oreocookies

I am thinking of leaving the country for a while to get a break from everything - our handling of COVID-19 and the lack of solutions from our government is too depressing and frustrating for me - but flying and traveling in general gives me pause. I would like more protection than a simple mask offers. Would wearing a face shield on a plane be weird? Are people doing this? The only other option I can think of is a mask with filtration cartridges, which looks like a gas mask, but I am afraid that will look threatening and a bit overboard. I will be required to quarantine for 14 days when I arrive in my destination regardless, but I would like to do everything possible to avoid infection. What extra measures are flyers out there taking? Thank you!

edit: Some people misunderstood. I am saying a face shield in addition to a mask. A face shield alone would not be enough.

GMTmin8

I wear both a face shield and N95 mask when flying, just prior to entering airport.
Few other people do, so I feel conspicuous.
I think I was the first person where I live to wear a mask in stores, outside.
Felt the same way at first.

tlott

Have seen numerous face shields on my two international flights recently. Don't worry about what other people think. Mask + face shield is rational. Some folks seem to wear face shields instead of masks which does not make much sense to me.

orbitmic

And is absolutely not authorised in places (countries or airlines) which have a compulsory face mask policy. No problem at all with the op wearing a face shield if he/she wants but the strict condition is that this must absolutely be in addition to (and not instead of) a face mask.

erik123

Flew transatlantic last week. At JFK saw people boarding with hazmat style garb standing next to people wearing no protective gear at all. Who would you rather be? I wouldn't overthink it - most people will not blink an eye, and those that do are the morons that require you to do more.

WillCAD

From a protective standpoint, a face shield in addition to a cloth mask will offer the wearer some additional protection against infection, by covering the eyes. So if it's a little weird looking, who cares?

A face shield on its own, however, will offer less protection to the wearer than it would in conjunction with a mask. A face shield is no substitute for a tightly-fitted mask or cloth face covering. And a face shield without a fitted mask offers very little protection to either the wearer or those around the wearer, because it sits away from the face and doesn't filter the air, it only re-directs the air in different directions.

Always remember - a mask doesn't prevent you from GETTING it, a mask prevents you from SPREADING it. A mask or other cloth face covering is for the protection of those around you, in case you are infected but don't know it. A person can be infected with Sars-Cov-2 for up to fourteen days before showing any symptoms of Covid-19, but can spread the infection to others during most of that period. So even if you feel perfectly healthy, you might still be a danger to others, which is why we should all wear masks any time we're near other people, whether we're indoors, outdoors, or on a plane.

radonc1

While I applaud your effort, I think that, for your comfort, a blue or green surgical mask with a face shield versus an N95 mask alone will achieve the same level of protection without the same level of discomfort afforded by the N95 mask.
This presumes that you keep your fingers out of your eyes and clean your hands often with either soap and water or a commercial hand sanitizer.

GateGuardian

Not weird, I've seen people wear face shields on the plane. Even full suit PPE + goggles. Wear whatever you need to feel protected. Note you still need to wear a face mask underneath your face shield.

AlanInDC

One lesson you learn as you age... as I have done in the past years... don't care what other people think. Do whatever you think best as long as it does not impinge on other people's rights or space. Maybe I'll get one myself.

azepine00

N95 is far more effective. As you breathe in you will simply draw air and particles around shield an through surgical or cloth mask. Some will get filtered but not as much as by well fitted N95.

BearX220

At this stage caring about appearances is the last factor that matters. Mask + shield is a belt + suspenders-type solution, but face shield alone is comparatively less effective than mask alone.

eqeqeqx

I used to think so too (since I've had experience with using N95 for other things where surgical masks are of little/no help), but according to "Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks in protecting health care workers from acute respiratory infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis": "no significant difference between N95 respirators and surgical masks in associated risk of (a) laboratory-confirmed respiratory infection, (b) influenza-like illnes, or (c) reported workplace absenteeism".

https://reference.medscape.com/medli...tract/26952529

Often1

Before this turns into one of those OMNI debates about what is better, the simple fact is that one must comply with the rules of the carrier one is flying. If one wants to do more, that is likely fine. But, just like cheap restaurants: "no substitutions."

If a mask is required, as it is on most carriers these days (you don't specify which country), then you must wear a mask. If you wish to wear a face shield over that, it's up to you.

aztimm

Thanks for starting this thread!

I'm flying this week for the first time since January. I have a variety of masks (N95, paper, cloth) and 2 face shields. I plan to wear a mask + shield. I'll be renting a car to drive to the airport (we only have 1 vehicle and it is less to rent for a day than to Uber), and I plan to put on the mask + shield when I leave the rental car, into the airport, through security, and onto the aircraft. I'll be in F on AA (it was about $100 more), and depending on my comfort level, I might take off the shield after boarding. I'll be in a window seat, so I'll be away from passengers boarding.

I've been asking a few people I know about how I'll look with a shield, wiping down my seat, etc., and everyone tells me to do what I need to feel comfortable and that there are people who do far more (and those who do less).

chipmaster

As others said, care little what others think when you are going with PPE!

A few months ago wearing mask, gloves, eyeprotection was being positioned by some as some political leaning position.

With so much still be learned about the virus and being an aerosol I'd suggest as others that while a mask is better than nothing, but with a mask would be better and face shield with N95 even better.

Aerosol move with air and can go around your faceshield both out and in, I'd want the N95 as well especially indoors and in re-circulated air.