The Nose Police
Last week, we took our first vacation since the pandemic hit. For months, we were looking forward to having the opportunity to travel again. It is something that we did often and thoroughly enjoyed prior to COVID-19. Like many, we had not seen much of our family in over a year, so that was a priority and first on our travel itinerary. Let me clarify, because we live on the West Coast of the United States and all our family is back East or in Texas, when we travel (to see family) it is by plane for the simple reason that it is a long distance. For example; to drive to our hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania it would take approximately 50 hours. So, from a practical standpoint, flying is the only option, and as such we have crossed the United States by plane well over one hundred times. Therefore, as the saying goes, “this wasn’t our first rodeo” regarding getting on a plane. We, nevertheless, were not prepared for what we encountered and thought it worthwhile to provide some insight if you are planning to get on a plane for the first time in over a year.
Mask Mandate in the United States
The original federal mask mandate in the United States came into effect February 1st and was set to expire May 11, 2021. This mandate, however, is now extended and in effect, through September 13, 2021. Like the first federal mandate, the extended order which was announced on April 30, 2021 applies to the following transit methods: Airports and onboard commercial aircraft. Therefore, you must wear a mask in all airports and on all airplanes. FYI – wearing what is popularly referred to as a gator mask will not be enough.
