(4min read) The recent travel changes have seen airlines regulating the types of masks passengers are required to wear, to ensure high levels of protection are being carried out to protect both the crew and passengers from contracting Covid-19. 

Airline Group Lufthansa has recently introduced the compulsory wearing of mouth-nose coverings. The Lufthansa Airline Group comprises Lufthansa German Airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines.  

From 1st February 2021, they have stated that facemasks which meet the following standards will be permitted on flights to and from Germany. These have been specified by the following FFP2, KN95 and N95 standard or surgical masks. These are also known to have filtering face pieces that protect the wearer from droplets and aerosols and serve to protect others and oneself. 

They have specified that these facemasks will have to be worn during boarding, on board and when leaving the aircraft. In addition, they have stated that fabric masks, visors or masks with valves, will no longer be permitted. 

In addition to Lufthansa, the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an order that requires the wearing of masks by travellers to prevent spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.   

This now includes airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, and rideshares traveling into, within, and out of the United States. They are also required in the country’s transportation hubs, including airports and seaports and train, bus, and subway stations. 

The order is effective as of February 2, 2021 and remains in effect until further notice. It makes official a mask mandate that was signed by President Joe Biden on January 21, marking the first time the federal government established an official directive on mask wearing during the coronavirus pandemic. 

The CDC now recommends that for those wearing cloth masks, the masks “should be made with two or more layers of a breathable fabric that is tightly woven. 

Medical masks, such as surgical or N95 respirator masks, are highly recommend as effective alternatives. 

According to the CDC, these masks or face coverings do not meet the agency’s mask requirements: 

• Face shields. 
• Scarves, ski masks, balaclavas, or bandannas (if these need to be worn for warmth, they should be worn over the mask, not in lieu of one). 
• Turtleneck collars pulled up over the mouth and nose. 
• Facemasks containing slits, valves, or punctures. 

 Here is an overview of the approved masks: 

With the Horus-I app, you can have peace of mind as you go about your daily activities, as well as providing added reassurance. Our app aims to help education establishments to resolve the travel challenges surrounding the safety of their students and staff, helping them mitigate risk, provide live time information and assist in an emergency.

Download the Horus-I app from either the App Store or Android Play Store depending on your device.

Access to the app is granted via the Horus Control Centre or by the reseller who will issue the users login credentials.

Contact the team at info@horus-global.co.uk to discuss how the Horus-I app can improve your travel security.