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Masked robbers target Windsor Castle

Two masked men have targeted Windsor Castle and took off with two vehicles that were stored in a barn. The men used a stolen truck to break through a security gate at night and then scaled a two-metre fence to gain entry into the royal grounds. According to reports by The Sun, King Charles and Queen Camilla were not at Windsor at the time, but it is believed Prince William and his family were residing in Adelaide Cottage, part of the Windsor Castle estate. The cottage is five minutes away from where the break-in occurred, and the family are regularly seen using the wrecked gate, the nearest exit to their home. Local police were called to a report of a burglary on Crown Estate land in Windsor, west of London, just before midnight on October 13th. “Offenders entered a farm building and made off with a black Isuzu pick-up and a red quad bike. They then made off towards the Old Windsor/Datchet area,” Thames Valley Police told the newspaper. “No arrests have been made at this stage and an investigation is ongoing.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Legal

Yes, masks reduce the risk of spreading COVID, despite a review saying they don’t

The question of whether and to what extent face masks work to prevent respiratory infections such as COVID and influenza has split the scientific community for <a href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2007-03-06-0703060040-story.html">decades</a>. Although there is strong evidence face masks <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020748920301139?via%3Dihub">significantly reduce transmission of such infections</a> both in health-care settings and in the community, some experts do not agree. An updated <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006207.pub6/full">Cochrane Review</a> published last week is the latest to suggest face masks don’t work in the community. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "Wearing masks in the community probably makes little or no difference to the outcome of laboratory‐confirmed influenza/SARS‐CoV‐2 compared to not wearing masks"<a href="https://twitter.com/CochraneLibrary?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CochraneLibrary</a> Review. Published: 30 January 2023 <a href="https://t.co/zODu6QEF1M">https://t.co/zODu6QEF1M</a> <a href="https://t.co/c26yHPaSCD">pic.twitter.com/c26yHPaSCD</a> — Robin Monotti (@robinmonotti) <a href="https://twitter.com/robinmonotti/status/1620311528523304960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2023</a></blockquote> However there are problems with the review’s methodology and its underpinning assumptions about transmission. The Cochrane Review combined randomised controlled trials (RCTs) using <a href="https://ebn.bmj.com/content/16/1/3">meta-analysis</a>. RTCs test an intervention in one group and compare it with a “control” group that doesn’t receive the intervention or receives a different intervention. A meta-analysis pools the results of multiple studies. This approach assumes (a) RCTs are the “best” evidence and (b) combining results from multiple RCTs will give you an average “effect size”. But RCTs are only the undisputed gold standard for certain kinds of questions. For other questions, a mix of study designs is better. And RCTs should be combined in a meta-analysis only if they are all addressing the same research question in the same way. Here are some reasons why the conclusions of this Cochrane Review are misleading. <h2>It didn’t consider how COVID spreads and how masks work</h2> COVID, along with influenza and many other respiratory diseases, is transmitted primarily <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-how-the-disease-moves-through-the-air-173490">through the air</a>. Respirators (such as N95s) are designed and regulated to prevent airborne infections by fitting <a href="https://theconversation.com/high-filtration-masks-only-work-when-they-fit-so-we-created-a-new-way-to-test-if-they-do-155987">closely to the face</a> to prevent air leakage and by filtering out 95% or more of potential infectious particles. In contrast, surgical masks are designed to prevent splatter of fluid on the face and are loose-fitting, causing unfiltered air to leak in through the gaps around the mask. The filtration of a surgical mask is not regulated. In other words, respirators are designed for respiratory protection and cloth and surgical masks are not. The review starts with an assumption that masks provide respiratory protection, which is flawed. An understanding of these differences should inform both studies and reviews of those studies. <h2>The studies addressed quite different questions</h2> A common mistake in meta-analysis is to combine apples and oranges. If apples work but oranges don’t, combining all studies in a single average figure may lead to the conclusion that apples do not work. This Cochrane Review combined RCTs where face masks or respirators were worn part of the time (for example, when caring for patients with known COVID or influenza: “occasional” or “targeted” use) with RCTs where they were worn at all times (“continuous use”). Because both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses are airborne, an unmasked person could be infected anywhere in the building and even after an infectious patient has left the room, especially since some people have <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2109229118">no symptoms</a> while contagious. Most RCTs of masks and N95s included in the review have not had a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/184819">control arm</a> – therefore finding no difference could indicate equal efficacy or equal inefficacy. <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2749214">Studies</a> examining wearing a surgical mask or respirator (such as an N95) only when in contact with sick people or when doing a high-risk procedure (occasional use) have generally shown that, when worn in this way, there is no difference. An RCT comparing occasional versus continuous use of respirators in health care workers <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.201207-1164OC?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubme">showed</a> N95 respirators and surgical masks were equally ineffective when only worn occasionally by hospital workers. They had to wear them all the time at work to be protected. We also combined only apples and apples in a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/irv.12474">meta-analysis</a> of two RCTs conducted in exactly the same way and measuring the same interventions and outcomes. We found N95 respirators provide significant protection against respiratory infections when surgical masks did not, even against infections assumed to be “droplet spread”. <h2>Most trials addressed only half the question</h2> Face masks and respirators work in two ways: they protect the wearer from becoming infected and they prevent an infected wearer from spreading their germs to other people. Most RCTs in this Cochrane Review looked only at the former scenario, not the latter. In other words, the researchers had asked people to wear masks and then tested to see if those people became infected. A previous <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20092668/">systematic review</a> found face masks worn by sick people during an influenza epidemic reduced the risk of them transmitting the infection to family members or other carers. Preventing an infection in one person also prevents onward transmission to others within a closed setting, which means such RCTs should use a special method called “cluster randomisation” to account for this. Data from a RCT of N95 respirator use by <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0300060516665491?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org">health workers</a> showed even their unmasked colleagues were protected. Yet some of the trials included in the review did not use cluster randomisation. <h2>The new paper combined health and community settings</h2> This is another apples-plus-oranges issue. Different settings have widely differing risks of transmission, since airborne particles build up when sick patients are exhaling the virus in <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-where-and-how-you-are-most-likely-to-catch-covid-new-study-174473">underventilated, crowded settings</a> especially if many infected people are present (such as in a hospital). <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Here’s where (and how) you are most likely to catch COVID – new study <a href="https://t.co/Ro88Shc897">https://t.co/Ro88Shc897</a> <a href="https://t.co/TlFA9EQskF">pic.twitter.com/TlFA9EQskF</a> — Jeffrey J Davis (@JeffreyJDavis) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffreyJDavis/status/1484210379093954564?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2022</a></blockquote> A genuine protective effect of masks or respirators shown in a RCT in a high-risk setting will be obscured if that trial is combined in a meta-analysis with several other RCTs that were conducted in low-risk settings. A large <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abi9069">RCT in the community in Bangladesh</a> found face masks reduced the risk of infection by 11% overall and 35% in people over 60 years. In contrast, in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/irv.12474">hospitals</a>, N95 reduce risk by 67% against bacterial infections and 54% against viral infections. Viruses like influenza also vary substantially from year to year – some years there is very little influenza, and if a RCT is conducted during such a year, it will not find enough infections to show a difference. The review failed to account for such seasonal effects. <h2>But did they actually wear the mask?</h2> The authors of the Cochrane Review acknowledged compliance with masking advice was poor in most studies. In the real world, we can’t force people to follow medical advice, so RCTs should be analysed on an “intention to treat” basis. For example, people who are prescribed the active drug but who choose not to take it should not be shifted to the placebo group for the analysis. But if in a study of masking, most people don’t actually wear them, you can’t conclude that masks don’t work when the study shows no difference between the groups. You can only conclude that the mask advice didn’t work in this study. There is a great deal of <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0246317">psychological evidence</a> on why people do or don’t choose to comply with advice to mask and how to improve uptake. The science of masking needs to separate the impact of the mask itself from the impact of the advice to mask. Mask-wearing <a href="https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(21)00274-5/fulltext">goes up</a> substantially to over 70% if there is an actual mandate in place. <h2>It didn’t include other types of research</h2> A comprehensive review of the evidence would also include other types of study besides RCTs. For example, a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673620311429">large systematic review</a> of 172 various study designs, which included 25,697 patients with SARS-CoV-2, SARS, or MERS, concluded masks were effective in preventing transmission of respiratory viruses. Well-designed <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7106e1.htm?s_cid=mm7106e1_w">real-world studies</a> during the pandemic showed any mask reduces the risk of COVID transmission by 50–80%, with the highest protection offered by N95 respirators. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20095070/">Many lab-based studies</a> have shown respirators are superior to masks at preventing airborne respiratory infections and the <a href="https://thorax.bmj.com/content/75/11/1024.long">incremental superiority</a> from a single to two layered cloth mask to a three-layered surgical mask in blocking respiratory aerosols. <h2>Yes, masks reduce the spread of COVID</h2> There is strong and consistent evidence for the effectiveness of masks and (even more so) respirators in protecting against respiratory infections. Masks are an important protection against serious infections. Current COVID vaccines protect against death and hospitalisation, but do <a href="https://fortune.com/well/2023/01/06/kraken-xbb15-omicron-covid-variant-most-transmissible-yet-could-spawn-more-immune-evasive-variants-study-china-vaccine-monoclonal-antibodies-breakthrough-infection/">not prevent infection</a> well due to waning vaccine immunity and substantial immune escape from new variants. A systematic review is only as good as the rigour it employs in combining similar studies of similar interventions, with similar measurement of outcomes. When very different studies of different interventions are combined, the results are not informative. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-masks-reduce-the-risk-of-spreading-covid-despite-a-review-saying-they-dont-198992" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Body

