Ebola: What Airline Crew and Staff Need to Know

[Omaha Steve]

N E W S R E L E A S E

October 20, 2014



Southwest Airlines’ Flight Attendants Union, TWU Local 556, and Company Management Issue Joint Letter on Ebola Threat



Emphasis is on Safe Practices for Dealing with Any Infectious Disease and Keeping Ill Passengers From Boarding



DALLAS – No one in the general population in the United States has contracted Ebola. However, with news about Ebola dominating the headlines, the union that represents Southwest’s Airlines flight attendants and the airline’s management has found it necessary to issue a joint memorandum to the airline’s more than 12,000 flight attendants with advice on how to deal with the threat from infectious diseases.

“Part of a flight attendant’s job is to be ever vigilant to risks passengers may face, including from infectious diseases. We work very hard to keep the plane safe and healthy for our members and the traveling public alike,” said Transport Workers Union Local 556 President Audrey Stone. “We have the authority to keep noticeably sick travelers off the plane,” she added.

In the joint letter, the union and company management reminded flight attendants that they have access to medical advice through a tele-medicine service called STAT MD. The letter also reviews information from the CDC and standard procedures for dealing with infectious disease.

Said Stone, “The threat of contracting the flu or a virus shouldn’t be taken lightly. People who are sick shouldn’t fly. We should also keep these things in perspective. Thus far two healthcare workers have contracted Ebola while treating a patient who had been in Africa. In contrast, more than 50,000 people died last year in this country from the flu. ”

Below is advice to TWU 556 members contained in the joint memorandum:

TO: All Flight Attendants

FROM: Mike Hafner, Vice President Cabin Services and

Michael Massoni, TWU Local 556 Operational Safety Chair

RE: Precaution and Protection from Communicable Diseases



Overview



In light of recent events, news coverage and social media rumor, we would like to provide the following reminders for protection from possible exposure to communicable diseases and ensure you are equipped with the facts related to Ebola. Southwest Airlines and TWU Local 556 are diligently staying up-to-date with the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and following the guidelines they provide.



Whether in the air or on the ground, STAT-MD is a resource to determine whether a Customer is fit to travel.



Additional Information from the CDC



CDC has provided information to airlines regarding stopping ill travelers from boarding, managing and reporting onboard sick travelers, protecting crew and passengers from infection, and cleaning the plane and disinfecting contaminated areas:

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Cabin crew should follow routine infection control precautions (see below) for onboard sick travelers. If in-flight cleaning is needed, cabin crew should follow routine airline procedures using personal protective equipment available in the Universal Precautions Kit. If a traveler is confirmed to have had infectious Ebola on a flight, CDC will conduct an investigation to assess risk and inform passengers and crew of possible exposure.

•

Hand hygiene and other routine infection control measures should be followed.

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Treat all body fluids as though they are infectious.

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A video titled “Ebola: What Airline Crew and Staff Need to Know” is available for viewing at

Stopping ill travelers from boarding aircraft



A U.S. Department of Transportation rule permits airlines to deny boarding to air travelers with serious contagious diseases that could spread during flight, including travelers with possible Ebola symptoms. This rule applies to all flights of U.S. airlines and to direct flights (no change of planes) to or from the United States by foreign airlines.



General infection control precautions



· Personnel should always follow basic infection control precautions to ensure against any type of infectious disease:



· Treat any body fluid as though it is infectious.



· Hand hygiene is the single most important infection control measure.



· Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after assisting ill travelers or coming in contact with body fluids or surfaces that may be contaminated.



· An alcohol-based hand cleaner is an alternative to hand washing when soap and water aren’t available. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers will not be effective if hands are visibly soiled.



· Avoid touching your mouth, eyes, and nose with unwashed or gloved hands.



· Disposable gloves (gloves do not replace proper hand hygiene):



· Wear impermeable, disposable gloves when physically tending to an ill traveler coming in contact with body fluids (such as used tissues, blood, vomit, or diarrhea), potentially contaminated surfaces or lavatories.



· Remove gloves carefully to avoid contaminating yourself or your clothing.



· Properly dispose of soiled gloves after use into a plastic bag, and do not re-use.



· Wash your hands with soap and water or with an alcohol-based hand cleaner after removing gloves.



· Face masks: Surgical-type face masks worn by an ill person may help reduce the spread of respiratory germs from coughing, sneezing or talking; however, surgical facemasks are not recommended for use by a person who is not ill.



