We've all seen those viral videos of people refusing to wear masks. *Eye roll*

Never did I ever think I would be writing on article about someone being punished for WEARING a mask.

His name is Rob Joseph and he is a New Jersey native.

When he and his brother were travelling for work, they attempted to board a flight wearing a Narwall Mask and the airport staff gave them quite an issue and ultimately kicked the brothers off their flight.

So just a little bit about this Narwall Mask.

Narwall Mask
Narwall Mask
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According to APP.com, they are, "a full face shield that filters air in and out using a design inspired by scuba diving gear." 

The two Mahwah residents were told that they needed to replace these filters with regular cloth masks in order to be able to fly.

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According to Narwall's website, these face shields are much safer than regular cloth masks. Why would an airline want someone to be LESS cautious... I don't get it.

So yes, I do rationalize with Joseph's reasoning: he wanted extra protection while traveling since there is a more contagious strain of COVID-19 making its way around.

"Is it goofy? Absolutely. Is it something you want to be seen in public? Not exactly," said Joseph. "But to have that peace of mind for me and my family, I’m willing to take some stares to get down there safely. I’d really like to be able to wear my own mask for my own safety and the safety of everyone else on this plane."

Eventually, Joseph and his brother gave in and each put on a cloth and surgical mask each because they did have to reach their location for business but that does not mean they agree with how things went down.

"If I’m trying to exceed that for my own safety and my own comfort, to protect my newborn at home and my family that is at risk — that’s my right."

And to make matters even worse for United Airlines, the creator of the Narwall Mask has also spoken up on this incident.

"Narwall was specifically designed to filter all exhale, to have no vents, to have no direct exhaust valve, which of course would endanger the people around the wearer potentially," said Alex Rattray, founder and creator of the Narwall Mask. "I had the idea to put a super high-grade filter to filter your exhale and your inhale to keep you and everyone safe."

"People who buy Norwall tend to be much more vulnerable people, or live with someone who is vulnerable, or are visiting someone who is vulnerable," Rattray said. "You can imagine that when they’re told to take that off and wear a surgical mask that offers less protection to the wearer — that can be extremely distressing and a frightening situation."

So now I ask you: Who was wrong here. The airline or the brothers?

I personally side with the brothers. Again....how can you scold someone for wanting to be OVERLY cautious in these crazy times?

Take a look at the original article with more detail on this story at APP.com.

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