As America Extends Face Mask Mandate, British Carriers Put Coverings Down
Joe Cortez March 15, 2022
The Washington Post reports British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will drop the face mask requirements in April 2022, following a move by London Heathrow Airport (LHR).
Face Masks Remain “Strongly Encouraged” as COVID-19 Threat Remains
Among the latest rounds of changes among British stakeholders, Heathrow was the first to drop the face mask requirement. Starting on Wednesday, March 17, 2022, those entering the airport will no longer be forced to wear a face covering over their nose and mouth. However, the airport continues to “strongly recommend” all flyers do so, as the threat of COVID-19 remains.
The move was quickly followed by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, who both announced they would take the same stance for those aboard their aircraft. However, it doesn’t mean that everyone will be able to fly mask-free on all routes. Spokespersons for both carriers acknowledged that passengers would still need to wear face coverings to and from routes where they were still legally required. This includes flights aboard both to and from the United States.
All the changes come as the British government is dropping all their previous control protocols, welcoming flyers without any restrictions. The Travel Ministry dropped testing COVID testing requirements for vaccinated flyers in February 2022, while passenger locator forms and arrival testing will be dropped by March 18. All quarantine capacity at hotels will be returned back to the properties by the end of March.
U.S. Extends Face Covering Requirement Through April 18, 2022
While Britain is ending the masking requirement, those in the U.S. will have to wait a little longer before dropping their coverings. The Transportation Security Administration extended the face covering rule through April 18, 2022, as the agency works with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other stakeholders to “help inform a revised policy framework for when, and under what circumstances, masks should be required in the public transportation corridor.”
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I suspect the US will keep the mask mandates in place until there is a vaccine available for the kids aged 6 months to 5. Once there is a vaccine available for almost every major age group that might be traveling I think they will drop masking.
So this means that if you fly from the US to the UK on BA or Virgin then masks will not be required? But unfortunately not in the other direction until at least April 18.
So the US Senate just yesterday approved a resolution to end this nonsense, but it must get through the House where it faces a bigger challenge. Plus it would likely need to overcome a presidential veto.
Interesting that after two years of dealing with SARS-CoV-2 there are still idiots who say "masks don't do anything". How much more stupid can it get?
I won't use the word "stupid" to characterize those who still want to believe that masks work. "Misinformed" or "denying the existance of data" would be kinder words. The data is powerful: when mask mandates have been put in place, cases still go up. When they are taken down, cases don't go up. This has been shown all over the world. Indeed, it is well understood that masks DON'T block virus. There are abudant real scientific studies demonstrating this (not the phony biased ones slung out by the mask lovers trying to justify what is impossible: viruses are too small to be blocked by the weave of regular cloth masks or surgical masks). So don't call me stupid.
The GOP has tried to get the CDC to do a study comparing schools that required masks to schools that didn't require masks. The CDC adamantly refuses to do so because they already know what the study will show.
Since you decided to go there: CDC did (RE)do the study, and AGAIN the study shows masking at schools work: https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20220309/masks-protected-children-covid-last-fall-cdcAnd BA reversed its policies already. Maybe I suggest trying a KF94? They come in black, and are super comfortable for a long haul flight to LHR.
The people have moved on. Time for the politicians to do the same. End this.