Why masks in airports?

[Beasley]

The ridiculous requirement to wear masks in airports is another example of the hypocracy that still lingers from the Covid 19 outbreak.

I can understand the requirement on a flight, but an airport is no different to a supermarket or bar …… so to the people who love making rules ….. for heavens sake, let go of the silly rules in airports.

 

[Melburnian1]

The CEO of Melbourne Airport made a similar point two or three weeks ago, suggesting that the case for wearing masks in airports was very weak.

 

[Pushka]

The ridiculous requirement to wear masks in airports is another example of the hypocracy that still lingers from the Covid 19 outbreak.

I can understand the requirement on a flight, but an airport is no different to a supermarket or bar …… so to the people who love making rules ….. for heavens sake, let go of the silly rules in airports.

Moot point in SA. We still have to wear masks everywhere enclosed.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The ridiculous requirement to wear masks in airports is another example of the hypocracy that still lingers from the Covid 19 outbreak.

I can understand the requirement on a flight, but an airport is no different to a supermarket or bar …… so to the people who love making rules ….. for heavens sake, let go of the silly rules in airports.

i think it’s the close proximity of people at airports? Standing in line for checkin, then security, then to board, and finally on the jetway.

People seem to practice social distancing less at airports than in 0aces like supermarkets.

Also, a bar is optional for people to avoid if they want. There may be people travelling for reasons they cannot avoid.

 

[Ktan89]

I would feel so much safer if people are wearing masks at the airport.
So much anxiety already because some countries you enter still requires you to do another PCR test.
Would not want to be positive and having to quarantine when you travelled all that way...

 

[Beasley]

I would feel so much safer if people are wearing masks at the airport.
So much anxiety already because some countries you enter still requires you to do another PCR test.
Would not want to be positive and having to quarantine when you travelled all that way...

I meant domestic terminals … not international terminals.

 

[cwphoto]

I observed around 5% non-mask wearers at SYD and MEL a couple of weeks ago - so hopefully common sense will prevail soon.

In the meantime, exemptions are relatively easy to justify..

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I observed around 5% non-mask wearers at SYD and MEL a couple of weeks ago - so hopefully common sense will prevail soon.

In the meantime, exemptions are relatively easy to justify..

And if no common sense, proper enforcement!

In the US federal penalties apply for failure to wear a mask, and potential to be added to the 'no fly' list.

 

[SYD]

And if no common sense, proper enforcement!

In the US federal penalties apply for failure to wear a mask, and potential to be added to the 'no fly' list.

It was only *just* extended in the US until mid April and will probably go after that. The UK delayed by a couple of weeks removing masks on planes but also about to go. I’m in the UK now and hardly anyone is wearing masks. Some theatres are mandating it. Transport is supposed to be mandatory, but probably less than 25% compliance. After 2 yrs, they’re over it.

But back to the OP, masks now in domestic airports does seem odd when it’s not really that different to standing in queue at Woolies/Bunnings (v security) or in a cafe/restaurant (v lounge/gate).

 

[cwphoto]

And if no common sense, proper enforcement!

In the US federal penalties apply for failure to wear a mask, and potential to be added to the 'no fly' list.

Dumb rules shouldn't be enforced.

 

[Quickstatus]

Airport = shopping centres according to airport investors

 

[drron]

Well a federal Court judge has ruled the mask mandate for airports and aircraft is unconstitutional.

Alaska, Delta, United among airlines dropping mask requirement after federal court ruling

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX) — Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have dropped their mask requirements after a judge ruled a federal mask mandate invalid on Monday. Caption: Alaska, Delta, United among airlines dropping mask requirement after federal court ruling (Video: The National...

news4sanantonio.com

 

[justinbrett]

Well a federal Court judge has ruled the mask mandate for airports and aircraft is unconstitutional.

Alaska, Delta, United among airlines dropping mask requirement after federal court ruling

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX) — Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have dropped their mask requirements after a judge ruled a federal mask mandate invalid on Monday. Caption: Alaska, Delta, United among airlines dropping mask requirement after federal court ruling (Video: The National...

news4sanantonio.com

And all the major airlines have already dropped the mandates instantly.

So good. Hopefully Australia follows.

