Space & Astronomy

Is this the one place safe from coronavirus ?

By T.K. Randall
March 19, 2020 ·  2 comments

Is the ISS the one true safe haven from the virus ? Image Credit: NASA One question that has cropped up a lot lately is exactly which place(s) are still completely clear of coronavirus infections - places that have so far managed to remain untouched by the ongoing crisis.

While there are some countries - and especially islands - that have managed to remain unscathed, there is one place that has cropped up time and again - the International Space Station.

It's certainly true that the astronauts orbiting far above our heads are safely out of reach of the pandemic, but what happens when a new crew ventures up there ? Could they carry it with them ?

Back in 1968, the crew of Apollo 7 all ended up catching the common cold off Cmdr. Wally Schirra who inadvertently brought it with him. The illness caused many issues ranging from a lack of tissues and medication to the crew members refusing to wear helmets during re-entry. While it is still possible for an illness to be carried up into space, measures taken prior to launch now make it extremely unlikely that something like that could happen again.

According to Luis Zea of the University of Colorado Bio Serve Space Technologies, the astronauts are required to go through a two-week quarantine period before they can launch into space.

During this time, they are routinely observed and tested to ensure that they are not carrying anything.

In a similar vein, supplies sent up to the ISS are also cleaned to prevent contamination.

Source: Nature World News | Comments (2)

Tags: Coronavirus, ISS