Sorry Anti-Maskers, Delta Air Lines Is Onto You

I see some people don't know how to read, like 'Lynn' here:

Lynn: "I love the ignorance, it’s fascinating."
Yes, Lynn -- your ignorance is fascinating. We can't believe how suicidally stupid you are. The article says that Delta requires you to prove your condition; nothing more, nothing less.

Lynn: "I have trigeminal neuralgia so was doing some research when I can(sic) across this ‘article’. "
Well, Lynn, sorry to hear that. But your condition does nothing to invalidate the veracity of this article. Indeed, your reference to this piece as the 'article', and your tone belie your claim to having a condition.

Lynn: "Maybe one day you all can take a turn experiencing it and let’s see how quick you are to put a mask around your ears and across your face."
So, Lynn -- you are admitting that you do not really have this condition? You seem hell bent on believing you'll have to wear a mask nonetheless. And you wish ill on others who are trying to preserve their own lives against plague-rats by simply requiring proof of your condition? Interesting.

Lynn: "Oh and update all you mask warriors-..."
Mask warriors? I think the truth is coming out, isn't it, Lynn? You don't have a condition, do you?

Lynn: "...CDC said today it’s likely spread by aerosol spray. Guess what does nothing to prevent that? Good luck!"
Yes, aerosol spray from coughing, speaking etc. spreads it. And yes, NOT wearing a mask does nothing to prevent that... "Good luck"? Ah, so you have caught, or plan on catching covid and want to fly without a mask so that you can spread it, like the psychopathic, retaliatory child that you are? You are a filthy, lying, plague-ridden, self important, deluded sociopath AND A BIO-TERRORIST. Good to know... for the FBI.

Have a nice day,

Oh gosh. Too many comments to even read them all.

I am AA ExPlat but would lean to Delta at this point due to... mask policy. AA and Alaska are getting better. Masks, even poor masks, make a difference. Better masks are better of course. So a HUGE portion of us will choose what airline or if to fly (me and my partner included) based on airlines doing the wise thing and requiring masks (and thus at least verifying any medical excuses).

So, please, relax and wear a mask (slept in a KN95 overnight HNL to SEA in late June--not so hard).

@Ryan
"Give up before you hurt yourself there man. Who the hell is talking about cancer here? As I have told you many times now….wake up and think critically for yourself and stop blindly following society off the cliff they are all wandering blindly towards."

You just dodged my analogy, I assume because you have no comeback. You can look up what an analogy is.

But you're right, I am just hurting myself here and wasting my time. You cannot even spell the word "whether", nor do you understand what an analogy is so there is really no hope for anything fruitful to come out of further discussion.

@Stephen in Vegas

Look at the cheap Chinese masks being sold to the public for 10 times the normal price in every corner store. They are essentially a few layers of tissue paper.

They have absolutely no way of sealing to the face to block aerosolized droplets from escaping around the sides of the mask, so they are worthless. This is what the majority of the people that bother to wear a mask use. They also use them over and over again for days on end, dispite the fact that they are single use.

You proved my point, at a hospital they use a positive pressure full face respirator. Why is it they use those instead of a mask consisting of a few layers of tissue paper? Because they DON'T WORK.

For your information I stay home most of the time, when I do occasionally go out to get provisions for myself and the family, I wear an N95 respirator.

@Rk Give up before you hurt yourself there man. Who the hell is talking about cancer here? As I have told you many times now....wake up and think critically for yourself and stop blindly following society off the cliff they are all wandering blindly towards.

It is also just so amazing how all you supposed doctors and other assorted sheep can't bother to use your real name on your posts. Why hide? What are you afraid of.....someone going to call you out on your complete BS if they knew who you really are?

