Will you still wear a mask?

[JFontaine]

46 minutes ago, Cruising3347 said:

I’m personally upset that the mask mandate has been lifted for airports just prior to my flights Friday for a cruise on Saturday (selfishly I wish it would been extended a few more weeks). Really think it will up the likelihood of more cases on board the ship, given how transmissible BA2 is. Just feeling pretty stressed and not sure whether should cancel. (I don’t want to debate anybody about masks btw and if even mentioning them is against CC forum policy then please delete this post!)

If I may, the most important person in your scenario is you (and traveling companions).  Do everything you can to minimize your risk.  I wore two masks flying on Sunday,  and when I ate I unhooked the masks from one ear but kept them across my face. Keep your mask on while on your cruise - ignore what others do.  Find spots away from crowds as much as possible.   Dont drink in indoor bars unless you can sit away from people. Avoid bus travel.  By concentrating on you I think it is very possible to lower your risk to an acceptable level.  Good luck to you. 

[Julma]

8 minutes ago, rotoal said:

Airlines are having enough problems staffing their planes.   With the mask mandate dropped, the crew will have more exposure to the virus.  We could expect more and more flight cancellations as the airlines scramble to find enough healthy pilots and cabin crew to safely fly the planes.

 

 

The airlines still have the choice to keep the mandate in place and most chose not to, so they must feel it's the right thing.  I wonder if flight attendants will still be masked?

[5waldos]

As long as the rates of infection continue to rise again- I will mask. And if masks are not required on planes I will probably double mask. Masks are not that big a deal- or wouldn't be if they had not been politicized- and I really don't want to end up not being able to board, or being placed in quarantine once we sail. What worries me is that there will be a certain group of people who will feel that it is their right to harass me for making that decision. 

[5waldos]

26 minutes ago, Julma said:

The airlines still have the choice to keep the mandate in place and most chose not to, so they must feel it's the right thing.  I wonder if flight attendants will still be masked?

NM- enough said.

Edited April 19, 2022 by 5waldos

[chuckroast1]

I'm staring into my crystal ball and predicting this thread will now go to the same place all the other plane masking threads have gone in the last 12 hours....

Edited April 19, 2022 by chuckroast1

[laslomas]

31 minutes ago, Julma said:

The airlines still have the choice to keep the mandate in place and most chose not to, so they must feel it's the right thing.  I wonder if flight attendants will still be masked?

My daughter is a flight attendant and had managed 2 years Covid free until a few weeks ago when the rules were relaxed on board to some destinations. She, and numerous other colleagues have gone down with it causing a massive problem for the airline and ending up with numerous cancellations. 

[5:00_Somewhere]

59 minutes ago, 5waldos said:

As long as the rates of infection continue to rise again- I will mask. And if masks are not required on planes I will probably double mask. Masks are not that big a deal- or wouldn't be if they had not been politicized- and I really don't want to end up not being able to board, or being placed in quarantine once we sail. What worries me is that there will be a certain group of people who will feel that it is their right to harass me for making that decision. 

 

This. 👆 All of this. I have already been harassed at my local grocery store for wearing a "face diaper" (and threatened to have it ripped it off my face, by the way) after our state's indoor mask mandate was dropped a few weeks ago. I understand people choosing not to mask if it's not required, of course, but there is no call to bother others who still choose to mask. I will continue to mask on planes to help assure that I can enjoy my destination; to help assure (help, not guarantee) that Covid will not prevent me from boarding a cruise or be put in isolation during a cruise (which, by the way, I believe we will see a lot more of now, with so many cruise passengers traveling by air); and to help prevent me from transmitting Covid to my elderly mother who suffers from a respiratory condition that could render even a "weak" Covid infection life threatening to her. You all do you, but don't disparage others from making decisions they believe will protect their health and the health of others.

Edited April 19, 2022 by 5:00_Somewhere
correct grammatical errors

[mikewomb]

We will wear masks on the plane, and on the ship as needed. 

