While most US airlines copied each other’s mask rules last year that required everyone 2 or older to wear a mask on flights, Delta held out and exempted young children from the requirement if they couldn’t keep a mask on:
I’m all for mask requirements on a plane, but anyone that’s a parent knows that toddlers don’t exactly listen to requirements. Requiring a 2 year old to keep a mask on for the duration of a flight might sound good to a policy maker, but that doesn’t mean it’s practical. One of the many reasons we fly with carseats for our toddlers is so they will be secure in their seats for the entire flight. It’s just too easy for a toddler to take off their airplane seatbelt!
Or as commenter aaron said it, “I have a hard enough time getting my 2 year old to keep his pants on!”
While foreign airlines like Lufthansa and Swiss require better masks, they sensibly make exemptions for children under 5 from having to wear a mask.
Of course enforcement varies by the flight attendant, but there have been many incidents of 2 year olds and their families being ejected off American, JetBlue, United, and Southwest flights due to “non-compliance.”
Delta’s policy made sense to me and while I’m not flying with my family yet, Delta would probably be my airline of choice when we decided to return to the skies due to that policy.
Some will argue that requiring 2 year olds to wear a mask is sensible during a pandemic, but I’d ask where is the science showing that it’s OK for a 1 year old to be unmasked, but not a 2 year old? I would understand making the rule universal or reasonable, but how does 2 years old make sense?
Others may also argue that children shouldn’t fly during a pandemic anyway, but that ignores that there are plenty of legitimate reasons that children may need to fly, and it isn’t reasonable to mandate that a 2 year old comply with mask wearing.
But President Biden signed an executive order requiring masks for everyone on all modes of public transportation and the CDC soon followed with updated rules that require everyone 2 or older to wear a mask.
While the rules do carve out exceptions for disabilities, which airlines have now adopted, there is no exception for young children.
And sure enough, Delta has now updated their policy to remove the exemption for young children 2 and older and to state that masks must be worn in between bites and sips:
Delta does remain the only US airline still blocking middle seats, at least through 3/30.
What do you think of requiring masks for toddlers?
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158 Comments On "After President Biden’s Executive Order On Masks, Delta Is Forced To Remove Mask Exemption For Young Children"
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The party of “science” strikes again!
Better to mis-apply policy in the name of science than spread it in the name of hate.
I agree, Biden and his supporters are extremely hateful.
I’m confused the last line says “children under the age of two are exempt from the mask requirement”
Under 2 is exempt on all airlines.
Previously, Delta exempted children 2 and over who couldn’t keep their mask on.
Can you recommend carseats for 2 year old on plane (business)? Thank you!
https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/travel-tips/flying-3-kids-airport-child-safety-strategy/
Thank you Dan.
This man is and idiot. Ugh 4 years. G-d help us
Dan please remove such comments, they don’t add anything to the discourse
There’s absolute nothing wrong with DZ’s comments of he’s saying the truth
Dan please remove Chaims comment as free speech is not allowed.
Trump was an even bigger idiot!
I disagree, more likely dementia has taken its toll. He honestly just doesn’t know what day it is. I have seen higher functioning patients in nursing homes.
I just flew with almost three year old. She refused to wear mask even for a moment. Thankfully she is tiny, so noone bothered her on frontier. I think it’s irrational to require two year old and not one year olds.
Then you shouldn’t have been flying.
you parents shouldn’t have been breeding
You know nothing about Chaim, and yet you judge him! Feh.
We know that he flew with a child. Unless it was an absolute emergency such as needing medical care, he should not have flown!
this is such a stupid comment! people need to fly from time to time for a variety of reasons!
You shouldn’t be commenting on things you know nothing about
I agree with you! We have to fly because we’re moving across the country and my little guy will be two by then. I guess now we will have to find another way. He will not wear a mask.
Delta is still the way to go when flying with baby’s as they are the only airline that the Doona car seat fits in between the isles and can be pushed to your seat instead of trying to carry it and knocking some heads off on the way.
@Dan, is the above statement true? – the airlines are all flying generally the same planes. Obviously configurations vary by airline, but are they actually the only ones that fit a Doona in between isles?
