Mastodawn

Callalily Jan 11, 2023

@augieray
I'd mask even if it wasn't required.

Quincy ⁂Jan 11, 2023

@Callalily @augieray I'd do it even if they tried to ban it.

Bill Seitz Jan 11, 2023

@augieray (it's more important in the airport than on the plane)

@billseitz True! Also, once a plane is in the air, filtering is better and risks are reduced. But since the greatest risk comes during boarding, taxiing, and deplaning, those are also times when masking would be advised. (Makes no sense to mask in the gate area and then take it off while crowding into the plane, waiting in the aisle, and navigating to your seat.)

A Concerned Scientist Jan 11, 2023

@augieray @billseitz

Yeah I was going to comment on this but saw you were already discussing it. What's the point of saying "Countries should consider recommending that passengers wear masks on long-haul flights" when the most dangerous part isn't the actual in the air part? I mean, I'm glad they're saying something, but why the half-assed policies all the time? How much more simple is "Wear a mask" than "In these situations you might want to calculate your risk and think about wearing a mask."?

Bill Seitz Jan 11, 2023

@augieray maybe sync it to timing for putting seat-belt on ("you can take off your belt and your mask") ("we're coming in for landing put on your belt and mask")

@billseitz Well, I'd still recommend masking in the air. It's SAFER, but that doesn't mean it's SAFE. I wouldn't want to sit next to or in front of someone who's infected. And honest, is there an easier place to mask than sitting quietly on a plane next to strangers? It is the most ideal, low-stress masking opportunity we have.

CMSgt Dragon Woman (she/her)🇺🇸Jan 11, 2023

@augieray l still mask both in airports (and other buildings) and on airplanes. I used to get sick within days of flying, but no more since the days of COVID pushes for masking. Now I get all my vaccinations and I mask. I’m much healthier and happier for it.

Nancy M Ruff Jan 11, 2023

@augieray I've already decided to mask for life, so there's never going to be a debate with me.

@eighthdayarts Me, too, at least while traveling!

Nancy M Ruff Jan 11, 2023

@augieray Planes, trains, cars with strangers. Also in large gatherings, at indoor events, retail establishments, and so on. It doesn't bother me at all to mask.

I know there's no guarantee I won't get COVID, but I'm doing what I can to avoid it. Primarily because I don't want to find out what long COVID feels like.

Th3G3ntl3m4n Jan 11, 2023

"WHO urges travellers to wear masks" "URGES" It should be fucking MANDATORY!

@Th3G3ntl3m4n Well, WHO can't make it mandatory, but I'd certainly welcome if civil aviation agencies made it so. (They won't, of course.) 😢

Th3G3ntl3m4n Jan 11, 2023

Yes, that's so true. It's a sad state of affairs, for sure.

50sFarmGirl 🇨🇦Jan 11, 2023

@augieray Only on "long" flights. I guess the covid virus on short flights is more forgiving. WHO seems unable to make a proper decision. Too much interference from business and money makers - IMO.

@50sFarmGirl Yeah, I hate the "long" versus "short" flights distinction. It makes no sense since once a plane is in the air, filter is better and risks are reduced. The greatest risk comes during boarding, taxiing, and deplaning, so the risks shouldn't be that different between long and short flights.

huckpdx Jan 11, 2023

@augieray who urges travelers?

Lorelei Armstrong Jan 11, 2023

@augieray My mother and I never stopped masking, and we haven't had so much as a cold in four years. Fully vaxxed, fully masked. Just waiting to hear about our next boosters.

Tamar Yellin Jan 11, 2023

@augieray I had covid in February and June of 2022 and still wore a mask when I flew that August. I didn't want to pick up any of the germs that are so easy to get when travelling!

Tom Ritchford Jan 11, 2023

@augieray there is really nothing at all that would induce me to get on a plane these days.

Abort The Court Jan 11, 2023

@augieray why say long haul flights? Transportation with people sitting shoulder to shoulder for any length of time is a petrie dish environment. Filtering is nice, not enough. RAT , Ventilation, Filtering, social distance works well. Apparently $o inconvenient. Covid impacts vascular, Neurological, respiratory sys. Long term sequelae can be life altering.
A $ystem cannot fail those it was never meant to protect, and a $ystem will always protect those it was never meant to fail. IMHO

The Skeptic's Book of Lists Jan 11, 2023

@augieray way back at the very start of covid my wife and I agreed we'd chuck all the various sources of "this is how you stay safe" truth coming at us (tv, facebook, aunts who have a friend who is a nurse) and agreed "whatever health canada says". That shut down a lot of pointless debate in my house. We still mask, get our updated boosters, and hand sanitize. Fingers crossed but we've all managed to avoid getting covid.

