Why masks in airports?

[JohnK]

Repeat a lie often enough and people will accept it as truth.
Presumably you would be happy for surgeons to operate ungloved and unmasked...

This is the reason I stopped using Facebook as people were constantly reporting the same drivel over and over.

I'll continue to wear a mask in crowded areas. I want to remain one of those people that remains Covid free for life.

Hopefully some common sense prevails and masks remain compulsory in some scenarios such as airports and aircraft.

 

[N860CR]

I'll continue to wear a mask in crowded areas. I want to remain one of those people that remains Covid free for life.

Hopefully some common sense prevails and masks remain compulsory in some scenarios such as airports and aircraft.

Sorry but that’s an extremely naive position. You expect people to be wearing totally pointless face masks for the rest of our lives? What a miserable existence.

 

[puchu]

Show evidence that face masks are totally pointless

 

[JohnK]

Sorry but that’s an extremely naive position. You expect people to be wearing totally pointless face masks for the rest of our lives? What a miserable existence.

That's your opinion. Luckily opinions like yours don't make important decisions.

Masks are effective at reducing spread of germs. Masks were effective before Covid and are just as effective now.

Did you laugh at Asians wearing masks in public 10 years ago? Are you going to laugh at me wearing a mask in public in 2 years time?

Personally you are very naive. You want people to move on because you don't believe Covid is serious. What a miserable existence.

 

[cwphoto]

Show evidence that face masks are totally pointless

You need to show evidence they aren't..

 

[aus_flyer]

Very happy if people choose to wear masks. Good luck to you. But I shouldn't be forced to keep wearing them.

If I don't have to wear them at Woolworths, in the movie cinema or at a stadium with 60,000 people... why do I have to wear them at airports and on planes? Makes no sense.

 

[drron]

Not this lifetime. They're only useless if you think they're useless.

Note quite a few Asians wearing masks in public well before Covid. I'm sure they think the masks are useless.

P.S. Someone sneezes your way. Is the catch of catching something the same with and without mask?

But those who did wore them because they had symptoms. those without symptoms would not wear a mask. And in my travels in japan and Taiwan mask wearing would never have been more than 10% unless an pandemic/epidemic and even the probably 20%.

There is no substantial evidence that masks significantly reduce your chance of infection.
There is substantial evidence that they reduce your risk of spreading infection if you have symptoms.

As to severity the Australian figures are that the majority of cases are in those under 50 but the majority of deaths are in those are in those over 70.
The ABS figures are that 90% of those who die have 1 or more comorbidities. The average is 3 co morbidities.

So for healthy Australians under 50 without symptoms there basically is no reason to wear a mask.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Very happy if people choose to wear masks. Good luck to you. But I shouldn't be forced to keep wearing them.

If I don't have to wear them at Woolworths, in the movie cinema or at a stadium with 60,000 people... why do I have to wear them at airports and on planes? Makes no sense.

Difference between voluntary assumed risks, and risks which cannot be avoided.

You do not need to go to a stadium with 60k people… it’s your choice.

People can choose to go to a supermarket when it’s less busy, or leave if they feel uncomfortable with numbers or queues.

We don’t have the same choice when it comes to things such as hospitals or public transport.

 

[andye]

Going back to a previous comment, there are a large number of Australians (perhaps not well represented on AFF) for whom dancing in crowded nightclubs is very important to them

I would also contest that doctors invariably wear masks (except when needing full PPE with N95 or they are obliged to). At a recent conference in France fewer than 10% did out of an audience of ~800 despite a recommendation from the chair

 

[aus_flyer]

Difference between voluntary assumed risks, and risks which cannot be avoided.

You do not need to go to a stadium with 60k people… it’s your choice.

People can choose to go to a supermarket when it’s less busy, or leave if they feel uncomfortable with numbers or queues.

We don’t have the same choice when it comes to things such as hospitals or public transport.

When was the last time you involuntarily went to an airport or got on a plane?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

When was the last time you involuntarily went to an airport or got on a plane?

When my father was admitted same day to hospital following an MRI showing cancer from T5-T12 on his spine.

 

[OATEK]

When my father was admitted same day to hospital following an MRI showing cancer from T5-T12 on his spine.

