Anthony Fauci stated that Dr. Fauci cannot see the end in mask wear on planes, despite the fact that airline executives insisting the effectiveness of the air purification systems.
On Wednesday, Gary Kelly, the CEO of Southwest Airlines, said that that ‘masks don’t add much, if anything’ in fighting the spread of COVID-19 on airplanes.
Fauci, Joe Biden’s chief medical advisor, stated that he didn’t agree with Kelly. Kelly was positive on the same day as his Congress testimony.
Fauci was asked Sunday by ABC’s Meet the Press if he believed that the end to face-masks on airplanes is imminent. He replied, “I don’t believe so.”
He said, “I believe that when dealing with closed spaces, even though there is good filtration, you need to take that extra step.
“When you’re with people, you’ll know that a flight between Washington and San Francisco takes well more than five hours.
“Even though the masks you use are effective, it is still prudent to wear them.
On Sunday, Dr Anthony Fauci appeared on ABC’S This Week and stated that face masks are still required on airplanes.
Jonathan Karl asked Fauci if he believed that masks for planes would be obsolete soon. Fauci said, “I don’t believe so.”
Fauci explained that the federal mandate to ban facemasks from planes was in force since February. It will be maintained for as long as possible. This is an image of a plane taken in May 2020 before the mandate took effect.
A face mask is now an accepted standard for flying.
Fauci stated on NBC’s Meet the Press, however, that those who are fully vaccinated do not have to isolate if they come in contact with an infected individual.
Fauci stated, “If you have been vaccinated, and get exposed to the virus, then you do not need to isolate yourself.”
“Some people (do) and it is prudent that we get tested.”
Kelly, at 66, participated in Wednesday’s Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing entitled “Oversight of U.S. Airline Industry – Between American Airlines CEO Doug Parker, and United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby. They were both maskless for approximately three hours.
To Kirby’s right were John Laughter, Delta Air Line COO and Sara Nelson (President of the Association of Flight Attendants)
Kelly plans to retire early in 2022 and received a positive result from a test on Thursday. She had been experiencing mild symptoms.
Kelly was fully vaccinated, boosted and had been tested positive’multiple times’ before Wednesday’s hearing.
All four of the other panel members at the hearing — Parker, Kirby, Laughter and Nelson — tested negative on Friday and would continue to get tested and monitor for symptoms, CNBC reported.
The hearing heard from all four airlines executives who said that HEPA filters were protecting travelers.
Laughter is Delta’s Chief Operating Officer.
Kirby, United CEO, stated that the airplane was “the safest place you can be insides.”
American Airlines CEO Parker said: “The airplane is the most secure place you could be.”
Yet Nelson, who represents more than 50,000 flight attendants at 17 airlines, said the filtration was useful, but that other layers of protection were also essential.
“So, it’s important to understand that the safe controlled atmosphere on the airplane is a multilayered safety protocol that includes sanitation and service procedures, as well as HEPA filtering that’s not available on every aircraft. It also includes all people wearing masks.
Nelson noted that HEPA filtering is not available on all aircraft and not all passengers have been vaccinated.
As news broke about Kelly’s diagnosis and many people began to question his wisdom in downplaying the importance of wearing face masks, Delta CEO Ed Bastien, who wasn’t present at the hearing, told CNBC that he disagreed with other executives on the issue of masks.
Bastien stated that masks will be an important safeguard because of the possibility of omicron entering our country again.
Parker will then be able to see his Instagram position.
He wrote, “I agree with my fellow CEOs on the fact that being aboard a plane has been proven to be safe and healthy inside,”
“I said, “I agree” and we then spoke about air quality.
“I did not mention federal mask mandates, nor masks. But my concurrence was unclear and I am responsible for my inconsistency.
“We support federal mask mandate. Stop.
“It was prepared by the TSA in consultation with CDC, other experts and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of customers and employees.