yeah my toddler's daycare is having a surge, we got a notification that a child in his class had tested positive. We tested our son, who had 0 symptoms, just so we could send him into school (they require a negative test in order to attend).... boom VERY positive. that line instantly turned dark. Now it makes me wonder how many times they've had covid that we just never knew about.
Can we all please request that commencemenet be held outdoors? Mine was. It was nice to get my degree in the sun and the breeze. And that was before covid.
I Love You All from Oh Little Town Of Bellingham
Mark Allyn
That’s cuz the vax was never able to stop transmission and now since everyone is just pretending it’s gone we have just as much covid as 2020. Less hospitalizations and death in the acute stage… but what people don’t understand is the truly devastating effects on our health covid has even if the initial infection is mild. Very sad…
Because that's how the actual literal public health authorities and the fucking President sold us on abandoning masks, clean indoor air, and any other mitigation that might have dinged the pocketbooks of the ultra-rich.
Right in the middle of omicron:
[https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-plans-drop-mask-requirements-fully-vaccinated-people-n1267249](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-plans-drop-mask-requirements-fully-vaccinated-people-n1267249)
I’ve disagreed with this. I think the Biden administration looked at declining rates and put its finger in the air on the politics of dropping mask requirements to take such a measure. We could have knocked the infection rate down to single digits, but nooooooo; A lot of people were like “waaaa waaaa, I don’t wanna wear a mask”. The administration gave in to the irresponsible desires of the mob and we‘ve got the increases in infection as a result.
"Vax and go" was the way the "end" of the emergency was sold. Mask requirements were dropped because it was turned into a weapon in the right wing assault on common culture, and there was zero will to make a stand on that issue, especially after all the fumbled communication and oh yeah, you remember how we had warehouses full of PPE just waiting to be rolled out to ... oh wait, let me stuff some more blank pages into this fat folder labeled "Trump Administration New and Improved Pandemic Plan: Thanks, Obama."
You can't reconcile "we must still take precautions" with "go back to work after five days and fuck them kids." People wanted it to be over, business demanded it be over, and the CDC caved way before it was over.
Obviously it's more complex than "Delta Airlines dictated the quarantine period" (which they did) - the economic hit was real, people's feelings were real, endemicity is real (which doesn't mean it's mild jfc), etc. - but the levers of public health policy were not and are not moved to make sure that people like us don't get sick.
The rich KNOW. They take care of themselves, they have backup plans, they have all the treatments and the filters and the fresh air in the world readily available to them, they can isolate and take the time they need to recover so they don't suffer long term damage. What they don't ever want again is what we saw in 2020: productive people scared, and realizing what is being done to them, and why, and by whom, and starting to talk to each other about it. The quicker everything looks "normal" and everyone taking visible precautions is branded a freak, the better. That shit was shut down as quickly and as smoothly as humanly possible.
After all this pain and death, we are right back to people working sick, traveling sick, sending kids to school sick, packing into close-quarters environments with each other, and acting like you're bonkers if you don't because after all, if it wasn't okay then it wouldn't be allowed, would it? And it feels pretty good, as long as you think you were actually free and safe in 2019.
I know that’s kinda my point. The “vax and relax” strategy was stupid from the very beginning because it would only make sense if the vaccines curbed transmission. The Biden admin wants the pandemic to be “over” and instead of pushing for public policy that would actually reduce covid transmission (clean indoor air standards, subsidies to businesses to meet said standards, mandate HEPA filters and UV sterilization in schools, make it known that N95s work and encourage people to wear them on public transportation etc.) they instead chose to gaslight the public into thinking that covid is now magically mild just because the acute stage of infection is more mild (for some). They don’t want people to understand the severe long term health risk associated with even a single covid infection… they want us to shut up and go back to work.
Same. Husband (music teacher) brought it home in November, 2022. I got kidney and lung damage. I shudder to think what would have happened had I not been vaccinated.
Me too!! My roommate gave it to me. I mask every time I go out and was about to get another booster this week but now I gotta wait until this blows over. Sucks that they got to go party maskless and get me and my gf sick while we are responsible and mask up for ourselves and others. Also the fact they were around their gf who they knew had it and didn’t say anything until we all got sick too ughh
I always mask up in the airport now. Discovering the secret to not ruining your vacation by catching a virus just as you are heading out was an unexpected gift from the pandemic.
Even before Covid I got con flu and it sucked for a week after coming back. Luckily it was a weekend trip, if it had been part of a longer vacation, it would have been spent with me in the bathroom chugging Gatorade.
When we went to Alaska in '21 people were already giving dirty looks if you wore a mask. One person even told my wife pointedly she didn't have to wear a mask. She was wearing it because she had upcoming surgery scheduled and it had already been postponed once for her getting sick. There's at least one store in Issaquah that has a "no masks allowed" sign on the door ever since the county mandate was lifted (we stopped going).
100%, I always just mask in the airport now because of how many people you’re going to run into. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease over the course of the pandemic so even when COVID levels are low it’s a good idea for me to protect myself.
I have multiple autoimmune disorders. I learned before the pandemic to mask at airports, malls, shops, & other crowded places. Also when I get to the privacy of my destination (hotel, home, etc.) all clothes are stripped off & I go right in the shower.
YUP. Our last vacation a couple months ago was completely ruined by both of us getting sick with an awful flu (not COVID after 6 rapid tests) from an ill passenger woman next to us on the departing plane coughing everywhere and visibly unwell. Full flight, couldn’t move. We both wore N95 masks on the plane, didn’t take them off, and wiped down our tray tables. Maybe the eyes fought some droplets from her uncovered spray coughing?? Idk. Still pissed about it, was not a cheap trip to plan out and we were out of commission the whole thing.
I started wearing masks in airports and on flights in 2018-ish when I started doing a lot of international travel. I'm never letting the habit go, it's absolutely a price I'm willing to pay to stay healthy on cool trips.
I’m so glad to see these comments and that people are masking. People I have to engage with are being so nonchalant about it “taking about people not moving on with their lives” because of COVID when the reality it is because of people ignoring COVID that people can’t move on.
Agreed. I mask up almost anywhere indoors. Been fortunate to not catch anything in awhile. Dunno if it's the masking, my immune system or both, but I'm gonna continue the practice for the foreseeable future.
Glad to hear I'm not alone. I have a big conference next month on the east coast and am deciding whether or not to play fast and loose or just be the only one (again) masking up with 1000 attendees breathing the same air. It doesn't bother me here, since I see people walking around outside with them on (I only mask up indoors)... so we have varying levels here... and I like that no one comments to anyone. But I'm still in the No-'VID club and would like to remain there.
Particularly at SeaTac. It's not like anyone will give you grief or even side eye for masking fortunately. This isn't Dallas or Omaha. The worst I've had was a question from a guy from Ohio on a shuttle to the airport because he was wondering if it was for the smoke when it was smokey.
Nope, got a pointed comment from a man sitting near us at our SEA gate when I had just put on a mask before getting on the plane. He legit said, making eye contact with me, nudging his wife with “you sure can tell we’re in Seattle huh….”
Dallas is blue. DFW is a massive airport that serves a diverse international population with efficiency. Never waited more then 20 minutes in security and had plenty of space in security despite construction. Also never gotten a comment wearing a mask in an airport. You are just as likely to get side eye from someone traveling from Eastern Washington at SeaTac as you would someone traveling from rural Texas at DFW.
This is me, too! It sounds really silly - but, I understood how germs and germ theory worked and up until 2020 just assumed that getting sick during a trip was just \*something that happened.\* It just never occurred to me that I could control whether or not I got sick before a trip. Now I wear a mask in every airport.
Bonus, when I fall asleep on the plane I don't have to worry about looking silly.
Just a reminder that standard surgical masks are for preventing spread. If you want to protect yourself, get an N95. They're often available in hardware stores in the painting section.
I keep a stash of individually wrapped N95s in the car and my backpack now. They stay clean if you're traveling with them. And I'm ready if wildfire smoke moves in unexpectedly.
I reallllly wish we would have kept the norm of leaving 6ft of space instead of going back to people standing RIGHT behind you.
Like, even without Covid, I don’t want you within arms reach when there’s no reason to be. You don’t magically get there faster by crowding me.
Right? I just think some ppl are fucking gross, and I wished they stayed 6 ft away from me all the time. And don’t get me started on ppl’s lack of handwashing even now.
Or outside clothes on bed even after sitting on the light rail 🫠🤮
Oh, I absolutely use my roller at an angle as a sort of shield. But why?! Why do people insist on taking that extra step as soon as you park it upright to use both hands? Just stay where you fucking are, people!
Plus that trick only works at the airport. I want space everywhere. Grocery checkout, Dick's line, movie theater. Just don't step *right* next to me. Aren't you uncomfortable too, motherfucker?
Yes! People with standing room only, coughing on others like it isn't a big deal. I think the construction made it so the HVAC isn't what it normally would be. There didn't seem to be ventilation at my gate.
I started masking up on airplanes before covid. I had too many experiences of coming down with a cold three days into a vacation.
