Travel Tips Tuesday: To Mask or Not to Mask?

Although mask requirements and recommendations in the U.S. have eased over the last few weeks, as of June 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still states that masks should be worn any time you are traveling on a plane, bus, train, or other form of public transportation. That includes traveling into, within, or out of the U.S. and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.

Even though masks may not be necessary in the future, today they are just as important as ever to stop the spread of germs and disease. So this Tuesday, we’re bringing you quick tips, and the latest recommendations on when you should wear a mask in order to keep you and your family safe. For more information, always visit the CDC’s website directly at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

The Highlights:

• When you wear a mask, you protect others as well as yourself. Masks work best when everyone wears one.

• A mask is NOT a substitute for social distancing.

• Masks should completely cover the nose and mouth and fit snugly against the sides of face without gaps.

• Masks should be worn any time you are traveling on a plane, bus, train, or other form of public transportation, including airports.

• People aged 2 and older should wear masks in public settings.

• Masks may not be necessary when outside by yourself away from others.

If You Are Fully Vaccinated

You are considered fully vaccinated:

• 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or

• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

If you don’t meet these requirements, regardless of your age, you are NOT fully vaccinated. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated.

• You can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.

• If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.

• Each international destination has its own regulation/policies, always ask your Travel Concierge for more information before traveling outside the United States.

• You still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States.

• You should still get tested 3-5 days after international travel.

Types of Masks Recommended

• Medical procedure masks (sometimes referred to as surgical masks or disposable face masks).

• Masks that fit properly (snugly around the nose and chin with no large gaps around the sides of the face).

• Masks made with breathable fabric (such as cotton).

• Masks made with tightly woven fabric (i.e., fabrics that do not let light pass through when held up to a light source).

• Masks with two or three layers.

• Masks with inner filter pockets.

Types of Masks Not Recommended

• Masks that are made of fabric that makes it hard to breathe, for example, vinyl.

• Masks with single layer or made of thin fabric that don’t block light.

• Masks that have exhalation valves or vents which allow virus particles to escape.

• Wearing a scarf/ski mask.

Other Types of Face Protection

• CDC does not recommend using face shields or goggles as a substitute for masks.

• Goggles or other eye protection may be used in addition to a mask.

• Do NOT put a plastic face shield (or a mask) on newborns or infants.

• Face shields and goggles are primarily used to protect the eyes of the person wearing it.

• Goggles do not cover the nose and mouth.

• Face shields are not as effective at protecting you or the people around you from respiratory droplets, and are typically used by those who interact with deaf or hearing impaired persons, as a face shield is better than a mask when communicating.

Beard Gang Tips

Alternative options to shaving for people with beards:

• Use a mask fitter or brace.

• Wear one disposable mask underneath a cloth mask that has multiple layers of fabric. The second mask should push the edges of the inner mask snugly against the face and beard.

For more information, always visit the CDC’s website directly at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

###

See you in the Skies!