Moms around the world appear to be united in their belief that you will get Ebola while flying on a plane. Their fears persist on Twitter despite numerous reassurances from the World Health Organization that Ebola is not an airborne virus.
The fact is it is spread through "direct close contact with symptomatic patients." And airports are screening passengers to keep those with symptoms of Ebola from boarding planes -- or entering the United States if they slip through.
Still, from a ban on snacks to a "don't touch the walls" rule, moms are full of motherly-yet-misguided warnings.
Below are some of the most outlandish tips we found on Twitter -- and some real talk in response.
Mom tip #1: Wear a face mask
My mom said she's bringing me home a mask from work that she wants me to wear on the plane so I don't get Ebola. Thanks mom.— Brittany Wright (@brittcieraa) October 10, 2014
My mother is making me wear a mask thing on my plane ride to Oklahoma so I don't get Ebola— Savanna (@callmesavyyy) October 2, 2014
My Mom is scaring me about getting Ebola while we're in the airport in D.C. She said to wear a mask @averynicholeeee— Chelsea (@Chelsea_Montoya) October 10, 2014
Mom, real talk: Moms are warning their charges to wear face masks at the airport. It's nice that they care, but it's wrong. Ebola, again, is not transmitted through the air.
"Airborne spread among humans implies inhalation of an infectious dose of virus from a suspended cloud of small dried droplets," the WHO says. "This mode of transmission has not been observed during extensive studies of the Ebola virus over several decades."
Mom tip #2: Wear rubber gloves
"Im getting you rubber gloves and lots of hand sanitizer to use at the airport so you dont get ebola" ok mom— Haylee Weaver (@hayleeweaver_) October 5, 2014
Mom, real talk: Gloves, gowns, masks and eye protection are all proper barrier nursing techniques -- for hospital staff and family members caring for patients of the disease. You're probably over-doing it as an average airline traveler if you're packing a pair of latex gloves.
Hand hygiene, the CDC says, is the most important infection control measure when you're dealing with something like Ebola. But you're far more likely to catch someone's cold. Wash your hands with soap and water before and after you fly and you're likely to be fine.
Mom tip #3: Bring baby wipes
My mother just told me that I need to bring baby wipes to the airport when I pick up my sister and BIL because of ebola... yeah no— / brītni / (@brittanyluciano) October 9, 2014
Mom, real talk: Hoarding baby wipes to combat an Ebola outbreak is sound advice -- if you're a prepper. A Washington Post report recently highlighted what "survivalists" are doing to plan for Ebola in the United States, and, sure enough, baby wipes were on their shopping lists. Just wash your hands, y'know?
Mom tip #4: Wipe down the seat
My mom just wiped down my seat on the plane so I wouldn't get Ebola— Caroline Proctor (@cproc614) October 10, 2014
Mom, real talk: Only one person has flown to the United States before being diagnosed with the Ebola virus, and he was asymptomatic while he sat in his seat on a United Airlines plane, mom. The Centers for Disease Control and Protection says there is "zero risk" that other passengers on the flights were infected from the man.
United said the two planes he flew on were going through a "thorough cleaning, including cleaning of lavatories and galleys with heavy-duty all-purpose cleaners and wiping tray tables and arm rests with disinfectant."
Mom tip #5: Forget it -- just drive
my mom wants to drive me from here to washington because shes afraid of me going through texas on a plane because of ebola.— Rolz (@RawRolz) October 4, 2014
My mom just informed me xmas plans are off cuz none of us should be flying because of #EBOLA LOLs— Lei Pips (@PipsToDollars) October 7, 2014
Mom, real talk: Let's talk odds. First off, you are way more likely to die in a car accident (1 in 5,000) than a plane (1 in 11 million) so those numbers alone should have you flying to your next destination. And with only 4,000 people who have died of this terrible disease, and a world population of seven billion, odds that you'll be infected are low.
Mom tip #6: Don't "act sick"
I'm flying home tonight and my mom told me I'm not allowed to act sick because they'll think I have Ebola. or y'know. I just have a cold.— Katie Orum (@KatieOrum) October 9, 2014
My mom keeps telling me I can't drink tonight because I'm gonna get hungover and the people won't let me on the plane thinking I have Ebola— Caitlin♛ (@CaitDaniellexo) October 10, 2014
Mom, real talk: This is generally good advice. You've seen what can happen if an airline traveler even jokes about having Ebola -- not good things.