COVID-19 virus-detecting mask can alert of exposure via your smartphone

Move over <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/covid/rise-of-rapid-antigen-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">inaccurate RATs</a>. Get out of my nose and throat PCR swab tests. There’s a new method of COVID-19 detection and it’s wearable. A research team from Tongji University in China, has created a face mask that can detect COVID-19 (as well as other common respiratory viruses such as colds and influenza) and send an alert to your smartphone. The mask is highly sensitive, with the inbuilt sensor able to detect the virus <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/lets-clear-the-air-on-ventilation-cosmos-weekly-taster/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in the air</a> after only ten minute’s exposure at extremely low concentrations – far less than produced by sneezing, coughing or talking. “Previous research has shown face mask wearing can reduce the risk of spreading and contracting the disease. So, we wanted to create a mask that can detect the presence of virus in the air and alert the wearer,” says Yin Fang, an author of the study and a material scientist at Shanghai Tongji University. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p214217-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> The sensor on the mask has tiny synthetic molecules – called ‘aptamers’ – which are able to be tweaked to detect proteins unique to specific pathogens, such as SARS-Cov-2, H5N1 (colloquially known as ‘bird flu’) and H1N1 (‘swine flu’). Once the aptamer detects the virus, the sensor amplifies the signal via a specialised component known as an <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344400852_Ion-Gated_Transistor_An_Enabler_for_Sensing_and_Computing_Integration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ion-gate transistor</a> (which is highly sensitive and able to detect very low voltage signals) and sends an alert to the user’s phone. “Our mask would work really well in spaces with poor ventilation, such as elevators or enclosed rooms, where the <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/covid-ventilation-standards/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">risk of getting infected is high</a>,” Fang says. The device is also highly customisable and can be swiftly modified to detect new and emerging threats. This is not the first time <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/smart-masks-to-detect-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘smart masks’ have been created</a> to detect COVID-19, but what sets these devices apart is their sensitivity and ‘tunability’ to different viruses. The team is working on reducing the detection time and increasing the sensitivity of their devices. In the future, they hope the technology could be expanded to further applications and wearables for other conditions such as cancers and heart diseases. “Currently, doctors have been relying heavily on their experiences in diagnosing and treating diseases. But with richer data collected by wearable devices, disease diagnosis and treatment can become more precise,” Fang says. <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=214217&title=COVID-19+virus-detecting+mask+can+alert+of+exposure+via+your+smartphone" width="1" height="1" /> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/covid-19-detecting-mask-smartphone/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/clare-kenyon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clare Kenyon</a>. Clare Kenyon is a science journalist for Cosmos. An ex-high school teacher, she is currently wrangling the death throes of her PhD in astrophysics, has a Masters in astronomy and another in education. Clare also has diplomas in music and criminology and a graduate certificate of leadership and learning. Image: Getty Images </div>

Technology

Baby wearing face mask on flight causes outrage online

A photograph of a baby wearing a surgical face mask on a recent Air New Zealand has sparked a fierce online debate. <div id="story-body"> The photograph, which was taken on a flight from Auckland to Wellington on July 1st, shows the child wearing an adult-sized mask across its entire face, with holes cut out for the eyes. Jandre Opperman, who snapped the viral image and shared it on Instagram, told the <a title="www.nzherald.co.nz" href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/covid-19-omicron-outbreak-baby-in-full-face-mask-on-air-nz-flight-sparks-debate/RLWMCSYTHODKQJJPWRMD32PGAU/">New Zealand Herald</a> it was a “super-sweet interaction”. He said, “The baby was full of joy, jumping around and giggling away. It made the wait to get off the plane a bit more entertaining.” As the post gained traction, a slew of negative comments arose from those who saw the masking as unsafe and indicative of an over-reaction towards wearing masks. Comments flooded in from those who said the image was “so incredibly sad” and was a display of “child abuse”. “If I saw this on a flight I’d remove the mask from her myself,” said one irate commenter. “Babies need air to develop,” noted another, rather understating the importance of breathing. Another said it was “dangerous to cover their breathing holes like this”. Opperman disagreed with the flood of online haters, saying the mask wasn’t tight and the mum was attentive to the child and was ensuring its wellbeing. “I think it was a mix of having a laugh, and trying her best to protect her child with the equipment available to her,” he said. Other commenters agreed, joking that the baby’s raised fist was just “to assure you there’s enough holes and gaps in the mask to breathe properly and don’t be a Karen and complain about a picture on Facebook.” “Must be training as a superhero lol! The world is not yet ready for SuperBaby,” said another in jest. Image credits: Instagram </div>