We’ve flown frontier and pushed the doona down the aisle.
Sorry to knock you but we have flown with frontier pushing the doona down the aisle;)
Just flew delta with a 3-3 configuration. The doona did not fit in the aisle
Old senile masked doofus #46
I booked my 2 year old as a one year old because there was no chance he was goi g to keep it on the whole flight even after I practiced for a month leading up to travel
1 year old with a paid seat I assume?
One issue may be if you’re with other kids who will correct you if you’re asked about the child’s age.
“oh that’s the Jewish calendar, they only go by the Hebrew dates…”
True story, with me.
They insisted on having my 2 year old in own seatbelt for takeoff. I insisted that he wasn’t 2 yet and my wife only said 2 because of the hebrew birthday last week but legally still 1, so can sit on her lap (Please explain how a 2 year old (w/o carseat) is safer by himself in his own seat than on a lap?!)
End of story….. few hours later I realized my wife was right and I forgot his legal birthday 🙂
Good point. Once my family was on a very rare trip to a summer attraction (we struggled financially). Free entry cut-off was 6 yo. When attendant directly asked my age, my dad paused, then said 6. I proudly & loudly corrected him: “No, I’m 7!” I think he’s still blushing.
And you deserve to be sued and put on the no fly llst for that.
Agreed. Don’t make a chillul Hashem on a flight or in these posts.
No, just make them in stores and supermarkets, where many don’t wear masks
2 wrongs don’t make a right.
what a tool
Retarded. Insane. The policies are just a form of control. You have to be socially distant at the gate but crammed on the flight. You can sit crammed and then they try to deplane by row. If the planes hEPA filter is hospital grade why the need for masks? It should just filter out all the virus. The rules are just plain stupid. All to create more ways to control the populace. Flight attendants now control no-fly lists. This is insanity to the next level.
Amen and right on target brother. Your sanity gives me hope. Mind boggling the level of stupidity and they stick it in our faces and so many just buy all in and go along… Deplaning by row “for social distancing and covid safety” that one got me laughing when I heard it announced. Listen maybe deplaning row by row is the right way or orderly and mentchlech to let the row in front off first, fine and good. but telling us it’s for covid safety after we sat crammed together for 3 hrs…waited in security together. It’s all so preposterous.
Yet restaurants and many schools are still closed around the country. Somehow only plane’s HEPA filters work but no where else. They must have an exclusive on those filters.
I still don’t get how the virus is not transmitted while eating inches away from your seatmate eating but can transmit from your kid to the guy behind you
Hey! Don’t ask such obvious, common sense questions. Like, if masks actually work and really can stop a virus, then why would anyone wearing one care if someone else isn’t? Doh! Sorry. I’m not supposed to ask such questions. Just go on wearing the magic masks as if this isn’t all completely insane. Otherwise you are filled with hate and want to kill every grandma out there. lol
Please be more discreet you sound way too much like a grandma killer
Asymptomatic spread is not the driver of the spread per rabbi fauci faucenstein but it is most prevalent the day a child turns 2 on the bo bayom per the cdc rebbeh. Hey you in the back with the uncovered nose, please stop breathing we are in a pademic you know.
You may get banned from the internet for asking these types of heretical questions. You must listen to the government no matter what.
I still don’t understand why people think the government is any smarter than anyone else? Any idiot gets voted in to an office and now he’s a genius? How does that work?
Lol..thanks all you for my morning laugh
If children shouldn’t fly during a pandemic, adults shouldn’t either. That argument holds no water. I’m not going anywhere any time soon, but mandating masks for anyone age 4 and under is beyond absurd to put it mildly.
Although this might not be relevant to many but because the CDC came up with this requirement and included exclusions under ADA, airlines are federally required to allow passengers with disabilities that cannot wear a mask due to that disability, to fly. They would need a detailed doctor’s letter and negative covid test within 72 hrs of INITIAL flight (for now). Previously, airlines made no such exception (except delta).
