Masks up: In-Flight Mild Hypoxia, Respiration and COVID-19

Due to the characteristics of their professional environment, pilots can be exposed to hypoxia. In this case, hypoxia is caused by a low partial oxygen pressure, which results in inferior oxygen saturation and transport ability. Altitude, the amount of time spent under hypoxic conditions, physical activity, individual response, and health conditions influence the severity of hypoxia and her symptoms. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) primarily affects the respiratory system and the disease itself causes hypoxia. Although COVID-19 influenced the entire population and caused a 2-year pandemic, all the consequences of experiencing the disease are not yet known. To find the possible impact of COVID-19 on the hypoxic state in pilots, an experiment was designed using simulated flights under simulated hypoxic conditions. Breathing activity and oxygen saturation were monitored. The results show that there is a significant difference in respiratory rate and saturation between the normoxic and hypoxic states, but the impact of the disease was not confirmed. The paper presents the concept of monitoring the effect of hypoxia on respiratory rate and oxygen saturation in both pilots who experienced and who have not experienced COVID-19 and can help expand the knowledge base for further research in this area.