Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Surgical mask at the airport

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Surgical mask at the airport

    So my wife and I are finalizing our vacation plans for the end of the month and have come upon a conundrum of sorts. To wear surgical masks at the airport/airplane or not. Our 2 month old Gabriel will be wearing one per doctor's recommendation but how about us? The doctor suggests we do but are we being over cautious? Are we going to look like idiots?

    I was going to make a yes/no poll out of this but I don't know how.
    -kp!

  • #2
    Re: Surgical mask at the airport

    Listen to your doctor. Who cares what you look like...do you know any of those people? Better safe than sorry.

    Or get sick or dead and try to explain THAT to your kid.
    http://thissmallfrenchtown.blogspot.com/
    http://thefrenchneighbor.blogspot.com/

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Surgical mask at the airport

      No worry. You'll have a mask on, so no one will recognize you.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Surgical mask at the airport

        Originally posted by Kungpao View Post
        So my wife and I are finalizing our vacation plans for the end of the month and have come upon a conundrum of sorts. To wear surgical masks at the airport/airplane or not. Our 2 month old Gabriel will be wearing one per doctor's recommendation but how about us? The doctor suggests we do but are we being over cautious? Are we going to look like idiots?

        I was going to make a yes/no poll out of this but I don't know how.
        Who cares what some perfect strangers may think? If you trust your doctor, then by all means, IMO. Although security may ask you to remove them momentarily for identification purposes.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Surgical mask at the airport

          regarding masks for you and your missus:

          i'll refer you to a post I did earlier this year. The info re contact with people who have travelled to Mexico/US mainland is now outdated, but the rest of it remains accurate.

          it's completely up to you whether you & your wife choose to wear the masks or not. however, even the Centers for Disease Control agrees masks that are readily available to the general public have membranes that are too big to prevent flu and other virus from being inhaled by the mask-wearer. they're meant more for people who are already sick to prevent them from having their germs spew out so readily into the air.

          unless you've purchased what i believe is called an N95 mask and been professionally fit tested for it, the masks you're likely to be wearing give a false sense of security for you and maybe give a wrong impression to others.

          from the CDC:
          In community and home settings, the use of facemasks and respirators generally are not recommended. However, for certain circumstances as described in Table 1, a facemask or respirator may be considered, specifically for persons at increased risk of severe illness from influenza.
          here's the link. scroll down about midway for info re masks and make sure to look at table 1. feel free to discuss the CDC info with your MD and ask him/her what his/her rationale is for you and your wife to wear masks. if what your doc tells you after that makes sense to you, then yes, wear the masks.

          hope this is helpful. and if you two decide to wear masks & feel social discomfort, there is always this solace:

          Originally posted by Honoruru View Post
          No worry. You'll have a mask on, so no one will recognize you.
          superbia (pride), avaritia (greed), luxuria (lust), invidia (envy), gula (gluttony), ira (wrath) & acedia (sloth)--the seven deadly sins.

          "when you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people i deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly..."--meditations, marcus aurelius (make sure you read the rest of the passage, ya lazy wankers!)

          nothing humiliates like the truth.--me, in conversation w/mixedplatebroker re 3rd party, 2009-11-11, 1213

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Surgical mask at the airport

            Originally posted by Kungpao View Post
            Are we going to look like idiots?
            As someone who sat next to a family wearing such masks on an airplane flight last month, labelling them as "idiots" wasn't on the list to do. However don't be surprised if the other travelers give you a wide berth when they encounter you.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Surgical mask at the airport

              Honestly, I think looking like an idiot at the airport is a norm. It's pretty much the standard with travelling, since most people have two concerns: comfort and carrying as many items on your person as possible. I've gone through the airport in pajama pants, wearing a neck pillow, with my pockets stuffed to the brim. A few winters ago I flew to Hawaii from sub zero temperatures -- I must have looked pretty dumb making my way through Honolulu International in my winter coat, hat and scarf.

