Swine Flu, just in case

[LindseyKaufman]

I would like some advice. I am leaving on Saturday, heading back to the U.S. Should I wear a face mask on the plane? Would that be over reacting or would that be considered sensible preventative action? A friend commented that he thought that I would not be allowed to enter the airport wearing a mask.

Just want to know the right thing to do.

Lindsey

 

[MikeFisher]

Lindsey,
not to enter a US airport wearing a mask to stay save from the viruses flying around there???
that would violate so many human rights to self defense that i can not count 'em.
are you a US citizen?
if yes, bring your mask and at the moment a official there forces you to take it down sneeze in his face and sue the whole gubmin there.
heck, from the actual point of view if any action taken it would be that we do not allow anybody from there to come over here without passing a prior 2-3 days of quarantine and present that "clean" certificate upon arrival together with the properly filled in tourist visa form and the entrance fee in exact money handy, lol.
have a great trip,
s'y' back soon
Mike

 

[IslandDreaming]

Lindsay

My Brother In Law is a "bomb" specialist with Homeland Security attached to TSA and I asked him about the mask; TSA can require you to remove any type of head drees, apparatus or item that would make identification difficult, in other words they (TSA) would likely ask you to raise/lower the mask long enough to compare with passport

Your "rights" are superseded by the need to protect the general public

The other issue raised is to "wearing a mask to stay save from the viruses flying around " is a bit erroneous also, the mask is to prevent YOU from spreading the disease by sneezing or coughing, it affords absolutely no protection against the microbes of the disease

As for"violations of rights," try walking into a bank with a mask on and see how quickly you get "violated" :cheeky:

I would like some advice. I am leaving on Saturday, heading back to the U.S. Should I wear a face mask on the plane? Would that be over reacting or would that be considered sensible preventative action? A friend commented that he thought that I would not be allowed to enter the airport wearing a mask.

Just want to know the right thing to do.

Lindsey

 

[LindseyKaufman]

Thanks for the great responses, Mike and Island Dreaming.

So if I am understanding this correctly, since I don't have swine flu, the mask will do no good in protecting me from another nearby person who may have it? The mask is only to protect others from me?

I didn't realize that! If that is the case, then I have no reason to wear a mask!

Lindsey

 

[IslandDreaming]

Lindsay:

I'm sure not a Doctor and don't want to steer you wrong or have you depend on my advice, but the tight fitting "respirator" type masks if worn over nose and mouth "constantly" may and I repeat "may" provide some resistance to the flu, according to CDC

These are the heavy occlusive type fiber masks, NOT the surgical masks you see people on the news wearing, and even their effectiveness is suspect and are very uncomfortable to wear causing breathing difficulty

Good luck with your trip

Wheels up at 1300, anyone for a beer at Rocky's tomorrow afternoon?

Thanks for the great responses, Mike and Island Dreaming.

So if I am understanding this correctly, since I don't have swine flu, the mask will do no good in protecting me from another nearby person who may have it? The mask is only to protect others from me?

I didn't realize that! If that is the case, then I have no reason to wear a mask!

Lindsey

 

[nsgirl]

Here in Canada they are saying that only health care workers, someone caring for a person who is infected and infected people should wear masks. Even then, they say that it offers little protection. You could also contract a flu virus through your eyes, so I guess that means you should wear goggles as well...
There were 4 more cases confirmed in N.S. yesterday and again they are all mild. The difference is that this time some of the cases are people who haven`t been to Mexico. It was bound to happen as the kids originally infected are all in a boarding school...
There was a girl on TV last night from N.B. who tested positive and she seemed to be doing pretty good...
I`m hoping and praying that this will all subside soon and doesn`t progress with cases getting worse but I guess only time will tell.The media and press releases from the WHO make it hard to stay positive.

 

[MikeFisher]

yeap,
let's hope that the cases brought out of mexico stay mild.
in case of the masks,
yes, they are recommended to protect others to get infected by the person which is wearing the mask, but even not beeing a doctor, if somebody infected who does not wear a mask is sneezing near/in front of me a mask on my own face would also protect myself to inhale what is flying throu the air at that moment. of course there are other possibilities to get it like the ears, over your hands on a bathroom facility aso aso, to stay 10% save we would need to stay at home, not open the door, don't do shopping aso aso. at least at crowded places like an airport/airplane/train/subway aso hand sanitizers and a mask the best/only protection we can use.
of course i know that you woulod not be allowed to enter a bank over there with a mask over your face, you would get shot to do so here on the Island, that's kidding around and has nothing to do with a serious theme.
when entering customs at a airport, any airport, sure that officer wanna see your face without a mask, and i guess he will not zneeze in your face while you lift it up, in a responsible country that customs officer should be wearing a mask to check people's face and compare it with their passportfoto, but while you stay in line of that customs desk and afterwards while you are at the crowded spot to await your luggage coming in a mask could not do any bad to you, even that it sure will not be a 100% allaround protection, but we should use the lil bit of protection available.
Mike

 

[robbinsa]

swine flu

So there have been no cases of swine flu in the DR so far??

 

[tflea]

No, there haven't.

 

[Alyonka]

Have you, guys, read in the news? 33 year old woman from Texas, teacher, who just became a mother of a baby girl, died? This is the very first death in the US.

 

[MikeFisher]

saw that on the news last night, very tragic.
Mike

 

[Lambada]

From today's DR1 News:
Continued caution over flu
'Dominican health officials continue to prepare for the possibility of AH1N1 virus affecting the DR. The Dominican Medical Association (CMD) is asking the Ministry of Public Health to increase its efforts at the nation's ports and airports, where thermographs have been installed. The Ministry also announced that beginning today it would launch an educational campaign in the nation's universities.'

From today's Diario Libre:
Cuestionan manejo de posible caso del virus AH1N1 - DiarioLibre.com

Good intentions but questionable practice.

 

[mike l]

Have you, guys, read in the news? 33 year old woman from Texas, teacher, who just became a mother of a baby girl, died? This is the very first death in the US.

This was very saddening as we as a society regard teachers in high esteem, with all of the moral and ethical virtues we would instill upon our future generations to follow.