Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended nationwide mask requirements for public transportation through May 3, citing a surge in coronavirus cases. Yesterday, a Florida-based federal judge overturned that decision.
The result: the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says it will no longer enforce the mask mandate on planes, trains, buses and in airports. Right now, this affects mostly domestic flights, but it will also apply to select international flights depending on the rules in destination.
The Associated Press reports that United States District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle voided the mask regulation, stating that the public health agency "improperly failed to justify its decision and did not follow proper rulemaking."
In response to Mizelle's ruling, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said it would no longer enforce the mask mandate. On social media, some travellers reported that the announcement was made midflight, causing some passengers to remove their masks and cheer.
Now it's up to the Biden administration to decide whether it will appeal the decision. For its part, the CDC says it continues to recommend that people wear masks on public transit, including airplanes.
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