Oh @Ryan...
1) the masks aren’t designed to block 100% of every bit of inhaled/exhaled air or droplets. They are designed to REDUCE the aerosolization. If it works to reduce 50% (I’ll be extremely generous to your argument) of droplets, it still cuts down on droplet aerosolization.
2) I’m not sure where you buy your masks, but I have never seen a “tissue paper mask”. But boy, that sure sounds much scarier!
3) Unfortunately, I have only 1 medical professional in my family, an MD. Fortunately, it’s me. By the way, in all 6 of the hospitals that I go to in Las Vegas, we use PAPR’s in the COVID patient’s rooms. Just FYI.

You: “ My hypothesis is that a tissue paper mask does nothing at all to protect you against someone else with a respiratory virus.”
Your hypothesis is factually wrong. It REDUCES, not eliminates. But it doesn’t “do nothing”.

I’m curious, do you wear any mask when you go out or are you part of the problem that you think you identify that people are “too selfish” to do something that makes a difference?

Lastly, collectively, we can all make a difference by taking precautions, including wearing masks, even if not every human in the country or on the planet contributes... even if Ryan Waldron has jumbled it in his brain differently.

Thank you to those solving the problem; begrudgingly, we may even protect the Ryan’s of the world.

@Ryan Waldron
"weather you are dumb enough"

Why are the people against masks and against science always talking about how smart they are and how stupid the majority are. Yet almost always their level of intelligence becomes clear when they cannot even spell simple words.

Maybe you have a PHD in epidemiology or biology and are an expert in your field. Or maybe you have no background in science, have not even been to college and are just talking nonsense. Think about this and "whether" it might just be better that you trust the experts.

@Ryan Waldron

Why is that the people who are against masks often complain that people "are not thinking" but then when they start to explain why they know better than everyone else, it turns out they don't even have a basic understanding of why masks are being recommended.

Then they say things like they have a doctor and nurse in their family which I guess to them means they must know more than the WHO, the CDC and all leading scientists and epidemiologists i.e. experts who are strongly recommending masks.

And finally they start using terms like fluid dynamics in an attempt to make themselves look smart when they have ready shown that they clearly don't even have a basic grasp of science.

@Stephen in Vegas Go watch some schlieren video of a sneeze or a cough. That tissue paper mask is not stopping much of anything, droplets or bare virus particles alike. For your information I have an MD, an APRN, and an RN in my immediate family, I am pretty well informed on the medical front. In a medical setting if they want to stop droplets from passing they use a solid plastic face shield and a positive pressure room, not 15 cents worth of Chinese tissue paper.

Go read the most basic information on fluid dynamics, the air will take the path of least resistance carrying any aerosol with it. Your mirror doesn't fog up because all the moisture in the air you are breathing is redirected away from the mirror by your inadequate mask. Lay your face side on to the mirror and breathe. Oh wow, look at all that condensation from the air that is going right around your play mask, as it does every time you think it is protecting you!.

Any mask that does not seal tightly to your face and provide proper filtration of the air is pretty much useless, fluids are sneaky like that. The amount of aerosol particles that would be trapped by surface tension are minimal, especially when most people wear those paper masks day after day when they are meant to be worn for a single event and then discarded for a new one.

As you completely missed my rational, let me explain it again. Wearing the right masks is a good thing, problem is there is NO WAY that you are going to get everyone or even 50% of the people in the world to wear proper masks that would help. Focus on the real problem, don't create placebo solutions to make you feel all warm in fuzzy inside that do nothing but make the problem worse by giving false hope of protection.

@Marci Kesserich Yes, I do see "my" problem here, just please stop confusing it with "your" problem. I have already explained it to you twice. Here it is one last time.

For the third time, my problem here is people not being bothered to think about anything. Unfortunately, that now means that they are bringing up the first generation who are not even capable of thinking critically, because their parents and teachers have the ability....but they can't be bothered.

Stop all this overly dramatic reality TV social media noise that you are bombarded with constantly and want to live in your life by. Actually turn on your brain and take a few pieces of reliable information (IE: not random blogger guy, or some politically biased financially motivated media outlet) and think about it.

If you take a $0.15 paper mask (Which now costs you $9.00 in some places), put it on, and see how much of the air you breathe actually goes through the improperly made tissue paper between you and the rest of the world. You will immediately find that 90% of the air you breathe comes in a clear open path all the way around your face.