So not analogous with going to the theatre, or an airport, or even on a train. I wear a mask when i go to the Drs Surgery because i know it is full of (potentially) sick people, and the Dr asks that we should. I doubt that anyone trying to run a business at the airport really wants everyone wearing masks any more than they do at Westfields or Woolies/Coles because it inhibits trade and makes people more afraid of being in that space.

I am very happy to wear a mask at a surgery, clinic, hospital etc but cannot see how that equates with trains, planes and automobiles.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So not analogous with going to the theatre, or an airport, or even on a train. I wear a mask when i go to the Drs Surgery because i know it is full of (potentially) sick people, and the Dr asks that we should. I doubt that anyone trying to run a business at the airport really wants everyone wearing masks any more than they do at Westfields or Woolies/Coles because it inhibits trade and makes people more afraid of being in that space.

I am very happy to wear a mask at a surgery, clinic, hospital etc but cannot see how that equates with trains, planes and automobiles.

I had little choice other than t take a plane, in close proximity to other people at multiple stages of the journey… airport, queues, and on board. Everyone wearing masks helps inhibit transmission. And I certainly didn’t want to get covid, which would have prevented me going to the hospital.

I agree that if people see masks and are afraid to go into spaces that is a real problem for them. I see a shop full of people wearing masks and it’s the opposite. I think the space is more inviting.

 

[puchu]

You need to show evidence they aren't..

Burden of proof is on the person making the claim.

 

[aus_flyer]

I don’t feel this thread is going anywhere. It’s clear the mask lovers want them forever and the mask haters want them gone for good. I think both sides will have to agree to disagree!

 

[cwphoto]

Burden of proof is on the person making the claim.

That's on you - the baseline is that masks make no difference.

Science 101.

 

[straitman]

That's on you - the baseline is that masks make no difference.

Science 101.

I’ll go with post #107 thanks which disagrees.

 

[puchu]

That's on you - the baseline is that masks make no difference.

Science 101.

No the baseline is that if you make a claim you have supporting evidence to back the claim up. Otherwise anyone can throw anything out there and say “disprove this!”.

Edit: and you state that the baseline is that masks make no difference. The current baseline is that the masks are compulsory in airports. Your assertion is that masks make no difference. Prove it. Show the evidence instead of expecting others to do the work for you.

 

[OATEK]

I had little choice other than t take a plane, in close proximity to other people at multiple stages of the journey… airport, queues, and on board. Everyone wearing masks helps inhibit transmission. And I certainly didn’t want to get covid, which would have prevented me going to the hospital.

I agree that if people see masks and are afraid to go into spaces that is a real problem for them. I see a shop full of people wearing masks and it’s the opposite. I think the space is more inviting.

I absolutely understand why you would want to wear a mask, and we chose to, or just stayed indoors, for a fortnight before our trip to UK for granddaughter's birthday. But we did not expect everyone else in the community to do the same.

 

[N860CR]

That's your opinion. Luckily opinions like yours don't make important decisions.

Masks are effective at reducing spread of germs. Masks were effective before Covid and are just as effective now.

Did you laugh at Asians wearing masks in public 10 years ago? Are you going to laugh at me wearing a mask in public in 2 years time?

Personally you are very naive. You want people to move on because you don't believe Covid is serious. What a miserable existence.

Unsure how wanting to move on from a mild virus with a 0.1% fatality rate (that primarily causes death in end of life care) is “naive” or a “miserable existence”. Like the vast majority of the population in this country, I’m fully vaccinated and have “recovered” from this virus (and wouldn’t have known I’d even had it had I not been tested). There’s every chance you fall into the same category. What is naive is believing that you can avoid this for life by wearing a not fit-for-purpose masks in settings they aren’t designed for.

Having travelled to Asia for most of my life, I can’t recall a time when every single person was wearing a mask onboard aircraft or in airports but then threw them off the minute they walked into the nearest shopping centre. Still yet to year a valid argument as to why we should be maintaining this insane mandate nowhere but airports.

I certainly won’t be “laughing” at you for wearing a mask in two years time. You are free to do as you please. Just as I’ve never walked through Lakemba and told people to pull their face coverings off. Personal choice, but don’t push it onto others.

Oh, and as a side note, I do make extremely important decisions that impact on people just like you. And it’s fortunate people with level heads are in that position.