Adventure travel and the COVID-19 pandemic — recommendation of the Medical Commission of the Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme (UIAA)

Authors

  • Piotr Szawarski Department of Anaesthesia, Wexham Park Hospital, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, Slough SL2 4HL, United Kingdom
  • David Hillebrandt Medical Commission of the Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme (UIAA), Berne, Switzerland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0015.3379

Keywords:

SARS-CoV-2, risk, risk management, crisis, COVID-19

Abstract

Lots of information is available by news, internet, social media, press and medical papers. However there is a lack of specific information on how to manage the COVID risk while mountaineering. The paper should assist mountaineers and agencies to fulfill safety procedures en route.

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UIAA. 25. Adventure Travel and tea COVID-19 Pandemic (May 2021). Advice and Recommendation. https://www.theuiaa.org/mountain-medicine/medical-advice/. Accessed May 10, 2021.   Google Scholar

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Liotti FM, Menchinelli G, Marchetti S, Posteraro B, Landi F, Sanguinetti M, Cattani P. Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 RNA test results among patients who recovered from COVID-19 with prior negative results. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2021;181(5): 702-704. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.7570.   Google Scholar

Beeri T, Jaffe-Hoffman M. Health Ministry may recommend mandatory coronavirus vaccine law. Jerusalem Post. November 10, 2020. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/health-ministry-may-recommend-mandatory-coronavirus-vaccine-law-648604. Accessed December 1, 2020.   Google Scholar

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Pombal R., Hosegood I, Powell, D. Risk of COVID-19 during air travel. JAMA. 2020;324(17):1798-1798. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.19108.   Google Scholar

Olsen SJ, Chang HL, Cheung TYY, et al. Transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome on aircraft. N Eng J Med. 2003;349(25), 2416-2422.   Google Scholar

Moser MR, Bender TR, Margolis HS, Noble GR, Kendal AP, Ritter DG. An outbreak of influenza aboard a commercial airliner. Am J Epidemiol. 1979;110(1)1-6. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112781.   Google Scholar

Khanh NC, Thai PQ, Quach H-L, et al. Transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 during long flight. Emerg Infect Dis. 2020;26(11). 2617-2624. doi: 10.3201/eid2611.203299.   Google Scholar

Hamner L, Dubbel P, Capron I, et al. High SARS-CoV-2 attack rate following exposure at a choir practice – Skagit County, Washington, March 2020. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2020;69(19):606-610. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6919e6-H.pdf.   Google Scholar

Mallapaty S. What the cruise-ship outbreaks reveal about COVID-19. Nature. 2020;580:18-19. doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-00885-w.   Google Scholar

Kontis V, Bennett JE, Rashid T, et al. Magnitude, demographics and dynamics of the effect of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on all-cause mortality in 21 industrialized countries. Nature Med. 2020;26(12):1919-1928.doi: 10.1038/s41591-020-1112-0.   Google Scholar

Woolf SH, Chapman DA, Sabo RT, Weinberger DM, Hill L, Taylor DD. Excess deaths from COVID-19 and other causes, March-July 2020. JAMA. 2020;324(15):1562-1564. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.19545.   Google Scholar

Roy S, Soleras I, Sheets A, et al. Guidelines for mountain rescue during the COVID-19 Pandemic : Official guidelines of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue (ICAR). High Alt Med Biol. 2021;22(2):128-141. doi: 10.1089/ham.2021.0032.   Google Scholar

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Hillebrandt D, Gieseler U, Schöffl V, Küpper T. Official standards of the UIAA Medical Commission. Vol. 7: How to check the quality of a commercially organized trek or expedition. Berne: The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation, 2012. https://www.theuiaa.org/documents/mountainmedicine/English_UIAA_MedCom_Rec_No_7_Check_Organization_2012_V2-3.pdf. Accessed November 26, 2020.   Google Scholar

Peiris M, Leung GM. What can we expect from first-generation COVID-19 vaccines? Lancet. 2020;396:1467-1469. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31976-0.   Google Scholar

Levine-Tiefenbrun M, Yelin I, Katz R. et al. Initial report of decreased SARS-CoV-2 viral load after inoculation with the BNT162b2 vaccine. Nat Med. 2021;27(5):790-792. doi: 10.1038/s41591-021-01316-7.   Google Scholar

