Pandemics start with just one infection, but can spread worldwide as travelers take the germs along on their trips. In a recent study, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering looked at airports and the role they might play in the spread of disease, CNN reported.
The researchers looked at the first 15 days of a pandemic and how the 40 largest airports in the U.S. might affect an outbreak, ABC News said.
“The findings could form the basis for an initial evaluation of vaccine allocation strategies in the event of an outbreak, and could inform national security agencies of the most vulnerable pathways for biological attacks in a densely connected world,” said Ruben Juanes, the ARCO Associate Professor in Energy Studies in CEE.
So, which airports are the most likely to contribute to the spread of a pandemic?
1. John F. Kennedy (New York City)
2. Los Angeles International
3. Honolulu International Airport
4. San Francisco International Airport
5. Newark Liberty International Airport
6. O’Hare International Airport (Chicago)
7. Dulles International Airport (Washington, D.C)
8. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (Atlanta)
9. Miami International Airport
10. Dallas-Fort Worth Airport