Now, if you were to be put in a room capable of seating 50 people, all at least 6 feet a part, 90% of them wearing these worthless masks that 90% of the public use over and over again for days. Do you think that if one of those people had the virus, coughed in that room for 10 minutes that everyone else would be miraculously protected by $0.15 worth of paper that is not even filtering their breath?

Proper masks (Which most people can not get or afford if they could) and social distancing are good tools that only work if EVERYONE practices them 100% of the time. If you think that this is achievable in a society of people who can not be bothered to think any farther than their own very narrow misinformed view that is handed to them verbatim.....I feel you are sorrily mistaken.

I am not anti-mask/social distancing/. I am anti-laziness, anti-selfishness, pro-caring about people other than yourself, pro-thinking about society as a whole once in a while. Unfortunately, I have also seen a very broad slice of the world in the past 10 years, and I don't see selfishness declining, or people starting to care more about their neighborhod, county, city, state, region, country, world, species....I see people giving up the skills they need to be able to make informed decisions in a democracy, and in their own personal lives for the sake of a cell phone or a TV full of the most tantalizing, easy to consume, inaccurate, misleading, financially motivated misinformation the human race has ever created in our history.

COVID-19 is here to stay, people's laziness will ensure that everyone will have their go. There is no magic pill to fix the larger problems in society that prevent us from stopping a virus like COVID-19 despite being perfectly capable of doing so. I just think that we should address the root of the problem, not tell everyone if they wear one piece of a Halloween surgeon's costume and stand a bit farther apart that they are safe. Doing so does nothing more than to irritate people a little more in a very tense and unsure time where people should be willing to sacrifice for the greater good, but sadly are not. It also gives people a false sense of security making everyone increase their own, and everyone else's risk of infection.

That clear things up for you?

I have severe asthma, I am waiting for a lung transplant because I have COPD ( Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), I have Cystic Fibrosis, and actually I am a bit claustrophobic. I wear a mask everywhere I go. Sure some masks are more difficult to wear, but there are some that are much easier to breath in. I can not imagine what medical condition makes someone unable to wear a mask unless perhaps they have lips that set on fire unexpectedly. I almost fell of my chair laughing at the fellow who claimed he was being shamed for his inability to wear a mask. You are not being asked to wear a duck tape mask.

@C Hopkins:
“ Wow . To all you that condem people with medical or mental health issues be thankful for the blessed life you have lived. I am a honorably discharged combat veteran that was injured and I cannot wear a mask. For all you big mouths out their preaching about masks why don’t you spend some time fighting for those rights that myself and other soldiers have fought for so you can criticize and make us feel like we are making our problems up. As an American I have rights if I want to fly I am entitled to fly if I need to be medically screened then I will,so all you be careful how you treat others because you live in the land of the free and not in some third world country where you opinions would mean death. If anyone needs further medical documentation from me please email me and i will gladly share my injuries and experiences with you so you can further stand on your soap box and criticize people.”

Where to begin with this hot wind bag of anger and loathing? I haven’t heard/read anyone condemn someone because of a health issue. I WILL, however, call out people who refuse (based on bogus logic or pride) to participate in public health measures. I’m sorry that you were injured, it seems it has greatly affected you. But I’m sure you are capable of wearing a face covering to prevent your rage-spewed droplets from leaving your mouth. But you choose not to. By the way, I did serve in the military as well, for 13 years. It certainly taught me about self sacrifice for the good of others. Taking antiviral precautions are a small sacrifice for a big benefit for society. So suck it up, soldier and do your part. And despite what you feel entitled to, there is no “right” for you to be able to fly; even as a self-described American, the most entitled breed of human out there. Hopefully you won’t fly, but if you do, enjoy your screening. And no crying when you don’t get your way because the screening didn’t fulfill your erroneous assumption that you get to make up your own rules.