[tinaincc]

1 hour ago, 5waldos said:

As long as the rates of infection continue to rise again- I will mask. And if masks are not required on planes I will probably double mask. Masks are not that big a deal- or wouldn't be if they had not been politicized- and I really don't want to end up not being able to board, or being placed in quarantine once we sail. What worries me is that there will be a certain group of people who will feel that it is their right to harass me for making that decision. 

I highly doubt you will be harrassed for wearing a mask.  Most that were against the mandate were against the MANDATE, and FOR personal choice.

[5waldos]

6 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

I highly doubt you will be harrassed for wearing a mask.  Most that were against the mandate were against the MANDATE, and FOR personal choice.

Only time will tell. 

[MBP1]

Everyone knew the day would come that these mask rules would go away. Some people will celebrate their end and others will have trouble adjusting. At the end of the day everyone now has a choice in many places and I will respect whatever choice make for themselves. 

Edited April 19, 2022 by MBP1

[TxnAquarian]

1 hour ago, Julma said:

The airlines still have the choice to keep the mandate in place and most chose not to, so they must feel it's the right thing.  I wonder if flight attendants will still be masked?

I'm a flight attendant who was working when the mandate ended, and as soon as we got the email that masks are no longer required, we all took them off. We were so giddy with excitement!   I miss smiling at my passengers and having that personal interaction. And I've been so tired of wearing it everyday, 16 hours a day, for two years. I, of course, will respect any mask requirements when I travel. And we all need to respect each other's choices. 

[CNPGOLF]

2 hours ago, JFontaine said:

If I may, the most important person in your scenario is you (and traveling companions).  Do everything you can to minimize your risk.  I wore two masks flying on Sunday,  and when I ate I unhooked the masks from one ear but kept them across my face. Keep your mask on while on your cruise - ignore what others do.  Find spots away from crowds as much as possible.   Dont drink in indoor bars unless you can sit away from people. Avoid bus travel.  By concentrating on you I think it is very possible to lower your risk to an acceptable level.  Good luck to you. 

I agree. When we fly to Rome in October we will be masked. If others don't like it that's their problem.  

[TeeRick]

Why is there so much worry about what other people think if it is your personal choice to wear a mask?  In the entire pandemic time I have never seen or experienced "mask harassment" for choosing to wear a mask.  Maybe lucky but I don't see this as a common thing to harass people with masks.  I have definitely seen the opposite though.  People with masks harassing people without them.

[emmas gran]

Tomorrow we have a 7 hour flight on Qatar airlines and received an email today arrive at least 4 hours before our flight and we have to wear 😷 

[Dolebludger]

In our small, semi-rural community, we haven’t had general mask requirements for some time. However, the management of establishments are free to mandate masks in their property. Also, masks are required in medical facilities. We have a very high full vac rate, and a very low incident rate. Still we carry a mask with us and wear it if a place is a bit crowded. If it is very crowded, we leave! We certainly will continue masking in airports and on airplanes, and avoid them when we can because there is no vac requirement in those places and no distancing. On a cruise ship, we would mask in fairly crowded places, and avoid crowds as best we can. We are fully vac with two boosters. But at least cruise lines require proof of vac to board. 

[DCPIV]

1 hour ago, tinaincc said:

I highly doubt you will be harrassed for wearing a mask.  Most that were against the mandate were against the MANDATE, and FOR personal choice.

 

I wish that were true, but I can tell you from personal experience that there are many, many folks out there who take pleasure or, at least, opportunity to harass those wearing masks.

[tinaincc]

3 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

 

I wish that were true, but I can tell you from personal experience that there are many, many folks out there who take pleasure or, at least, opportunity to harass those wearing masks.

Never seen it in fact quite the opposite. Although I am vaxxed and will not wear a mask unless forced to (e.g. a doctor's office) if I do notice someone in a mask  I will likely remain 6 feet from them and assume they are sick and want to be away from others.  Seems like a win-win. 

