Travel plans in August? You might want to put on a mask

NEW YORK – August is the height of the late summer travel season. Planes and cruises are packed, hotels are booked, and travellers are crowding theme parks and attractions. Yet throughout the United States, Covid-19 is currently circulating at very high levels.

During the peak of the pandemic, masks were ubiquitous in hotels, airports and other public places. They were required to fly, and many travellers donned them elsewhere to help reduce the transmission of the deadly coronavirus.

Since the end of the mandate, and as travel has returned to or surpassed pre-pandemic levels, most travellers have abandoned preventive measures, particularly masks.

With updated vaccines not available until autumn, which is September to November, experts are reminding travellers about the benefits of masking, particularly in airports and poorly ventilated indoor environments.

Here is what you need to know about masks and your travel plans.

What is going on with Covid-19 right now?

The number of reported cases appears to be climbing both in the US and abroad.

In the US, there are “very high” levels of the virus in wastewater samples nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The World Health Organisation reported that cases around the globe rose by 30 per cent from June 24 to July 21, compared with the previous 28 days. Put simply: There is a lot of Covid-19 out there.

How effective are masks and which one to use?

People who want to minimise their risk of respiratory illnesses like Covid-19, along with colds and flu, should wear a mask while travelling, experts say. Even if you are the only person wearing one on a train or at an airport, a mask continues to offer protection – provided you wear it properly, which means covering your nose and your mouth.

“It does not eliminate the risk, but it substantially reduces the risk of exposure,” said Dr Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of research and development at the Veterans Affairs St Louis Healthcare System in Missouri.

Aim for a high-quality mask, such as an N95, a KN95 or a KF94, all of which filter out the overwhelming majority of virus particles and are far more effective at reducing the chance of a Covid-19 infection than cloth or surgical versions.

Common symptoms of Covid-19 include coughing, fever, sneezing, congestion, headaches, sore muscles, fatigue and gastrointestinal issues. Those who are asymptomatic but have been exposed to Covid-19 may also consider masking.

If you have tested positive during a trip but cannot delay travelling, you should wear a mask when you are around other people, Dr Marc Sala, a co-director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Covid-19 Center in Chicago. 

Where should travellers wear a mask?

The CDC urges travellers to “consider wearing masks in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor areas, including on public transportation and in transportation hubs”.

Dr Al-Aly recommended carrying a few masks in your bag or pockets, so that you have them on hand in a crowded indoor space. “Maintain situational awareness,” he said.

If you are in a crowded indoor space, like a train station or busy museum, you may want to put on a mask. Although planes filter and circulate air, there is still a risk that comes with being in close quarters with large groups of people, Dr Al-Aly said.

What is the travel industry’s stance on masking?

The mask mandate on planes became a heated issue at the height of the pandemic, with travel representatives arguing that it was harming the recovery of a hard-hit industry. The US Travel Association, a trade group that promotes travel to and within the country, believes mask-wearing should be up to individual travellers. It welcomed the lifting of the mask mandate on US transportation in 2022, calling it “a step further towards the endemic management of Covid-19”. That stance has not changed.

The International Air Transport Association, another industry group, argues that aircraft are designed to reduce the transmission of viruses on board. “Cabin air is refreshed every two to three minutes – much more frequently than most other indoor environments,” it said in a statement. “It is also filtered and flows from ceiling to floor, all of which helps to maintain a healthy on-board environment.”

Passengers always have a choice to wear masks, the statement continued, and many airlines provide them upon request.

Major cruise lines do not require guests to wear masks, but passengers are required to undergo a health screening before boarding a ship, and some companies, including Carnival Cruise Line, encourage passengers to be up-to-date with Covid-19 vaccines. NYTIMES