#WestJet did receive a whopping $700,000 from Premier Ford for their pandemic losses. That amount was the maximum grant allowable under the taxpayer-funded Ontario Tourism Recovery Program designed to compensate the tourism industry.
It might be worth noting that WestJet's CEO is also anti-vax & anti-mask.
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Anti-mandate is **not** anti-mask or anti-vax.
I know nothing about this guy and maybe he is all those things. But him blasting the feds for mandates does NOT automatically mean he is against masks or vaccines.
@freemo @gemelliz @myeyesaredim @Pinchy63
In the past year we have clearly seen that if you do not mandate masks on planes, the majority will not wear them. These are often the people who never wear masks and are therefore more likely to be infected.
Masks prevent the virus getting into the air that others must breathe. Masks are much more effective as source control (i.e., the infected person wears them) than as protection (although fit-tested N95s provide quite some protection).
@ABScientist @gemelliz @myeyesaredim @Pinchy63
> In the past year we have clearly seen that if you do not mandate masks on planes, the majority will not wear them. These are often the people who never wear masks and are therefore more likely to be infected.
Thats probably true sure.
> Masks prevent the virus getting into the air that others must breathe. Masks are much more effective as source control (i.e., the infected person wears them) than as protection (although fit-tested N95s provide quite some protection).
The effectiveness of masks is debatable, but for the purpose of this thread lets assume what you said is true... ok. Doesnt make what I said any less true. Even if mask/vax mandates are reasonable and a good idea to support them... being against mandates is **not** the same as being against masks or vaccines.
@freemo @gemelliz @myeyesaredim @Pinchy63
In practice it might be best to have flights with or without a mask mandate.
People who do not want to wear a mask can then book the flight without masks.
People who rather not want to get ill, can book the flight with a mandate.
@freemo @gemelliz @myeyesaredim @Pinchy63
Before Covid the protection from respirators (N95/KN95/FFP2/FFP3) against bacterial and viral infections has never been a debate.
For example, against Tuberculosis, these respirators provide good protection, while surgical masks provide much less protection.
Mask mandates may be less effective than masks themselves, because people get so much misinformation about masks not working, that they do not wear them consistently.
@freemo @gemelliz @myeyesaredim @Pinchy63
And it is true that masks never provide 100% protection.
But neither do helmets, seat belts and fire dectors. Did we decide to stop using those? Helmets and seat belts are rather uncomfortable.
How did we get to a "you do you" approach for masks (while this also means that people are a danger to everyone around them), but we would never imagine this approach to helmets and seat belts (not wearing them mostly harms the person themselves)?
> How did we get to a "you do you" approach for masks (while this also means that people are a danger to everyone around them), but we would never imagine this approach to helmets and seat belts (not wearing them mostly harms the person themselves)?
Huh, sure we do. I know countless people who dont wear seatbelts just cause they dont feel they can be bothered. Even more so with helmets, most people i know around the world wont wear them when biking in relatively safe conditions. Not saying they are making the right choice, but people trade comfort for less safety all the time, and are usually happy with their choice.
@ABScientist @gemelliz @myeyesaredim @Pinchy63
> So why do government still mandate seatbelts and helmet?
Same reason they do most of the things they do. For money. Car companies could now sell another accessory and make more money off of it. Since everyone has to do it you dont have to take the risk on the tech either.
> Clearly people do not like wearing them and do not see the point of them.
I am sure people see the point of them, but your right, clearly people do not like wearing them.
> Isn't this taking away freedom from people?
It sure is, I would agree with you it should be revoked as a law.
@freemo @gemelliz @myeyesaredim @Pinchy63
That is indeed the only logical conclusion if you would like to argue that "you do you" is the best approach.
You could even go as far as to also get rid of speed limits. Anyone who is afraid can simply stay at home.
@freemo @gemelliz @myeyesaredim @Pinchy63
So why do government still mandate seatbelts and helmet?
Clearly people do not like wearing them and do not see the point of them.
Isn't this taking away freedom from people?