With a new mask mandate that requires facial coverage on all public transport, airplanes and federal buildings, clashes over masking are inevitable.
In New Jersey alone, two separate incidents have seen customers penalized not for refusing to use facial coverage, but on the contrary.
Brothers Rob and William Joseph were expelled from a United flight for wearing a Narwall facial respirator, according to NorthJersey.com.
The Narwall mask, which costs $ 85, includes a polycarbonate face shield and a secure airtight seal modeled after a diving mask.Courtesy of Narwall Mask
And a gym-goer was removed from his local Planet Fitness in Union for wearing a surgical mask instead of a cloth, according to New York’s ABC7.
Incidents of shoppers fighting store managers over mask policies have recently gone viral (even Bruce Willis chose this fight). However, few made headlines for using too much protection.
The Joseph brothers planned to board an 11 am flight to Florida on January 23, when United employees stopped them. They tried to explain that the $ 85 Narwall masks include a high-efficiency filter and are specially designed for high-risk situations, but were launched on the flight.
“Is silly? Absolutely. Is it something that you want to be seen in public? Not exactly, ”said Rob Joseph, a Mahwah native, of masks modeled from a snorkel headset, according to NorthJersey.com. “But, in order to have peace of mind for me and my family, I am willing to look for some to get there safely.”
The Narwall mask, which costs $ 85, includes a polycarbonate face shield and a secure airtight seal modeled after a diving mask.Courtesy of Narwall Mask
A United spokesman told NJ Advance Media that Narwall masks violated their mask policy.
“We do not accept this particular mask, as it could create certain impediments in emergency scenarios, such as preventing clear communication between customers and crew members,” said the spokesman.
At Union, no fancy helmet was involved. The contest at the academy was simply about tissue masks and surgical masks, both ubiquitous across the state.
Jordan Binenstock told ABC7 that he was refused at the door for wearing a surgical mask, the same type that he saw Governor Phil Murphy wear at his press conferences.
“It’s completely stupid, if you don’t mind me saying that,” said Binenstock, according to ABC7. “It just doesn’t make sense. All the time, it didn’t make sense.”
Unlike United, which maintains its stance, Planet Fitness tried a mea culpa.
“The safety and well-being of our team and members remains our number one priority,” says the statement from Planet Fitness sent to NJ Advance Media. “We can confirm that members and guests are allowed to wear disposable surgical masks at our New Jersey clubs, in accordance with local and state guidelines.”
The club was following state guidelines that specified cloth masks, which have since been updated to include the use of surgical masks, the statement said.
The August Murphy Executive Order that reopened the academies “requires workers and customers to wear cloth covers while inside the facility.”
However, further down, the same request also includes a stipulation that “nothing in the stated policy should prevent workers or customers from wearing a surgical-grade mask or other more protective facial cover if the individual is already in possession of that equipment.”
Even so, the club will allow surgical masks in the future.
“The management of the local club will contact Mr. Binenstock to apologize for the misunderstanding and we look forward to welcoming him back to Planet Fitness as a member,” said the company.
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