Travel Trouble

“It’s emotional and scary”: White Island eruption survivor removes her face mask

A survivor of the 2019 White Island volcano eruption who suffered burns to 70 percent of her body has finally been able to remove her face mask. Stephanie Browitt was visiting New Zealand’s northeastern Bay of Plenty region with her sister and father, who were both among the 22 people who died in the eruption. Her road to recovery has been a long and difficult one, which she has shared on social media with more than 1.6 million followers. Appearing on Nine’s 60 Minutes, Stephanie removed her compression mask for the first time, telling host Sarah Abo that it was a “big deal” and that it felt like “this day would never come”. “It’s emotional and scary. It is actually quite daunting as much as it is exciting,” she said. Looking in the mirror, Stephanie said she saw a woman who was tougher than she ever thought she could be. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/steph8.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="721" /> Image: 60 Minutes “I see a person who has gone through so much more than I ever expected to go through in life. I see a very tormented person,” she continued. As much as this is exciting, it has been a long, hard journey to get here. I am tougher than I ever thought I would be. “I have learnt that the fight for survival is a real thing. I was literally fighting every day to survive, to just get back to being myself. I never knew that I had this in me.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CedLNM1vrna/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CedLNM1vrna/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Stephanie Coral Browitt (@stephaniecoral96)</a> </div> </blockquote> Sunday’s episode also showed never-before-seen photos of Stephanie’s injuries, revealing the extent of the severe burns that covered almost her whole body. Stephanie told the program that she remembers waking up for the first time since the incident, after she was in a coma for two weeks, in bits and pieces. “I was full of tubes and surrounded by medical equipment and in a very small room with lots of noises. Those things will always stay with me, I don’t think they will ever leave. It’s just things you don’t forget,” the 26-year-old said. She said her recovery had been extremely difficult, especially in the early stages. I had to start from scratch like a baby. Sitting upright, getting out of bed, taking my first few steps, even feeding myself – I had to relearn all of those skills from scratch and they didn’t come easy at all,” she said. “It was incredibly difficult. “There have been plenty of moments where I have wanted to give up, or I have just been in tears not wanting to do anything. But I do feel I have come a long way from day one.” Stephanie is now in the process of suing Royal Caribbean, the company that ran the excursion to the island on the day of the eruption, over the physical and psychological injuries she has suffered. Her lawyer, Peter Gordan, claimed that data from the weeks prior showed that the island was a “ticking time bomb”. “It makes me furious. They let down so many people … So many people died needlessly,” he said. “I think Steph’s injuries are the worst I have ever seen. I don’t think I have ever met quite an exceptional person in the way she has battled on.” Despite the hardship she has - and continues - to overcome, Stephanie is looking to the future, telling 60 Minutes she hopes to “go back to as normal a life as possible” and plans to return to working full-time, travelling and her social life. “I know I have got the support of so many people, and that helps me realise that this isn’t as scary as I feel it is,” she said. Image: @stephaniecoral96 (Instagram)

Caring

Want to cut your chance of catching COVID on a plane? Wear a mask and avoid business class

A Florida court recently <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-19/florida-judge-voids-us-mask-mandate-for-planes-other-travel/100998116">overturned mask mandates</a> on planes in the United States, saying the directive was unlawful. That decision is now <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/covid19-masks-on-us-flights-justice-department-appeals-easing-of-rules/a960d39c-dff4-4198-935c-c5b5c5b40551">under appeal</a>. Before that, Australian comedian Celeste Barber <a href="https://twitter.com/djokaymegamixer/status/1514836909620572162">told her social media followers</a> a passenger sitting next to her on a recent flight took off her mask to sneeze. So wearing masks on planes to limit the spread of COVID is clearly a hot-button issue. As we return to the skies more than two years into the pandemic, what is the risk of catching COVID on a plane? And does it really matter where on the plane you are? <h2>So many variables</h2> It’s impossible to give a precise answer about your risk of catching COVID on a plane as there are so many variables. For instance, not all countries and <a href="https://twitter.com/British_Airways/status/1503729049050353665">airlines</a> require passengers to wear masks or <a href="https://www.nationalworld.com/lifestyle/travel/where-can-i-travel-without-a-vaccine-countries-that-allow-unvaccinated-passengers-and-entry-requirements-3528913">be vaccinated</a>. Some countries and airlines require a negative COVID test within a certain timeframe before flying, others have <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/covid19/vaccinated-travellers/temporary-visa-holders/leaving-australia">scrapped that requirement</a> entirely. Then there are different rules that may apply if you’re flying domestically or internationally, or <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/international-travel/proof-of-vaccination">leaving or entering</a> a country. That’s before we start talking about the virus itself. We know more recent variants have emerged (Omicron and the sub-variant BA.2, for example), that are <a href="https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/critical-intelligence-unit/sars-cov-2-variants">much more easily transmitted</a> than the original virus or the Delta variant. We don’t know how transmissible future variants or sub-variants will be. So we can only talk in general terms about the risk of catching COVID on a plane. All up, your risk <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893921001745">is very low</a>, but the measures airlines put in place help achieve that. You can also reduce your personal risk further in a number of ways. <h2>Air flow and HEPA filters</h2> Air flow is designed to largely <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893920304117">travel vertically</a>, from the ceiling to the floor, to reduce the potential spread of contaminated air through the plane. The height of the seats acts as a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8013760/">partial barrier</a> to air movement from rows in front and behind you. Cabin air is also replaced <a href="https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2443/2020/10/HSPH-APHI-Phase-One-Report.pdf">every two to three minutes</a> with a half-half mix of recycled and fresh air. To see <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7588538/">how this works in real life</a>, researchers looked at how the virus spread on a long-haul flight when an infected person (the index case) sat in business class. Twelve of 16 people who were infected on the plane sat within a few rows of this person; another was a flight attendant. This suggests limited spread of contaminated air through the rest of the plane. Recycled air is also filtered through high-efficiency particulate air (or HEPA) filters. These remove <a href="https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2443/2020/10/HSPH-APHI-Phase-One-Report.pdf">more than 99%</a> of viral particles, further reducing the risk of droplet or airborne transmission. <h2>Masks</h2> Well fitted masks or respirators (worn properly) can reduce your risk of contracting COVID on a flight. That’s why many airlines say wearing a mask is a condition of flying. For example, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ina.12979">modelling</a> of several known transmission events on planes demonstrates an advantage if both the infected person and others around them wear masks. <h2>Vaccination</h2> Some countries, such as Australia, require entering travellers to be <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/international-travel/proof-of-vaccination">fully vaccinated</a>. This <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(21)00648-4/fulltext">lowers the risk</a> of someone becoming sick with COVID. <h2>Pre-flight COVID testing</h2> Not all flights require a negative COVID test before boarding. For those that do, the time frame before a flight varies, as does the type of test required. However, we know tests do not detect every single COVID case. A range of factors can influence test sensitivity (ability to detect COVID). These include the type and <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia">brand</a> of test you take, whether you have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8761676/">symptoms</a>, your <a href="https://ebm.bmj.com/content/early/2022/01/04/bmjebm-2021-111828">age</a>, and the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8761676/">viral variant</a>. You can also still test negative two days before a flight and catch COVID in the meantime. <h2>Sanitisation</h2> Airlines may do additional cleaning of high-touch areas, and overnight disinfection, to reduce the spread of COVID through touching contaminated surfaces. However, the risk of transmission by this route is <a href="https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2443/2020/10/HSPH-APHI-Phase-One-Report.pdf">low</a> compared to the risk of catching COVID through breathing in infectious droplets and aerosols. <h2>When and where are you most at risk?</h2> The closer you are to the infected person Most transmission occurs within <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893920304117">two to three rows</a> of an infected person. If you sit next to someone who is coughing or has other symptoms you might ask to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7665738/">move seats</a> if spare seats are available. <a href="https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2443/2020/10/HSPH-APHI-Phase-One-Report.pdf">Distance</a> yourself from others if you can, particularly when getting on and off the plane. You might also avoid sitting close to the toilets as passengers will hang about in the aisles waiting to use them, particularly on long flights. The longer the flight The risk increases with long- versus <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33650201/">short- or medium-haul</a>flights. During long-haul flights passengers are also more likely to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ina.12979">recline their seats</a>. This somewhat reduces the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8013760/">protection upright seats</a> provide in reducing air movement between rows. If you or others are not wearing a mask or wearing it properly You can breathe infectious particles in and out via your nose as well as your mouth, so don’t wear your mask under your chin or nose. The risk also increases when everyone takes off their masks during food service. You might choose not to eat or drink on short flights to avoid this. Alternatively you might bring a snack to eat before food service begins, or <a href="https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2443/2020/10/HSPH-APHI-Phase-One-Report.pdf">eat after</a> those around you. If you contaminate your food or your face You can catch COVID through touching your food or face with contaminated fingers. Sanitise your hands regularly and <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9176589">train yourself</a> to not touch your face. If you are in business class Based on limited reports, the transmission risk appears higher in business class. This is possibly because of <a href="https://globalizationandhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12992-021-00749-6">more interruptions to mask wearing</a> due to greater service of food and drinks. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared in <a href="https://theconversation.com/want-to-cut-your-chance-of-catching-covid-on-a-plane-wear-a-mask-and-avoid-business-class-180333" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