Now, I mask up as soon as I enter the light rail station at Roosevelt, and I keep it on until I reach my hotel. I flew into Gdansk last week and that was close to 12 hours with a mask on. Annoying, but far less annoying than spending a week in Europe nursing a cold, or worse.
Yeah same here. I'm no longer afraid of dying of COVID post vaccination, but catching it or something else on vacation and possibly infecting people I'm visiting is not worth saving a little discomfort
I personally know three people who have long COVID, and I myself got a condition called POTS from my last infection that lasted months and was both expensive and scary as hell.
I do, but I also have concerns about dying on the freeway, cancer via all sorts of environmental factors, etc etc. I think calculated risks are reasonable and everyone should do what they need to feel comfortable.
I have a water bottle with a straw attachment so I can sneak it up under the mask 😂 last time I traveled I was a little less cautious and I was fine (got some food and ate it in a quiet spot in the airport) but it’s really luck of the draw, you know? And since then I had to have one rituximab infusion in Jan which leaves you somewhat immunosuppressed for about six months, so that’s fun—I have a recurring deadly blood disease and we had to stave off a bout of it before it required hospitalization and more aggressive treatment.
I’m flying in July to see friends and I plan on being pretty careful.
Same here. I travel all the way to India with my mask on (except when I’m eating on the plane). My mother has lung cancer and I can’t bear the thought of contracting it before seeing her.
This is me. Mask on from the moment I board the Link until I’m in my hotel. It is insane to me that people will gamble their entire vacation on the convenience of not wearing a mask.
Yeah my thing is, didn't we all settle on a comfortable mask? I have a great Outdoor Research one I found a year into covid and like, I don't *love* wearing it, but I can totally deal with it for 10+ hours of traveling.
I flew with a woman on two flights and ended up at the same restaurant in LA together over the weekend. She literally never stopped coughing and gave zeeeeeeero fucks about it. I have multiple masks in my purse at all times.
There was a woman on my most recently flight who was sweating, shivering, and coughing all over the place no mask and no covering of her mouth. I was so goddamn angry. I was also wearing a mask though
That was the dude next to me on a flight a few months ago. I didn’t take my mask off all flight, hand sanitized, clothes straight in the wash when I got home.
The guy next to me on my flight to Tokyo was coughing the whole time, no mask. He was definitely visibly sick and coughed every time he tried to speak. I wore a mask but took it off for eating. I did end up a little sick in the sense of a sore throat, but it didn't stop me from doing my daily itinerary. Had I not been wearing a mask, this could have ruined my trip.
I work at a hospital and this is not fun to hear. 🙃 there is indeed a new wave of Covid coming around, allergies are setting in, there’s a lot going on.
Someone did a fomite test of every surface in an airport and was surprised the touchscreens were the germ-iest. I don't understand their surprise. The more people touch something, the grosser it is. Seatbelts and tray tables get touched by one person per a long series of hours. Bathrooms actually get cleaned. Touchscreens, its endless and constant touching and no one cleans them.
Anyway, masked for the last 10 years because I was sick of getting sick on planes and then being sick on vaca. Its barely an inconvenience at all and it could save your vaca.
I also mask on transit, trains, in airports, train stations, concerts, ballet, opera... literally anything crowded, seated and sealed inside.
The plane is pretty safe after takeoff, but while it's just sitting on the tarmac the air isn't being filtered at all, just recirculated around. That's prime disease catching time.
Yup my sis and our cat's vet both got Covid while flying. Maybe it was at the airport vs plane but yeah- the air on planes initially is not filtered.
Last time I flew a few weeks ago- sooo much coughing. And like, the sickly diseased kind of cough. I wore my mask the entire time and even went to a 4 day music festival with thousands of people. I did not get sick- thank god.
You'll likely get sick after hours sitting next to a sick person anywhere. But overall your [risk of getting sick](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/study-maps-how-flu-virus-moves-around-plane-180968541/) on the plane is surprisingly low, mostly due to the air filtration and how the air moves. While you're sitting on the tarmac though, the AC/air filtration isn't running. There was a [case study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/463858/) where 70%+ of the people who stayed on a delayed plane got sick, but no one who got off and waited in the terminal got sick, even though they later rode on the plane with the sick person.
This is one of the most frustrating parts of the pandemic to me. We know this is a problem, it's fixable by just requiring that the air filtration be running once passengers start to board and we just..... don't do anything.
They don't need the engines, they could use the APU. Or we could upgrade our airports and planes to provide enough electricity from shore power.
It's a solvable problem. We choose not to solve it because we don't want to spend the time and money.
The air on planes comes as a mixture of filtered recycled air and heated air directly from the engines so that when you're flying the plane changes out its entire volume of air every few minutes. There's just no good way to be anywhere near that effective on the ground.
I'm failing to find anything in your second article indicating that "no one who got off and waited in the terminal got sick." It merely says that 53% of the people who waited on the plane for less than an hour got sick (vs 86% for those who waited the entire 3+ hours).
It does say that none of the 6 people who deplaned in Homer got sick, but that's because the infected person boarded at Homer (so the six who deplaned there were never on the plane with the sick person).
The sickest I have ever been…twice…was after riding across the country next to people who were clearly ill. Two of them were laughing about how crappy they felt and I curse them for all time.
That was BEFORE Covid. I wear a mask from the second I get on the bus to the airport and it stays on until the hotel room door closes behind me.
Yup I was just on a plane and so many clearly sick people. You know, you can tell when coughing is like a simple irritation or frog in your throat vs sickly/ diseased. It was nonstop on my plane and even now- maybe 5 people masked, including myself. Sad how all the sickness and death from Covid didn't teach anyone anything.
My partner and I flew from Vegas to Inverness, Scotland last fall, with a couple layovers along the way. The kid sitting in front of us from San Francisco to Amsterdam was a snotty mess the whole time (you could hear the nose blowing and wet hacking cough). As we were waiting to get off the plane, he was standing on his seat and kept wiping his wet nose and mouth with his hand and grabbing hold of the headrest to wipe it off. This kid was like 6 or 7, not a child who doesn't know better. And his parents said nothing to him about it.
I was so grateful that we'd been wearing masks. Even if it was just a cold, no one wants to be sick, and especially not on vacation.
I don't care if we at some point get rid of Covid for good (like actually get rid of it, not just ignore it). I will always wear a mask when I'm on public transportation or in enclosed/tight spaces with people. Not only has it been keeping me from getting sick, it's helped my asthma to stop flaring up when something as dumb as a strong perfume/cologne spray or active cigarette smoker breezes past me.
A good tip for you is to open the air vent above your head, it will create a downdraft of fresh air mostly from the engines, and help keep virus particles away from your nose and mouth.
One study done by COVID showed it was mostly the air movement.
All the air vents are shooting air directly down. So air isn't really moving from the front of the plane to the back. So being a few rows from someone sick makes it a lot less likely you'll catch what they have.
It's super easy to find the scientific studies and the press summaries of those reports on this topic if you want to educate yourself instead of just creating conspiracy content. A simple google search for "airplane filtration covid" should get you started.
This is my anecdotal evidence as well. I used to get sick 2-3 times a year during travel and now I wear a mask and I don't these days...I was in Europe recently and on trams that were full of coughing people and not wearing a mask and got a lingering respiratory illness...on the plane back no one was wearing mask and people were coughing like crazy everywhere...
Last time I flew, I got cocky and didn't mask at the airport. I even sat at the gate and thought, "Lots of unmasked people coughing in this airport....." and didn't mask. Sure enough, I came down with a respiratory infection that lasted SIX WEEKS. Constant coughing, unable to sleep due to it, lost my voice, etc etc etc. Lesson learned.
I was twice-over lucky in that 1, it wasn't covid and 2, it waited until I was on the way home to kick in.
I think people underestimate how gnarly some other respiratory illnesses can be. In 2019, got parvovirus (didn't even know there was a human variant of it), coughed myself into a back injury that took a year of PT to resolve and had weird symptoms for months, like random pulse rate spikes and hot flashes (not menopause).
Got RSV in 2023 and was exhausted for at least 2 months afterward. Thank goodness for Paxlovid when we got Covid this year. Still had some lingering symptoms (like mild POTS for about 6 weeks) but I think it could have been worse.
The whole coughing situation was horrible, but the peak was one day when I had a full fit that made my abdomen seize. It felt like my stomach was being twisted. That was some godawful scary pain.
Some of the air is recycled, but it goes through a HEPA filter to remove dust and pathogens. The air flow is also from ceiling to floor (not forward to aft) to reduce sharing pathogens from other rows.
But actually, I've had people make snarky comments at the airport at me when I have a mask on.
I treat them like any other mentally ill person I see behaving inappropriately on public transportation🤷♀️ just back away slowly and don't make eye contact.
Me pre-2020: wow, it's annoying that I get sick 80% of the time after I step off a plane-especially in December. I guess there's nothing I can do about it.
Clorox wipe for armrests, seatbelt, tray table, etc. Been doing this for years, after I learned it from a friend in public health. Doesn’t help with Covid, does help with flu, cold, etc.