 

[DCPIV]

Just now, tinaincc said:

Never seen it in fact quite the opposite.

 

Lucky you.

[PTC DAWG]

5 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

Never seen it in fact quite the opposite. Although I am vaxxed and will not wear a mask unless forced to (e.g. a doctor's office) if I do notice someone in a mask  I will likely remain 6 feet from them and assume they are sick and want to be away from others.  Seems like a win-win. 

 

I am in this boat..

[terrydtx]

9 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

Never seen it in fact quite the opposite. Although I am vaxxed and will not wear a mask unless forced to (e.g. a doctor's office) if I do notice someone in a mask  I will likely remain 6 feet from them and assume they are sick and want to be away from others.  Seems like a win-win. 

 

I do the same when I see the masked walking by themselves outdoors. The only place I wear one is at my doctors office. I was harassed once for not wearing one in the local HEB Grocery store days after the State of Texas eliminated the mask mandates in early 2021. We have a family vacation to St Thomas the end of May and a 5 hour flight from DFW so now we do not have to wear a mask.

Edited April 19, 2022 by terrydtx

[tinaincc]

Just now, terrydtx said:

I do the same when I see the masked walking by themselves outdoors. The only place I wear one is at my doctors office. I was harassed once for not wearing one in the local HEB Grocery store days after the State of Texas eliminated the mask mandates in early 2021.

Same, I used to get no mercy in the Trader Joes here in Austin.  Even after the mandates ended here there were so many judgy comments coming from the employees who continued to mask up.  

 

I find it puzzling, if we have two groups, one that wants mandated masks and one that did not I find it it VERY hard to believe that those wanting NO mandates would care a bit about those that want to wear masks. Most of us 'no mandate' folks were advocating for freedom of choice so its funny that we would turn into a group that wants no choice for those that want to wear masks. I don't buy it.

 

The last bit of control is gone and now there is nothing to complain about anymore I guess. 

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

Same, I used to get no mercy in the Trader Joes here in Austin.  Even after the mandates ended here there were so many judgy comments coming from the employees who continued to mask up.

My sister lives here in San Antonio and she quit going to Whole Foods after being harassed by employees for not masking up after the mandates ended. I haven't been in one since before the pandemic.

[DCPIV]

10 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

I find it puzzling, if we have two groups, one that wants mandated masks and one that did not I find it it VERY hard to believe that those wanting NO mandates would care a bit about those that want to wear masks.

 

I find it puzzling and hard to believe, as well, but I've heard a lot of talk about "virtue signaling" and all that sort of thing.  I've heard folks shout across a street "YOU DON'T HAVE TO WEAR THAT MASK, YOU KNOW!"  It's never bothered me in the least, but there it is.  Anyhow, time to drive on.

[zdad59]

35 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

With or without symptoms? 
 

 

I was on the April 2 Apex sailing.   A couple dozen, including my wife and I, tested positive within three days of the cruise ending.    Yes we had symptoms.    It was a moderate flu with no fever.   Aches, stuffy, and a hacking cough.    I am over it now, 10 days later.    From what we have heard, several crew members of one of the close up shows tested positive at the end of our cruise, and several more along with passengers tested positive on the following cruise.   That includes folks I know trying to do a B2B.  

 

My guesstimate is that something around 2% (30-40 people out of 2110 passengers) of thepassengers came up positive.   Again,   thats a guess based on conversations with other Apr 2 and Apr 9 passengers.

 

All that being said, to answer the basic question of this thread, there are still prudent places to be wearing a mask.   Note we are both vaxxed and boosted and we'll get the 2nd booster by the end of the month.  If I were to sail again in the near term, I would definitely mask up in elevators, the casino, and on tenders.   Any spot with crowded and cramped quarters.   Open air, walking around the ship, dinner and shows...I'm fine being unmasked.   That's just me, but having had this "flu" and hacking cough for a week, I'd rather not have it again.