Doria-Rose N. Suthar M. Makowski M. et al. Antibody persistance through 6 months after second dose of mRNA-1273 vaccine for Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2021;384:2259-2261. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc2103916.   Google Scholar

Gee T. The first case of COVID-19 at Everest base camp. Outside Magazine. April 20, 2021. https://www.outsideonline.com/2422521/first-case-covid-19-everest-base-camp. Accessed May 3, 2021.   Google Scholar

Arnette A. What to watch for on Everest this year. Outside Magazine. April 19, 2021 https://www.outsideonline.com/2422460/everest-covid-2021. Accessed May 3, 2021.   Google Scholar

Ken Zafren personal communication via international society of mountain medicine (ISMM) E-mail discussion group with permission 1.5.21.   Google Scholar

Taquet M, Luciano S, Geddes JR, Harrison PJ. Bidirectional associations between COVID-19 and psychiatric disorder: Retrospective cohort studies of 62 354 COVID-19 cases in the USA. Lancet Psychiatry. 2021;8(2):130-140. doi : 10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30462-4.   Google Scholar

McGinty EE, Presskreischer R, Han H, Barry CL. Psychological distress and loneliness reported by US adults in 2018 and April 2020. JAMA. 2020;324(1):93-94. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.9740.   Google Scholar

McGinty EE, Presskreischer R, Anderson KE, Han H, Barry CL. Psychological distress and COVID-19: Related stressors reported in a longitudinal cohort of US adults in April and July 2020. JAMA. 2020;324(24):2555-2557. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.21231.   Google Scholar

Lechner K, Scharfenberg C, Hettlich EM, et al. Risk management and first aid knowledge of trekkers in Nepal. Health Promot Phys Act. 2020;4(913):21-24.UIAA. 25. Adventure Travel and tea COVID-19 Pandemic (May 2021). Advice and Recommendation. https://www.theuiaa.org/mountain-medicine/medical-advice/. Accessed May 10, 2021.   Google Scholar

Wilson A. Airport Covid testing could start within weeks, says Heathrow chief. The Guardian. October 1, 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/oct/01/airport-covid-testing-could-start-within-weeks-says-heathrow-chief. Accessed December 1, 2020.   Google Scholar

Dinnes J, Deeks JJ, Berhane S, et al. Rapid, point‐of‐care antigen and molecular‐based tests for diagnosis of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews. https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013705.pub2/full. Updated March 24, 2021. Accessed April 27, 2021.   Google Scholar

Liotti FM, Menchinelli G, Marchetti S, Posteraro B, Landi F, Sanguinetti M, Cattani P. Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 RNA test results among patients who recovered from COVID-19 with prior negative results. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2021;181(5): 702-704. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.7570.   Google Scholar

Beeri T, Jaffe-Hoffman M. Health Ministry may recommend mandatory coronavirus vaccine law. Jerusalem Post. November 10, 2020. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/health-ministry-may-recommend-mandatory-coronavirus-vaccine-law-648604. Accessed December 1, 2020.   Google Scholar

Noëth B. One minute too late: passengers of SAS flight from Nice to Oslo into 10-day quarantine. Aviation 24.be. https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/scandinavian-airlines-system-sas/one-minute-too-late-passengers-of-sas-flight-from-nice-to-oslo-into-10-day-quarantine/. Published August 9, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020.   Google Scholar

Pombal R., Hosegood I, Powell, D. Risk of COVID-19 during air travel. JAMA. 2020;324(17):1798-1798. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.19108.   Google Scholar

Olsen SJ, Chang HL, Cheung TYY, et al. Transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome on aircraft. N Eng J Med. 2003;349(25), 2416-2422.   Google Scholar

Moser MR, Bender TR, Margolis HS, Noble GR, Kendal AP, Ritter DG. An outbreak of influenza aboard a commercial airliner. Am J Epidemiol. 1979;110(1)1-6. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112781.   Google Scholar

Khanh NC, Thai PQ, Quach H-L, et al. Transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 during long flight. Emerg Infect Dis. 2020;26(11). 2617-2624. doi: 10.3201/eid2611.203299.   Google Scholar

Hamner L, Dubbel P, Capron I, et al. High SARS-CoV-2 attack rate following exposure at a choir practice – Skagit County, Washington, March 2020. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2020;69(19):606-610. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6919e6-H.pdf.   Google Scholar

