Lesson from 9/11: Grounding planes can delay the flu

In recent years, flu has tended to peak around February 17 (blue line). But international flight volume (in red) plummeted after the 9/11 attacks, delaying the peak until March 2.

An analysis of influenza patterns suggests that limiting airline volume could buy critical time during a flu pandemic, say John Brownstein, PhD, and colleagues from the Children's Hospital Informatics Program. In recent years, flu mortality has peaked around February 17, but after the attacks of September 11, 2001, the peak was delayed until March 2, they report in Public Library of Science Medicine. The data also suggests that Thanksgiving travel—markedly reduced in 2001l—may be central to flu spread.

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