For those that believe that everything fits into a neat little box, or because they don't have issues so no one should; I have breathing issues and can't wear a mask. I wore one when in went into a store that required it and within 10 minutes, it got really hard to breathe, I got light-headed, and a headache. I went outside and took the mask off and was ok in a minute or two. I have had this condition for several years and have flown many times without issue. Before someone says that being so vulnerable I should stay home, how about you just stay the hell away from me if I'm out and about?

"@Flight Attendant says:
HIPPA = Health Information Patient Privacy Act. For individuals who may not know ."

Well, then. For those who desire to be misinformed, they can certainly rely on a flight attendant for health insurance information.

It stands for "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act"

In your next job, I'm hoping it's not handling my HIPPA records.

But don't worry, you're not even close to providing important incorrect info.

A friend of mine who is a flight attendant insists the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation wants to use the covid pandemic to implant everyone with some manner of device that does something I cant fathom--and has a patent number that starts with 666 of course-- or my former vet , who has uncontrolled type I diabetes (getting readings of 400 for those who understand what that means) and refuses to wear a mask because she's certain she understands constitutional law better than a real lawyer and "You have to die from something"

I guess one does have to die from something ,but I'll try not to die from her talking to me without a mask from 3 feet away . At least I was wearing a 3m N95.

Sorry for the tangential comments but when I throw in the girl working at Subway who is certain 5G is causing chest tightness and Covid symptoms , and is certain of this because her boyfriend is in the military and the Army is revealing all the secret stuff to their PFC's so they can pass it along to their gf's, I'm not at all confident in the future of our economy.

BTW, Had a fun time questioning the Subway girl, then decided I didn't want the sandwich.

Never ceases to amaze me how ignorant the US population is. It's time that we accept that this virus passed the point of being contained or controlled long ago. We are all going to be exposed, EVERYONE. What is the point of continuing to alienate your customers for NOTHING. Masks, six foot distancing, and all these other irritating placebos they have put in place do little or nothing to protect anyone. All they do is provide false hope to the ignorant masses and irritate those with enough intelligence to see through them. The bigger problem is giving fake hope to someone who may be at higher risk! It's time to wake up and use what little brain power you have left folks. I know it takes effort, but get off your mental derriere and bother to think critically about these things. Those of us with the mental capacity and the willingness to see the truth in all this should not have to deal with the consequences of your stupidity or lack of willingness to use the brain you have.

I have never seen such stupidity in my whole life. I have medical conditions and because of that, I MUST wear a mask. I cannot get sick. I will not survive. I don't know what issue a person can have that will cause more harm to not wear a mask and potentially get sick, versus wearing one. Another thing, abiding by the constitution of the US means following the LAW! The law states:wear a mask!!! I did not know Americans were so inconsiderate of each other AND lack basic comprehension.

HIPPA does not rule! Google "who has to abide by HIPPA" It stand for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and has a very narrow scope. Any business outside of that scope can ask, and make decisions based on someone's unwillingness to share that information.
And under the ADA any business can refuse service to someone who does not comply with wearing a face mask when their presence could create a serious health and safety issue.
Under the ADA businesses are required to make a reasonable accommodation. In the case of an airline cabin a reasonable accommodation to protect the other passengers and flight crew is not possible. Unless you want to get strapped to the wing.
WEAR THE MASK or don't fly.

If the routes you need to fly have other options, just research flights with other carriers. I am willing to pay for a higher priced ticket w Delta and accommodate their guidelines for my additional safety. When flying, I also (recently) wore eye protection in addition to wearing my mask on a Delta flight. Droplets (of any kind) in the air supply easily enter your system through your permeable eyes. I work in health care with elders in a skilled nursing setting. I am taking every precaution on their behalf - and everyone in my midst. I have a number of friends who have severe asthma and they are purposely wearing masks because of their condition and the fact that C-19 attacks the lungs in a deadly way. One of these friends works in my health care setting. My brother-in-law is an ICU Charge Nurse and has been caring for C-19 patients, many of whom survive but then face chronic conditions caused be C-19.