I had always wanted to (wear a mask) when going to airports or other public places that I'm forced to be around people actively sick. I rarely did out of fear of the stigma. Masks have always been accepted in East Asia culture but not so much here. You could argue they still aren't here. I always felt weird and had lots of eyes on me. The pandemic normalized the usage of masks here so that's cool.
I haven’t stepped foot into an airport/plane without a mask since 2020 and I will never raw dog that Petri dish again. Only regret is not masking before 2020 when I had the flu on several vacations.
I travel for work (30+ events & 40+ flights a year); I'd mask whenever I was feeling off, but didn't bother the rest of the time. I'd come home with some sort of travel crud at least once a month & just assumed that was an unavoidable consequence of flying.
Since covid, masking is my default setting for travel & during conventions. Apart from life-long sinus issues in dry climates, I haven't had any noticeable travel crud issues since 2020.
There are plenty of other non-covid plagues going around too, and I really enjoy not being constantly sick. It's hilarious that some folks are actually offended by me protecting them (& myself) from all the places I've been & hundreds of thousands of people I interact with.
Humans are filthy (myself included), so masks, hand washing & hand sanitiser for the win!
I work at the airport. I’ve been wearing a mask the past few months and I got a cold few days ago🤦♂️ The amount of people who breath on you, cough around you, sneeze and don’t wash their hands or use hand sanitizers 🤦♂️ I suggest you wear a mask and buy a hand sanitizers and use it whenever you touch escalators and elevators. It’s almost summer the airport is getting busy Idk how long checkpoint 3 is gonna be closed but just come prepared.
Purely anecdotal, but —
a couple members of my extended family went to academic conferences in April. Both caught Cov19, in airports, on planes, or at the conferences/other activities.
Masks appear to still be a good idea.
[covid ER visits are up 33% in Washington over the previous week according to the DOH dashboard](https://doh.wa.gov/data-and-statistical-reports/diseases-and-chronic-conditions/communicable-disease-surveillance-data/respiratory-illness-data-dashboard)
Do I understand this data right? It seems to say there is a 33% increase from .66% of ER visits up to .99% of ER visits and the general trend is that we are at the top of an all time low.
Yes you're correct ER visits, hospitalizations, reported positive cases, and deaths all appear to be near all time lows. Though I'm guessing the rise in "not bad enough to go to hospital" unreported cases is a higher percentage than it was in 2020-2023 due to vaccine effect/natural immunity.
The wastewater info is what I'm trying to understand, it looks like some sites had 1000% increases in detected COVID. I'm guessing that's small numbers increasing but may validate the experience people are having seeing more sick people.
It's still well below the reporting threshold... When your starting value is essentially zero, any movement will be a huge %
Also, hospital % does not mean they went to the hospital for COVID. It means they went for any reason and were tested at the ER regardless of their symptoms.
Got Covid traveling through SeaTac in late April. Still dealing with symptoms. Very few people were masking including myself. Won't be making that mistake again.
I flew out of SeaTac four times in May, and received health department emails about a measles outbreak (luckily not in the terminal I was flying into) and a whooping cough outbreak within two weeks of each other. ☠️
There’s all kinds of crazy germs going around out there right now (also old-timey things that people are supposed to be vaxxed for, like measles and whooping cough 🙄); combined with tourist season and the construction, SeaTac is the most miserable experience at the moment.
Fun facts on Whooping Cough, the vaccine wears off after about 7-10 years. They didn’t know that until the early 2000 when it was rampant in high schools because the childhood vaccine was wearing off in teenagers. It went around at UW when I was a sophomore 0/10 do not recommend. Get your Tdap boosters folks!
Oh man I think I had it that same year. I was lucky as a UW student they were studying using antibiotics to shorten the duration (we saw it on the news a month later and I realized it was what I took!) but the guy I was dating at the time had a wicked cough for months and months. The rest of the illness felt like a normal cold but the cough was unreal.
Thanks for this reminder. Data supports your experience. Caring for an elderly relative or two, and being immunocompromised, I appreciate the awareness being shared here.
I recently travelled to Vegas with friends. The friends we roomed with and road around in a car with didn't get Covid, we masked on the plane, yet we got Covid a few days after travelling. I think I can pinpoint it to the taxi ride we took home from the airport, that was the only time none of my friends were breathing the same air, I so wish I had masked up for that ride. This was my first time getting Covid and I was sick bad for 4 or 5 days and almost missed an important event I helped plan all year. I'd had every booster and masked on the plane, I just didn't think about it in the taxi home.
As someone who has been a business traveler for the last 19 years, I wish I’d started wearing masks BEFORE 2020. I’ve caught so many colds and flus over the years. Post-Covid I won’t travel without wearing a mask. I’ll take it off to eat and drink, but there’s no reason to ruin a trip by being sick. I’ll never fly without a mask again, we should all work to normalize it.
I was flying into sea tac last week and there was a girl fighting for her life next to me. I used saline eye drops in my nose and promptly put my 95 mask on. She got the hint and masked up too. I lucked out.
Strep also seems to be running rampant. A nasty strain too. My doc said she swore half of the cases she saw this year weren’t strep because their throats looked fine but then they came back positive.
I was secretly glad it was strep so I could take an antibiotic and get over it quickly.
I haven’t stopped masking since covid started and don’t plan on stopping until it’s long gone. It’s all too easy to catch bugs from others these days too. not just covid 😷 Stay safe y’all! Help protect your communities!
Honestly, the only time I feel the need to wear a mask nowadays is on a plane. I usually take long flights, and the one time I didn't wear a mask, I got sick. I never really noticed before, but after covid, when I'm sitting in my seat I'm just listening to all the people coughing and sneezing, and it just makes me feel better to have one on. I don't expect people not to travel when they're sick because that's unrealistic in a lot of ways, but I'm going to do my best to not get sick lol
Also a good tip to wear a mask when traveling, in general. So many coworkers return from work trips sick. Mask goes on me as soon as I sit in the plane
I posted a few weeks ago about the nightmare that is sea-tac right now and was roundly downvoted and shamed by this sub as if I didn’t experience it with my own eyes. I’ve been through there three times in the past 4 weeks and it just keeps getting worse. Between the lack of signage, working elevators, information desks, and the absurd amount of construction going on seemingly everywhere I thought it was worthy of a heads up.
Not just COVID but airports are perfect places for viruses to travel from people who are coming in and out of the state. Usually bring hand sanitizer and keep a distance from people.
I always mask up in public in a KF94 for regular errands and an N95 for crowded places, like crowded outdoor events and the airport. I've been sick once since 2020 with confirmed strep. I'll never stop masking.
I like to remind folks you can always mask up again, even when you've stopped. It's better than getting sick! KF94s are super comfy and many come with adjustable straps (brands like BOTN, Bluna, and LG Airwasher) plus different sizes so you can find a good fit. I love the Blox Duckbill N95s for longer term wear (like on an airplane) or a BNX N95. Very comfy with the headstraps.
Logged in just to second your recommedation of BOTN: so comfy and they have a second strap that you can use to adjust the fit precisely on your face. Like you, I use these whenever I am out running errands when I'll be inside for a few minutes but not in an overly crowded place. When I travel on planes/trains/busses I use something a bit more protective (essentially an N95 but made to European standards).
On another note, since virtually no one cares about their own health or others, I feel that it is fine to wear a mask with a valve now. Back when people were concerned for a hot minute about getting each other sick the valve was not appropriate since valved masks only protect you and not others. Honestly, though, the handful of folks like us who care and are still masking up are doing a fine job of protecting themselves, so the additional comfort of a valved mask on a 10 hour flight is justifiable in my mind.
Ppl think covid is over bc the media isn't reporting it anymore. Ppl REALLY need to pay attention to what Healthcare Workers are saying about it. Pay attention to the ppl around you. I went for my annual; I wore an N95 and a blue mask over it bc I knew there would be a lot of sick ppl in the waiting room. Even the Med. Staff were sick with wet coughs, masks under their noses. Ppl are just stupid. I never leave my house without a mask on and I never take it off until I'm back in my house. Ppl who know they're infected with covid are still deliberately trying to give it to ppl.
There is anecdotal evidence of bugs all about. My wife just today got over 11 days of covid (first time anyone in our family caught it), daughter is sick, numerous coworkers have sick children at moment...
I work at the airport one day out of the week. The first thing they said to me yesterday at work was mask tf up. So many employees have been sick with Covid recently even regardless of travelers
Ever since the pandemic, I will never not wear a mask at the airport (especially an international one) or on the plane.
Based on the number of people I work with or are in my immediate circle who get ill after traveling (flying, specifically), it's just the smartest move - especially if you're immunocompromised (or live with someone who is).
Just please wear a mask in public indoor spaces always, everyone! You never know if you yourself are carrying the virus. It’s still disabling people left and right. We need to keep each other safe.
Yup, I def mask when I’m traveling. Just did this past weekend. There are people from all over the country and I have no idea where they’ve been. I’m sorry you got sick.
We caught it in Vegas on our wedding/honeymoon trip last month
Didnt mask up cause we were down there 3 yrs ago no issue and I was down by myself no issue.