International Travel

5 reasons to keep wearing your face mask

Mask mandates in most indoor settings <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-25/covid-mask-rules-australian-states-territories/100854564" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have been dropped</a> in New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT, with Queensland to follow later this week. Without a mandate, <a href="https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(21)00274-5/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mask use tends to drop</a>, so we can expect only a minority of people to be masked in public indoor spaces. With thousands of cases a day and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/ng-interactive/2022/feb/21/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-australia-vaccination-rate-progress-how-many-people-vaccinated-percent-tracker-australian-states-number-total-daily-live-data-stats-updates-news-schedule-tracking-chart-percentage-new-cases-today" target="_blank" rel="noopener">just over half</a> (57%) of Australians having received a third COVID vaccine dose and children still under-vaccinated, we may see a surge in infections. While masks are a small inconvenience, they remain vital in preventing SARS-CoV-2, because the virus <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-pressure-is-on-for-australia-to-accept-the-coronavirus-really-can-spread-in-the-air-we-breathe-160641" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spreads</a> through the air we breathe. Some people will continue to wear masks to stay safe and achieve a more normal life through the pandemic. Here are five reasons to keep wearing yours. 1. Masks reduce your chance of getting COVID Many studies <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7106e1.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have shown</a> masks protect against COVID. While N95 respirators offer the greatest protection, even cloth masks are beneficial. N95s respirators <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7106e1.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lower the odds</a> of testing positive to COVID by 83%, compared with 66% for surgical masks and 56% for cloth masks. The protection when everyone wears a mask is much greater, because it <a href="https://theconversation.com/which-mask-works-best-we-filmed-people-coughing-and-sneezing-to-find-out-143173" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduces the likelihood</a> of well people inhaling the virus and prevents infected people from exhaling the virus into the air. If everyone wears a mask, the viral load in the air is much lower. When we lose the protection of universal masking, it’s a good idea to wear a <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/02/25/1083046757/coronavirus-faq-im-a-one-way-masker-what-strategy-will-give-me-optimal-protectio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high protection</a> N95 or P2 respirator. 2. You might not know you have COVID Transmission of the virus without symptoms is a major driver of spread, and we cannot know who around us is infected. Infected people may be asymptomatic or may not know they’re infected. This is <a href="https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220103/Very-high-rates-of-asymptomatic-infection-with-Omicron-compared-to-prior-SARS-CoV-2-variants.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">especially so</a> for Omicron. Overall, about one in four infections are <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/12/e049752.long" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asymnptomatic</a>. But even people with symptomatic infection are contagious before the symptoms start. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449353/original/file-20220301-23-73zihg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Business woman wears a mask." /><figcaption>You might not know you’re infectious. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/virus-mask-asian-woman-travel-wearing-1629206074" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> 3. Wearing a mask protects others, including those at risk of severe COVID Wearing a mask protects others, including those at greatest risk of severe COVID: people with disability, chronic illnesses and <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2022/02/covid-pandemic-immunocompromised-risk-vaccines/622094/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suppressed immune systems</a>. COVID disproportionately affects <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/covid-19-update-being-a-migrant-increases-risk-of-dying-from-covid-19-in-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">migrants</a> and people from lower socioeconomic groups who are more likely to work in customer-service roles. If you wear a mask, you’re protecting workers, commuters and others you interact with. Rates of vaccination also <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/coronavirus/aboriginal-communities-covid-vaccination" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lag</a> among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, leaving them more vulnerable to COVID in the absence of masks. Masks also protect children who are vulnerable to COVID, with only <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/ng-interactive/2022/feb/21/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-australia-vaccination-rate-progress-how-many-people-vaccinated-percent-tracker-australian-states-number-total-daily-live-data-stats-updates-news-schedule-tracking-chart-percentage-new-cases-today" target="_blank" rel="noopener">half of five to 11 year olds</a> partially vaccinated and under-fives not yet eligible for vaccination. Children who wear masks can also protect their peers. In the United States, the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7039e1.htm#T1_down" target="_blank" rel="noopener">risk of outbreaks</a> was nearly four times higher in schools without mask mandates compared to those with mandates. Omicron is not the flu or a cold, and has accounted for <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/omicron-wave-accounts-for-more-u-s-deaths-than-delta-surge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">17% more deaths than Delta</a> in the United States. While Omicron generally causes less severe disease than Delta, it has claimed more lives because of vastly higher case numbers. There is also growing evidence SARS-COV-2 <a href="https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-1139035/v1_covered.pdf?c=1640020576" target="_blank" rel="noopener">persists in the body after infection</a>, which may result in long-term heart, lung and brain damage. 4. Masks protect your colleagues Many workplaces are insisting on people returning to face-to-face work, some without providing safe indoor air – and now without mask mandates. The risk of COVID transmission is <a href="https://theconversation.com/time-to-upgrade-from-cloth-and-surgical-masks-to-respirators-your-questions-answered-174877" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greatest when indoors for prolonged periods without adequate airflow</a>. So sitting in an office for eight hours without a mask is a risk, especially if safe indoor air has not been addressed. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449130/original/file-20220301-13-1tuox9w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Man in a mask sits at his work desk, next to his female colleagues." /><figcaption>Wearing a mask reduces your risk of contracting COVID from co-workers. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/panoramic-group-business-worker-team-wear-1792685398" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> At the same time as dropping many workplace mask mandates, NSW has <a href="https://www.begadistrictnews.com.au/story/7629871/nsw-virus-compo-burden-of-proof-opposed/?cs=12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moved to remove automatic workers’ compensation</a> for people who catch COVID at work. This is a double disadvantage for workers returning to workplaces with fewer protections and facing greater obstacles to workers’ compensation should they get infected. 5. Others might follow your lead Being one of the few people wearing a mask when others aren’t, such as in a supermarket, is a daunting prospect for those of us who wish to continue masking. There are <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/covid-19-convoy-protest-mask-wearing-17-year-old-egged-by-aggressive-convoy-protesters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> of masked people being abused and bullied. However a NSW <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/more-comfortable-with-masks-voters-want-some-covid-restrictions-to-stay-20220225-p59zs4.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey showed</a> the majority of people in that state wanted mask mandates to remain. The more we normalise masks and the more we see them, the better protected the community will be. As much as we wish it so, the pandemic is not over and new variants will <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com.au/who-warns-of-covid-19-continuation-and-more-dangerous-variants-2022-2?r=US&IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">likely emerge</a>. A layered, multi-pronged strategy which includes vaccines, masks, ventilation, testing and tracing is the best way to protect health, the economy and a resumption of normal activities. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/177824/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/c-raina-macintyre-101935" target="_blank" rel="noopener">C Raina MacIntyre</a>, Professor of Global Biosecurity, NHMRC Principal Research Fellow, Head, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNSW Sydney</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-mask-mandates-might-be-largely-gone-but-here-are-5-reasons-to-keep-wearing-yours-177824" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Body