Stargeezer Smith Jan 11, 2023

@augieray
I don't need anyone to tell me not to stand on a railroad track.

Christine Beeton Jan 11, 2023

@augieray I wear an N95 all the time in airports and airplanes now and will continue to do so. I actually wonder why I never did that pre-covid. It makes so much sense because airports are full of viruses from all around the world and masking is a very minor inconvenience. I use well-fitted and comfortable N95 masks and forget I have one on most of the time. Pre-covid I had caught head colds while travelling rather regularly but not once since masking. It just makes sense.

Jonathan Baker-Bates Jan 11, 2023

@augieray Even if you don't want to mask up for Covid, I can recommend wearing one just to keep the dust out on London's underground trains. Wear one for three weeks commuting and you clearly see a black pall building up inside the material. Don't want that in my lungs any more!

akaFlamingogrrl Jan 11, 2023

@augieray I never stopped 👍

chicating Jan 11, 2023

@augieray I wish someone had thought of that years ago, really.

It's Just Jenn 🏳️‍⚧️Jan 11, 2023

@augieray I fly a lot, and I probably will continue masking at airports and on planes for the rest of my life.

Ben Overmyer Jan 11, 2023

@augieray Personally, I wear a mask on all flights and in all medical facilities these days. I don't think that'll ever change, now.

KatieAndThePigs Jan 11, 2023

@augieray I flew from Cape Verde to London and then London to Scotland in the last 24hrs. On both flights I was the only one wearing a mask. Kind of depressing. 😞

@KatieAndThePigs That's been my experience flying, too. I don't get it. My wife always says, "if you're heading to a business conference or a personal vacation, why would you want to risk getting sick on the way there and ruining your trip?" Even if people didn't care about each other, you'd think they'd care about that.

Groms Jan 11, 2023

@augieray wonder what flight companies do to protect their passengers - meanwhile I avoid #airtravel #safetyfirst

PhoenixSerenity Jan 11, 2023

@augieray I have boycotted all non essential air travels.

PhoenixSerenity Jan 11, 2023

@augieray Even prior to covid because of how much unnecessary emissions come from leisure flying.

Mysturji Jan 11, 2023

@augieray
I don’t need anyone to tell me when to wear a mask.
Except sometimes my wife. (Occasionally, I forget)

RC deWinter Jan 11, 2023

@augieray
I wear a mask when I go to the grocery store. I can’t believe people in any crowded situation wouldn’t be wearing one. But hey, I got over feeling immortal a long time ago.

mechtild jd Jan 12, 2023

9,000 people are dying every day of #Covid in China.

I dont care where it began. Nor how it began. Fact is Covid is no respecter of boundaries, nationalities, races, opinions, nor propagandarisms.

It is what it is.
What is is.

Still comes down to:
Wear a mask or wear a ventilator.
Pick one.
6 feet apart or 6 feet under.
Pick one.

Life is choice. Literally.
Choose wisely.

Watch the movie Contagion if you don't get this.

Renée Jan 12, 2023

@augieray No, they'd mask if the WHO or CDC said they *need to.* "Urges" isn't strong enough -- I urge people to do a lot of stuff, that is a plea, not a rational statement of requirement. "Should be advised to--" NO. "SHOULD BE TOLD TO WEAR MASKS."

Why are these agencies so bad at scicomms after so many years. Sigh.

sandywb14 Jan 13, 2023

@augieray I’ve been doing before then. I don’t trust the scientific rationale behind removing mask mandates.

Tim Ward ⭐🇪🇺🔶 #FBPE Jan 13, 2023

@augieray With 96% of flights known to carry covid, and no serious suggestion that the other 4% don't as well, there's no way I'm going anywhere near an aeroplane.

(Unless I was the only person in it. Which won't be happening any time soon as my ratings and medical have expired.)

Tom J. Brenner Jan 21, 2023

I wouldn’t wait for that kind of approach to decide. The WHO is taking a political approach that isn’t honest. Wear the dam mask because without it your in danger.