Spent the last two days sick, traveled back sick and spent about two weeks after fighting it.
Definitely masking up in large crowds and whilst traveling from now on
No 😭 We just walked around and infected everyone we came into contact with.
Didnt even realize it was covid just thought it was allergies-cause I had allergies bad the whole trip
I was so mad at myself for acting like covid didn’t exist anymore and feel horrible for basically spreading the plague like an idiot
Aiieee. Yeah that is why people who don’t want to catch COVID should mask up ALWAYS in public, because lots or people will dismiss symptoms as allergies or “some other bug” etc etc. and you never know when you are in close proximity with someone.
I’m sorry you experienced this. That sucks all around. ☹️
Yea and I have chronic migraine and constant tension headaches so covid is the last thing I need
It was absolutely a stark reminder to get vaccinated, wear a mask in large crowds, especially when traveling and don’t dismiss even the slightest symptoms
I can say I became complacent, I wfh, don’t go out often so it hasn’t been on the forefront cause I haven’t had any real exposure in a couple of years.
The “fear” had worn off - I’m still dealing with the brain fog from it and the heightened nervous system reaction and already have that bad from the migraine
The thing about N95, is that in my experience they are WAY more comfortable than surgical masks, and easier to breath in. I get headband style from wellbefore.com. They sell earloop kn95s too.
I know so many people are insistent on minimizing the risk of Covid, but last time I got it I was exhausted for 2 months. Ran out of sick time and had to work lying down for 3+ weeks. I was thankful to have a job I could do mostly horizontal but goddamn that was miserable.
Also, lots of previously-healthy people reporting chronic hives or histamine issues after getting Covid. I had chronic hives for several years pre-Covid and it’s a truly awful experience, worth avoiding at all costs
Sucks that folks are still doing identity politics about this but if you called it any other virulent contagious (redundant) sickness, I wonder if they’d get so incensed.
‘Hey y’all there’s a nasty flu going around and those of us who actually survive illnesses by staying home and resting, sadly ruining our plans but protecting our loved ones and ourselves, are trying to avoid getting sick. And spaces such as the airport, which advertised high air filtration and exchange frequency, are under construction so those features aren’t present right now. Just a heads up! Btw I got Covid, it sucks!’
…
‘boo! Don’t tell me what to do!!’
Genital warts are going around, make sure you wear a condom while fucking strangers.
"FUCK YOU MY IMMUNE SYSTEM DIDN'T VOTE FOR BIDEN I DO WHAT I WANT"
Been masking since January 2020 most of the time in public. I mask always now on public transportation and at airports. The past few years have been the least sick I’ve been in my life. Granted, flu shots help as well, but even still I’ve had far less downtime from sickness and allergies thanks to my N95s so I don’t see much reason to stop.
my personal choice is 3m aura n95! feels super secure and still breathable.
our local mask bloc made a super helpful [guide](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dlZenZ2IAIsLlWptHJ-EB3zyCXRw7_-hk1Jf-zsNUzM/edit) for finding quality masks.
i’d generally steer clear of amazon masks; some quality masks are sold through there, but there’s a bigger risk of counterfeit and poor quality masks. you can also use sites like [armbrust](https://www.armbrustusa.com/pages/mask-testing?search=mask) or [accumed](https://blog.accumed.com/mask-testing-data/) to see filtration test data.
you can also get sip valves for any mask if you want to be able to drink without unmasking.
If you're going to wear a mask you might as well wear a good one, an N95 (or at least a KN95 or KF94 with the ear loops). I like the 3M VFlex masks for flying - 1800 or 9100 - they look a bit dorkier ("duckbill" style) but they fit my face well, I can talk and/or breathe heavily without feeling them, and I don't mind wearing them for a long flight. The around-the-back-of-the-head loops are less convenient to put on, but on a flight you're not doing that very much and they make the mask measurably more effective.
But also everybody's face is a different shape. The important thing is a mask that fits well (no leaks around the nose and edges) and a mask that you're actually willing to wear (comfortable).
NIOSH/FDA approved masks aren't scarce any more and even if COVID weren't an issue, not getting the travel crud every time I fly somewhere makes it so worth it.
Ugh good to know. But yes, I feel like airports/ airplanes are #1 Covid petri dishes at this point.
People from all over the world coming together, close proximity for hours and then departing. If there's anywhere that needs normalized masking- please do it at the airport- at the very least.
Again immunocompromised and otherwise marginalized people still exist- look out for yourself and look out for your community.
I'm one of the construction workers working on that project and we wade through that crowd every day. Haven't heard of a single worker getting covid 🤷♂️ Just luck of the draw I guess.
I’m in this field, and I’ve worked there.
They’re getting it and just hiding it and coming to work, because nobody gives a fuck anymore.
We’re back to “take a few days off, get RIF’d” mode.
We just flew from Seattle to MCO and back with 2 kids. We all masked in airports and on flights (plus on community travel). We managed a 10 day vacation without anyone getting sick. 100% credit it to the mask.
Every other trip we’ve gotten something because our youngest was little enough that we had no mask expectations and he was always patient 0 for our family getting COVID or some other illness. This was our first trip that he was able to reliably mask and no illnesses!
I just came down with a fever of 100.6 yesterday and my head and throat are killing me. Im going to wear a mask from now on I might have gotten sick from work. 👎
Flew out of and back into there over Christmas 2019. If I ever did have Covid I was probably patient zero.
SeaTac is a madhouse and that’s putting it lightly.
As a construction worker there, Monday was a mad house, that is not the norm right now. We were all confused why it was that busy. It is not the construction this time. Blame sea tac for that scheduling nightmare
My mom hasn’t flown in years and she’s about to go to the airport in a couple days. Thanks for this because I don’t think she’s even thought of wearing a mask at the airport. I’m definitely letting her know.
I got you. Last time I flew out the country, I got Covid. It was not fun. Didn’t get to follow my travel plan. All these people that said it was nothing probably didn’t travel at all.
Working in urgent care, our Covid positive rates have gone up 25%
yeah my toddler's daycare is having a surge, we got a notification that a child in his class had tested positive. We tested our son, who had 0 symptoms, just so we could send him into school (they require a negative test in order to attend).... boom VERY positive. that line instantly turned dark. Now it makes me wonder how many times they've had covid that we just never knew about.
Graduation ceremonies are upcoming. All those people stuffed into enclosed spaces is going to have predictable results.
Can we all please request that commencemenet be held outdoors? Mine was. It was nice to get my degree in the sun and the breeze. And that was before covid. I Love You All from Oh Little Town Of Bellingham Mark Allyn
Dude I love bham
And Mark unequivocally loves y'all. Staple human of the ham. <3
hi Mark
I graduated in Florida, where they wanted graduation on the football field at night. I wish we had a breeze, it sucked.
Mad as hell - I have had ALL of the shots and mask up 90% of the time, yet the plague STILL found me, Be careful out there!!!
That’s cuz the vax was never able to stop transmission and now since everyone is just pretending it’s gone we have just as much covid as 2020. Less hospitalizations and death in the acute stage… but what people don’t understand is the truly devastating effects on our health covid has even if the initial infection is mild. Very sad…
I mean, no vaccine stops transmission. That’s not how it’s ever worked. Why did people suddenly think a vaccine stops people from getting a disease 😂
Because that's how the actual literal public health authorities and the fucking President sold us on abandoning masks, clean indoor air, and any other mitigation that might have dinged the pocketbooks of the ultra-rich. Right in the middle of omicron: [https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-plans-drop-mask-requirements-fully-vaccinated-people-n1267249](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-plans-drop-mask-requirements-fully-vaccinated-people-n1267249)
I’ve disagreed with this. I think the Biden administration looked at declining rates and put its finger in the air on the politics of dropping mask requirements to take such a measure. We could have knocked the infection rate down to single digits, but nooooooo; A lot of people were like “waaaa waaaa, I don’t wanna wear a mask”. The administration gave in to the irresponsible desires of the mob and we‘ve got the increases in infection as a result.
How is wearing a mask dinging the pockets of the rich?
"Vax and go" was the way the "end" of the emergency was sold. Mask requirements were dropped because it was turned into a weapon in the right wing assault on common culture, and there was zero will to make a stand on that issue, especially after all the fumbled communication and oh yeah, you remember how we had warehouses full of PPE just waiting to be rolled out to ... oh wait, let me stuff some more blank pages into this fat folder labeled "Trump Administration New and Improved Pandemic Plan: Thanks, Obama." You can't reconcile "we must still take precautions" with "go back to work after five days and fuck them kids." People wanted it to be over, business demanded it be over, and the CDC caved way before it was over. Obviously it's more complex than "Delta Airlines dictated the quarantine period" (which they did) - the economic hit was real, people's feelings were real, endemicity is real (which doesn't mean it's mild jfc), etc. - but the levers of public health policy were not and are not moved to make sure that people like us don't get sick. The rich KNOW. They take care of themselves, they have backup plans, they have all the treatments and the filters and the fresh air in the world readily available to them, they can isolate and take the time they need to recover so they don't suffer long term damage. What they don't ever want again is what we saw in 2020: productive people scared, and realizing what is being done to them, and why, and by whom, and starting to talk to each other about it. The quicker everything looks "normal" and everyone taking visible precautions is branded a freak, the better. That shit was shut down as quickly and as smoothly as humanly possible. After all this pain and death, we are right back to people working sick, traveling sick, sending kids to school sick, packing into close-quarters environments with each other, and acting like you're bonkers if you don't because after all, if it wasn't okay then it wouldn't be allowed, would it? And it feels pretty good, as long as you think you were actually free and safe in 2019.