Mallapaty S. What the cruise-ship outbreaks reveal about COVID-19. Nature. 2020;580:18-19. doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-00885-w.   Google Scholar

Kontis V, Bennett JE, Rashid T, et al. Magnitude, demographics and dynamics of the effect of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on all-cause mortality in 21 industrialized countries. Nature Med. 2020;26(12):1919-1928.doi: 10.1038/s41591-020-1112-0.   Google Scholar

Woolf SH, Chapman DA, Sabo RT, Weinberger DM, Hill L, Taylor DD. Excess deaths from COVID-19 and other causes, March-July 2020. JAMA. 2020;324(15):1562-1564. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.19545.   Google Scholar

Roy S, Soleras I, Sheets A, et al. Guidelines for mountain rescue during the COVID-19 Pandemic : Official guidelines of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue (ICAR). High Alt Med Biol. 2021;22(2):128-141. doi: 10.1089/ham.2021.0032.   Google Scholar

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. Faculty of Travel Medicine Annual Conference 6th November 2020 (webinar) on “Travel Medicine in the wake of Covid-19”.   Google Scholar

Douglas E. Summit, British Mountaineering Council Magazine. 2014;73(Spring) 72-76.   Google Scholar

Hillebrandt D, Gieseler U, Schöffl V, Küpper T. Official standards of the UIAA Medical Commission. Vol. 7: How to check the quality of a commercially organized trek or expedition. Berne: The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation, 2012. https://www.theuiaa.org/documents/mountainmedicine/English_UIAA_MedCom_Rec_No_7_Check_Organization_2012_V2-3.pdf. Accessed November 26, 2020.   Google Scholar

Peiris M, Leung GM. What can we expect from first-generation COVID-19 vaccines? Lancet. 2020;396:1467-1469. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31976-0.   Google Scholar

Levine-Tiefenbrun M, Yelin I, Katz R. et al. Initial report of decreased SARS-CoV-2 viral load after inoculation with the BNT162b2 vaccine. Nat Med. 2021;27(5):790-792. doi: 10.1038/s41591-021-01316-7.   Google Scholar

Doria-Rose N. Suthar M. Makowski M. et al. Antibody persistance through 6 months after second dose of mRNA-1273 vaccine for COVID-19. N Engl J Med. 2021;384:2259-2261. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc2103916.   Google Scholar

Gee T. The first case of Covid-19 at Everest base camp. Outside Magazine. April 20, 2021. https://www.outsideonline.com/2422521/first-case-covid-19-everest-base-camp. Accessed May 3, 2021.   Google Scholar

Arnette A. What to watch for on Everest this year. Outside Magazine. April 19, 2021 https://www.outsideonline.com/2422460/everest-covid-2021. Accessed May 3, 2021.   Google Scholar

Ken Zafren personal communication via international society of mountain medicine (ISMM) E-mail discussion group with permission 1.5.21.   Google Scholar

Taquet M, Luciano S, Geddes JR, Harrison PJ. Bidirectional associations between COVID-19 and psychiatric disorder: Retrospective cohort studies of 62 354 Covid-19 cases in the USA. Lancet Psychiatry. 2021;8(2):130-140. doi : 10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30462-4.   Google Scholar

McGinty EE, Presskreischer R, Han H, Barry CL. Psychological distress and loneliness reported by US adults in 2018 and April 2020. JAMA. 2020;324(1):93-94. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.9740.   Google Scholar

McGinty EE, Presskreischer R, Anderson KE, Han H, Barry CL. Psychological distress and COVID-19: Related stressors reported in a longitudinal cohort of US adults in April and July 2020. JAMA. 2020;324(24):2555-2557. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.21231.   Google Scholar

Lechner K, Scharfenberg C, Hettlich EM, et al. Risk management and first aid knowledge of trekkers in Nepal. Health Promot Phys Act. 2020;4(913):21-24.   Google Scholar

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Published

2021-10-04

How to Cite

Szawarski, P., & Hillebrandt, D. (2021). Adventure travel and the COVID-19 pandemic — recommendation of the Medical Commission of the Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme (UIAA). Health Promotion & Physical Activity, 16(3), 32–39. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0015.3379

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Original article