Pilots are required by law to report ill travelers -- who have certain symptoms like fever, skin rash, difficulty breathing, persistent vomiting or persistent diarrhea -- to a local health authority or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) before their arrival.
Just play it straight, kid.
Mom tip #7: Wear an adult diaper
"If we go to San Diego you can wear an adult diaper on the plane ride cause the bathroom might give you Ebola" -Mom— Brie (@BriannaEssig) October 2, 2014
Mom, real talk: No comment.
Mom tip #8: Don't touch anything
Mother just told me to be sure not to touch anything on the plane bc people might've flown w Ebola.— Anna Lattimore (@annaglattimore) October 9, 2014
Mom, real talk: Remember that "thorough cleaning" we mentioned? The planes are clean. You can touch things.
Mom tip #9: Not even the walls
*on way to airport* Mom: don't touch the walls cuz Ebola— Alli Vu (@AlliVu) October 9, 2014
Mom, real talk: You can touch the walls, too.
According to cleaning guidelines published by the Center for Disease Control in October, flight crews have certain cleaning standards that they follow when a passenger becomes ill with a possible contagious infection.
Cleaning crews use an "Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered cleaner/disinfectant that has been tested and approved for use by the airplane manufacturers" to clean any possibly contaminated areas. Those areas, according to the guidelines, include the "sick traveler’s seat and the seats around it, seat backs, armrests, tray tables, video monitor, light and air controls, and adjacent walls and windows."
Without a sick passenger, the walls go a little bit longer without a deep clean, as the Wall Street Journal reported in September.
Every 35 to 55 days, depending on the aircraft type, United planes get a "deep cleaning" that includes washing the ceilings and sidewalls and the seat-bottom cushions. American says it does its version of deep cleaning — washing seat cushions and cleaning carpets and floors, lavatories, bins, tray tables — every 30 days. Delta said its planes get a deep cleaning every 90 to 100 days when jets get regular maintenance work.
There are, however, places where you shouldn't touch the walls -- like the government hospital in Kenema, Sierra Leone, which are "totally infected," as one medical assistant warned a reporter in August.
Mom tip #10: Or anything really
I'm flying into Dulles tomorrow and my mom just called me to tell me the guy with ebola flew into Dulles and not to touch a lot of stuff— Lizzy Williams (@LandsharkLizzy) October 2, 2014
Mom, real talk: OK, fine. Keep your hands to yourself.
Mom tip #11: Don't even use the bathrooms
My mom told me not to use the bathrooms in my flight this weekend so I don't get Ebola...and she was dead ass.— Kristie Marie (@kristiexmariee) October 9, 2014
Mom, real talk: This might be good advice whether there's an international health crisis or not. Around 200 airline cabin cleaners walked off the job this week over complaints over -- you guessed it -- cleaning the bathrooms.
"When I do bathroom, I come in contact with tampons which I have to grab with my hand, with a glove that’s so cheap that it breaks easily. I come in contact with feces, a lot of feces and vomit. And we have to clean those bathrooms spotless because they audit those planes,” one of the workers told the Guardian.
Mom tip #12: And certainly, no snacks
My mom's strategy for not contracting #ebola: "well, no more snacking on planes." Le sigh.— Jane Frye (@jane_frye) October 8, 2014
Mom, real talk: So this is a pretty poor strategy. You should be more worried about food poisoning in-flight than catching a communicable disease like Ebola. Many have fallen sick, and a few have died -- including a Saudi diplomat in 1984.
Mom tip #13: Don't sit next to anyone who looks like they came from Nigeria (That's kinda racist, mom)
"Just don't sit next to somebody who looks like they came from Nigeria on your flight, they may have Ebola"- My Mother— Matt Schlegel (@JustSchlegIt) October 3, 2014
Mom, real talk: First off, Nigeria's only had a reported 20 cases since the beginning of the outbreak, which have resulted in 8 unfortunate deaths -- and it has officially contained the outbreak. Second, looks like a Nigerian? C'mon, mom.
And then there are the dads ...
father: I wonder if terrorist would infect someone with ebola, then give them extacy while on the plane to spread it LOL DAD— lilliy~ (@__lilliputian__) October 6, 2014
Dad.