Why masks in airports?

[drron]

Flu not so "killer" or contageous as Covid in all its forms.

Not so. In QLD there are more patients in hospital and in ICU with the flu at the moment than the numbers with covid. That is despite there being 6 times more cases of covid in the community than flu.
In 2020 and through the delta phase it certainly was true that covid was more dangerous than the flu but Omicron has changed the whole scene.

 

[DC3]

Not so. In QLD there are more patients in hospital and in ICU with the flu at the moment than the numbers with covid. That is despite there being 6 times more cases of covid in the community than flu.
In 2020 and through the delta phase it certainly was true that covid was more dangerous than the flu but Omicron has changed the whole scene.

 

[andye]

But it is the person who *has* covid that provides the most benefit - to others - in wearing a mask and stopping the spread.

Doesn’t that change it from an issue of personal choice?

Some people don't know they have covid
I entirely agree that people with symptoms should be staying at home, as well as taking a covid/flu test

For some, financial imperatives might mean they do not do this (and a minority of people are plain oblivious to others' wellbeing)

What I don't agree with is that the asymptomatic population should be obliged to wear a mask (a) until there are no more covid cases (unlikely to ever happen) or (b) every flu season.

The Australian public, who are generally caring of others, have made this decision as can be seen in any non-mandated (and many mandated) place

I personally feel very comfortable seeing active covid cases wearing an N95 mask and goggles. They are usually unmasked.

There will be respiratory viruses, all of which could prove fatal in unfortunate circumstances, circulating forever. While we should encourage the symptomatic to stay home or wear masks, it is an imperfect world and we must accept some will not

IMO, it has reached the point where individuals who are particularly worried should make sure they are up to date with vaccines and wear an N95. They can also choose to isolate from society as they feel necessary to reduce their risk.

 

[NM]

Not so. In QLD there are more patients in hospital and in ICU with the flu at the moment than the numbers with covid. That is despite there being 6 times more cases of covid in the community than flu.
In 2020 and through the delta phase it certainly was true that covid was more dangerous than the flu but Omicron has changed the whole scene.

Is delta still circulating or has it pretty much been totally replaced by omicron?

I guess it may be hard to tell as RATs don't differentiate and I assume the majority of positive cases are now self-reported RAT. I assume they have stats for PCR tests and hospitalisations, but that may provide some skew based on number of self-reported RATs and unreported RATs.

 

[fersea]

But where did the children get it? Perhaps there is an adult in the loop and they could be standing/sitting next to you?

Of course there may be an adult with Covid. I never suggested otherwise.

But what I did suggest is the person in JohnK's life that is more likely than any one to give him Covid is his 5 year old daughter. It doesn't mean that he couldn't catch it from someone else nor is it a certainty that his daughter will get covid and even less of a certainty that she would give it to him, but we have seen you are far more likely to catch it from someone close to you rather than a stranger than you only had a fleeting interaction with.

 

[Quickstatus]

pretty much been totally replaced by omicron?

It seems that way. Vast majority seem to be Omicron.

 

[Beasley]

This discussion have deviated considerably from “masks in airports“.
But I don’t think it matters now because we don’t have to wear them from tomorrow night.

 

[JohnK]

That 5 year old daughter is far more chance of giving you covid rather than some maskless stranger that stands next to you at the supermarket or in a line at an airport.

That's not to suggest your daughter is any sort of a bad person, but the reality is nearly everyone I know who has had covid has regular contact with little kids. Its also probably unlikely that the stranger at the supermarket is going to hug and kiss you, whereas I assume that is common place with your daughter.

Absolutely and I don't disagree with what you've said. Children are more likely to bring Covid home. But luckily wife, daughter and myself have missed out.

By the way wife and daughter have been in Thailand since mid-March. They wear masks when out and about. Our daughter understands Covid and how she needs to protect herself and family. She understands Covid better than most adults.

In fact most Thais still wear masks. It's the tourists that that mostly don't.

I never wore a mask in my life until the last 12 months to be honest. I'm claustrophobic and the masks can be uncomfortable. I now wear a mask because I want to wear a mask not because I have to wear a mask.