There’s a reason I stopped flying unless in case of emergency and intend to do so until the end of this madness. I also don’t shop in any of the chain stores like Krogers and shoprite. Until this silliness ends, it’s the heimishe places for me only.
whats silly about wearing a mask and preventing yourself from giving covid to someone
I don’t think that part is silly, but I don’t want to be in a situation where I’m tossed off a flight because of my 3 year old’s whims.
If they helped – and that’s an assumption yet to be proven – and someone who already had Covid is still likely to get it again – and everyone wore a mask the entire time which isn’t the case because one may remove it to eat – then it might make some sense.
Since none of that is actually the case, there’s no reason to force everyone to wear a mask.
Those who believe it protects them should wear them for the next fifty years. Those who are not concerned should continue to go without them.
Forcing everyone to behave in a certain manner without much evidence to back it up goes against everything the US has ever stood for. It’s incredible how quickly people gave up their rights. Simply mindboggling.
Exactly.
Right, we all march in line!
Bingo! You win the saychel award for today. Rare commodity these days.
Where do we stop with the mask? I live in BP and don’t wear one in my neighborhood unless I’m forced to. My grandmother does the “right thing” and always wears a mask when she goes out (nose showing through of course). But she also went to a Chanukah party and picked up the virus, then stood next to me talking, forgetting to tell me that she was feeling sick, and gave it over to me -after 9 months of me being in crowded Shuls with no mask or distancing (we both had it easy though B”H). Of course I stayed home from the second I felt symptoms until a few days after recovering. I also wouldn’t go anywhere near an old or sick person if I wasn’t 100% sure I was not contagious, but my goal was always to keep others safe, not to wear a mask. What I wrote here may not apply to areas where the frum populations aren’t as dense, and especially if it’s out of Brooklyn where many non-Jews also don’t bother wearing a mask (there is no law to wear a mask on the streets of NYC).
Yes you and your grandma were lucky. Unfortunately Rabbi Wosner ztsl, Soloveitchik ztsl and countless other gedolim weren’t because people (including themselves) would not mask or socially distance. And there is a clear psak from Reb Edelstein shlita that you’re a sinner and deserving of punishment just like being mechalel or mevatel of any other mitzvos, including of course asher yorucha. What you think or feel about a mitzva is irrelevant.
Still not understanding the problem here. If your avg. mask actually does stop a virus, which they don’t, but just say you’re right and they do, then how can a mask-less me possibly pass on a virus to anyone who is wearing their magic mask that doesn’t allow a virus to get through? Please explain.
You have no idea how or why those people caught the virus.
The reality is that while the entire Jewish community (with very few outliers) were socially distancing and wearing masks and closing schools, the virus spread like wildfire.
I started social distancing along with my family well before the community did – a lot it helped. I got it and was sick for weeks.
My elderly mother who was socially distant as were her devoted aids also contracted the virus and died from starvation because the hospital wouldn’t allow anyone near her to feed her.
Most of my family came down with it despite all the measures we took.
All while being socially distant and masked and washing our hands incessantly!
The science is very unclear about whether masks do or don’t really work in the greater population and whether lockdowns help or harm.
Given the lack of clarity, it’s time for everyone to do what they feel most comfortable with.
The very last thing anyone should applaud or agree to is to allow the government to decide what they may, may not, should, or must do. Anyone with a smidgen of understanding of human history should shudder at the thought of this. The slope is very slippery and virtually un-scalable once we start down that way.
Any my 92 year old grandmother caught it and was fine after a week. We all went to visit and no one caught it from her. She lived by my uncle for a month at that point and no one caught it from her.
Yet 3 months later my aunt caught it and was sick for 2 weeks.
The point is that nothing helps and you will get sick when you will get sick. If you believe in god then maybe you will understand that it is not up to us. No reason this needs more hishtadlus than any other disease.
Narrator: the silly part is, if your mask is really stopping a virus then why should you care if someone else isn’t wearing one? You’re completely safe!
Its been close to a year with masks. If you could not get used to wearing it thats a bit sad.
And we’re only 2 and half weeks into this idiots presidency
This!
Awe, too bad! We suffered 4 years under your moronic President. Now, you get to suffer, just like we did!
Its nice that you agree that we will suffer for the next four years, but are you so low as to call the President of the United States “your” president and not your own. Not very American
Please tell us 1 way that you personally suffered?