 

[Quickstatus]

if no common sense

I’m more concerned about the persistent implementation of public health policies without the science to back it up.

Where is the cluster randomised studies to back up any of the policies?.

2 years on from an emergency, no scientific data has been generated to back up any of the mask mandates, social distancing, lockdowns, restrictions on visitors to terminally Ill covid patients.
Certainly in the initial period when there was great uncertainty such policies can be implemented but scientific data needed to have been generated to back them up. No studies were done. Just computer modelling but computer modelling is not scientific data

So ask yourself why didn’t the Govt, universities, state public health units in Australia do any robust randomised studies to check if their policies are correct?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The ruling doesn’t say masks aren’t effective… just that the rules weren’t made lawfully.

 

[andye]

I’m more concerned about the persistent implementation of public health policies without the science to back it up.

Where is the cluster randomised studies to back up any of the policies?.

2 years on from an emergency, no scientific data has been generated to back up any of the mask mandates, social distancing, lockdowns, restrictions on visitors to terminally Ill covid patients.
Certainly in the initial period when there was great uncertainty such policies can be implemented but scientific data needed to have been generated to back them up. No studies were done. Just computer modelling but computer modelling is not scientific data

So ask yourself why didn’t the Govt, universities, state public health units in Australia do any robust randomised studies to check if their policies are correct?

Ethics approval and consent to a formal RCT when outcomes include death would be tricky. The practicalities of ensuring compliance with a mask/no-mask ontervention also. Covid-related outcomes more tangible than economic, mental well-being etc
Probably stuck with epidemiological observation in different juridstictions

 

[clifford]

Well a federal Court judge has ruled the mask mandate for airports and aircraft is unconstitutional.

Ah yes, but who was it and where was it?

No answer needed, but she was appointed by the Donald...

Tells me everything I need to know...

 

[Quickstatus]

Probably stuck with epidemiological observation in different juridstictions

What epidemiological observations?. There has been none - other than Covid positive cases. Surely in our advanced first world country with billions of dollars in covid spending some actual studies could have been done.

It’s a bit ironic to say that ethics approval would be difficult to get. No public health policies came with ethics approval.

But to answer your question, it is actually very easy to get ethics approval for a public mask analysis.

 

[andye]

What epidemiological observations?.

Plenty of data on infections, hospitalisation, death, suicide rates, GDP, health spending, some on seroprevalence in countries or states with different approaches
However lots of confounders as not randomised. Eg can't really compare VIC v NSW v QLD as so many interventions were reactive to case numbers. Sweden v Norway might be feasible once enough time for the medium-term outcomes to play out

Worth considering that had the some of the effects of Covid in Australia been due to a planned government intervention, they might be held as a triumph: lower death rates, lower completed suicide (though not seen recent figures), lower unemployment with little overall negative effect on other major economic indices.
Seeing Covid as a positive thing is, of course, nonsense but it is harder to quantify freedom of actions, freedom to see loved ones, mental well-being, stress on key-workers, delayed medical investigation, future failed businesses and other negative effects

 

[drron]

There are much more things worse than not wearing masks to explain covid severity.
Sweden now ranks number 57 of 220 countries in covid deaths per million population. Several close countries have a higher mortality rate - France,UK,Italy,Spain,Belgium,Portugal and Greece.

Coronavirus Update (Live): 135,796,699 Cases and 2,934,646 Deaths from COVID-19 Virus Pandemic - Worldometer

Live statistics and coronavirus news tracking the number of confirmed cases, recovered patients, tests, and death toll due to the COVID-19 coronavirus from Wuhan, China. Coronavirus counter with new cases, deaths, and number of tests per 1 Million population. Historical data and info. Daily...

www.worldometers.info

When comparing Sweden to Norway,Denmark or Finland there was another important difference. those countries closed their border to everyone except returning citizens who had to quarantine, Sweden left it's borders open to all EU countries Plus the UK.

Recent evidence paints a very different reason for the great mortality. 75% of all deaths from Covid are in countries where 50% + are obese.
.

The whole report can be accessed by downloading the link in the second line of this report.

Obesity And Covid Death Rate Closely Linked In New Study

Analysis of Covid-19 mortality data found obesity to be the second greatest predictor of hospitalization and high risk of death after age.

www.forbes.com