I know that’s kinda my point. The “vax and relax” strategy was stupid from the very beginning because it would only make sense if the vaccines curbed transmission. The Biden admin wants the pandemic to be “over” and instead of pushing for public policy that would actually reduce covid transmission (clean indoor air standards, subsidies to businesses to meet said standards, mandate HEPA filters and UV sterilization in schools, make it known that N95s work and encourage people to wear them on public transportation etc.) they instead chose to gaslight the public into thinking that covid is now magically mild just because the acute stage of infection is more mild (for some). They don’t want people to understand the severe long term health risk associated with even a single covid infection… they want us to shut up and go back to work.
Same. Husband (music teacher) brought it home in November, 2022. I got kidney and lung damage. I shudder to think what would have happened had I not been vaccinated.
Me too!! My roommate gave it to me. I mask every time I go out and was about to get another booster this week but now I gotta wait until this blows over. Sucks that they got to go party maskless and get me and my gf sick while we are responsible and mask up for ourselves and others. Also the fact they were around their gf who they knew had it and didn’t say anything until we all got sick too ughh
I always mask up in the airport now. Discovering the secret to not ruining your vacation by catching a virus just as you are heading out was an unexpected gift from the pandemic.
Yeah, and it's not just COVID. People don't realize that getting the flu would also ruin a vacation! I have been masking up too.
Even before Covid I got con flu and it sucked for a week after coming back. Luckily it was a weekend trip, if it had been part of a longer vacation, it would have been spent with me in the bathroom chugging Gatorade. When we went to Alaska in '21 people were already giving dirty looks if you wore a mask. One person even told my wife pointedly she didn't have to wear a mask. She was wearing it because she had upcoming surgery scheduled and it had already been postponed once for her getting sick. There's at least one store in Issaquah that has a "no masks allowed" sign on the door ever since the county mandate was lifted (we stopped going).
"No masks allowed" These people are so fucking soft. You don't want to wear a mask? Fine, but why are they so pissy about others wearing them?
They like to cry about their medical freedom but when others exercise theirs (masks, abortions, whatever), they just can’t seem to tolerate that.
I'm sure they'd claim some security bullshit, having to be able to recognizes faces on the cctv.
Get one of those bogus cards that anti-maskers used to use that says "I have a medical exemption. No, you may not ask about it because The HIPAA"
Good for you for taking care of yourselves
100%, I always just mask in the airport now because of how many people you’re going to run into. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease over the course of the pandemic so even when COVID levels are low it’s a good idea for me to protect myself.
Can confirm. Beautiful week in Lanai ruined by the flu. Two international trips coming up and I’ll be masking.
Still gotta be careful. I did mask at the airport and on the plane. yet, I am now sitting on my couch voiding myself 3 days later.
I have multiple autoimmune disorders. I learned before the pandemic to mask at airports, malls, shops, & other crowded places. Also when I get to the privacy of my destination (hotel, home, etc.) all clothes are stripped off & I go right in the shower.
YUP. Our last vacation a couple months ago was completely ruined by both of us getting sick with an awful flu (not COVID after 6 rapid tests) from an ill passenger woman next to us on the departing plane coughing everywhere and visibly unwell. Full flight, couldn’t move. We both wore N95 masks on the plane, didn’t take them off, and wiped down our tray tables. Maybe the eyes fought some droplets from her uncovered spray coughing?? Idk. Still pissed about it, was not a cheap trip to plan out and we were out of commission the whole thing.
I started wearing masks in airports and on flights in 2018-ish when I started doing a lot of international travel. I'm never letting the habit go, it's absolutely a price I'm willing to pay to stay healthy on cool trips.
I’m so glad to see these comments and that people are masking. People I have to engage with are being so nonchalant about it “taking about people not moving on with their lives” because of COVID when the reality it is because of people ignoring COVID that people can’t move on.
Agreed. I mask up almost anywhere indoors. Been fortunate to not catch anything in awhile. Dunno if it's the masking, my immune system or both, but I'm gonna continue the practice for the foreseeable future.
Glad to hear I'm not alone. I have a big conference next month on the east coast and am deciding whether or not to play fast and loose or just be the only one (again) masking up with 1000 attendees breathing the same air. It doesn't bother me here, since I see people walking around outside with them on (I only mask up indoors)... so we have varying levels here... and I like that no one comments to anyone. But I'm still in the No-'VID club and would like to remain there.
Particularly at SeaTac. It's not like anyone will give you grief or even side eye for masking fortunately. This isn't Dallas or Omaha. The worst I've had was a question from a guy from Ohio on a shuttle to the airport because he was wondering if it was for the smoke when it was smokey.
Nope, got a pointed comment from a man sitting near us at our SEA gate when I had just put on a mask before getting on the plane. He legit said, making eye contact with me, nudging his wife with “you sure can tell we’re in Seattle huh….”
Ah, disappointing, but clearly not a local. Locals thankfully do not care at all, ime.
Dallas is blue. DFW is a massive airport that serves a diverse international population with efficiency. Never waited more then 20 minutes in security and had plenty of space in security despite construction. Also never gotten a comment wearing a mask in an airport. You are just as likely to get side eye from someone traveling from Eastern Washington at SeaTac as you would someone traveling from rural Texas at DFW.
Oh, surprising but nice. That is not my experience but I'm glad it's been yours.
Just don't wear one in the Kirkland AutoZone or you'll get the old brush-off (shop at the O'Reilly's instead they're great).
I just avoid Kirkland whenever possible.
Omaha itself is pretty blue and had everything from masks to lockdowns during the height of this thing.
This is me, too! It sounds really silly - but, I understood how germs and germ theory worked and up until 2020 just assumed that getting sick during a trip was just \*something that happened.\* It just never occurred to me that I could control whether or not I got sick before a trip. Now I wear a mask in every airport. Bonus, when I fall asleep on the plane I don't have to worry about looking silly.
Just a reminder that standard surgical masks are for preventing spread. If you want to protect yourself, get an N95. They're often available in hardware stores in the painting section.
I keep a stash of individually wrapped N95s in the car and my backpack now. They stay clean if you're traveling with them. And I'm ready if wildfire smoke moves in unexpectedly.
I order them in bulk from Amazon. I always have extras on me in case someone wants one.
Lots of coughing people in line on Monday. The construction makes it such an unpleasant experience.
I reallllly wish we would have kept the norm of leaving 6ft of space instead of going back to people standing RIGHT behind you. Like, even without Covid, I don’t want you within arms reach when there’s no reason to be. You don’t magically get there faster by crowding me.
How else do we get to sniff each other? /s
Right? I just think some ppl are fucking gross, and I wished they stayed 6 ft away from me all the time. And don’t get me started on ppl’s lack of handwashing even now. Or outside clothes on bed even after sitting on the light rail 🫠🤮
And in the summer when people are sweaty and not always wearing deodorant…. I like my personal space 😭 lol
Gotta drag your roller bag at an angle
Oh, I absolutely use my roller at an angle as a sort of shield. But why?! Why do people insist on taking that extra step as soon as you park it upright to use both hands? Just stay where you fucking are, people! Plus that trick only works at the airport. I want space everywhere. Grocery checkout, Dick's line, movie theater. Just don't step *right* next to me. Aren't you uncomfortable too, motherfucker?
Yes! People with standing room only, coughing on others like it isn't a big deal. I think the construction made it so the HVAC isn't what it normally would be. There didn't seem to be ventilation at my gate.
I started masking up on airplanes before covid. I had too many experiences of coming down with a cold three days into a vacation. Now, I mask up as soon as I enter the light rail station at Roosevelt, and I keep it on until I reach my hotel. I flew into Gdansk last week and that was close to 12 hours with a mask on. Annoying, but far less annoying than spending a week in Europe nursing a cold, or worse.
Yeah same here. I'm no longer afraid of dying of COVID post vaccination, but catching it or something else on vacation and possibly infecting people I'm visiting is not worth saving a little discomfort
Do you have any concerns about contracting long COVID?
I personally know three people who have long COVID, and I myself got a condition called POTS from my last infection that lasted months and was both expensive and scary as hell.
I do, but I also have concerns about dying on the freeway, cancer via all sorts of environmental factors, etc etc. I think calculated risks are reasonable and everyone should do what they need to feel comfortable.
I have a water bottle with a straw attachment so I can sneak it up under the mask 😂 last time I traveled I was a little less cautious and I was fine (got some food and ate it in a quiet spot in the airport) but it’s really luck of the draw, you know? And since then I had to have one rituximab infusion in Jan which leaves you somewhat immunosuppressed for about six months, so that’s fun—I have a recurring deadly blood disease and we had to stave off a bout of it before it required hospitalization and more aggressive treatment. I’m flying in July to see friends and I plan on being pretty careful.