Amen. May god have mercy on us.
Do the Chinese airlines still require masks? We need a few million people to fly around without masks to prove that masks are not safety equipment, they are only there to calm your irrational fear. There’s science behind HEPA filters; there’s mass hysteria behind masks.
Our new Pretendident, Low-Cog Joe, claims to “follow the science” but clearly does not. That’s in part because he can’t remember what it says about Covid and Kids, if we assume he EVER knew. So don’t expect any common-sense Executive Orders from him. Barely 3 weeks into the Oval Office and already his pretendidency has wrought disaster to our country. Elections have consequences. KB”H help us for the rest of the next 4 years – because we’ll need all the help we can get….
To be fair, don’t think it’s actually Joe coming up with 99% of the stuff he is doing or will be doing. He doesn’t have a clear principal or thought in his onset dementia mind. He’s just doing whatever his extremist far left advisors and assorted crackpots tell him to do.
Just flew to Hawaii on United (with a connection) and interisland on southwest, and only once was politely asked to mask my 3 yr old. I stress politely because he kept taking off his mask during entire flight and no one said anything.
Yup, completely up to the FA to enforce.
Is this EO legal? Since when can the president require something of private citizens without the passage of a law?
The EO directed the CDC to make the order.
Is the CDC a legislative body? What legal powers do they have?
Biden=Clown*101
The comments on here about Biden make me sad. The man is making decisions to maximize the safety and protect the lives of everyone who flies. If your 2 year old can’t wear a mask, then don’t fly. It’s not complicated.
Disagree all you want, but your politics and baseless hatred show through when you criticize the way many here are choosing to.
I’m not going to justify the comments, but not all flying is for leisure purposes. A blanket requirement isn’t practical. And if it’s something truly necessary, why not require a 1 year old at that point? Or do you only spread COVID once you reach your 2nd birthday?
I appreciate it’s difficult. But at the end of the day, in my opinion, there isn’t a pressing need for any 3 or 4 year olds to fly right now. It’s harder and more inconvenient to rent a car if needed, but the fact is that kids can spread Covid to adults and I think we need to minimize the spread in all possible ways.
I’m not going to justify the 2 year age limit. It’s harsh, and of course younger kids can catch and spread it. But 2 is what our society had agreed is old enough to wear a mask. I disagree with it, but I won’t fly with my toddler right now.
“Our Society”
The ones against family life and kids??
such a ridiculous comment; there are many reasons for kids to fly nowadays, just because you can’t think of any, doesn’t mean there aren’t.
regardless, who are you to question other’s motives for flying?
The notion that this whole thing is founded upon is that maskless kids are the driver of the spread, that is inconclusive at best…
And even if they were. How convenient the airlines got a harvard study to sign off that flying on a crammed plane is oh so safe. Just as long as you mask. please…I say if you are ready to fly on a full plane whatever your reason for traveling, you are ready to risk germs and should not expect everyone to wear a face diaper to make you feel delusionally safe.
We are being transferred for my Husband’s job from Hawaii to the mainland. We have to fly with a 2-1/2 year old. There is no other way to get there, we can’t drive. What should we do? Should my child and I stay in Hawaii for a couple of years until my toddler will keep a mask on for 6+ hours?
Why make the perfect the enemy of the good ?
Sad because you adore your illegitimate President? The man is a Chinese puppet installed by The PROC, and every EO he’s spit out so far (more than any President including “literal Hitler Trump”) has proven that he’s completely incapable of thinking. EOs that basically cancels working Americans jobs, limiting what we do, and now requiring super young children to wear a mask? The “Science” is there they children have very low transmission rates AND infection rates, so where does Beijing Biden get his “Science” from?
When Trump was president, we didn’t complain about liberals who hated Trump.
