Masks on QF International Flights

Saw this article in SMH about QF lifting mask mandate on certain international flights where the destination doesn't require masks to be worn. Will be interesting to see how this plays out and how many people keep wearing them, and how many people stop wearing them even on flights when they are meant to be required.

Qantas to lift mask requirement on some international flights

Qantas says it will soon allow passengers to travel without masks on some international flights, even though face coverings remain compulsory on all domestic services.

www.smh.com.au

 

[RichardMEL]

Joyce has said Australia is behind on this and is calling to remove mask mandates for domestic (and one presumes international ex-AU) flights.

Personally I agree with him in respect to this combined with half the country removing mask requirements in airports (as noted aboe). Obviously it's a vexing issue for some regarding desire for mask use on planes, and that's a very personal issue or requirement. Personally I respect both points of view on that.

 

[Franky]

I hope this comes into effect for my flight to the US in a months time.

It’s already in force…

 

[MEL_Traveller]

hmmm… up until last week exit rows were blocked due to the severe risk of covid transmission… causing upset to hundreds of passengers who turned up to find they had been moved. Not to mention the financial implications with refunds for exit row seats only able to be applied for after travel.

This week masks need to be scrapped?

Mixed messaging… which is it?

 

[Danielb56]

Saw this article in SMH about QF lifting mask mandate on certain international flights where the destination doesn't require masks to be worn. Will be interesting to see how this plays out and how many people keep wearing them, and how many people stop wearing them even on flights when they are meant to be required.

Qantas to lift mask requirement on some international flights

Qantas says it will soon allow passengers to travel without masks on some international flights, even though face coverings remain compulsory on all domestic services.

www.smh.com.au

What I find frustrating is that now thy are talking about a new Covid outbreak. I'm sick of hearing that and hey should stop testing and panicking people, otherwise mask wearing will become part of the necessary items you take on a plane....enough is enough.

 

[OATEK]

The one thing I have yet to see is the clear evidence that masks are more important on planes than say in Gyms (all those hot sweaty bodies fling themselves around), nightclubs, pubs, supermarkets. Lines like re-circulated air is more dangerous! Why? More dangerous than poorly ventilated premises? Birthday parties (we caught it from a 10yo's party)? It feels to me like a just in case we forget there is a pandemic rule.

 

[drron]

And mostly the recirculated air is passed through a HEPA filter whose efficiency removing particle of covid size is 99.7% whereas the efficiency of an N95 mask is 95%.

And another thing people forget about masks is that there are quite a few people out there with poor hearing and some of them rely on lip reading to know what is happening. A patient I met in Tassie alerted me to it as I took off my mask to talk to him. After thanking me he told me of his experience on the BNE-LST flight he took a few days before. I had no idea what they were saying so I just kept quiet and went hungry.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The one thing I have yet to see is the clear evidence that masks are more important on planes than say in Gyms (all those hot sweaty bodies fling themselves around), nightclubs, pubs, supermarkets. Lines like re-circulated air is more dangerous! Why? More dangerous than poorly ventilated premises? Birthday parties (we caught it from a 10yo's party)? It feels to me like a just in case we forget there is a pandemic rule.

Going to the gym is optional and you can assume the risk of you want?

 

[Lynda2475]

Going to the gym is optional and you can assume the risk of you want?

Flying is also optional unless you are a pilot or flight attendant.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Flying is also optional unless you are a pilot or flight attendant.

Well.. if you take it right back to basics it’s also optional for them!

Flying is not always optional… there are occasions for example needing medical treatment, or family emergencies, where driving is not possible or practical.

 

[mviy]

I can never recall a flight attendant telling anyone to put on a new mask because they touched the mask in the wrong place. If they cannot or will not enforce using masks properly a mandate to wear them onboard is pointless and should be removed immediately.

 

[JohnK]

What I find frustrating is that now thy are talking about a new Covid outbreak. I'm sick of hearing that and hey should stop testing and panicking people, otherwise mask wearing will become part of the necessary items you take on a plane....enough is enough.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

Catch covid, don't bother testing because they should stop testing and your symptoms are mild if at all and continue circulating in the community spreading it around?

That's a bold call! By the way how many people have had Covid and do not know they have had Covid? 20%? 30? Higher? You can still spread Covid even if you show no symptoms right?

 

[drron]

Sp @JohnK do you do a RAT test if you have no symptoms?

 

[NM]

Sp @JohnK do you do a RAT test if you have no symptoms?

Keep in mind that if you have no symptoms, you may not have Covid, but you may have Monkey Pox and be ape-symptomatic.

 

[JohnK]

Sp @JohnK do you do a RAT test if you have no symptoms?

Doc I'm not saying people should test all the time but the previous poster suggested we stop testing all together.

So someone has Covid. They don't know they have Covid. They go to work. They go shopping. They go to the pub. They go dancing.

People want to remove all protective measures such as social distancing. We'll continue to have mutations and we'll continue to spread it all around except not everyone will have mild or no symptoms.

So when does Covid end? At least with the flu/cold you knew you were sick. This is a totally different ball game.

 

[OATEK]

Doc I'm not saying people should test all the time but the previous poster suggested we stop testing all together.

So someone has Covid. They don't know they have Covid. They go to work. They go shopping. They go to the pub. They go dancing.

People want to remove all protective measures such as social distancing. We'll continue to have mutations and we'll continue to spread it all around except not everyone will have mild or no symptoms.

So when does Covid end? At least with the flu/cold you knew you were sick. This is a totally different ball game.

Covid will never end, it will evolve, mutate, and circulate ad infinitum. Ill-fitting masks that are worn and re-worn by so many will not protect. There are those who are born into the world with significant illnesses or allergies that leads to them living in a bubble - a sterile environment cut off from the world. Such a "bubble" might be the best bet, but when the necessities of life are being delivered or when venturing out for health or other services, covid, and the flu etc, will be lying in wait.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sp @JohnK do you do a RAT test if you have no symptoms?

Isn’t that part of the point of wearing masks? If you are infected the mask can help prevent spread?

Lots of people do do a RAT even if no symptoms. Particularly if they have been a close contact.

 

[mviy]

The cloth masks most people wear do very little. If someone was infected and wore a N95 mask properly then that would make a significant difference, but they are highly unlikely to do that.

If all you need is a drink in hand for a few hours and you don’t need to wear a mask as you are “drinking”, a mask mandate makes little sense.

 

[JohnK]

Isn’t that part of the point of wearing masks? If you are infected the mask can help prevent spread?

Lots of people do do a RAT even if no symptoms. Particularly if they have been a close contact.

Every article I read mentions masks can prevent the spread of Covid as less droplets from the infected person get through the mask.

@drron and others claim this is rubbish and masks don't prevent spread.

 

[mviy]

For masks to make a significant difference you need to both use them properly and use the correct type. Most people don’t do either of these things.

If you touch a mask in the wrong place you should immediately remove it, sanitise your hands and put a new mask on.

 

[Franky]

Keep in mind that if you have no symptoms, your not have Covid, but you may have Monkey Pox and be ape-symptomatic.

And if I read the papers correctly, only males can be Monkey Pox positive!