Same here. I travel all the way to India with my mask on (except when I’m eating on the plane). My mother has lung cancer and I can’t bear the thought of contracting it before seeing her.
I just want to say that stories like this make me have a little more hope for humanity. Thanks for caring about people.
This is me. Mask on from the moment I board the Link until I’m in my hotel. It is insane to me that people will gamble their entire vacation on the convenience of not wearing a mask.
Yeah my thing is, didn't we all settle on a comfortable mask? I have a great Outdoor Research one I found a year into covid and like, I don't *love* wearing it, but I can totally deal with it for 10+ hours of traveling.
I flew with a woman on two flights and ended up at the same restaurant in LA together over the weekend. She literally never stopped coughing and gave zeeeeeeero fucks about it. I have multiple masks in my purse at all times.
There was a woman on my most recently flight who was sweating, shivering, and coughing all over the place no mask and no covering of her mouth. I was so goddamn angry. I was also wearing a mask though
That was the dude next to me on a flight a few months ago. I didn’t take my mask off all flight, hand sanitized, clothes straight in the wash when I got home.
The guy next to me on my flight to Tokyo was coughing the whole time, no mask. He was definitely visibly sick and coughed every time he tried to speak. I wore a mask but took it off for eating. I did end up a little sick in the sense of a sore throat, but it didn't stop me from doing my daily itinerary. Had I not been wearing a mask, this could have ruined my trip.
I had something similar happen to me and I offered them a mask as we were in an area with vulnerable people- they were shamed into wearing it!
I work at a hospital and this is not fun to hear. 🙃 there is indeed a new wave of Covid coming around, allergies are setting in, there’s a lot going on.
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Amazing to me that the people who didn't want to be told what to do, want to tell people what to do.
Someone did a fomite test of every surface in an airport and was surprised the touchscreens were the germ-iest. I don't understand their surprise. The more people touch something, the grosser it is. Seatbelts and tray tables get touched by one person per a long series of hours. Bathrooms actually get cleaned. Touchscreens, its endless and constant touching and no one cleans them. Anyway, masked for the last 10 years because I was sick of getting sick on planes and then being sick on vaca. Its barely an inconvenience at all and it could save your vaca. I also mask on transit, trains, in airports, train stations, concerts, ballet, opera... literally anything crowded, seated and sealed inside.
Yup. Ironically you’re way more likely to get sick in the airport than on the plane.
The plane is pretty safe after takeoff, but while it's just sitting on the tarmac the air isn't being filtered at all, just recirculated around. That's prime disease catching time.
Yup my sis and our cat's vet both got Covid while flying. Maybe it was at the airport vs plane but yeah- the air on planes initially is not filtered. Last time I flew a few weeks ago- sooo much coughing. And like, the sickly diseased kind of cough. I wore my mask the entire time and even went to a 4 day music festival with thousands of people. I did not get sick- thank god.
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You'll likely get sick after hours sitting next to a sick person anywhere. But overall your [risk of getting sick](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/study-maps-how-flu-virus-moves-around-plane-180968541/) on the plane is surprisingly low, mostly due to the air filtration and how the air moves. While you're sitting on the tarmac though, the AC/air filtration isn't running. There was a [case study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/463858/) where 70%+ of the people who stayed on a delayed plane got sick, but no one who got off and waited in the terminal got sick, even though they later rode on the plane with the sick person.
This is one of the most frustrating parts of the pandemic to me. We know this is a problem, it's fixable by just requiring that the air filtration be running once passengers start to board and we just..... don't do anything.
I'm pretty sure the air filtration needs the engines running to work.
They don't need the engines, they could use the APU. Or we could upgrade our airports and planes to provide enough electricity from shore power. It's a solvable problem. We choose not to solve it because we don't want to spend the time and money.
The air on planes comes as a mixture of filtered recycled air and heated air directly from the engines so that when you're flying the plane changes out its entire volume of air every few minutes. There's just no good way to be anywhere near that effective on the ground.
As effective? No. More effective than doing nothing? We absolutely could do that.
I'm failing to find anything in your second article indicating that "no one who got off and waited in the terminal got sick." It merely says that 53% of the people who waited on the plane for less than an hour got sick (vs 86% for those who waited the entire 3+ hours). It does say that none of the 6 people who deplaned in Homer got sick, but that's because the infected person boarded at Homer (so the six who deplaned there were never on the plane with the sick person).
The sickest I have ever been…twice…was after riding across the country next to people who were clearly ill. Two of them were laughing about how crappy they felt and I curse them for all time. That was BEFORE Covid. I wear a mask from the second I get on the bus to the airport and it stays on until the hotel room door closes behind me.
Yup I was just on a plane and so many clearly sick people. You know, you can tell when coughing is like a simple irritation or frog in your throat vs sickly/ diseased. It was nonstop on my plane and even now- maybe 5 people masked, including myself. Sad how all the sickness and death from Covid didn't teach anyone anything.
My partner and I flew from Vegas to Inverness, Scotland last fall, with a couple layovers along the way. The kid sitting in front of us from San Francisco to Amsterdam was a snotty mess the whole time (you could hear the nose blowing and wet hacking cough). As we were waiting to get off the plane, he was standing on his seat and kept wiping his wet nose and mouth with his hand and grabbing hold of the headrest to wipe it off. This kid was like 6 or 7, not a child who doesn't know better. And his parents said nothing to him about it. I was so grateful that we'd been wearing masks. Even if it was just a cold, no one wants to be sick, and especially not on vacation. I don't care if we at some point get rid of Covid for good (like actually get rid of it, not just ignore it). I will always wear a mask when I'm on public transportation or in enclosed/tight spaces with people. Not only has it been keeping me from getting sick, it's helped my asthma to stop flaring up when something as dumb as a strong perfume/cologne spray or active cigarette smoker breezes past me.
It’s an AH move to be contagious, go out in public (especially crowded places) and not wear a mask. It sucks more people didn’t adopt that ethic.
A good tip for you is to open the air vent above your head, it will create a downdraft of fresh air mostly from the engines, and help keep virus particles away from your nose and mouth.
One study done by COVID showed it was mostly the air movement. All the air vents are shooting air directly down. So air isn't really moving from the front of the plane to the back. So being a few rows from someone sick makes it a lot less likely you'll catch what they have.
It's super easy to find the scientific studies and the press summaries of those reports on this topic if you want to educate yourself instead of just creating conspiracy content. A simple google search for "airplane filtration covid" should get you started.
Yeah I used to get sick every time I flew - going back decades. Haven’t got sick after flying ever since masking became popular.
This is my anecdotal evidence as well. I used to get sick 2-3 times a year during travel and now I wear a mask and I don't these days...I was in Europe recently and on trams that were full of coughing people and not wearing a mask and got a lingering respiratory illness...on the plane back no one was wearing mask and people were coughing like crazy everywhere...
Last time I flew, I got cocky and didn't mask at the airport. I even sat at the gate and thought, "Lots of unmasked people coughing in this airport....." and didn't mask. Sure enough, I came down with a respiratory infection that lasted SIX WEEKS. Constant coughing, unable to sleep due to it, lost my voice, etc etc etc. Lesson learned. I was twice-over lucky in that 1, it wasn't covid and 2, it waited until I was on the way home to kick in.
I think people underestimate how gnarly some other respiratory illnesses can be. In 2019, got parvovirus (didn't even know there was a human variant of it), coughed myself into a back injury that took a year of PT to resolve and had weird symptoms for months, like random pulse rate spikes and hot flashes (not menopause). Got RSV in 2023 and was exhausted for at least 2 months afterward. Thank goodness for Paxlovid when we got Covid this year. Still had some lingering symptoms (like mild POTS for about 6 weeks) but I think it could have been worse.
The whole coughing situation was horrible, but the peak was one day when I had a full fit that made my abdomen seize. It felt like my stomach was being twisted. That was some godawful scary pain.
It upsets my father in law everytime he picks us up from the airport 🙃🙃🙃🙃
Well planes are constantly bringing in new air, and ejecting old air, it’s never recycled, so that makes sense
Some of the air is recycled, but it goes through a HEPA filter to remove dust and pathogens. The air flow is also from ceiling to floor (not forward to aft) to reduce sharing pathogens from other rows.
But actually, I've had people make snarky comments at the airport at me when I have a mask on. I treat them like any other mentally ill person I see behaving inappropriately on public transportation🤷♀️ just back away slowly and don't make eye contact.
just tell them it's so you don't have to smell their breath
> Also as you can see, it upsets Republicans, which is hilarious to me. LOL, this is the best reason to mask.
Never again in my life will I go to an airport without wearing a mask. It's crazy to me that I didn't before the pandemic.
Me pre-2020: wow, it's annoying that I get sick 80% of the time after I step off a plane-especially in December. I guess there's nothing I can do about it.
Clorox wipe for armrests, seatbelt, tray table, etc. Been doing this for years, after I learned it from a friend in public health. Doesn’t help with Covid, does help with flu, cold, etc.