And by the way, YES. It is not easy when there are people Simply trying to continue with their lives, move closer to family or continue with their plans they had created for their futures before this plandemic hit. I was one of them. Trying to move cross country to my family so my husband and I can have a little more help with our child. We already booked a flight with Delta but now will have to cancel it because we have only tried to get him to wear a mask since he was 1.5 years and he’s now 2. You try to have a child wear something over there face that they know for a fact will inhibit their breathing. It’s not as easy as it seems. They DONT UNDERSTAND why they have to wear a mask. And, most cases they can’t even give us consent or tell us what they feel. Shouldn’t they be able to do that? You actually sound like someone who doesn’t have any kids, and if that’s the case, please don’t even attempt to give parents advice. It’s pathetic.
My President is yours as well (assuming you’re American, anyway!). He is entirely legitimate. I won’t argue conspiracy theories about illegitimacy, a “plandemic”, or anything else.
My two beautiful children are the best part of my life, thank you.
Good day, Cressida.
There used to be trump derangement syndrome….now it is Biden Derangement Syndrome! Do you realize how insane you sound? And just so know, absolutely NO ONE has the right to fly. Flying is a privilege! Abuse the rules, you do not get to fly!
Dear Mr.” Marx ” the sad part is that there is executive orders being signed every day to carry out the agenda from a squad of different bad actors and it’s all being placed on a helpless old man suffering from dementia and talking baseless hatred from a party (democrats) that normalised violence and domestic terrorism for months long that destroyed this countries values and respect for law enforcement and damaged beyond repair thousands of businesses which were already hurting from a pandemic is ironic to say the least.
“Requiring a 2 year old to keep a mask on for the duration of a flight might sound good to a policy maker, but that doesn’t mean it’s practical.” Too bad, so sad. Stop flying with your damn kids then.
Tell that to a kid going somewhere for medical treatment or other non-leisure trip.
And why not require a 1 year old at that point? Or do you only spread COVID once you reach your 2nd birthday?
Medical exemptions are available to those who truly need them.
Dan, get real. While medical information is Hippa protected, I will wager that 98% of kids flying is not related to travel for medical treatment. That might be especially true for avid Dansdealers that rush to mimic your Miami trip.
Sounds like you don’t have children. Please don’t assume anything about parents. We don’t assume anything about people who don’t.
Sounds like it sounds good to you as well as the policy makers, but that doesn’t make it any more practical then it was before your comment, so not sure what you just added???
And vice versa?
Have there always been trolls on the DD comments or is this a new phenomenon? Regardless, I think that all the citizens who are afraid of life can continue to lock down and accept restrictions ad infinitum upon themselves, but we can’t dictate how the vast majority of the population should live based off of a much smaller population of people who are older or have health issues. It’s just bad policy IMO
Could it be that they legally have to update their policy in accordance with this order, but they actually instruct their flight attendants not to enforce it?
No.
What are the penalties for not enforcing?
Hope so. But who wouldn’t even want to test that out?
Thats whats happening – they aren’t enforcing… at least on UAL on their Fl flights (today was my 6th in 2 months) thankfully everyone else is still scared – we r getting awesome deals now!
Better a little crap sandwich for everyone, than re-electing “Patriots” who just plain don’t believe in it.
Does anyone if this means that non USA based airlines like Virgin or BA are also subject to these rules when flying from US? Currently I think BA age is 6 yrs.
Even before this policy, BA and Virgin both have on their websites that flights to and from US are under the 2 year old policy 🙁
Not true Virgin only recently updated there policy to and from USA from 2 and up, but all other destinations the age is from 11 and up see https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/news/coronavirus/symptoms-and-exceptions.html
What’s not true? That’s exactly what I said
I got excited when I saw that a few days ago, but then realized that it excluded US flights… :/
Anyone know if the same is to Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France etc?
I flew 2 flights on Southwest and 2 on United last week with my 2 yr old. Didnt get a single comment, didn’t even attempt to mask. His birthday was less than a month ago. Most FA’s are normal
The bigger question is why are people taking kids under two on plane trips at this time? I understand traveling for work or a family emergency, but why on earth would you risk taking a kid on a plane? I just got off a very crowded American flight this afternoon (rerouted to Syracuse with the storm in New York). No empty seats, masks off to eat and drink. Makes no sense to risk your child’s well being. It’s child abuse in my opinion.
Lol
Um.. possibly because the risk to children has been proven to be extremely minimal..