Sorry to hear @MEL_Traveller. Hope you have full recovery.

 

[cwphoto]

Doesn’t that change it from an issue of personal choice?

No.

 

[Pushka]

I meant *my* symptoms are not life threatening. But they are still unpleasant. Unpleasant enough that i don’t want covid every year.

Must admit after four shots, MrP is just now feeling a little more normal after 8 days with Covid. Still fatigued. Surprised me at how much it hit him. We are in the UK so God knows what variant.

I wore masks when he had to drive the car and wore a mask yesterday at Inverness airport and on the flight as did the young guy next to me who also wiped down the tray and the arm rests. I'm wearing a mask tomorrow at Heathrow and on the flight. Way too many international, travellers not to at the moment here. I don't care whether other people wear masks but would be very peeved if they didn't if positive. We were wearing 95 masks most of the time except for a pub in Edinburgh and we should have followed the gut instincts and walked out. That would be the time he got it. He went to the bar. I didn't.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sorry to hear @MEL_Traveller. Hope you have full recovery.

Thanks JohnK!

It’s now day 6 or 7, acute sore throat has shown no sign of abating. I’m hoping Pushka’s post turns out to be the case with some improvement after day 7 or 8!

 

[JohnK]

Thanks JohnK!

It’s now day 6 or 7, acute sore throat has shown no sign of abating. I’m hoping Pushka’s post turns out to be the case with some improvement after day 7 or 8!

I mentioned a friend had it in April and wife and 2 kids also infected.

His only lasted 5-6 days but he said he's not had anything like it for 20+ years.

 

[Quickstatus]

But it is the person who *has* covid that provides the most benefit - to others

Assuming they knew they were covid+ at the time.

Recent staff party became a "superspreader" event. Nearly all attendees became Covid+. No one to that party had any symptoms during the party.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Assuming they knew they were covid+ at the time.

Recent staff party became a "superspreader" event. Nearly all attendees became Covid+. No one to that party had any symptoms during the party.

That’s the thing! Perhaps we should all assume we could have it? Especially as we know there is a period where we are infectious before symptoms.

Which is why it makes sense to have mask mandates in high-density settings such as public transport, aircraft, hospitals and so on. Voluntary settings such as the pub I’m not so fussed about as those situations can be avoided if you want.

 

[Quickstatus]

Perhaps we should all assume we could have it?

That is one way to look at it
The problem is that it would be unenforceable in the general population beyond a short pandemic period.
A party like the one I mentioned would fit into the "voluntary setting".

Overall most would agree that the best thing to do is to weak a mask if ill, isolate if ill, vaccinate, hand hygiene. But other than that live normally
And lets get rid of the cloth and surgical mask myth that it is significantly protective.

 

[JohnK]

Assuming they knew they were covid+ at the time.

Recent staff party became a "superspreader" event. Nearly all attendees became Covid+. No one to that party had any symptoms during the party.

All of this is starting to make perfect sense. This was part of the plan all along. Let everyone loose and let it spread quickly.

Have we stopped at Omicron or are we still going?

 

[Quickstatus]

Let everyone loose and let it spread quickly.

See Sweden. The overall picture says Sweden did OK

 

[OATEK]

All of this is starting to make perfect sense. This was part of the plan all along. Let everyone loose and let it spread quickly.

Have we stopped at Omicron or are we still going?

Omicron is still the current variant of concern according to WHO.

 

[Happy Trails]

There's also the Prince Andrew variant.
That's the one you conveniently acquire a day or two before, otherwise, having to face an awkward situation.

 

[Pushka]

Thanks JohnK!

It’s now day 6 or 7, acute sore throat has shown no sign of abating. I’m hoping Pushka’s post turns out to be the case with some improvement after day 7 or 8!

Yep. Day 8 or is it 9? pretty much ok but low energy. I packed some hydrolyte sachets that seem to be popular but tired easily still dragging suitcase in the airport this am. He didn’t get the sore throat. Never does. No tonsils I guess.