Fact Check: Claim about airlines banning vaccinated passengers for fear of blood clots is false
An image with a text claiming that "Airlines are meeting today to discuss the risks of carrying vaxed passengers due to the risk
By Satya Priya BN Published on 18 Jun 2021 2:00 PM GMT
Hyderabad: An image with a text claiming that "Airlines are meeting today to discuss the risks of carrying vaxed passengers due to the risk of clots and the liabilities involved Oh the irony only the non vaxed can fly (sic)" implying that the airlines are not allowing vaccinated passengers to fly in fear of blood clots.
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Fact Check:
The claim that different airlines are banning vaccinated passengers is FALSE.
There have been no such press releases by the WHO or the CDC or any airlines.
Here are the travel guidelines by them where no such guidelines have been mentioned.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association that represents 290 airlines worldwide or 82 per cent of the world's total air traffic, announced that it supports unrestricted access to travel for vaccinated travellers. In cases where vaccination is not possible, access to quarantine-free travel should be provided through COVID-19 testing strategies based on widely available, free-of-charge tests.
According to health-desk.org, though people can develop blood clots while flying, most likely deep vein thrombosis (DVT), these are unrelated to the vaccine. These clots most often occur in the leg during flights due to a lack of movement, staying seated for long periods of time, damage and slow blood flow between the veins, and air pressure, among other things. These clots in the leg may break off and travel to the lung, potentially resulting in what is called a pulmonary embolism.
Flying is a known risk factor in increasing the likelihood of blood clots. So is traveling by car, bus, or train. Most people who develop DVT as a result of flying have other factors that increase their risks such as a history of blood clots, recent surgeries, injuries, blood clots, hormone replacements, pregnancy, older age, obesity, and others.
Currently, no data has linked an increase in blood clots while flying with any COVID-19 vaccines. The clots that have occurred in a tiny part of the vaccinated population occur in unique and unusual areas; much different than DVT.
This claim has also been debunked by Reuters.
Therefore, the claim that airlines are banning vaccinated passengers is FALSE.