Let's have the "freedom fighters" of anti-maskers, those who claim it violates their civil liberties, is unconstitutional, and that the government should stay out of our lives so we can make our own decisions, consider and answer this:

Did you send back your stimulus check? Because why should the government get involved in your financial affairs?

Are you pro-choice on abortion? Because why should the government make that decision for you? My body/my choice, right?

You are obviously in favor of same sex marriage, right? Because why should the government tell you who you can or cannot marry?

You would also be in favor of LGBTQ rights, correct? Because why should the government decide some people are more equal than others?

I would bet that many "freedom fighters" are really only interested in freedom and civil liberties when it is convenient for them and are not really serious about freedom for all.

I'm a hospitalist in Philadelphia. I take care of adults admitted to the hospital. When a pt has covid 19 and needs to be transported out of their room to go for a test or procedure it is our hospital's policy that they must wear a mask. In my experience, no patients have had any serious medical issues wearing the mask, this includes patients with end stage copd, heart failure, lung cancer and asthma. I can see how maybe someone who is severely claustrophobic or has uncontrolled anxiety may have issues, but when flying on a plane I think it would be best to treat the anxiety instead of forgoing the mask.

Here we go again the Sensational Battle Of The Mask. The Self Righteous Soapbox Masked Yammers call for the expulsion of the Deplorable members of Society that would dare step foot into their Self Righteous Personal area Unmasked while the Constitutionally Free Unmasked People are screaming Civil Rights as Loudly as possible ..........But in total reality those Paper and Cloth strips everyone furiously cling to like protective armor against a dangerous bug after a few uncomfortable hours at overcrowded airports and uncomfortable flights are usless unless you are personally carrying or airlines are supplying additional fresh packaged mask for your safety. Society as a whole will don the mask and and head out thinking to themselves they are great little citizens but in truth the largest part of masked and Unmasked prople are totally either ignorant of the rules and guidelines of effective face coverings or they are educated of the C.D.C., as well as the W.H.O. and mutual other well qualified Medical Professionals and chose to ignore what they've heard or read and gamble that that Super Mask they've proudly placed upon their faces (and this goes for all the Airlines, the Airports, and the Enforcement personnel, Management working long hard full time or Part time shifts with the single customized or not mask also). You see the Guidelines pointedly inform you as to how your face covering only works. So if you at any time for whatever reason lift or remove your "mask" it then for all protective purposes becomes basicly unless. If the "mask" becomes wet or damp from whatever reason it becomes basically useless. There are a few more ways to maintain the chosen face covering while you travel. So before you self appoint yourselves being the good person or the bad person in this Pandemic Mask Saga educate yourself. Removing that single "mask" to eat, to drink, to apply makeup, to smoke, to get a refreshing breath of Unmasked fresh but possible Infectious air along with numerous other reasons just placed you into the argumentative Unmasked group rather you were seen or unseen by others.

The ADA requires “reasonable accommodations” that doesn’t pose an “undue hardship” on the business and its employees. Not “any accommodation you think you’re entitled to”. There are exceptions in the ADA where accommodations do not have to be provided if they’ll put the safety of employees and customers at risk. This is why stores and other private businesses can ban people who can’t wear a mask. Curbside pickup or an employee offering to shop for them can be considered a reasonable accommodation. But being expected to expose their employees to a virus during a pandemic could be considered an “undue hardship” and then they are exempt from providing an accommodation.

Putting aside the public health merit of the policy (and the somewhat politicized debate in the comments above), DL’s policy likely violates the Air Carrier Access Act:

First, the ACAA regulations are clear that a carrier may not require a passenger to provide a medical certificate documenting a disability, except in limited circumstances not applicable here:

“14 CFR § 382.23 May carriers require a passenger with a disability to provide a medical certificate?
(a) Except as provided in this section, you must not require a passenger with a disability to have a medical certificate as a condition for being provided transportation...“

Second, the ACAA regulations also prohibit airlines from requiring passengers who need disability accommodations to provide advance notice of the need for accommodation (again subject to certain exceptions not relevant here:

“14 CFR § 382.27 May a carrier require a passenger with a disability to provide advance notice in order to obtain certain specific services in connection with a flight?
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and § 382.133(e)(4) and (5) and (f)(5) and (6), as a carrier you must not require a passenger with a disability to provide advance notice in order to obtain services or accommodations required by this part...”