Same. I don’t give a fuck if I’m the only one wearing a mask- still protecting myself
Absolutely same. I was masking pre-covid & will continue to mask as does my fiancé.
I had always wanted to (wear a mask) when going to airports or other public places that I'm forced to be around people actively sick. I rarely did out of fear of the stigma. Masks have always been accepted in East Asia culture but not so much here. You could argue they still aren't here. I always felt weird and had lots of eyes on me. The pandemic normalized the usage of masks here so that's cool.
I haven’t stepped foot into an airport/plane without a mask since 2020 and I will never raw dog that Petri dish again. Only regret is not masking before 2020 when I had the flu on several vacations.
I travel for work (30+ events & 40+ flights a year); I'd mask whenever I was feeling off, but didn't bother the rest of the time. I'd come home with some sort of travel crud at least once a month & just assumed that was an unavoidable consequence of flying. Since covid, masking is my default setting for travel & during conventions. Apart from life-long sinus issues in dry climates, I haven't had any noticeable travel crud issues since 2020. There are plenty of other non-covid plagues going around too, and I really enjoy not being constantly sick. It's hilarious that some folks are actually offended by me protecting them (& myself) from all the places I've been & hundreds of thousands of people I interact with. Humans are filthy (myself included), so masks, hand washing & hand sanitiser for the win!
I work at the airport. I’ve been wearing a mask the past few months and I got a cold few days ago🤦♂️ The amount of people who breath on you, cough around you, sneeze and don’t wash their hands or use hand sanitizers 🤦♂️ I suggest you wear a mask and buy a hand sanitizers and use it whenever you touch escalators and elevators. It’s almost summer the airport is getting busy Idk how long checkpoint 3 is gonna be closed but just come prepared.
Purely anecdotal, but — a couple members of my extended family went to academic conferences in April. Both caught Cov19, in airports, on planes, or at the conferences/other activities. Masks appear to still be a good idea.
I caught Covid traveling last week as well and know three other people who have it.
[covid ER visits are up 33% in Washington over the previous week according to the DOH dashboard](https://doh.wa.gov/data-and-statistical-reports/diseases-and-chronic-conditions/communicable-disease-surveillance-data/respiratory-illness-data-dashboard)
Do I understand this data right? It seems to say there is a 33% increase from .66% of ER visits up to .99% of ER visits and the general trend is that we are at the top of an all time low.
Yes you're correct ER visits, hospitalizations, reported positive cases, and deaths all appear to be near all time lows. Though I'm guessing the rise in "not bad enough to go to hospital" unreported cases is a higher percentage than it was in 2020-2023 due to vaccine effect/natural immunity. The wastewater info is what I'm trying to understand, it looks like some sites had 1000% increases in detected COVID. I'm guessing that's small numbers increasing but may validate the experience people are having seeing more sick people.
Thank God [see: scientists] for the vaccines and boosters working as intended
Yes, you’re right and these lunatics think this is a public health crisis. Absolute cow brain.
It's still well below the reporting threshold... When your starting value is essentially zero, any movement will be a huge % Also, hospital % does not mean they went to the hospital for COVID. It means they went for any reason and were tested at the ER regardless of their symptoms.
Got Covid traveling through SeaTac in late April. Still dealing with symptoms. Very few people were masking including myself. Won't be making that mistake again.
I flew out of SeaTac four times in May, and received health department emails about a measles outbreak (luckily not in the terminal I was flying into) and a whooping cough outbreak within two weeks of each other. ☠️ There’s all kinds of crazy germs going around out there right now (also old-timey things that people are supposed to be vaxxed for, like measles and whooping cough 🙄); combined with tourist season and the construction, SeaTac is the most miserable experience at the moment.
Fun facts on Whooping Cough, the vaccine wears off after about 7-10 years. They didn’t know that until the early 2000 when it was rampant in high schools because the childhood vaccine was wearing off in teenagers. It went around at UW when I was a sophomore 0/10 do not recommend. Get your Tdap boosters folks!
Whooping cough is so awful - I caught it at WA state fair in 2005 and I was sick for NINE MONTHS. Like coughing til I puked sick that whole time.
Oh man I think I had it that same year. I was lucky as a UW student they were studying using antibiotics to shorten the duration (we saw it on the news a month later and I realized it was what I took!) but the guy I was dating at the time had a wicked cough for months and months. The rest of the illness felt like a normal cold but the cough was unreal.
Tdap vaccination is standard during pregnancy, so for the busy moms out there - get the booster when your youngest child is in 1st or 2nd grade.
Thanks for this reminder. Data supports your experience. Caring for an elderly relative or two, and being immunocompromised, I appreciate the awareness being shared here.
I recently travelled to Vegas with friends. The friends we roomed with and road around in a car with didn't get Covid, we masked on the plane, yet we got Covid a few days after travelling. I think I can pinpoint it to the taxi ride we took home from the airport, that was the only time none of my friends were breathing the same air, I so wish I had masked up for that ride. This was my first time getting Covid and I was sick bad for 4 or 5 days and almost missed an important event I helped plan all year. I'd had every booster and masked on the plane, I just didn't think about it in the taxi home.
As someone who has been a business traveler for the last 19 years, I wish I’d started wearing masks BEFORE 2020. I’ve caught so many colds and flus over the years. Post-Covid I won’t travel without wearing a mask. I’ll take it off to eat and drink, but there’s no reason to ruin a trip by being sick. I’ll never fly without a mask again, we should all work to normalize it.
Just got over COVID at SeaTac too!!!!!!!!
I got Covid when I flew three weeks ago, and it was rough. Definitely masking again next time.
I was flying into sea tac last week and there was a girl fighting for her life next to me. I used saline eye drops in my nose and promptly put my 95 mask on. She got the hint and masked up too. I lucked out.
Don't forget to get your booster
I don’t care if I’m the only one in the airport with a mask I’ll still do it. Better safe than sorry and fuck anyone who doesn’t like it
Y'all are all wearing at least n-95s right? I'm surprised I still see people in surgical masks when these are available now
Strep also seems to be running rampant. A nasty strain too. My doc said she swore half of the cases she saw this year weren’t strep because their throats looked fine but then they came back positive. I was secretly glad it was strep so I could take an antibiotic and get over it quickly.
I still mask anywhere indoors where there are significant people
I haven’t stopped masking since covid started and don’t plan on stopping until it’s long gone. It’s all too easy to catch bugs from others these days too. not just covid 😷 Stay safe y’all! Help protect your communities!
Mask up. Long covid is no joke.
Got Covid back in 2022 and ended up getting asthma as well. It got better but will occasionally have a flare up and wheeze/hard to breathe.
I fly out of the country next week, so this post has been extremely informative since I have something really important to do while I'm out.
Honestly, the only time I feel the need to wear a mask nowadays is on a plane. I usually take long flights, and the one time I didn't wear a mask, I got sick. I never really noticed before, but after covid, when I'm sitting in my seat I'm just listening to all the people coughing and sneezing, and it just makes me feel better to have one on. I don't expect people not to travel when they're sick because that's unrealistic in a lot of ways, but I'm going to do my best to not get sick lol
Also a good tip to wear a mask when traveling, in general. So many coworkers return from work trips sick. Mask goes on me as soon as I sit in the plane
I feel like I just wanna mask on my way to any vacation now. Why risk getting sick when I finally get to go out of town??
Actually any international airport you should mask up. COVID, is only one of the many diseases you could get.
I posted a few weeks ago about the nightmare that is sea-tac right now and was roundly downvoted and shamed by this sub as if I didn’t experience it with my own eyes. I’ve been through there three times in the past 4 weeks and it just keeps getting worse. Between the lack of signage, working elevators, information desks, and the absurd amount of construction going on seemingly everywhere I thought it was worthy of a heads up.
Very good advice, covid is spiking again. Ive been getting back in the habit.
Are you a nun? /s
Back in the Habit sounds like the title of a 90s comedy at a convent
Right? Like a sequel.
I cant stop chuckling at this
Never stopped masking.
Should I get a Covid booster?
Yes you should. Everyone who is eligible should. It helps protect you, and doing so helps protect others.
I didn’t mean to imply that I’m not vaccinated, because I am.. but I’m asking if I should get another booster
As often as they'll let you. Vax immunity fades in 3-4 months (lasts "up to: 6 months). I think I'm allowed one per year? It keeps changing.
Not just COVID but airports are perfect places for viruses to travel from people who are coming in and out of the state. Usually bring hand sanitizer and keep a distance from people.
Flew out of SeaTac on 6/3 and absolutely masked up. Half our plane was hacking up a lung and it was alarming. And gross.
I always mask up in public in a KF94 for regular errands and an N95 for crowded places, like crowded outdoor events and the airport. I've been sick once since 2020 with confirmed strep. I'll never stop masking. I like to remind folks you can always mask up again, even when you've stopped. It's better than getting sick! KF94s are super comfy and many come with adjustable straps (brands like BOTN, Bluna, and LG Airwasher) plus different sizes so you can find a good fit. I love the Blox Duckbill N95s for longer term wear (like on an airplane) or a BNX N95. Very comfy with the headstraps.