Masked Singer reveal that caused an instant walk-out

As the US version of the Masked Singer begins filming, two judges have reportedly stormed off stage after a controversial contestant's grand reveal.The Hangover actor Ken Jeong and singer Robin Thicke, who are on the judging panel for the US version of the celebrity reality show, left the stage in the middle of filming after former New York mayor and Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani was unmasked as one of the singers.The episode was filmed last week and is set to air later next month.Fellow judges Nicole Scherzinger and Jenny McCarthy remained on-set. It was not revealed how far into the competition Giuliani had managed to progress, nor what costume he was wearing (though social media posts have outed him as ‘Cupcake Face’).Giuliani, 77, a former prosecutor, has become a controversial figure in recent years, off the back of his humiliating cameo in the 2020 Borat film, and for his support of Trump.Jeong and Thicke reportedly returned to stage eventually, where the judges all had a brief chat with Giuliani. The episode has not aired yet but the masses over on Twitter are still getting a kick out of the leaked performance.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are only one month into 2022 and it is already nuts. (Hey ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/kenjeong?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kenjeong</a>⁩) <a href="https://t.co/iyiPQdNrrH">https://t.co/iyiPQdNrrH</a>— Katie S. Phang (@KatiePhang) <a href="https://twitter.com/KatiePhang/status/1489040975166988288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Rudy Giuliani being asked on “The Masked Singer” a year after trying to overthrow the government is totally shameless and borderline disturbing, and literally the funniest thing that has ever happened.— Peter Finocchiaro (@PLFino) <a href="https://twitter.com/PLFino/status/1489040179721555974?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I can’t tell if this is more embarrassing for Fox or Giuliani. <a href="https://t.co/gdzbjZoFeF">https://t.co/gdzbjZoFeF</a>— Adam Smith (@asmith83) <a href="https://twitter.com/asmith83/status/1489031425320005638?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

Music

Time to upgrade from cloth and surgical masks to respirators? Your questions answered

With the rapid spread of Omicron, many countries are rethinking their COVID mask advice for the community. Respirators have been mandatory in public places in <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210125-austria-makes-ffp2-masks-mandatory-in-shops-public-transport">Austria</a> for a year. Now, the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/types-of-masks.html">United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> suggests respirators be considered for greater protection, for instance, on public transport or in enclosed crowded spaces. It’s time to rethink and upgrade masks for you and your family. <h2>What is a respirator?</h2> Respirators, often wrongly called “masks” because of their appearance, are personal protective equipment made to a particular standard and designed to prevent inhalation of hazardous airborne contaminants. In the US, respirator standards are managed by the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/respirators/">National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health</a> (NIOSH), and cover three things: filter efficiency, breathing resistance and fit. A filter that meets the N95 standard (equivalent to Europe’s FFP2) must capture at least 95% of particles in the most penetrating size range at a high flow rate. In Australia, a respirator must meet <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/publication/guidance-medicalsurgical-face-masks-and-respirator-standards-key-performance-aspects">TGA standards</a>. A respirator that consists entirely of filtering material – rather than having layers, say for waterproofing – is called a filtering facepiece respirator (FFR). An FFR can be worn multiple times but must eventually be thrown away. Research suggests FFRs lose their ability to fit well after <a href="https://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553(11)00770-X/fulltext">20 wears</a> – due to stretching of straps or failure of the nose clip or edge components. The filter material is usually a non-woven polypropylene electret, which means the fibres carry an electrical charge to enhance particle collection while ensuring low breathing resistance. <h2>Why were we told to wear cloth masks at first?</h2> It was initially assumed SARS-CoV-2 spread via droplets (in coughs and sneezes) which caused infection when they landed on the mouth, nose or eyes. For such particles, a cloth or surgical mask is an efficient form of source control to protect others from virus emitted by the wearer. Now it’s understood the virus is <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-how-the-disease-moves-through-the-air-173490">airborne</a>. Virus-laden particles build up in the air over time indoors because of breathing and speaking. <h2>Will a respirator protect me even if others are unmasked?</h2> It depends on the type of exposure and how long you are exposed. It is important to consider your risk depending on <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-where-and-how-you-are-most-likely-to-catch-covid-new-study-174473">where you are, what you’re doing, with whom and how long you’re there</a>. The <a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/10/commentary-what-can-masks-do-part-1-science-behind-covid-19-protection">safest situation</a>, especially for prolonged contact in crowded settings, is when everyone is wearing well-fitting N95 respirators. It’s hard to show evidence to support respirator use in the community – but lack of randomised controlled trials (RCT) does not mean they are not effective. Studying masks or respirators at a population level is complex and involves many variables. There is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020748920301139?via%3Dihub">strong evidence</a> from RCTs in health workers and laboratory studies showing respirators are effective for source control and personal protection. <h2>I really like my cloth mask. Is it OK to keep wearing it?</h2> Probably not. Cloth masks are not made to any particular standard, so their properties and quality vary considerably. In general, they are poor filters of small airborne particles. <h2>Surgical masks are cheaper – can I just switch to those?</h2> Not really. While some surgical masks may have better filtration capacity than cloth masks, they were designed primarily to prevent the emission of large droplets. Some medical-grade surgical masks may also offer protection from body fluid splashes or sprays. No surgical mask will prevent the emission or inhalation of small infectious particles, however. A key deficiency of surgical and cloth masks is their loose fit compared to respirators. While some older, hard-cup style respirators may be uncomfortable, newer styles are <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/01/11/n95-masks-cdc-walensky/">better tolerated</a>. This may be due to their greater surface area, which could contribute to lower breathing resistance. <h2>Should I have my respirator professionally fitted?</h2> No. When respirators are used to protect workers from airborne hazards such as dust or pollution, employers are legally required to undertake fit-testing (see for example the US <a href="https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.134">Occupational Safety and Health Administration</a> fit-testing standard). But even non-fit tested respirators will provide <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-2659.2011.00198.x">superior protection</a>over cloth or surgical masks. A respirator should rest against your face with no gaps, especially around the nose and chin. To create a tight seal, form the nose clip and place both straps around your head, adjusting them if necessary. If the facepiece collapses a small amount when you inhale, the respirator probably fits well. Get in the habit of doing a <a href="https://youtu.be/pGXiUyAoEd8?t=140">“self seal-check”</a> before each wear. <h2>Shouldn’t respirators be reserved for healthcare professionals?</h2> No. Early in the pandemic, the public were discouraged from buying respirators because of a global shortage of personal protective equipment and the assumption healthcare workers were at higher risk of catching COVID from so-called “aerosol-generating procedures” such as intubation. We now know <a href="https://associationofanaesthetists-publications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/anae.15475">everyday activities like talking and singing</a> are more likely to generate infectious aerosols than medical procedures. As with vaccines, there are global equity issues and we need to <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2021/01/07/national-hi-fi-mask-initiative-needed-with-vaccine-rollouts/">expand manufacturing capacity</a> to ensure sufficient supply for everyone. <h2>What about the cost and environmental impact?</h2> Compared to cloth masks, respirators (which are not washable) cost more and have a greater environmental impact. But disposable respirators can be used for <a href="https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/fulltext/2020/12110/determination_of_the_optimal_time_for_n95.143.aspx">extended periods</a> if they are not wet or damaged, and there are re-usable options such as <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/elastomeric-respirators-strategy/index.html">elastometric respirators</a>. A respirator should be thrown away when it gets dirty or the straps, nose clip or other components lose their integrity. Costs and environmental concerns need to be weighed against the costs and waste produced by a single COVID hospital admission. In Australia, the average daily cost of an Intensive Care Unit stay has been <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2019/211/7/financial-cost-intensive-care-australia-multicentre-registry-study">estimated at $4375</a>. <h2>What if I can’t afford or get my hands on a N95 respirator?</h2> The Korean KF94 and Chinese KN95s are cheaper alternatives that provide better protection than a surgical or cloth mask. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/12-signs-you-have-a-fake-n95-kn95-or-kf94-mask/?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes">Beware counterfeits</a>, such as those without a GN stamp to show they meet manufacturing standards. If you can’t get hold of a respirator, you can <a href="https://ozsage.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/OzSage-Masks1-4.pdf">improve protection of a surgical or cloth mask</a>. Options include “<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2778913">double masking</a>” by wearing a tight-fitting cloth mask over a surgical mask. You can also “knot and tuck” a surgical mask by tying the sides and tucking the remainder inside. Finally, a well-designed cloth mask (with three layers) can perform as well as a good quality surgical mask. It’s still true that something is better than nothing. But don’t count on these types of masks to provide the same level of protection for the same amount of time as an N95 respirator. <h2>Respirators should be provided and required</h2> The World Health Organization has stressed the importance of a “vaccines-plus” approach. There is a strong case, when prevalence of COVID is high, for governments to both mandate and fund the provision of respirators for the public, <a href="https://www.cbs58.com/news/500-000-n95-masks-given-away-in-48-hours-more-on-the-way">as some parts of the US</a> are now doing. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/time-to-upgrade-from-cloth-and-surgical-masks-to-respirators-your-questions-answered-174877">The Conversation</a>.

