When I travel through NRT, I often notice the locals wearing facemasks ...even in pre-SARS days. And with the big SARS outbreak a distant memory, you'll often find people wearing masks around NRT. I've noticed the mask-wearing more there than at any other airport I frequent in the world.

With the Swine Flu in Mexico and IAH being the closest hub to ground zero, has anyone noticed an uptick in mask wearing at IAH? Do/Would you wear a mask at an airport.... or in the air?

Do they even do anything? I'd think the virus would be fairly small, so unless you're wearing some type of high-end air filtration system, I'd imagine your run-of-the-mill drugstore mask won't do much ...except prevent you from sneezing/coughing droplets onto those around you.

You are right about NRT having lots of masks. My wife will be there on Wednesday morning on the start of a status run (AUS-DFW-NRT-SIN-NRT-ORD-YYZ-LGA-ORD-FRA-ORD-AUS).

It will be interesting to see if there is any significant mask use. When she is online in Singapore I will post an update. We lived in Taipei before, during and after the SARS outbreak, so she should have a reasonable frame of reference.

I was thinking the same thing. I was even thinking of heading out to the drug store tonight to get some masks. But as you say - maybe they are not the right type.

I have a couple of flights next month through IAH to the SAN and LAS. I was thinking - should I will be wearing a mask for the trip and skip the food?

I was in Seoul last month and most had on masks - but in this case it was because the city was in a complete haze from Mongolian yellow sand dust storm which lasts for several days and the city is like early evening all day.

I was at IAH yesterday and today, I don't remember seeing anyone wearing masks.

As far as NRT is concerned, the Japanese will wear masks when they are sick (cold, flu, etc.) so as to lessen the chance of spreading the infection. At least a few times a day you'll see people in Tokyo wearing masks.

As TommyC80 pointed out, the Japanese wear the masks when they are sick and to prevent others from catching what they have.

The odds of observing such behavior in our society are slim to none.....(Screw it, I'm flying home, and if anyone catches what I've got it's their tough luck...)

Are there restrictions with wearing masks around US airports?

I'd imagine the TSA's would want to match your face to your ID (maybe), but does anyone else care whether or not you have a mask on?

Our offices have face masks stocked so I'm going to throw a few in my bag for my runs the next few weeks.

I wouldn't think so? I assume they'd want you to take it off for a moment when you pass through security though.

Yes, in that I saw one person wearing a mask in the E PC. That's one more person than I can recall wearing one in the past.

Mexican swine flu.....? Maybe

I saw somebody today at SAT with a facemask on....they were picking someone up though I think. Now of course we've had confirmed Swine flu here in the area.

This morning I returned to SEA from AUS early and saw four Asians wearing masks in SEA on the way out of the terminal. Couldn't help but notice.

Great. I'll get one for my trip this weekend.. I'm sure the new company has plenty.

Didn't see any in IAH today, but lots of people in TAM wearing them.

Swine Flu is an H1N1 virus -- those dental and surgical face masks only may protect from exposure to droplets, but not from aspirating the virus itself. Get a respirator for better protection.

See also: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/masks.htm

peace,
~Ben~