The airline industry's latest study says flying during the coronavirus pandemic is less risky than eating out or grocery shopping, but a COVID-19 outbreak linked to a seven-hour flight to Ireland is raising renewed concerns about in-flight transmission.

A 187-page study by Harvard scientists released Tuesday concluded that air travel "is as safe as or substantially safer than the routine activities people undertake during these times.'' The study points to the ventilation systems on planes that refresh the air every two to three minutes, and new measures including heavy-duty disinfecting, strict face mask enforcement and social distancing during boarding and deplaning. The Harvard researchers said the ventilation system in the cabin "effectively counters the proximity travelers are subject to during flights."

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