In this regard, the ACAA is largely indistinguishable from the ADA. Assuming the policy is (and is implemented) as described in the post, the legal analysis would be the same as if a supermarket required a customer to have a virtual medical certification before entering without a mask. That would clearly violate the ADA.

Does this create the risk for abuse? Of course. But it also ensures that those with actual disabilities are not singled out for unequal treatment.

While I'm unaware of any conditions that would truly preclude someone from wearing a mask, there probably are some, but they are rare and effect a small minority of the population. For those people's sake, the rest of us should be wearing masks to curb spread. This is no different than the few people who actually have a medical reason that makes them unable to get a vaccine - they need to rely on everyone else getting one to protect them. And for all those that still believe there's no evidence of the benefits to wearing masks I suggest you take the time to read this case study published by the CDC yesterday.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6928e2.htm

No it's not conclusive evidence - not sure who made that inane comment above - but it's damn convincing and indicates mask wearing is probably worth giving a shot so we might actually get back to some level of normalcy in the foreseeable future which is something I have to imagine we all want.

It still amazes me this has become a political or a constitutional issue. This is basic science, although I know that many Americans are increasingly rejecting science, which is depressing.

This is not an issue of personal freedom, because you are protecting others, not just yourself, by wearing a mask. Rejecting a mask directly implies harm to the community, and that was never a “freedom” granted by the constitution.

For the very tiny minority of people with legitimate medical reasons to avoid this, they should have no problem establishing this through Delta’s process. However I would also question why someone with such a sever condition feels the need to travel by air right now.

Wear a mask, or stay at home!

@Ron (and others claiming there is no “proven” benefit): Others have said it, but I will express again... Everything done in medicine is based on risk/cost vs benefit. The cost/risk of wearing a mask vs the societal benefit makes it wise to apply and enforce it. As others have said, you don’t need a randomized trial for everything in medicine. Application of respiratory germ theory and community medicine principles justify the wearing of masks. For the record, I don’t pretend that our comments won’t prevent you from talking/thinking like an idiot, it’s to convince the others who are reading and willing to think critically that you are an idiot. If you refuse to wear a mask because of your ignorance, but 100 other people do once after reading your ignorance, I’ll be a happy man.

Well, my general point is that supposition is not evidence and that one should not disparage others with whom you disagree without evidence to back up your assertion. A little tolerance goes a long way. Seems in short supply these days.

Assuming something is not the same as proving something.

Saying something over and over again and saying it loudly does not make something truth. I refer you to Goebbels... Blindly following proclamations without questioning is not a good look.

"You cannot depend on the Government, the airlines ... to take care of you – that’s YOUR job, YOU decide when to go, if you need a mask, if you should stop at the ATM and pickup some cash, if you should grab lunch after the security checkpoint, etc. Why on earth would you give those decisions to some politician, corporate VP or Bureaucrat."

@Kevin. This is one of the dumbest arguments I've heard yet. Wearing a mask is primarily to protect others, not you. By your logic above, it should be your decision whether you go through a metal detector at the airport, it should be your decision whether you wear a seat belt on take off, it should be your decision if you want to stand up during landing. Our society is full of safety rules to protect others, mandated by the Government and by corporations like the airlines. The mask mandate is exactly the same. Wearing a mask protects others. It is not your right to put others at risk. Your argument is nonsense.

