With the COVID-19 vaccination program underway in the United States, health officials are beginning to revise the face mask guidelines for fully vaccinated passengers. Almost 10% of the United States population is already fully vaccinated. On Monday, the Disease Control Center (CDC) relaxed its face mask guidelines for these people. It is potentially good news for airlines and the airline industry.
Can’t fully vaccinated passengers wear masks on flights?
In the short term, travelers should not expect any immediate changes to facial coverage rules on United States airlines. Monday’s CDC updated public health guidelines for fully vaccinated people by relaxing the rules in three ways.
First, fully vaccinated people can visit other fully vaccinated people inside the home, without wearing masks or physical distance. This will not work on aircraft unless everyone else on that plane is fully vaccinated.
Second, fully vaccinated people can visit unvaccinated people from a single residence who are at low risk of contracting serious COVID-19 disease indoors, without wearing masks or physical distance.
Finally, fully vaccinated persons may abstain from quarantine and testing after known exposure, if asymptomatic.
Otherwise, the CDC says it is normal when it comes to masks. The CDC recommends that the masks remain in public spaces. This includes airport terminals or when mixing with groups of unvaccinated people from multiple families – this looks a lot like the passenger cabin of a typical aircraft.
The CDC continues to recommend that, in these environments, people continue to wear masks, practicing social detachment and good hygiene measures.
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The result is that the new CDC guidelines will not have much of an impact on face mask rules when taking a flight in the United States now. According to federal law, the use of a face mask is mandatory on all domestic flights in the United States.
“Federal law requires all travelers to wear a face mask at the airport, including customer service desks, airport waiting areas, gates and baggage claim, and on board throughout the flight,” says United Airlines. This is a repeated message on major airlines in the United States, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines.
However, the Airlines For America industry group welcomes the updated CDC guidelines. While it makes no immediate difference in the rules of member airlines, it is a trend in the right direction.
“Since the beginning of this crisis, US airlines have relied on science to help guide decisions, as they continually reassess and update their processes, procedures and protocols,”An Airlines for American spokesman told Simple Flying today.
“We continue to work with the CDC and other competent authorities to ensure that travel policies and measures that prioritize the safety and well-being of all passengers and employees are implemented.”
The CDC continues to urge people to avoid travel
The CDC continues to urge people to avoid travel and stay at home. The public health organization currently claims;
“Masks are required on airplanes, buses, trains and other forms of public transport that travel to, inside or outside the United States and in US transportation centers, such as airports and stations.”
The CDC reports that public transport environments, such as aircraft, can put a person at greater risk for COVID-19. This is not a message that airlines and industry groups like Airlines for America will want to hear.
Airlines for America argues that the risk of taking COVID-19 on a flight is very low. Despite the publicity surrounding the updated CDC guidelines, anyone about to board a plane in the United States will not see any change in the rules of the face mask.
What do you think? Should the CDC have gone further in its update and allowed fully vaccinated people not to use facial covers on airplanes? Post a comment and let us know.