What’s the situation when you’re asked to take off your shoes during security screening? Travelers should avoid going barefoot at the airport.

▲ Airport security check (Image / Dazhi / Illustration)

By Rita

During airport security checks, passengers wearing thick-soled shoes are often asked to remove their shoes for inspection, but is it necessary to take off socks as well? The answer is, it’s better not to.

According to the foxnews website, Dr. Kathryn H. Jacobsen, an epidemiologist at George Mason University, says that surfaces in places likeshopping malls, gyms, and airports are teeming with E. coli and staphylococcus bacteria, which can potentially penetrate your skin and cause infection.

Therefore, she recommends that keeping your feet covered is essential in any case. Although Jacobsen believes the risk of infection during security checks is very low, since the floor is dry, well-ventilated, and not overly concerning for most travelers, there is still some risk for those with weakened immune systems, so it shouldn’t be ignored.