Managing ill people on aircraft if Ebola is suspected



It is important to assess the risk of Ebola by getting more information. Ask sick travelers whether they were in a country with an Ebola outbreak. Look for or ask about Ebola symptoms: fever (gives a history of feeling feverish or having chills), severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea (several trips to the lavatory), stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising.



The risk of spreading Ebola to passengers or crew on an aircraft is low because Ebola spreads by direct contact with infected body fluids. Ebola does NOT spread through the air like flu.



Even if the person has been in a country with Ebola, cabin crew won’t know for certain what type of illness a sick traveler has. Therefore, cabin crew should follow routine infection control precautions for passengers who become sick during flight, including managing travelers with respiratory illness to reduce the number of droplets released into the air. If in-flight cleaning is needed, cabin crew should follow routine airline procedures using personal protective equipment available in the Universal Precautions Kit.



CDC staff can be consulted to assist in evaluating an ill traveler, provide recommendations, and answer questions about reporting requirements. Reporting to CDC does not replace usual company procedures for in-flight medical consultation or getting medical assistance.



See CDC’s Infection Control Guidelines for Cabin Crew Members on Commercial Aircraft for more information on practical measures cabin crew members can take to protect themselves, passengers, and others. (www.cdc.gov)



Follow these routine precautions from the CDC when caring for ill people on aircraft:



· Keep the sick person separated from others as much as possible.



· Wear waterproof disposable gloves before directly touching the sick person, blood, or other body fluids.



· When providing direct care to a sick traveler who came from a country with an Ebola outbreak, also wear a surgical mask (to protect from splashes or sprays), face shield or goggles, and a protective apron or gown (PPE Kit).



· Do NOT give a surgical mask to someone who is nauseated or vomiting. Wearing a mask could harm a traveler who is vomiting. Give an air sickness bag if traveler is vomiting or reports feeling nauseated.



· Give a plastic bag for disposing of used tissues or a soiled air sickness bag.



· Give a surgical mask if a sick traveler is coughing or sneezing, if the sick person can tolerate wearing one. If a mask cannot be tolerated, provide tissues and ask the person to cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.





Notify cleaning crew



Cabin crew should notify the airline's ground and cleaning crews about any ill traveler on board an aircraft so that preparations can be made to clean the aircraft after passengers have disembarked. This information may also be relayed via Flight Deck Personnel



Reporting ill travelers



The pilot of an international flight bound for the United States is required by law to report any onboard deaths or ill travelers who have certain symptoms to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) before arrival. This is consistent with mandatory reporting standards of ICAO (ICAO document 4444 and Annex 9, Ch. 8, of the Chicago Convention).



When necessary, CDC routinely conducts contact investigations to alert passengers and crew of their exposure to ill travelers with certain diseases who were possibly contagious on their flight.





What to do if you think you have been exposed



If a traveler is confirmed to have had infectious Ebola on a flight, CDC will conduct an investigation to assess risk and inform passengers and crew of possible exposure. Any airline crew, cleaning, or cargo personnel who think they were exposed to Ebola either through travel, assisting an ill traveler, handling a contaminated object, or cleaning a contaminated aircraft should take the following precautions:



· Notify your employer immediately.



· Monitor your health for 21 days. Watch for symptoms of Ebola: fever (temperature of 101.5°F/38.6°C or higher), severe headaches, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, unexplained bleeding or bruising.



When to see a health care provider



· If you develop symptoms after possible exposure to Ebola, get medical attention right away.



· Before visiting a health care provider, alert the clinic or emergency room in advance about your possible exposure to Ebola so that arrangements can be made to prevent transmission to health care staff or other patients.



· When traveling to get medical care, limit your contact with other people. This includes avoiding public transportation. Avoid all other travel until you have been medically evaluated.



· If you are not in the United States, contact your employer for help with locating a health care provider. The U.S. embassy or consulate in the country where you are located can also provide names and addresses of local physicians.





TWU Local 556 represents more than 12,000 flight attendants at Southwest Airlines. The union is an affiliate of the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), which represents 200,000 workers and retirees, primarily in commercial aviation, public transportation and passenger railroads. The union is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.

[SoapBox]

1. Thanks for posting.

[snappyturtle]

2. If I were a flight attendant, I would not be comforted by these guidelines.

The two nurses who have contracted ebola had a lot more gear, obviiously not enough, than the guidelines suggest will protect the flt. attendants. And, "Yes", we may have had 50,000 flu deaths in the nation last year but ebola wasn't here then. I think there's a lot to still be learned about the transmission of ebola. imho