Originally Posted by
mikebg
Catching someone else's cold will protect you more. That's how the immune system works. Not being exposed at all (for example, by wearing a mask) means that when you DO catch something, even a cold, you will get it far worse.
I prefer to consult with doctors and medical researchers for COVID relevant data on the implications of masking (or not) on flights (ie spending many hours in sardine cans with hundreds of people, many of whom are unmasked and some are likely spreaders.) Every doctor I know is masked in such environments, and when I fly, including boarding etc., I mask up. The alternative -- getting sick far from home and possibly infecting others on the flight as well as family upon arrival -- is not particularly appealing.