProfessorGAC.

[BeckyDem]

9. Horrifying.

[Baclava]

10. Travel equals death, the new normal?

[pwb]

14. We need to stay put.

Airplane cylinders and cruise death ships spreading this shit all over the earth. IMO.