              I say wear the masks and pretend you're going to Japan. They're all the rage there.
              Four Thousand Miles (blog) | MacRatLove (comic)
              Better Holes and Garbage (rats) | Perfectly Inadequate (music)

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Surgical mask at the airport

                Kungpao, do you or your wife have even a little artistic skill? Decorate the masks and add to each one the silliest, double entendre saying you can come up with. Deliberately call attention to the masks in a humorous way. Who knows, you may get orders for them and end up embarking on a whole, new career!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Surgical mask at the airport

                  Originally posted by SusieMisajon View Post
                  Listen to your doctor. Who cares what you look like...do you know any of those people? Better safe than sorry.

                  Or get sick or dead and try to explain THAT to your kid.

                  Agreed ! with the above.
                  Put a few decorative transfers on the masks as has been suggested. The kids will probably love them and you migt start a rage, and make a few $.
                  When I went to see my son in Japan, everybody wore masks and paper suits, it was the norm.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Surgical mask at the airport

                    Originally posted by cynsaligia View Post
                    however, even the Centers for Disease Control agrees masks that are readily available to the general public have membranes that are too big to prevent flu and other virus from being inhaled by the mask-wearer.
                    Yes. That is exactly what my doctor said to me last month. And, also, the "gaps" at the sides of the mask allow unfiltered air inside the mask. No matter how carefully you try to form the mask to fit your face, small gaps remain.
                    Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Surgical mask at the airport

                      I think there'd be more of an issue of how to keep from touching stuff that everybody has been touching and then remembering to not touch the baby or your face.

                      Bring many little bottles of hand sanitizer to stuff in various pockets? Disinfectant spray for the seat backs and arm rests?
                      Figuring out how to get out of the toilet without using your clean hands to open the door?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Surgical mask at the airport

                        How do you get all that stuff onto a plane ? Here they confiscate it and bin it.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Surgical mask at the airport

                          wow, Ok, I apologize. I didn't realize my post sounded so vein lol. I'm not really that overly concerned about looking like an idiot. I guess I'm just used to being a brown person in a predominantly white society and am a little on the leery side of inviting that sort of attention.

                          Great stuff for me to ponder! Thanks everyone!

                          cynsaligia, the reason I posted this is due to primarily reading things similar to what you posted. Thanks for re-affirming.

                          Vanguard, I hear ya. Although I don't think I fully trust ANY doctor. They can be quite vague and their opinions on non yes or no questions vary widely.

                          Tutu, I was ready to buy some of the "designer" ones on the internet!! However as confirmed by cyn earlier in this post. "The designer" ones aren't the right type. As for making them myself...our son pretty much has taken up most of our "free" time
                          -kp!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Surgical mask at the airport

                            Originally posted by Peshkwe View Post
                            Bring many little bottles of hand sanitizer to stuff in various pockets?
                            This would definitely be a problem going through security. Liquids have to fit the 3-1-1 rule. No more than three ounces per bottle and all of your liquids have to fit into a single 1 quart ziploc. I wouldn't bat an eye at someone wearing a mask but I tend to get annoyed at those who hold up the line because they forgot the liquid regulations.

                            Now, there are special rules for those traveling with infants. You could probably get away with taking baby wipes in your carry-on without them being included in the 3-1-1 rule. Just give your hands a swipe with those after touching anything suspect.
                            Four Thousand Miles (blog) | MacRatLove (comic)
                            Better Holes and Garbage (rats) | Perfectly Inadequate (music)

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Surgical mask at the airport

                              Originally posted by sophielynette View Post
                              This would definitely be a problem going through security. Liquids have to fit the 3-1-1 rule. No more than three ounces per bottle and all of your liquids have to fit into a single 1 quart ziploc.
                              I've learned to buy the travel size hand sanitizers, and pack them into the ziplock while going through security. Once past the security, I take the sanitizers out of the ziplock and spread them amongst my pockets, carry on's outer pouch, etc etc. I'll gladly give up packing the shampoo (which I can buy at my destination or get from the hotel), in order to have a way to help keep germs at bay while in the airport and on the plane (meaning, sanitizers get priority over packing shampoo).

                              Originally posted by Peshkwe View Post
                              Figuring out how to get out of the toilet without using your clean hands to open the door?
                              That one is easy. Just use the used paper towel to open the door, and once the lock has been released drop the paper towel into the trash.
                              Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X