You obviously don’t have any kids or don’t know anything about kids with Covid…
I do hope that people are not travelling for frivolous reasons, like vacations. But, as @Dan said above, there might be medical necessity, or some other family emergency – those can include kids, sadly. And contra @Boruch, parents should at least try to keep their kids masked – it’s for their own health as well as those around them. If the kid cannot keep the mask on despite the parent’s sincere effort, well, let’s hope @Boruch is right – most flight attendants are normal people who will have some rochmonus, perhaps they have kids of their own…
Huh. There is no risk for children – or frum who have herd immunity!
Huh. Children can have medical problems, didn’t you know that?
And how can a person achieve ‘herd immunity?’
Ignorance abounds.
because we wanna live life and do things!
I’ve travelled twice with my my 2 kids, 4yo and 2yo. My 2yo I just lie about and say he’s 1, no issues with him, but my 4 year old got away with it on the the first 2 flights, but the 3rd they got strict, and i’m currently on my 4th flight and they’re being quite easy on her, she’s asleep next to me with no mask on and FAs have walked past and said nothing…
Sorry, live life and do things is not a valid reason at this time. Obey the rules as written or stay home. I drove RT NYC-MIA multiple times because my son is special and might have presented a problem. His rights were protected but driving seemed to be a better alternative.
By the way, the drive, over 3 days, ranks as some of our best vacation days in memory.
Yes, we somehow made a Mincha minyan at a desolate South Carolina rest stop!
What’s the end game? Since “living life” apparently isn’t a valid reason “at this time”…When can we start living life again? When can my child have a childhood? My husband and I are both vaccinated… doesn’t look like they’re lifting the mask mandates anytime soon even with the vaccine so what exactly are we waiting for to happen before we can live again?
Is there a way to talk to someone to change this policy?
https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Make sure to choose the correct pronoun!
Travel at night when the lights are off.
What about just telling the flight crew that my child is under 2 (and that he/she is big for their age)?
Why delta can’t keep there rule for international flights ? Isn’t the president order only for domestic ?
Did anyone hear of the rumors of potentially needing a covid test before traveling domestically
I hope it’s not true that will turn air travel into a nightmare and for sure we’ll put airlines out of business
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-air-travel.html%23:~:text%3Dpublic%2520health%2520recommendations-,All%2520air%2520passengers%2520coming%2520to%2520the%2520United%2520States%252C%2520including%2520U.S.,flight%2520to%2520the%2520United%2520States.&ved=2ahUKEwiJw_-2l9nuAhXhEVkFHfOpA_8QFjABegQIAhAE&usg=AOvVaw3exPMxyqA52bAt8itRcwoF
So far only when returning from a international trip
“Domestically”
My children that are between the ages of 2 and 6 years old, will from now on “identify” as being under two years old…
I think you’re into something. I’m feeling pretty under 2 year oldish myself right now. (Flight tomorrow)
Why not just give your kid a lollipop the whole trip, while eating there is no need for a mask. And also you can’t transmit covid while eating i guess.
“Between bites and sips”. You may as well just plan on fasting for the duration of the trip.
Just get a note from your pediatrician saying your child isn’t developmentally capable of handling the mask wearing yet. Would that quality as a disability?other than that, we might have to start building jail cells for 2 year olds for our little felons who scream “NO” when refusing to keep their mask on.
The jail cells would be for the irresponsible parents.
ALL passengers, regardless of age or “ability”, must be required to wear a secure mask completely covering their mouths and noses while on an airplane. Duh!! if one cannot wear a mask, then one should not fly, period. Until we all get it through our brains that the virus is extremely extremely extremely contagious and that it is a worldwide problem with no intention of stopping itself, then so be it, too bad, don’t fly if you can’t handle the restrictions. Btw, in October I flew overseas to and from on Swiss. While the flight attendants were great, the passengers were not and Swiss’ rules are pitiful. Children under 12 do not have to wear masks, same as in country. Men with large beards not masked because they didn’t want to be. A handful of children, not young, maskless because they are not required- walking, talking, laughing, shouting to each other and playing with each other all over the plane while their hands went inside their mouths!!! to pick out food…and then on the touch screens, seat arms, toilet door handles etc. For 9 hours. This would have been disgusting on a good health day….it was beyond reprehensible and negligent during a pandemic.
