Zika Goes on the No-Fly List

摘要

The U.S. air force has declared war on the Aedes mosquito, whose bite can deliver the Zika virus. These mosquitoes are hard enough to contain in their native areas: Central and South America, the Caribbean, and a few Pacific islands. Now the Air Force is trying to prevent its fleet from giving the bugs an airlift. In May, the pest management section of the 436th Civil Engineer Squadron at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware began treating aircraft headed to Italy with 1-Shot, an "aircraft disinsection" product, after that country issued a requirement for all aircraft operating in its airports to be disinsected. With flights scheduled to head abroad, the team had just 24 hours to come up with a protocol. Dover's pest control squadron uses six cans of 1-Shot to treat a C-17 Globemaster, and 13 cans for a C-5M Super Galaxy. After spraying, the aircraft are sealed for 20 minutes, then ventilated before crew can enter without respirators.