Social media has flooded with rage-filled posts from liberals frustrated that a Donald Trump appointed judge rescinded the coronavirus era mandate requiring face masks be worn on public transit.
Doctors taking to Twitter in wake of the news slammed the move to lift the policy, with one vowing never to fly again and another arguing unmasked flights will kill children.
Boston-based emergency room physician Dr. Jeremy Faust, who was angered that United Airlines changed its mask policy in the middle of his vacation, said not waiting until kids under five could get vaccinated to lift the policy was the equivalent of airlines saying ‘it’s cool if a few kids die so that you don’t have to enforce this for another month or two.’
‘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,’ he wrote, airing his frustrations online.
Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, a Washington DC area epidemiologist and health economist, expressed similar concerns, comparing the mask-optional policy to that of now nonexistent smoking sections in public places. He also vowed to boycott airlines who lift their mask mandates.
‘Smoking and nonsmoking parts of the plane? Peeing and nonpeeing parts of the swimming pool? That’s like the coronavirus on an airplane,’ he wrote, adding: ‘I will not be flying @AlaskaAir until they reinstate public safety measures against #COVID19. #BoycottAlaskaAir.’
US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa, Florida struck down the mask mandate Monday, arguing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) overstepped its authority in issuing the order and that its continued enforcement was illegal.
Emergency room physician Dr. Jeremy Faust (left) and epidemiologist Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding (right) took to social media to slam airlines for rescinding mask mandates. The medical experts alleged removing mask mandates will result in the death of children and a COVID case spike
Social media has flooded with rage-filled posts from liberals frustrated that a federal judge rescinded the threw out the public transportation mask mandate. Both unmasked and masked passengers are pictured on an Atlanta-bound Delta flight Tuesday
The abrupt removal of the COVID-19 measure, which caused many airline passengers and crew to erupt with cheer, has left progressive Americans fearful about whether it’s really safe to end one of the most visible vestiges of the pandemic.
Feigel-Ding, in his rage-fueled rant, argued that dropping mask mandates on planes would cause a spike in COVID positivity rates.
He pointed to a data from the UK alleging that within two weeks of the country dropping its face covering requirement many pilots and flight attendants contracted the virus and were unable to work, prompting the cancellation of 120 flights.
‘Don’t let what happened in the UK happen in the US,’ the doctor urged. ‘It was utter chaos at British airports the other week with pilots, flight crew, and airport workers sick and unable to serve flights. Don’t say @AlaskaAir wasn’t warned!’
He also argued the virus was continuing to kill mass amounts of people daily and seemingly blamed the airlines for contributing to these alleged fatalities.
‘For those coming here to mock and laugh at scientists, 20 million people and 5.2 million orphaned kids aren’t laughing,’ the epidemiologist wrote.
In a rage-fueled Twitter rant, Feigel-Ding detailed why he believed removing masks would not only be chaotic for airlines, but also a risk to public health
Faust, who like Feigel-Ding is outraged by the ruling, was incredibly disappointed in how quickly the airlines rescinded the policy, with some even doing so mid-flight.
He, along with several others, felt it was unprofessional of the airlines not to provide customers and employees ample time to prepare for mask changes.
‘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,’ he wrote. ‘Now you cancel it and we will have to board our return flight under your new no mask required policy?! Thanks so much.’
He also addressed the footage circulating social media that showed airline passengers and staff sheering as they got the ok to throw away their masks.
‘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?’ the physician questioned.
Faust’s criticism of the speed of the mandate change was was echoed by Sara Nelson, the president of the flight attendants’ union, who discussed the policy on Squawk Box Tuesday morning.
‘It is not right that we would change in a moment’s notice yesterday because there were people who got on the plane with a certain set of rules. They decided to buy a ticket with that certain set of rules and mid-flight or when they were landing those rules changed,’ she said. ‘They should have at least been a 24-hour period where we are giving notice. That would have been more orderly for the flight crews.’
