Newfound 'freedom' will only spread COVID - StarTribune [View all]

[question everything]

A question for those celebrating the end of the air travel mask mandate:

Why stop there?

There's a still a tyrannical smoking ban on board. And airport security also continues to require outrageous compromises on individual liberty. Shouldn't it be up to travelers to choose what items they carry on? And that removing-your-shoes routine, not to mention business travelers having to pull laptops out of cases, is so inconvenient. Those who want to take these precautions should do so. But everyone else should be free to do their own risk analysis and decide what's best, right?

(snip)

The problem should be painfully clear. How well would current safeguards against onboard terrorism work, for example, if there were voluntary checks for weapons or other harmful items in carry-on bags? The same principle applies to the smoking ban. Sure, airlines filter in-flight air. Those concerned about secondhand smoke could bring personal filtering devices on board for added safety. Nevertheless, passengers would still smell and inhale harmful smoke, even if just one person lit up. Protections against onboard harm work best when everyone complies, not just when some do. That's why the end of the air travel mask mandate is a serious public health setback as the pandemic continues and alarms grow over rising case numbers and new, more transmissible variants.

(snip)

Air travel brings people together from around the world and has them sitting close together in a confined, indoor space. Then, they disburse into the community after arrival. Most people only fly a few hours out of the year, but the sheer number of people flying and the ease with which this virus can spread on board and at crowded gates make it problematic to dispense with one of last remaining preventive steps — masking.

(snip)

To be clear, we're not arguing for a forever mask mandate. But when U.S. cases have risen 43% over the past 14 days, and an average of 425 people are dying every day, a targeted travel mask mandate is eminently reasonable. Tossing aside one of the last remaining pandemic safeguards is reckless.

https://www.startribune.com/newfound-freedom-will-only-spread-covid/600166137/