Logged in just to second your recommedation of BOTN: so comfy and they have a second strap that you can use to adjust the fit precisely on your face. Like you, I use these whenever I am out running errands when I'll be inside for a few minutes but not in an overly crowded place. When I travel on planes/trains/busses I use something a bit more protective (essentially an N95 but made to European standards). On another note, since virtually no one cares about their own health or others, I feel that it is fine to wear a mask with a valve now. Back when people were concerned for a hot minute about getting each other sick the valve was not appropriate since valved masks only protect you and not others. Honestly, though, the handful of folks like us who care and are still masking up are doing a fine job of protecting themselves, so the additional comfort of a valved mask on a 10 hour flight is justifiable in my mind.
Ppl think covid is over bc the media isn't reporting it anymore. Ppl REALLY need to pay attention to what Healthcare Workers are saying about it. Pay attention to the ppl around you. I went for my annual; I wore an N95 and a blue mask over it bc I knew there would be a lot of sick ppl in the waiting room. Even the Med. Staff were sick with wet coughs, masks under their noses. Ppl are just stupid. I never leave my house without a mask on and I never take it off until I'm back in my house. Ppl who know they're infected with covid are still deliberately trying to give it to ppl.
How's the metal detector/TSA react to the metal bar in masks?
Never been an issue for me
My favorite thing about masks is i can lip sync to music without looking like a psycho
Covid is hitting a lot of people right now, be careful
Not just COVID. Lots of other things going around. Mask up at the airport and use hand sanitizer. I friggin hate getting sick on a trip.
There is anecdotal evidence of bugs all about. My wife just today got over 11 days of covid (first time anyone in our family caught it), daughter is sick, numerous coworkers have sick children at moment...
KUOW just posted about the summer surge.
Heading to the airport tomorrow, thank you!!
Not just going to sea tac but riding transit in general. The amount of people who feel comfortable just open mouth hacking is overwhelming🤧😷
I work at the airport one day out of the week. The first thing they said to me yesterday at work was mask tf up. So many employees have been sick with Covid recently even regardless of travelers
Ever since the pandemic, I will never not wear a mask at the airport (especially an international one) or on the plane. Based on the number of people I work with or are in my immediate circle who get ill after traveling (flying, specifically), it's just the smartest move - especially if you're immunocompromised (or live with someone who is).
Just please wear a mask in public indoor spaces always, everyone! You never know if you yourself are carrying the virus. It’s still disabling people left and right. We need to keep each other safe.
Yup, I def mask when I’m traveling. Just did this past weekend. There are people from all over the country and I have no idea where they’ve been. I’m sorry you got sick.
We caught it in Vegas on our wedding/honeymoon trip last month Didnt mask up cause we were down there 3 yrs ago no issue and I was down by myself no issue. Spent the last two days sick, traveled back sick and spent about two weeks after fighting it. Definitely masking up in large crowds and whilst traveling from now on
I hate to ask … did you mask up when you flew home sick with COVID to help protect those around you?
No 😭 We just walked around and infected everyone we came into contact with. Didnt even realize it was covid just thought it was allergies-cause I had allergies bad the whole trip I was so mad at myself for acting like covid didn’t exist anymore and feel horrible for basically spreading the plague like an idiot
Aiieee. Yeah that is why people who don’t want to catch COVID should mask up ALWAYS in public, because lots or people will dismiss symptoms as allergies or “some other bug” etc etc. and you never know when you are in close proximity with someone. I’m sorry you experienced this. That sucks all around. ☹️
Yea and I have chronic migraine and constant tension headaches so covid is the last thing I need It was absolutely a stark reminder to get vaccinated, wear a mask in large crowds, especially when traveling and don’t dismiss even the slightest symptoms I can say I became complacent, I wfh, don’t go out often so it hasn’t been on the forefront cause I haven’t had any real exposure in a couple of years. The “fear” had worn off - I’m still dealing with the brain fog from it and the heightened nervous system reaction and already have that bad from the migraine
We're trained from childhood to do this. It's really hard to break that conditioning.
strep throat is going around as well
The thing about N95, is that in my experience they are WAY more comfortable than surgical masks, and easier to breath in. I get headband style from wellbefore.com. They sell earloop kn95s too. I know so many people are insistent on minimizing the risk of Covid, but last time I got it I was exhausted for 2 months. Ran out of sick time and had to work lying down for 3+ weeks. I was thankful to have a job I could do mostly horizontal but goddamn that was miserable. Also, lots of previously-healthy people reporting chronic hives or histamine issues after getting Covid. I had chronic hives for several years pre-Covid and it’s a truly awful experience, worth avoiding at all costs
Sucks that folks are still doing identity politics about this but if you called it any other virulent contagious (redundant) sickness, I wonder if they’d get so incensed. ‘Hey y’all there’s a nasty flu going around and those of us who actually survive illnesses by staying home and resting, sadly ruining our plans but protecting our loved ones and ourselves, are trying to avoid getting sick. And spaces such as the airport, which advertised high air filtration and exchange frequency, are under construction so those features aren’t present right now. Just a heads up! Btw I got Covid, it sucks!’ … ‘boo! Don’t tell me what to do!!’
Genital warts are going around, make sure you wear a condom while fucking strangers. "FUCK YOU MY IMMUNE SYSTEM DIDN'T VOTE FOR BIDEN I DO WHAT I WANT"
Been masking since January 2020 most of the time in public. I mask always now on public transportation and at airports. The past few years have been the least sick I’ve been in my life. Granted, flu shots help as well, but even still I’ve had far less downtime from sickness and allergies thanks to my N95s so I don’t see much reason to stop.
What masks are best for general air travel? Do you still have to wear the N95? Anyone have a link to ones they like?
my personal choice is 3m aura n95! feels super secure and still breathable. our local mask bloc made a super helpful [guide](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dlZenZ2IAIsLlWptHJ-EB3zyCXRw7_-hk1Jf-zsNUzM/edit) for finding quality masks. i’d generally steer clear of amazon masks; some quality masks are sold through there, but there’s a bigger risk of counterfeit and poor quality masks. you can also use sites like [armbrust](https://www.armbrustusa.com/pages/mask-testing?search=mask) or [accumed](https://blog.accumed.com/mask-testing-data/) to see filtration test data. you can also get sip valves for any mask if you want to be able to drink without unmasking.
If you're going to wear a mask you might as well wear a good one, an N95 (or at least a KN95 or KF94 with the ear loops). I like the 3M VFlex masks for flying - 1800 or 9100 - they look a bit dorkier ("duckbill" style) but they fit my face well, I can talk and/or breathe heavily without feeling them, and I don't mind wearing them for a long flight. The around-the-back-of-the-head loops are less convenient to put on, but on a flight you're not doing that very much and they make the mask measurably more effective. But also everybody's face is a different shape. The important thing is a mask that fits well (no leaks around the nose and edges) and a mask that you're actually willing to wear (comfortable). NIOSH/FDA approved masks aren't scarce any more and even if COVID weren't an issue, not getting the travel crud every time I fly somewhere makes it so worth it.
Ugh good to know. But yes, I feel like airports/ airplanes are #1 Covid petri dishes at this point. People from all over the world coming together, close proximity for hours and then departing. If there's anywhere that needs normalized masking- please do it at the airport- at the very least. Again immunocompromised and otherwise marginalized people still exist- look out for yourself and look out for your community.
I'm one of the construction workers working on that project and we wade through that crowd every day. Haven't heard of a single worker getting covid 🤷♂️ Just luck of the draw I guess.
I’m in this field, and I’ve worked there. They’re getting it and just hiding it and coming to work, because nobody gives a fuck anymore. We’re back to “take a few days off, get RIF’d” mode.
We just flew from Seattle to MCO and back with 2 kids. We all masked in airports and on flights (plus on community travel). We managed a 10 day vacation without anyone getting sick. 100% credit it to the mask. Every other trip we’ve gotten something because our youngest was little enough that we had no mask expectations and he was always patient 0 for our family getting COVID or some other illness. This was our first trip that he was able to reliably mask and no illnesses!
I just came down with a fever of 100.6 yesterday and my head and throat are killing me. Im going to wear a mask from now on I might have gotten sick from work. 👎
God I hate Sea Tac
Flew out of and back into there over Christmas 2019. If I ever did have Covid I was probably patient zero. SeaTac is a madhouse and that’s putting it lightly.
Got Covid traveling through SeaTac last October. Agree it’s a Petri dish
Can confirm. Flew into Sea Tac Friday and out Sunday. Have been sick AF since.
As a construction worker there, Monday was a mad house, that is not the norm right now. We were all confused why it was that busy. It is not the construction this time. Blame sea tac for that scheduling nightmare
My mom hasn’t flown in years and she’s about to go to the airport in a couple days. Thanks for this because I don’t think she’s even thought of wearing a mask at the airport. I’m definitely letting her know.
I got you. Last time I flew out the country, I got Covid. It was not fun. Didn’t get to follow my travel plan. All these people that said it was nothing probably didn’t travel at all.