Of course, it’s my “opinion” but there is just nothing more to say or debate on the topic of mask wearing on public aircraft during this global pandemic (or God-forbid any public health emergency/crisis).
If your 2 year old can’t wear a mask, oh well don’t go. And don’t start splitting hairs over whether 2 year olds should and 9 month olds should not.
Amy,
“And don’t start splitting hairs over whether 2 year olds should and 9 month olds should not.”
Why not? If the pandemic is raging and our only defense is a mask, why should we not split hairs this way? Is it because your emotion is so strong that the virus will retreat in the face of it?
What most of us have figured out already is that treating a pandemic with emotional or feel-good measures is useless. Addressing it by scoring political points is similarly useless.
When it was believed that things like social distancing, masks, avoiding flying, closing schools, and the like were all helpful in saving lives, virtually everyone did so. Now that we’ve seen that the science on all of this is at best foggy, and possibly points in the other direction, we no longer feel the need to continue down this path.
We’ve watched the experts change their minds too many times to believe they know something we don’t. We’ve watched politicians make rules and flaunt them brazenly to take them too seriously. We’ve watched governors move elderly people into nursing homes – something that anyone with a brain understand was a death sentence – to believe that they truly have special insight. We’ve watched hospitals – places whose mission it is to save lives – create policies that caused many patients to die from starvation in the name of protecting everyone.
Sorry – I’m happy using common sense even if it means that I don’t go out as much. Until the mask madness ends, it’s only heimishe businesses for me.
If it makes you feel good, go ahead and wear as many masks as you please. Since they’re so effective, you have nothing to worry about from those little wretches you so despise.
Mark – 100%
So, the evidence is foggy? Does it really mean that not masking is safer?
Written as a health professional that has been masking at work since AIDS and travelled in Europe with airport masking during SARS.
Amy, the logic goes both ways. I’m so sick of hearing everyone say “if you don’t want to wear a mask, then don’t go there or don’t fly”. “People shouldn’t be flying with children during a pandemic anyway”…. Half of the world is not terrified of the virus and/or already had it and choose to live their lives as normal. If YOU don’t like it, then YOU should stay home, socially distance, and wear as many masks as you choose. No one is forcing YOU to fly either. So if you are too scared to get germs on the plane, or in the store, or at a restaurant, than YOU shouldn’t go. Other people should not be forced to wear a mask or get vaccines or do anything of the sort just to ease your irrational fears. Everyone should live freely to do what makes them feel comfortable, people shouldn’t be forced to wear or not wear a mask. These precautions have never been taken, at least to this extent, for ANY other illness/virus/disease. The flu, pneumonia, other respiratory illnesses, and stomach illnesses kill millions of people every year… No one bats an eye. If you think covid is ever going away, or these ridiculous restricted/requirements, you have another thing coming! Every couple years there’s some new scare, and now that they have the control and have everyone living in fear, they will use this power for everything! If it was about safety, NOT masks would be required everywhere. If it was about safety, our borders would have been completely closed. If it was about safety, EVERYTHING would be shut down. If this was that deadly and contagious, our entire homeless population would be dead. There are 10 million Tuberculosis cases every year, on average, and 1 million Tuberculosis deaths a year on average… Have you been living your life in fear of getting TB, no! Let people live. Wear your inadequate piece of cloth over your face if you choose.
Does this change of policy give me a right to request a full refund as when I booked it was not in place ?
Are the mask wearers open to me spraying a deodorant in their face? Pretty certain Covid particles are smaller than deodorant spray. So far I have had no takers.
Steve,
Spray the deodorant in your own face, without a mask, please.
So you agree they don’t work. At least we are in agreement.
I flew delta with my family last week for this very reason. Shame they changed it now to the impossible rule which will only makes parents anxious. Funny that there was one delta FA who kept on pressuring me to mask my three year old. I keep telling him I chose delta for the very reason that children who cannot maintain a mask are exempt. He argued it wasn’t true. But to his credit, after I pleaded with him that it wasn’t in my control, (my 3yo is still in diapers, do they think I can mask train before potty train?!) he eventually said “I won’t bust your chops” and he let me alone.
