Mask Mandate On Airplanes, Public Transportation Extended Until April 18

Topline

The Transportation Security Administration will extend its mask mandate on public transportation for another month, multiple outlets report, even as other mask mandates have been lifted nationwide.

Key Facts

The TSA’s mandate, which was set to expire March 18, will be extended toApril 18, NBC News first reported, citing White House and TSA officials.

The mandate applies to all public transportation networks nationwide, including airports, airplanes, buses and trains.

Per NBC and the Associated Press, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will use the extra month to work with other agencies on a “revised policy framework” for when masks should be required on public transportation in the future, based on Covid-19 metrics and factors like new variants emerging.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a March press briefing that there are additional factors that go into requiring masks on public transport versus other indoor settings, like the possibility that new coronavirus variants could spread more easily from one place to another.

TSA has not yet responded to a request for comment.

Crucial Quote

Walensky said in a March 2 briefing that the CDC would consider the transportation mask mandate “in a separate way” from other mask requirements, saying the “equation” for it involves “how much disease [is]

Key Background

Every state has now lifted its mask mandate or announced plans to do so as Covid-19 cases have declined nationwide. The CDC altered its mask guidance in late February to base its recommendations on where severe illness is highest to prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed, rather than just Covid-19 case counts. At least 90% of the country now has low enough transmission for masks not to be recommended under those guidelines, according to CDC data as of March 3. The White House dropped its mask mandate for fully vaccinated employees and visitors on March 1.

Further Reading

TSA to extend mask mandate for planes, public transportation until April 18 (NBC News)

Hawaii Becomes Last State To Drop Mask Mandate As Covid Infections Fall (Forbes)

CDC Significantly Loosens Mask Guidelines (Forbes)

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