oreocookies

Thanks for all the replies. I was looking at flying to Ireland or NY, two places where I have family and can quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, but with layovers I'm looking at least 6-8 hours in the air. It would be uncomfortable but the only way I would do it with a mask and face shield. I wear glasses anyway, so I guess that's even more protection for my eyes if I have a face shield. And I have both N95 masks and cloth masks, so I was considering doubling up on those - I've seen people put cloth masks over their N95s. In my case, my N95s are from 2009 (I bought them for the swine flu!!!!) so I am not sure if the electrical charge that makes them work is still there. Googling, I haven't found a way to test if my N95s still work. But I figure it's better to be safe than sorry, so I can just double my efforts. One thing I'd have to think about is whether I can go 8 hours without eating or drinking on the flight. I tend to get dehydrated on flights, but I can just drink a bunch before I depart and after I land, maybe. I don't think not eating for 8 hours would be a big deal.

To everyone saying a face shield is not a replacement for a face mask, I know that and I wasn't trying to imply that. It's just extra protection for the eyes and also the respiratory openings, so it seems like a smart addition. They look a bit goofy in pictures, which is my reservation, but some people thought face masks looked weird four months ago and now masks are totally normal. I would even consider gloves if I'm limited to only 3 oz of Purell.

GateGuardian

Not sure where you're flying from, but as someone who fly between Canada and US every month, the most dangerous part IMO is waiting at the airport and going through security. At least that's how I felt. It could also be that I'm always flying Delta and I always have the entire row by myself.

I carry a 2 personalized size of Purell with me for a week and only managed to use half of one bottle. Also recommend brining moisturizer as the hand sanitizers can really make your hands dry.

I don't double up on mask. Wearing one already makes me sweat a bit sometimes when walking through the airport. Wearing two would definitely make me touch my face and try to get the sweat off.

As for food, bring your own food and fork/spoon if you don't trust the airline food.

GateGuardian

Also, there are many vloggers on youtube capturing their experience flying international. I would recommend taking a look at some of those videos. Once you see how empty those planes are, it might put you at ease a bit.

radonc1

I liked the qualifications that you used such as "well fitted". I would say that in general most of the lay public has no idea how to fit an N95 mask or more importantly, how to put one on or take it off.

If you would like to provide a citation for your general statement that N95 is "far more effective" than a surgical mask, that would be appreciated.

I will show you the data for masks

"What is the efficacy of standard face masks compared to respirator masks in preventing COVID-type respiratory illnesses in primary care staff?"

"Standard surgical masks are as effective as respirator masks (e.g. N95, FFP2, FFP3) for preventing infection of healthcare workers in outbreaks of viral respiratory illnesses such as influenza. No head to head trial of these masks in COVID-19 has yet been published, and neither type of mask prevents all infection. Both types of mask need to be used in combination with other PPE measures. Respirator masks are recommended for protection during aerosol generating procedures (AGPs)."

(An AGP is something physicians do, such as a bronchoscopy, or a dentist doing a filling.)

Face shields in combination with a surgical mask gives the additional protection of both preventing an aerosol from being deposited directly onto the mask as well as the eyes, and provides a good reminder to keep your fingers out of your mouth, nose and eyes.

Furthermore, a surgical mask with a face shield is a far sight kinder on the nose and mouth than an N95 mask, as many here, including myself, can testify to . It is also easier to put on and take off without contaminating yourself.

I will state this, however. Wearing a mask, no matter what the designation, is better than not wearing one. If N95's make the person feel safer, then by all means wear it.
I can tell you that they are not worn in the clinic unless we are dealing with a Covid + patient, and then we also wear a face shield over the N95 mask.

dsftm

Do what makes you comfortable, and feel protected. If a mask, and face shield does that, then wear both. If a filtration mask does that, then wear it.

FlyDeltaMD88

Do what makes you comfortable but don't force me to comply with your opinions. I wear my mask and social distance but refuse to wear a face shield.

Stgermainparis

I appreciated the study citation and your remarks. I’ve been wrestling with “which mask” for a few days as family members must go back into the world. And I don’t want to take this off topic, but I do have a question. If “surgical masks are as effective as respirator masks” in protecting staff from infection, why do staff wear an N95 instead of surgical mask when dealing with Covid infected patients? The fact that they do wear N95 masks suggests that surgical masks aren’t as effective.

largeeyes

I believe this is actually a requirement on Qatar Airways.

WillCAD

Not a medical professional, but I've read a few articles dealing with this and I believe the answer has to do with proximity, length of exposure, and concentration.