Its a shame that this issue was politicized and now a loud mouth minority claims special constitutional rights on public transportation. The newly minted experts also claim that there is no proof when most medical experts say the mask prevent disease. They don't have a leg to stand on, legally or scientifically. Can they board the airplane in the nude? ("we have a constitutional right to not wear clothing"). In my opinion, the airlines should make these folks bring a doctor's slip to check-in as their not wearing a mask may effect the health of the other passengers on the plane. If you want to make a political statement, drive without your mask. The sad part is because of this recklessness, the USA now is banned from flying to Europe

@Ron - Speaking as a physician myself, I'm dubious that any physician would ask for a study that "conclusively proves" something, when every physician knows our knowledge is provisional and all studies have inherent limitations. Cite me the study that "conclusively proves" patients with TB need to be placed in negative pressure isolation.

As for the jibe about 6 feet vs. 5 or 7... well, first of all, a physician would also know that such a study is not "in vivo" but epidemiological by the very nature of the question. Your quip is akin to looking at JNC 8 BP goals and saying "OK, so why 140/90 and not 137/88?"

Finally, with your undoubtedly limited free time as a healthcare provider in the middle of a pandemic (assuming you're not an elective proceduralist like a plastic surgeon), why are you wasting so much of it concocting reasons not to follow a broadly-recommended health and safety measure?

This is the most bizarre part of this discussion on social media. In any given day I choose to not wear thousands upon thousands of various clothes or accessories. I have never once gone on Facebook to post an extended screed as to why. Why so much effort to justify something you don't do?

@ Stephen V - Actually, sir, I am a physician and have been for decades.

There are anti-maskers who complain of liberty infringement and virtuous mask wearers who espouse moral superiority. I don't fall into either category.

Yet, I continue to maintain that there is not set of studies that conclusively proves the effectiveness of wearing a face mask in preventing a viral infection or significantly limiting its spread. If you can site these scientific studies - not news articles or proclamations by bloggers, politicians, or talking heads on cable news channels - please cite with links and I'll be more than happy to read and educate myself.

While you're at it, please cite the in vivo studies that show the effectiveness or social distancing at 6 feet ... rather than 5 feet or 7 feet, etc. Thank you.

@kevin: Our doctor either has no idea how respiratory physiology works or is just giving you a note to shut you up/get you to leave his/her office/just wants your insurance money/has an agenda besides healthcare.

I am a physician. Unless you are wearing a mask with a large reservoir for exhaled air to accumulate in, there is no difference in the air you inhale with or wihout a face covering. If you wear a realtively tight-fitting mask that doesn’t allow exhaled air to accumulate (such as the commercially available washable ones), the oxygen concentration won’t change. Essentially, all exhaled air will be “gone” and replaced with new ambient air.

See, all ends well! You can wear a protective (for others) mask after all!

@Ron..."pseudoscience" is an expression typically used by people who believe what they want to believe, in my experience as a statistician. Here's some "real" science and data analysis for you...

http://files.fast.ai/papers/masks_lit_review.pdf
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2007800
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342198360_Association_of_country-wide_coronavirus_mortality_with_demographics_testing_lockdowns_and_public_wearing_of_masks_Update_June_15_2020
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2004.13553.pdf
https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00818

@Johan "Also my Sweden did very well, according to national head epidemiologist, almost 40% of Stockholm’s population already got infected – we still have just 5000 deaths nationwide in total, our hospitals never got full. Moreover, we will have no second wave, as large sections of our society are already immune."

This is wrong on almost every level. You're either a spokesman for Stefan Lofven or hoping no one will bother to challenge your fictitious claims here.

Facts:

- Sweden's mortality rate per capita is higher than the US
- "Large sections of your society" are not immune. Stockholm, with the greatest prevalence, has around 10% of its population testing positive for antibodies. However, even this antibody response diminishes dramatically 3 months post-infection
- The reason ICUs never filled is that the hospitals decided to let elderly people with coronavirus die in regular hospital beds. They assumed before the fact that transferring them to a higher level of care was pointless.
- Comparing yourself to the rest of Scandinavia is laughable. Sweden has by far handled the outbreak the worst. Norway and Denmark and the rest didn't need to require masks, because masks are a way of mitigating risk in a country that has not contained the virus. Those other countries did the right thing, shut down, and contained the virus. Masks are damage control when you don't do the epidemiological hard work on the front end, ending up where the US and Sweden are now.

