CDC: Vacant middle seats on airplanes can reduce COVID-19 spread by up to 57%

What they found: The CDC and Kansas State University researchers used lab modeling to find that the risk of coronavirus exposure dropped between 23% and 57% if middle seats were blocked, compared to the risk when sitting in a fully occupied airplane.

• A single passenger in the same row and two seats away from a person who tested positive for the coronavirus would be 23% less likely to be exposed to the virus.
• With blocked middle seats, the spread of the coronavirus would be reduced by 57% across a three-row section with a mix of infected and uninfected passengers.

The bottom line: While all major U.S. airlines are requiring passengers to wear face masks, the study finds that masking and social distancing combined are more protective than either by itself.