Body

Woman strangles DOG after being asked to wear a mask

A Queensland woman has been hit with multiple charges after allegedly assaulting police, trying to bite them, and strangling a dog when asked to wear a mask in a supermarket. Queensland Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said the woman was arrested in the South Burnett region, about 100km west of the Sunshine Coast. “When challenged by police for not wearing a mask in an IGA in Nanango, (she allegedly) took it upon herself to seriously assault police, attempt to bite them, and strangle a dog,” he <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-covid-news-woman-alleged-to-have-strangled-dog-after-being-asked-to-wear-mask/39495237-f5bd-474c-8528-6b105144feba" target="_blank">said</a>. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846505/police.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6686f31d8ac24aa99185d950b196e0ee" /> Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said those failing to follow mask rules could expect to be fined. Image: 9News The South Burnett woman has been charged with animal cruelty, serious assault on police officers, and disobeying public health orders. Mr Gollschewski said most Queenslanders were following public health orders, including mandatory mask-wearing in select public spaces, some have been refusing to comply and that assaulting police enforcing health orders would not be tolerated. “We’ve seen some very good compliance in a number of areas in relation to masks,” he said. “The message goes to all Queenslanders, not just those in higher density areas, you are required to wear masks under certain conditions.” Mr Gollschewski said one person received an on-the-spot fine for not wearing a mask in Howard, near Harvey Bay, and 172 masks were given out to members of the public not following the rules. "Those who do the wrong thing wilfully should expect to be fined," he said. Image: Getty Images

Legal

“Are they kidding?”: William Shatner’s reaction to Halloween mask

William Shatner recently shared his reaction after discovering the iconic mask used in Michael Myers’ Halloween franchise was actually based on his likeness. In a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYDvlnOYd1c&ab_channel=Jake%27sTakes" target="_blank">recent interview</a> with the YouTube channel Jake’s Takes, Shatner spoke about how he first found out that the mask was his face and thought it was a joke. The host, journalist Jake Hamilton, asked: “Do you remember the first moment someone said, ‘Hey do you know the Halloween mask is you?” “I don’t remember the exact moment but I thought, ‘Is that a joke? Are they kidding?’,” the Star Trek actor said. Though he recalled he didn’t watch the horror film, <a rel="noopener" href="https://screenrant.com/halloween-michael-myers-william-shatner-mask-reaction/" target="_blank">he said</a> he saw it for the first time in a photo, and recognised it as the “death mask” that was made for him during his time on the sci-fi classic. “They made me a mask of my face on Star Trek with clay so I wouldn't have to be available for the prosthetics that they would put on my face to look old or evil or whatever it was they were making me look like,” he explained. <img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845010/shatner-myers1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/1918bc5d1b0f4b2f9f53d0912124d59d" /> The mask modelled on Shatner’s face for Star Trek alongside the repurposed mask used in the Halloween series. Image: startrek.com “So somewhere along the line, someone got that mask and made a mask of it for Halloween [the holiday]. “And then the story is ‘Get me a mask’, said the director, so the guy ran into this Halloween store and grabbed this mask and it happened to be of me. “That’s the story I know. How true it is I don’t know.” According to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://nypost.com/2021/10/19/william-shatner-rips-halloween-for-using-capt-kirk-mask/" target="_blank">New York Post</a>, production designer and editor Tommy Lee Wallace told the story on Netflix’s The Movies That Made Us of how he found the mask at a magic shop on Hollywood Boulevard. “Up on the shelves were these full face masks of Richard Nixon, and down at the end was Mr Spock. And right next to it was this blank face of Captain Kirk,” Wallace said on the show. After painting it white, making the eye holes wider, removing the eyebrows, and dyeing the hair brown, the iconic Halloween mask was born. Image: Getty Images

