OMTRAIR (Study on Omicron Transmission in Aircraft)
Since the first appearance of "omicron" in November 2021, this new coronavirus variant has been spreading worldwide at terrific speed. In order to learn more about the transmission of omicron, especially in aircraft, the symptoms that are associated with omicron infection and the effectiveness of preventive measures, we are currently conducting an epidemiological study (OMTRAIR study). All passengers who travelled by direct flight from Cape Town, South Africa, to Munich between the end of November and the end of December 2021 and were tested for coronavirus at Munich Airport are invited to participate in this study. For more information on the study, please see the FAQs (frequently asked questions) below.
FAQs
What is the aim of the OMTRAIR study?
The aim of the study is to learn more about the new coronavirus variant “omicron", especially with regard to
- possible transmission during air travel
- implementation and effectiveness of existing recommendations on control measures during air travel.
Who is conducting the OMTRAIR study?
The study is being conducted by the Task Force Infectiology at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL, State Health Authority; https://www.lgl.bayern.de/).
Why were you invited to participate in the OMTRAIR study?
We have invited you because you flew from Cape Town, South Africa to Munich, Germany in November or December 2021. The coronavirus variant “omicron" has been detected in some passengers of your flight. To learn more about the omicron variant, we are asking all passengers on these flights aged 6 years or older to participate in the study, regardless of whether they were infected or not.
Can children under the age of 6 years participate in the OMTRAIR study?
Children under 6 years of age who have traveled with their parents from South Africa to Munich, for example, cannot participate in the study.
What should be considered when children (≥ 6 years) and adolescents participate in the study?
Children aged 6-13 years: For children of this age group, parents or guardians should complete the questionnaire.
Adolescents aged 14-17 years: Adolescents can decide whether they want to fill in the questionnaire themselves or together with their parents or guardians.
Why should I participate in the OMTRAIR study?
You are making an important contribution to gaining further knowledge about the new omicron variant, especially about possible transmission during air travel and the effectiveness of existing prevention measures. As such, any new knowledge could be used to make future travel safer.
What is the OMTRAIR study procedure?
- We invite you to participate in the study via email
- You fill in an online questionnaire
- Your anonymized data will be transmitted to us
- We analyze the data
- Findings obtained from the study will be made public. Conclusions about your person are thereby not possible
Who funds the OMTRAIR study?
The study is fully funded by internal resources of the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL, https://www.lgl.bayern.de/).
Are there any costs for me when participating in the OMTRAIR study?
There are no costs for you when participating in the study.
What happens with my data?
We will only use your email address, which is known to us from the passenger locator cards, to invite you to the study. After you have completed the online questionnaire, your information will be transmitted to us in anonymized form, which makes sure we are not able to identify you. All further analyses are carried out with this anonymized data.
Where can I find the questionnaire from the OMTRAIR study?
The questionnaires for the study can be found under the following link and in the right-hand column under "Downloads"::
https://www.lgl.bayern.de/forschung/forschung_gesundheit/omtrair.htm
What data will be collected from me?
- Demographic data (sex, age)
- Information about the flight Cape Town – Munich
- Information on immune status
- Information on symptoms of illness, if applicable
- Information on underlying diseases, if applicable
- Information on the use of protective measures
Where can the results of the OMTRAIR study be found?
As soon as first study results are available, you can find further information under the following link:
https://www.lgl.bayern.de/forschung/forschung_gesundheit/omtrair.htm
Someone I know got an invitation to the study, but I did not. What might be the reason for this and what shall I do in this case?
If you flew from Cape Town to Munich in the period 26/11/2021-23/12/2021 and did not receive an invitation to the study, this may be because we did not have your email address or the address was incomplete or incorrect. In this case, please contact us by email (omtrair@lgl.bayern.de). We will then send you an invitation to the study immediately.
Where can I find further information on the study and how can I contact the study team?
Further information on the study can be found at https://www.lgl.bayern.de/forschung/forschung_gesundheit/omtrair.htm