Faust alleged the airlines were responsible for killing children by lifting mask mandates
Faust also criticized airline passengers and staff who cheered as they got the ok to throw away their masks. ‘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?’ he said. A Los Angeles flight is pictured Monday after passengers learned they could remove their masks
Other travelers are pushing airlines to offer mask-only flights for crew and passengers who do not feel safe around unmasked individuals.
‘I am literally begging companies to make all mask flights and cars, if they won’t mandate a full masking policy,’ tweeted New York-based journalist Rotem Rusak. ‘Like a smoking room or car or something. You don’t want to wear a mask great, you can be on the non masked flights.’
‘Has anyone suggested to airlines that they offer some flights only for people who wish to retain mask use? Is this feasible?’ questioned author and podcaster Mary O’Hara. ‘If not, why not? What about on busy routes with multiple flights per day? I would actively look for and book those flights.’
Some passengers even suggested they would solely give their flight business to any airline that decided to keep its mask mandate in place despite Judge Mizelle’s ruling.
‘Honestly any airline CEO who came out right now and said “as a private business who sets our own policies on our planes we will continue to protect our most vulnerable travelers by requiring masks” at LEAST during boarding/takeoff and landing would have my business for life,’ playwright Claire Willett wrote.
‘Even if it was tied to the seatbelt light, like as soon as you’re in the air you can take it off to eat and drink, because that’s when the air filtration is at its best, and then you put it back on again for descent and to exit the plane, that would be a better option than this,’ she added.
‘If some airline continued to require masks I would only fly that airline. It’s a good business opportunity and I hope one of them does it,’ Twitter user @rzschinderman said.
‘OK which airline is going to step up & be the masks one so we (with our unvaxxable 4yo) can give you all our business?’ asked Partners for Justice Founder Emily Galvin-Almanza. ‘I have to go to FL for work next month. No way am I sitting in a covid tube with unmaskers and bringing whatever home to kid.’
Several progressives took to Twitter airing out their frustrations with the ruling. Some voiced how they would continue to wear masks on flights while others called for mask-only routes
‘I feel so disgusted and angry our society can’t do the bare minimum of public safety. It was scary enough to fly last year when everyone was still required to wear masks,’ wrote illustrator Bree Lundberg. ‘But without mandates, no way I want to get on a plane. I just wish I could safely go see my family.’
Although Monday’s ruling gave individual airlines and airports the option to keep their mask rules in place, in they see fit, so far all major US carriers have chosen to scrap the mandate.
The White House and Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which manages passengers at airports, also said they won’t challenge Mizelle’s ruling, meaning the mask mandate has now officially ended.
However, the fact that mask policies are optional means directives that could vary from city to city.
For example, passengers traveling from Houston to Chicago could ditch their masks at their departing airport and on the plane, but have to put them back on once they land at O’Hare International, which has elected to keep its mask mandate in place.
Although Monday’s ruling gave individual airlines and airports the option to keep their mask rules in place, in they see fit, so far all major US carriers have chosen to scrap the mandate. Travelers are pictured Tuesday in line at a security checkpoint at Logan International Airport in Boston
The White House and TSA, which manages passengers at airports, also said they won’t challenge Mizelle’s ruling, meaning the mask mandate has now officially ended. However, the fact that mask policies are optional means directives that could vary from city to city. Airline passengers are pictured at San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday
Additionally, the removal of the mask mandate does not force any traveler to fly without a face covering and, in fact, are encouraged to do so if they please.
‘Sitting for several hours in a tight, enclosed space with 200 coughing, breathing, sneezing strangers?’ writer Charlotte Clymer said. ‘Yeah, I’m gonna keep wearing my mask on flights for the foreseeable future, and that’s all I have to say about that.’
‘We may want to be done with COVID, but forcing our way through it is myopic & frankly ridiculous. People are still getting sick, going to hospitals, & dying. We need primary prevention, like masks +vaccines,’ said Dr. Saskia Popescu. ‘Personally, I’ll continue to wear a mask on airplanes & pubtranspo.’
‘As someone who lives much of their life on an airplane, I want to assure anyone who comes in contact with me that I will continue to wear a mask in hopes of protecting myself and those around me. I believe that every little bit helps,’ Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir tweeted. ‘This thing is still real, & still killing.’