Movies

Video of mum and toddler kicked off flight over masks goes viral

An American woman and her toddler were kicked off a flight after her two-year-old was unable to keep a mask on. Amanda Pendarvis was on board an American Airlines flight to Colorado, and claimed on Instagram that her son wasn’t wearing a mask due to suffering from an asthma attack. Ms Pendarvis said she, her son, and her mother were all removed from the flight. “I was not refusing to wear a mask, nor did I even say I wouldn’t try to keep a mask on my son,” she <a rel="noopener" href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/american-airlines-removes-mother-toddler-refusing-wear-mask-onboard/0e144844-75b3-40a3-8ad7-92e3416c425d" target="_blank">wrote</a> in the caption of the photo she shared on Instagram. “We were escorted off the plane as I was holding a mask over his little face. I don’t even have words.” Ms Pendarvis claimed that the pilot apologised to the rest of the passengers for the flight’s delay over the intercom and said: “We are dealing with a non-compliant traveller.” In a short video that was re-shared to Twitter, Ms Pendarvis can be seen attempting to keep a mask on her son while he screams and cries. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> ASTHMATIC two-year-old struggling to breathe during an asthma attack, wasn’t physically capable of wearing a mask on an American Airlines flight. The plane was turned around and mother and baby forced to get off. <a href="https://t.co/p0z63OBmPg">pic.twitter.com/p0z63OBmPg</a> — OKIE PATRIOT 76 (@okiepatriot_76) <a href="https://twitter.com/okiepatriot_76/status/1438502182236479492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2021</a></blockquote> The clip then cuts to a moment after Ms Pendarvis and her son were outside the plane, waiting on the jet bridge with authorities. In a statement to Fox News, American Airlines said the party had refused to “comply with crew member instructions to remain seated while on an active taxiway and to wear face coverings over their nose and mouth”. “After observing a minor in the party laying in the aisle and moving between seats on taxi out, our flight crew made multiple attempts to reinforce safety requirements,” an American Airlines spokesman <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/american-airlines-responds-to-viral-video-appearing-to-show-a-toddler-kicked-off-a-flight-for-not-wearing-a-mask-11631808473" target="_blank">said</a>. “While addressing the party, our crew also reminded the individuals in the party that federal directives require customers to wear a face covering at all times while on board unless actively eating or drinking,” he continued. “At no time was it made known to our crew members that a member of the party was experiencing an asthma attack or trouble breathing.” Ms Pendarvis said she was letting her son walk across the aisle to his grandmother, and that she told flight attendants about her son’s asthma. After she was removed from the plane, the airline said Ms Pendarvis was rebooked on the next flight to Colorado after agreeing to “adhere to policies instituted for the safety of our customers and crew”. Image: Instagram

Travel Trouble

“Always listen to mummy”: Kid who refused to take off mask for school photos gets $30k

Image: Facebook If Nicole Peoples ever wondered whether her son followed her instructions when she’s not around, she now has her answer and a sweet photo as proof. Mason Peoples refused to take his face mask off, even for his school photos. His mother told him only to take it off to eat and he knows to: “always listen to his mummy.” Ms Peoples posted about the young boy’s exchange with the school photographer on her Facebook account. When it came time for his photo to be taken, the photographer encouraged the first-grade student to take off his mask even for two seconds, but he politely declined. “I said ‘No thank you, my mum told me I can’t’,” the boy told CNN proudly. “We had a conversation at the beginning of school about the importance of safety and how germs can be spread if he didn’t have his mask on, so he makes sure to have it on at all times,” his mother told CNN. “He’s very proud and he loves to show me how he’s followed the rules so that’s why he was so excited to come home and tell me about this picture story.” “You should be proud!” said one of the Facebook commenters. “It has to be hard to stand up to an adult, but he had the confidence to stand up for what he thought was right. Good job mama!” “What an incredible keepsake for this crazy era we’re living through” remarked another. Ms Peoples said many people have reached out asking her if they could send her money to reward Mason’s diligence with a treat, so she set up a GoFundMe page with the goal of $7. A total of AU$30,000 has been donated and will go towards Mason’s college fund. His mother was thankful at the “outpouring of love”. “Thank you for showing him honesty and integrity will make a big difference in this world,” she said. Ms Peoples told CNN that Mason was taught to take the virus very seriously, especially after the death of her grandfather in January due to COVID-19 complications. “He was a very significant part of our daily life, so Mason was impacted, they’ve seen it firsthand,” Ms Peoples said.

Caring

Meet the British man making art out of discarded face masks

A British man is making the most out of the pandemic by making unique art in his backyard. Nottingham native Thomas Yates, 45, was made redundant from a brewery at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. After working there for five years, he found himself with an abundance of extra time. Tom decided to take to the streets and use his working hours to clean the streets of discarded litter. On his travels in his local area, he noticed he was collecting a lot of abandoned face masks and decided to make art out of them in his own backyard. After he creates his artworks, he collects all of the rubbish and sends it off to be properly recycled. His images of unusual art have attracted hundreds of followers on social media, as his artworks only continue to grow. "I have questioned myself. Why am I making art out of litter? And then when you see the end results, I think they're quite good," he said to the BBC. A spokesperson for his local council area applauded his efforts of cleaning the streets. The council spokesperson said, "We would like to thank Thomas for his excellent work and all the many volunteers who already litter pick in their local communities regularly and help keep our streets, parks and open spaces even tidier." Image credits: Instagram @averagegradient

Art

Elderly man collapses when arrested for not wearing a face mask

A video of the incident has been posted on social media, showing the elderly man crumpling to the ground and going into spasm just minutes after being arrested. The man was arrested for ‘not wearing a mask in public’ in Brisbane where there is a snap lockdown due to an increase in COVID cases and one of the conditions of the lockdown is that face masks must be worn in public at all times. However, this elderly man allegedly has an official exemption due to a serious medical condition. The distressing incident was filmed on Monday morning in Brisbane's Botanic Gardens after Queensland's lockdown was extended to stem the spread of Covid in the community. <iframe allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" id="molvideoplayer" title="MailOnline Embed Player" src="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/embed/video/2472921.html" width="698" height="573" frameborder="0"></iframe> According to the man's son, who shared the footage online, the elderly man suffers from a medical condition which causes him breathing difficulties and heart problems. During the arrest, he fell to the floor and started to spasm, gasping for air with his hands waving as he tried to reach for his backpack - which contained his medication. When the police realised the man was in serious distress, they called an ambulance and paramedics arrived on the scene shortly after. They couldn’t identify a medical issue but they took the man to hospital as a precaution. The distressing scenes were filmed by the elderly man's partner. The video appears to show four police officers questioning the man as they arrest him and lead him away from the park for failing to answer their questions. The elderly man’s partner repeatedly tries to tell the officers the man has an exemption to wearing a mask. But an officer was recorded as stating he “was not confident [the man] would comply with directives” if he were to remove the handcuffs. As the man was led away from the park in handcuffs, the footage shows him dramatically dropping to the floor and beginning to spasm. The officers immediately respond, trying to turn the man on his side as his partner screams for help, explaining there is medication in a pocket of his bag. An officer was filmed explaining he was legally not allowed to administer the medication, while a female policewoman reassured the woman that an ambulance had been called. The elderly man’s son has posted the video on social media, stating: “He did not do anything illegal, he did not retaliate in a violent manner. He was conducting himself peacefully and not looking for trouble.” He then posed several questions to the officers who arrested his dad, wanting to know exactly what he did to wind up in handcuffs and under arrest. Queensland is in the midst of a Delta COVID variant outbreak. As a result, the Sunshine State is enduring a week-long snap lockdown in an attempt to keep cases at bay. Chief Health Officer, Jeanette Young, has mandated that face masks be worn everywhere outside the home to minimise the risk of spreading or catching the virus. Police have stated they are investigating the incident to check if any possible offences were committed on that day. Image: Courtesy of Instagram

News

Bruce Willis apologises for "refusing" to wear a mask

Bruce Willis has come forward to address being kicked out of a Los Angeles Rite Aid pharmacy for refusing to wear a mask. "It was an error in judgment," Willis said in a statement to <a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/movies/bruce-willis-says-not-wearing-a-mask-in-public-was-an-error-in-judgment/" target="_blank">People</a>. "Be safe out there everyone and let's continue to mask up." Page Six reported that fellow shoppers were unimpressed with Willis' behaviour as he walked around the shop without a face covering. He allegedly walked out of the store without purchasing anything. Los Angeles is considered a hot spot for COVID-19, with the city reporting over 10,000 deaths from the virus. Willis has been isolating throughout the pandemic with his ex-wife Demi Moore and their children Scout, Rumer and Tallulah in Idaho. The decision came as a shock to fans who suspect his marriage to his wife Emma Heming may be in trouble. However, Scout shut down the rumours when she explained Heming's absence during an episode of her self-help podcast Dopey. "My stepmom had to be in LA waiting to get the results from taking her to the doctor," Scout said. "So, my dad came up here and then travel got crazy so my stepmom stayed in LA with my little sisters."

