Despite the fact that COVID is still very much a threat and that many people are likely exposed to the virus while flying most major airlines dont require masking on planes.

While some passengers are pleased about this, many others are concerned about the safety of using mass transportation among a bunch of maskless strangers. But infectious diseases specialists say one-way masking is still worth it.

We like to think of situations as being safe or unsafe, but the question of masking effectiveness falls onto a gradient, said Dr. Andrew Handel , a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Stony Brook Childrens Hospital. One-way masking is less effective than two-way masking, but is more effective than not wearing a mask at all.

How much are you protected from COVID-19 if no one around you is wearing a mask?

One-way masking is very protective especially when a high-quality mask like an N95, KN95 or KF94 is worn, since they can better filter viral particles out of the air you breathe. Though cloth masks and surgical masks do little to protect us against the coronavirus extremely contagious omicron variant, studies have shown that a good, well-fitting mask significantly decreases how much virus a person is exposed to, which in turn lowers the chances theyll get infected.

With omicron, better masks such as surgical or higher are preferred, said Dr. Amesh Adalja , an infectious diseases expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security.

After all, this is what doctors treating COVID patients have been doing in intensive care units across the country. Adalja routinely one-way masks (mostly with an N95, but occasionally with a surgical mask) when treating patients with tuberculosis or COVID in the hospital.

It is very safe and the norm, Adalja said, adding that the same applies to the general population.

Airplanes also have great air filtering systems that remove the vast majority of SARS-CoV-2 from the air. This makes flying safer than many other crowded indoor activities where masks havent been required, according to Adalja.

Many experts advise people to continue to wearing high-quality masks while in crowded settings like airports, planes or trains especially people who are at risk or immunocompromised.

I would recommend an N95, KN95, FFP2, KFN94 or double masks (surgical plus cloth) on public transportation if patrons want less exposure, per the physical science studies, said Dr. Monica Gandhi , an infectious diseases specialist with the University of California, San Francisco.

If you choose to one-way mask, youll want the mask to fit snug to your face so there arent gaps around your nose, cheeks or chin. The more gaps there are , the more opportunities a virus has to sneak in.