@Johan - Idk why you make such a fuss about it there in the states.

Are you willfully ignorant to what is happening here? In case you haven't noticed, we aren't Sweden. We have about a quarter of all covid cases and deaths in the world and 4% of the population. We are at looking at more than double our peak daily cases in April. Also here in the US, the Northeastern states are the ones most frequently wearing masks and they are doing the best. Brazil has adopted Sweden's strategy and they are probably the only country doing worse than us.

Also FYI, herd immunity only occurs around 90% meaning you have PLENTY more people to get infected. Also your 5600 deaths equates to a mortality rate around 30 percent higher than that of the United States adjusting for population size, which is also the 5th highest in the world. Denmark, Finland and Norway have left you out of border reopening because of your lackadaisical policies. But you didn't mention any of that.

Honestly, not enough fuss is being made.

We are totally anonymous here unless we choose not to be. I have asked on numerous other boards I read for someone who claims to be unable to wear a mask to tell what medical condition they might have that precludes that and not one person has replied. My relative has severe asthma and wears a mask.

I saw up thread that someone said an acquaintance was raped and has a note from a psychologist. Psychologists are not medical doctors and while I feel horrible for that person, I'd think s/he needs to see a medical doctor for that exemption. Just having the ability to use the Dr. abbreviation does not mean one went to medical school.

Can anyone (anonymously again) tell me what medical condition makes them unable to wear a mask? Thank you.

I don't like wearing a mask but I do so when asked when I fly or enter a retail establishment because it is asked of me.

However, pseudoscience is not the new religion. There are no set of scientific studies that conclusively show the efficacy of wearing a mask to prevent or slow virus transmission and some of the masks that many wear are particularly porous. Yet, there is also no conclusive evidence that mask wearing is deleterious.

Furthermore, there are valid physical/emotional reasons why some may not be able to comply with such a rule. I would think that it would be inconvenient but relatively easy for these individuals to procure a letter from their physician or psychologist attesting to this. For Delta to insist upon a person arriving early at an airport so as to mandate a meeting with a health professional not of a patient's choosing is problematic. I'm not an attorney, but I see problems with the ADA as noted above by a poster who apparently is an attorney.

In addition, does a mask requirement when flying comply with State and Federal Constitutions? I'll leave those arguments for constitutional attorneys and scholars, but I think there are legitimate issues and questions to be raised. I'd like to think that this still matters as opposed to mob rule based upon what makes one feel good or feel safe.

"There are no known medical conditions aside from a severe skin condition [like a very severe burn that needs medical attention] on your face that would prevent a person from wearing this type of mask,” David Kaufman, MD, pulmonologist and director of the medical ICU at Tisch Hospital, tells Health. “If you can wear a scarf to keep your face warm in the winter, you can wear a mask to prevent the spread of disease.”

https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/can-you-be-medically-exempt-from-wearing-a-face-mask

If this is wrong, can someone please provide examples of medical conditions that would preclude wearing the sort of mask required on planes?

The CDC cites only three groups of people who should not wear masks:

1. Children younger than 2 years old
2. Anyone who has trouble breathing
3. Anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face covering without assistance.

If you fall into categories 2 and 3 you probably should not confined to metal tube 30,000 feet in the air for several hours anyway.

Hi.
So I will go out on a limb and tell you that I flew recently and my HCP has issues with me wearing a mask for my cross country flight the entire time. I am pregnant and have a very hard time catching my breathe on a normal circumstance. I wore my mask on/off the plane, to get up and go to the restroom on the plane and sat in between members of my family (who wore masks) in the middle seat. I wore my mask for as much of the time as I could. I had a drs note that was signed and dated explaining this.
I was not being a “Karen” and I am
Not an anti-masker.

My question is how will the Delta Drs have time to get everyone’s medical background and information to make executive decisions for someone’s actual medical health.. and further would they go against my actual Dr who wrote the note.

I’m not planning on flying anymore as my state recently became a hot zone and it’s just not safe for me at this time but curious on the process.