US mask mandates are going away … what’s next? – TPG
I was asked about the changes in mask mandates, and I was surprised to see it extended again on airplanes. As I said to the author, having mask mandates disappear everywhere else but remain on airplanes just creates even more friction for travelers and makes it harder for flight attendants onboard. I had assumed this would be the last extension, but now with the BA2 wave coming… I wouldn’t be surprised to see it extended again. I don’t think that’s the right plan.
Cranky on the Web: The Mask Mandate Should Go
15 comments on “Cranky on the Web: The Mask Mandate Should Go”
100% agree. The people making these extensions have by and large Zoomed their way through the pandemic and don’t understand how their decisions affect ground workers & flight crews. In 2020, masks, Lysol, and Plexiglass were some of the only weapons we had. Using them made sense.
In 2022, we have not just the miracle of vaccines, but also billions of data points & trend analyses. Masks- and let’s be real, very few are wearing a fitted N95- are now more performative than anything else.
100% agree as well. The typical masks worn have never “stopped the spread” and are nothing more than political theater bordering on religious fanaticism. If after after two years, numerous vaccines, and the latest, media-fueled “variant,” you’re still afraid, then stay home.
Of course if you still want to wear a face diaper that is your choice, but make no mistake, the only “science” you are following is political science…
Now this comment on crankys post was a political comment if I ever read one
And yet it remains 100% accurate.
Even Dr. Leana Wen, one of this administration’s loudest advocates for masking admits that the masks worn by the vast majority of travelers are “little more than facial decorations.”
Here’s a link to her quote: https://www.sfgate.com/shopping/article/Experts-warn-cloth-masks-dont-work-16722629.php
Dr. Wen is a fixture on CNN and no one has been a bigger cheerleader for the mandates, yet she says the present masks have “no place” in the fight against COVID.
The reason informed replies to all things COVID are political is because the effort against it has become purely political. The ridiculous mask mandate is simply among the most relevant to this forum…
CLOTH masks, not all masks
Speaking on Monday, CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen said that cloth face masks have “no place” in the fight against the Omicron variant of Covid-19, likening to them “facial decorations.”
In short, summary of the expert advice seems to be this: Get your vaccine, get your booster, wear an N95 or a KN95 or a 3-ply surgical mask, and have as wonderful a holiday as you can.
There are other respected sources that advocate wearing masks to reduce spread.
From John Hopkins website
Why do mask regulations keep changing?
There are many factors that go into mask recommendations. These include the infection rate in the local area, new variants that may be quick to spread such as omicron, and the setting (crowded indoor areas are more likely to be places where COVID-19 may spread). The CDC, local communities and public spaces such as hospitals review these factors to determine the safest approach to reduce the spread of COVID-19. While it may be tiring to keep up with the latest recommendations and to mask frequently, it is an important way to protect yourself and others.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-face-masks-what-you-need-to-know
Then don’t fly Champ. You’ll be happier and so will your fellow passengers…
Mask mandate still in place for now
So take your own advice…….champ
Today is a great day! Right Patrick? Doing dong the mask is dead…
What they both said.. sense and science..
I’d say put the decision in front of the flight attendants union. If they want people wearing masks, then wear masks. If they don’t, then no mandate. Its their work environment and I think they should have the final say in the matter.
Are you a flight attendant?
*just curious, because AFA seems to ignore all science as well. Doesn’t help that their leader has political endeavors of her own.
No. But I generally respect the right for people to feel safe in their work place within logical budgetary parameters; union politics and illogical emotions aside. Since this is fairly low cost it passes my first hurdle. Of course that safety has a tradeoff with enforcement, which is equally their burden.
There is a difference with “feeling safe” and “being safe” and then, of course, who gets to define “safe?” As we already know, the present masks do nothing for any alleged safety and if perceived “safety” is your top concern then perhaps hurtling through the sky at 36,000 ft and at 550 mph is not the career for you…
Fair point regarding the work environment. That said, I’d be curious how many of them are as burnt out as the rest of us,.
I can tell you that today (March 21), Southwest’s flight attendant union sent a letter to the Biden Administration advocating for an END to the mask mandate.
This was based on the results of a survey the union put out to its members.