Last month I boarded a plane in New York to visit my mom and stepdad in Florida. We celebrated her 86th birthday as best we could; both have common limitations for people their age. I timed my visit carefully, traveling while Covid rates were low. I tried at home before leaving. I was happy to put on an N95 mask for the flight. (I would love to wear a neon hazmat suit and ski goggles to keep my family safe.)
We spent some lovely days in the sun, each with our signature drink: a soda for me, a Diet Coke for my stepdad, and for my mom, “a decaf with a much Cream and two Splenda.
Every moment felt like borrowed time.
There is much to be said for Monday’s decision. It was issued by an inexperienced judge rated unqualified by the American Bar Association.
I don’t know when I’ll be able to safely see them again without driving for a day at a time. On Monday, a federal judge in Florida struck down the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s mask mandate on public transportation like planes, trains and buses. The Biden administration is reviewing the decision to assess legal options. Meanwhile, airlines were quick to announce that they no longer required masks; Delta even described Covid as “an ordinary seasonal virus.” Travelers described hearing policy change announcements while boarding or mid-flight.
But this isn’t just about planes or my ability to visit my elderly parents. Millions of people use public transportation, such as subways, buses, and commuter trains, to get to work every day. They have no other way to get to work and need to put food on the table and a roof over their families’ heads. Many children use public transportation to go to school; patients need to get to medical appointments. In some regions, practically everyone uses public transport; elsewhere, it is used disproportionately by poor people and people of color.
Fortunately, the traffic authorities in New York, Boston Y the San Francisco Bay Area they have said they will continue to require masks. But other agencies, like New Jersey Transitthey are making optional skins.
There is much to be said for Monday’s decision. It was issued by a very inexperienced judge rated unrated by the American Bar Association. Research shows that masking alone is insufficient and that universal masking provides the most protection. Monday’s decision will lead to further spread of Covid, prolong the pandemic and cause long-term illness and disability. With covid rates on the rise, thousands of people could die as a result.
This situation is the product of a broken system in too many ways to list; the solution will require everything from reforming the courts to ending Senate filibuster and properly funding public education.
However, I will leave the eloquent expressions of anger to other people. I’m Gen X. Basically, I’m incapable of dwelling too long on what the world should be like. I quickly move to workarounds and next best options. It’s a flaw or a superpower, depending on your point of view.
So where do we go from here?
Providing some mandatory skin options doesn’t seem logistically insurmountable.
Cities and states must maintain their own mandatory mask requirements for the public transport they control, relaxing the mandates only when all Covid measures indicate it is safe. The federal judge’s decision was about the powers of the CDC, not those of state or local transit authorities. Cities should continue to require masks during transit and at airports, train stations and bus terminals under their control. Such measures will protect commuters as well as transportation, restaurant, retail, cleaning and other workers.
In regions where such action is highly unlikely, instead of offering only optional mask service, carriers could reject an all-or-nothing paradigm by offering Some trips on each route for which the use of masks would be mandatory. By doing so, they could continue to make travel accessible to everyone, including those most vulnerable to Covid and family members who don’t want to put them in harm’s way.
Providing some mandatory skin options doesn’t seem logistically insurmountable. Airlines could designate certain flights — say, the first flight of the day — as mask-mandatory. Long-distance buses could do the same. This would allow people who prioritize trips that require masks to select that option.
Amtrak has long had a quiet car. Sir, help anyone gasping audibly in that car. (Want to talk about cancel culture? Try answering your phone in the quiet car.) Amtrak, commuter trains and subway systems without universal face coverings could designate easily identifiable cars on each train, such as the first and last car, where face coverings are required.
Offering some options where masks are mandatory would help enable continued travel accessibility for all. People with health problems and disabilities should not be de facto excluded from travel or forced to risk their health to carry out their daily lives.
There may also be legal concerns. The Americans with Disabilities Act protects people with disabilities in transport and requires access for them. Offering only unsustainable options may be a lawsuit waiting to happen.
There is a business case for offering mandatory mask options, as there is likely to be a high demand for this service. Many people are medically vulnerable for one reason or another; they also have families who care about them. Add in the generally cautious and health-conscious people, who would simply prefer to avoid a disease that can cause disability and death. Many people would go to great lengths to book a safer trip. Recent surveys indicate that more than half of those surveyed want mask mandates when they travel. Meeting these needs would be an astute strategic decision.
To be sure, people could still wear N95 masks even on mask-optional trips. But that is not the same as universal masking. If the spread of invisible particles in the air is too difficult to imagine, take a look at the cartoon illustration of “The Pee Test”. If one man urinates on another, the best outcome for everyone is for both to wear pants.
Unfortunately, offering one or a few trips per day with required masks would not eliminate the risk of Covid for transport workers. Because of Monday’s decision, potential workplace exposure for flight attendants, train conductors, bus drivers and more skyrocketed. Our country’s treatment of people as expendable has been a horrible constant throughout this pandemic. The Supreme Court struck down the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s vaccination or testing mandatebut perhaps OSHA could take action here regarding the masking requirements.
(This is also where I see the colossal stupidity of creating a situation where transport workers get sick if the goal is to continue routine operations of transport networks. The UK figured that out fast enough to travel descended into chaos because too many workers were sick.)
In the meantime, at a minimum, companies should strike a middle ground and create an option for passengers who want to travel with a mask. It’s smart and right.
If that happens, I’ll be planning my next trip south. At least one more time, I want to enjoy our mineral water, Diet Coke and decaf iced coffee. With lots of cream and two Splenda.
Reference-www.nbcnews.com