In October I flew AA (never again with kids), I simply told the FA that my kid (who is 3) was under 2. She didn’t want to believe at first, saying “he looks kinda big”, I said “yes he’s big for his age.” I just felt the alternative to lying about his age was being thrown off the plain.
Mark,
It appears that you are very emotional.
I’m already vaccinated. Which airline won’t really reinforce the mask policy?
Last night (MARCH 4) my family was ALMOST kicked off American Airlines flight 3299 from Chicago to Fort Wayne because our 2-year-old daughter INITIALLY was not wearing a mask on the flight. We have flown on 9 different airplanes since December 2020 both internationally and domestically—this was the first time we have had any problem. When told our daughter had to wear a mask, we complied and she never cried or fussed about it. She listened to us and put it on…but what kind of law asks a 2-year-old to keep a mask on? This was a small plane so the airline had sat my husband behind us. He could not help me with the job of keeping a mask on our daughter. I also had my 5-month-old son in my lap. While I was trying to breastfeed my 5-month-old, our flight attendant Lorana told me that she would have to REPORT ME for not keeping the mask on our 2-year-old daughter. I ONLY HAVE 2 HANDS. How can I assist both of my children at the same time? My 2-year-old daughter is still wearing diapers and is not able to put a mask on by herself. She fidgets with it. She wears it for a few minutes and then takes it off…what kind of lawmaker expects 2-year-olds to wear masks?
Our laws are already killing our unborn babies and now they want to force impossible standards on our born children. You might think I’m a terrible mother because I can’t keep a mask on my child. Or maybe you will blame my 2-year-old for the spread of COVID? Or why would I fly so much with my children…why not just stay home? We are missionaries to Africa and flying is part of our reality. But I’m saddened by the reality that my children face…a world that shows no value for the lives of children.
This is not the first time I have seen children devalued in the airports. Before this last flight in the Chicago airport, I watched a single father holding his sleeping 2-year-old son ask for assistance as he got off a plane trying to reach his next flight. He was refused help. There are wheelchairs for the handicap but there is nothing for an inexperienced parent that didn’t bring a stroller. (This also happened to us in December when the airline lost our stroller in London—we were refused help.)
I’ve walked through the Philadelphia airport and witnessed that dogs can pee publically in the middle of the walkways on AstroTurf….but I struggle to find family restrooms or a place to breastfeed my child. It seems that dogs have more rights than our children.
After last night’s events, I did a Google search on 2-year-olds wearing masks on airplanes. I found out that several families HAVE BEEN kicked off airplanes because their 2-year-old would not wear a mask. This law is IMPOSSIBLE. I read that other countries have made the rule for 6 and older or even 12 and older. Why are our lawmakers being so unreasonable? In my opinion, forcing a 2-year-old to wear a mask is child abuse.
THE VALUE OF FAMILIES is under attack. I’m never one to complain but I feel that someone must stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves. People need to know what is happening in today’s world.
This is BS. I can’t see any of the science for these small kids to be wearing one right now especially with everyone getting the vaccine. Why are they now restricting young kids further? Especially when there’s data proven that shows young kids aren’t transmitting the virus. This is insane and this policy shouldn’t be effecting young kids of 2 or 3.
Are you kidding!! Toddlers do not understand verbal commands all that well do to a lack a language development or lack there of. So how can you make them understand what most adults don’t. This is stupid and most toddlers are not covid spreaders. Why can’t gov. use common sense in making rules. I thought we were trying to get the economy back up and running. Families not being able to travel doesn’t help this.
I am livid! I booked a trip to Dominican Republic for July 2020 and it has been pushed until July 2021. Now my 3rd son is over 2 and now requires a mask. I cannot get him to wear one for anything! I have been trying for weeks! We try to wear it my other kids wear it around him.. He has no interest. So now we have to go so we lose 5k if we don’t go. It isn’t fair and completely ridiculous.
Ridiculuous