Jen Psaki told Fox News’ Peter Doocy that she’s not a doctor and neither is he when he asked why it was OK to sit in the White House briefing room without masks but you need to have them on when on an airplane. This editor is not a doctor either, but he’s still a bit stunned by those people who think everyone should keep wearing masks (and not those useless cloth ones) until there’s a COVID-19 vaccine approved for those under age 5. Once we get all the babies vaccinated, then maybe we can think about unmasking.
The TSA says it’s no longer enforcing mask rules, and airlines are posting statements saying that they too are dropping the mask mandates in the wake of a federal judge’s ruling Monday. Monica Crowley, for one, is glad:
I'm flying tomorrow and cannot contain my joy at doing so without a suffocating mask plastered to my face
— Monica Crowley (@MonicaCrowley) April 18, 2022
But what about those people who already booked flights assuming all passengers and crew would be masked?
NEW FROM UNITED AIRLINES: “Effective immediately, masks are no longer required at United on domestic flights, select international flights (dependent upon the arrival country’s mask requirements) or at U.S. airports.”
— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) April 18, 2022
Hi @united.
When I bought my tickets for me, my wife (who is pregnant), and our unvaccinated 4-year-old, I assumed you would continue to have a mask mandate.
Now you cancel it and we will have to board our return flight under your new no mask required policy?!
Thanks so much.
— Jeremy Faust MD MS (ER physician) (@jeremyfaust) April 18, 2022
Thanks @united.
The idea of not waiting until “vaccine for all” (including kids under 5) is pretty much you just saying it’s cool if a few kids die so that you don’t have to enforce this for another month or two. https://t.co/mMfd0i5smK
— Jeremy Faust MD MS (ER physician) (@jeremyfaust) April 18, 2022
How many kids is “a few”? None?
The odd thing about my being disappointed in @united dropping its mask mandate is how many people who claim to love kids are totally cool with this meaning that a small number of babies will die of Covid, when we’re weeks away from a vaccinate for all ages over 6 months.
— Jeremy Faust MD MS (ER physician) (@jeremyfaust) April 18, 2022
Moral blackmail https://t.co/ACKNBG1faZ
— max (@MaxNordau) April 18, 2022
1) No one is preventing you or your family from wearing a mask.
2) Transmission on airplanes is incredibly low.
3) Why did you make that assumption given that the federal mask mandate was set to expire today up until last week? https://t.co/a2VzmKUZE5
— AG🌻 (@AGHamilton29) April 18, 2022
Also, irresponsible to keep saying such ridiculous things to scare people. Kids under 5 are at less risk of serious illness from Covid than vaccinated adults. & no evidence mask mandates on planes substantially reduce transmission. Just complete nonsense.https://t.co/EHDp5cYnyi
— AG🌻 (@AGHamilton29) April 18, 2022
You can all wear hazmat suits if you want. 'Murica. https://t.co/YhOXRUeLWF
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) April 18, 2022
Why even leave the house if you're that afraid?
— coykar (@karencoyne62) April 18, 2022
Why risk flying at all?
Blue check having a normal one
— Monica Dee Guerra 💟🤘 (@Mongu_please) April 18, 2022
Unvaccinated kids are less vulnerable than vaccinated adults, please stop with the hysterics
— ZimZam99 (@ChuckZ123) April 18, 2022
Kids dropping like flies. I mean, not really, but strong rhetoric bro.
— ☂️ Mister Loyal ☂️ ✝️ ☂️ (@MisterLoyalEsq) April 18, 2022
— Lanspresado (@Lanspresado2) April 18, 2022
Stay home clown 🤡
— Vianey Silver (@VianeySilver) April 18, 2022
There wouldn’t have been a vaccine for those under 5 even if the mask mandate had been extended. But we’ve been assured by Rachel Maddow and others that you can’t transmit the disease if you’ve been vaccinated, so there’s that.
* * *
Update:
This guy just won’t stop:
Imagine celebrating the deaths of a small number of kids so that you don’t have to wear a mask on a plane.
What happened to decency?
— Jeremy Faust MD MS (ER physician) (@jeremyfaust) April 18, 2022
Again: What small number? How small? Zero?
Related:
Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern unleashes his outrage over ‘power-drunk’ Trump-appointed federal judge who struck down travel mask mandate https://t.co/r9qas0Dh5i
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 18, 2022
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