When we travel, if we encounter an infected person, we're likely only in direct contact with them briefly, in proximity to them for the duration of a flight, and generally not shut in a small room with them at all. We also don't generally mingle with multiple infected people, concentrated in a small area.

Medical professionals in a hospital, clinic, or other care facility are in direct contact with infected people on a regular basis throughout their work shifts, which can be eight to twelve hours, and in proximity to infected people throughout their work shifts, and are often shut in small rooms such as patient rooms, treatment rooms, or testing facilities, for prolonged periods. Such facilities also have multiple infected people concentrated in a relatively small area. All of this comes together to increase the exposure that a medical professional has to the virus, which increases the likelihood of infection, so they take more extensive precautions than they would when traveling themselves. Since social distancing from infected people is not possible for the medical professionals treating them, more frequent hand washing and more extensive PPE becomes much more important.

Multiple people in this thread have mentioned the fact that aircraft have recirculated air, as though they think that means that this increases the likelihood of infection. But I don't believe this is true in an aircraft cabin, for three reasons: 1) cabin air is not 100% recirculated, it's mixed (I think it's 50-50 but not sure) with fresh exterior air; 2) cabin air is dehumidified, making it very dry, which eliminates the moisture droplets that SARS-CoV-2 needs to travel from one person to another; and 3) cabin air is extensively filtered, which again eliminates moisture droplets. The greatest danger in an aircraft cabin is from proximity; DIRECT exposure to an infected person's moisture exhalations from less than two meters distance is the primary transmission vector for this virus, and in a small space like an aircraft cabin, this becomes more likely if people fail to use a cloth face covering properly to intercept those exhalations. N95s aren't necessary, face shields without a mask aren't effective, but the cloth face covering will do the trick if properly and consistently worn (and face shields will add some additional protection to the wearer by covering the eyes).

EDITED TO ADD:
Ah, found the article I remember reading. According to this, cabin air is completely changed out every two to three minutes, and the filters are "hospital grade" and "Boeing says that between 94 and 99.9 percent of airborne microbes are captured". Meaning that, in essence, all cabin air goes through an N95 filter every 2-3 minutes.

https://askthepilot.com/questionansw...n-air-quality/

resolute

Right on...... this period is a great excuse to wear whatever the hell you want to on a plane.... the hazmat suit idea is actually kind of funny.... I might try it when I fly in Sept for first time since March just for grins...

narvik

(bolding mine)

Instead of "Who would you rather be?", the more pertinent question might be: "Who would you rather be next to?"

42fly

I have seen multiple people on my flights recently wearing a face shield. Do whatever makes you comfortable. I would've appreciated if the person next to me on my last flight was wearing a face shield, rather than taking their mask off to eat every 5 minutes

radonc1

Now imagine someone trying to eat every 5 minutes while wearing an appropriately fitted N95 mask How well is that going to work?

How much easier would it be to eat while wearing a surgical mask and a face shield, where you could pull the surgical mask under your chin and eat while still having some protection with the shield.

Some protection is better than none, imo.

chococat

When medical staff are working with Covid + patients, they're almost always doing some sort of close proximity procedure- listening to lung and heart sounds, adjusting nasal cannula or face masks for oxygen delivery, administering medications, intubation or extubations, etc. All of these procedures put a care provider right in the "line of fire" and within inches of the face of patient that has uncontrolled coughing (and sometimes cause coughing). Also, in a healthcare setting, the N95 has been properly fitted. If you're curious why some medical folks layer a surgical mask over an N95, it's mostly to protect the N95 from loogies so that the N95 can be reused- there's probably not an major increase in protection.

Same thing for the face shields- the added benefits are protecting the N95 from spray, and eye protection from large droplets (the small ones can get around the face shield). The downside is that they tend to fog at really annoying times and de-fogging requires a lot of face touching and fiddling about.

At my institution, nobody goes into the room of a Covid patient unless they actually have to do a hands-on procedure (usually a nurse). The rest of the team stands outside the (closed) door and relies on on the nurse for info and to relay questions, and telemetric monitoring for almost everything else. Occasionally, someone else may go inside the room to check in with the patient, but it's uncommon. The team in the corridor are generally not wearing N95s.

So, if think you'll be 6 inches from the mouth of a coughing Covid+ patient during your travels, yeah, probably an N95 obligatory. If you're able to maintain a reasonable distance, a surgical mask is probably enough. But do whatever you have to do to make yourself feel safe and comfortable, and don't worry about what others think.

747FC

OP: The only traveling that I do is in my car. Before I get out of it and walk into a store, my N95 is applied followed by my face shield. I couldn't care less about what others think.

I was one of the first in my community to start wearing masks. I am one of the first to start wearing face shields while shopping. Gradually, more people are following these procedures.