Legal

Airline passengers kicked off flight after 2-year-old refuses face mask

A Colorado-based mother has slammed United Airlines after her young family were kicked off a plane after her two-year-old daughter refused to wear a mask. Eliz Orban recorded footage of a crew member speaking with her husband as he was trying to keep the mask on their daughter, Edeline. Ms Orban posted the clip on social media, which showed her husband telling the crew member that he was holding the mask on his daughter’s face but she refused to wear it without his assistance. “We just got kicked off a flight because our two-year-old would not put on a mask,” Ms Orban, who was flying from Colorado to Newark, New Jersey, told the camera tearfully. She went on to speak to US talk show Fox and Friends, telling them that the ordeal from start to finish was “humiliating” and “traumatising”. She went on to say that “the staff was rude” from “the get-go”. “We felt like we got no warning, no working with us, no asking questions, nothing to help in the situation,” Orban added. “It was just like, ‘Oh, well your two-year-old is not complying, you guys are off the plane.’” Ms Orban went on to say that she has “never been more confused in my life.” She went on to say “everyone else on the plane was also just watching this and thinking, like, ‘What is happening?’” Edeline is also seen to be visibly upset and refusing to put the mask on before an airline crew member asked the family to step off the aircraft. Ms Orban’s husband responded with: “You gotta be kidding me. Why? We’re over here holding this mask on her face.” The cabin crew member responds with: “I’m sorry sir. I gave you an opportunity. I’ve got to ask you to get off this plane.” In a statement, a United Airlines spokesperson said the mask rule applies to all passengers over the age of two. “The health and safety of our employees and customers is our highest priority, which is why we have a multi-layered set of policies, including mandating that everyone on board two and older wears a mask.” “These procedures are not only backed by guidance from the CDC [The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and our partners at the Cleveland Clinic, but they’re also consistent across every major airline.”

Travel Trouble

How to stop your glasses from fogging up while wearing a mask

The COVID-19 pandemic brings with it a problem unique to those who wear glasses: The moment the face mask goes on, those lenses instantly fog up. It’s an annoying quirk that boils down to the difference in temperature between your body and your glasses. When you breathe, the warm air that leaves your mouth and nose escapes through the top of your mask, turns into condensation, and fogs up the cool surface of your lenses. Though foggy glasses are inconvenient, widespread mask-wearing remains one of the most important public health measures we have to protect ourselves against the novel coronavirus, says Dr Anna Banerji, an associate professor at the University of Toronto. Since the virus is airborne, wearing a face covering like a mask creates a physical layer of protection between you and any air droplets from infected people. “And, if you wear a mask properly, it protects someone else because your droplets aren’t going to the nose or mouth of someone and potentially infecting them,” Banerji says. The good news? There are measures you can take to ensure your vision remains crystal clear throughout the pandemic. Here are five tips to help you avoid foggy glasses while wearing a face mask. Use soap and water Banerji suggests washing your glasses with soapy water and then wiping them dry. “There’s a film of soap that’s left over which might reduce the risk of fogging,” she advises. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, glasses get foggy because of the surface tension between the water molecules in your breath. The thin film left behind by the soapy water reduces the surface tension and causes the water molecules to spread out evenly, rather than cluster on your lenses to create fog. It’s best to use dishwashing detergent or a basic hand soap – anything that is for sensitive skin or contains lotion might get stuck to your lenses and smear. Wear your glasses over your mask Changing the position of your glasses might divert the warm air away from your lenses. If you’re finding that your vision gets cloudy with every breath you take, try pulling the top of your mask higher onto your face so that your glasses are sitting on top of the material. Mind the gap You might be having trouble with foggy glasses because your mask doesn’t fit tightly enough. The result is a gap at the top of the mask, by the bridge of your nose, that lets warm air escape behind the lenses of your glasses. Make sure that your mask fits securely over your nose. If you have a mask that has an adjustable nose bridge strip, mould the strip to follow the contours of your nose for a tighter seal. Tape it down Another way to close the gap at the top of a mask is to tape it down across the bridge of your nose. Even before the pandemic, some health care professionals who regularly wear glasses would put a strip of surgical tape along the top of their masks to prevent the warm moist air from escaping. Just make sure you’re using medical tape or sports tape that’s safe for use on skin. Use a tissue If you’re still having problems with your glasses fogging up, try folding a facial tissue horizontally and placing it under the top of your mask at the bridge of your nose. The moisture from your breath should be absorbed by the tissue instead of escaping behind your glasses. Written by Rebecca Gao. This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/how-to-stop-your-glasses-from-fogging-up-while-wearing-a-mask">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.co.nz/subscribe">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

Body

The Queen and Prince William blasted online for not wearing face masks

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> The Queen and Prince William stepped out for a joint engagement and have been blasted online for not wearing face masks. The pair visited the British military's Defence Science and Technology Labratory, which was the Queen's first public appearance in months. However, the pair weren't wearing facemasks, much to the dismay of the public and Piers Morgan. The UK is currently experiencing a second COVID-19 wave, with restrictions being reintroduced in some areas. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGXP2DNngfr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGXP2DNngfr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)</a> on Oct 15, 2020 at 4:54am PDT </div> </blockquote> "Why no masks or social distancing?" Piers Morgan questioned on Twitter. "Sorry, but this is not a smart move by the Royal Family as the virus rages and the country heads into another lockdown." The palace has said that the decision to go maskless by the Queen, 94, was made after consulting her medical team. “Specific advice has been sought from the medical household and relevant parties, and all necessary precautions taken, working closely with the laboratory,” said royal reporter Chris Ship on <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/chrisshipitv/status/1316701765795024896" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">Twitter</a>. </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

Ejected: Mum's humiliation at being kicked off flight

A mum has revealed she felt “super humiliated” after being kicked off a flight because her toddler pulled down his mask to eat a snack. Mum Jodi Degyansky and her two-year-old son were sitting on a flight due to depart to Fort Myers in Florida for Chicago on Saturday. As they waited for takeoff, her son decided to have a snack. The mum said she was approached by flight attendants after the plane had pushed back from the gate and was taxiing to takeoff. Speaking to Fox 5 Vegas, she said there was “no heated discussion” but the flight soon returned to the gate and they were asked to leave. “I’m super humiliated,” she said, adding her son replaced his mask once the attendants approached her. “Flight attendants kept coming over asking if we would wear it for the full flight, and I said he would,” she told NBC. “It definitely was a struggle but something we’re working on.” She said she tried her best to keep the mask on her son’s face but they were eventually told to leave the flight. “A couple minutes later, we were pulled back into the gate and I was asked to leave the plane, accompanied by the manager, the supervisor, the flight attendants and the pilot,” she said. The airline said they are investigating the incident, but stand by their mask policy. Ms Degyansky has been given a refund by Southwest Airlines for her tickets. “If a customer is unable to wear a face covering for any reason, Southwest regrets that we are unable to transport the individual,” a spokesperson from Southwest Airlines told NBC. “In those cases, we will issue a full refund and hope to welcome the Customer on-board in the future, if public health guidance regarding face coverings changes.” They later flew back to Chicago on a different flight on Saturday night.

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Ejected: Mum's humiliation at being kicked off flight