As we entered PDX, the Portland airport, we immediately knew things were different, and it made us nervous. A lot of people were not masked. A federal judge had issued an opinion that the government masking mandate for travelers (airports, airplanes, public transit, &c) exceeded the authority of the CDC, and was, therefore, void.
Many people celebrated as they tore off their masks. We cringed, because we were embarking on a 2-month trip in Europe, but we were traveling to Los Angeles first. What if we contracted COVID on the first leg of this extended trip?
Why is it that our system allows a judge to make a ruling based on legal procedure that affects the health of millions? Her decision was not based on public health. Her decision ignored the fact that an Omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly through the population, infecting even those of us who have had the booster vaccine shot.
On the airplane, many (maybe most) people and flight attendants were unmasked. Great. We tried to ignore the peril.
We left Los Angeles for Spain on an Iberian Airlines flight, and the airline required masks. Spain also still requires people to be masked on public transit, including airplanes and in airports. We immediately felt safer on that flight and in the Madrid airport.
From being in Europe (Spain and Portugal, so far) we sense that people are more willing to do what is required to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. The mask mandates have been lifted for being outdoors, in stores and restaurants, and other public places; however, masks are still required for transit, including taxi drivers. People we know who have recently traveled in Europe, and our grandkids who are living in Spain, have told us that, in general, people are more accepting of the public health requirements, and have complied with government guidelines and mandates.
So we have to ask, is America trying to kill us? It seems that way.
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posted by paul
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