The use of a mask will no longer be mandatory on domestic flights, trains, subways and buses in the United States from this Monday (18), according to the country’s government.
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There are still guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to wear masks in these settings, but the agency responsible for monitoring mask use, the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA), has announced that it will no longer monitor people to enforce this measure.
The measure applies to U.S. territory, but for international flights, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says it’s up to each airline to decide boarding rules that require the use of a mask or not.
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The government announced the move after a US judge ruled that federally mandated use of masks on US public transportation was illegal. The measure was the subject of a legal dispute.
1 of 1 image of passengers on a flight from New York in May 2020 — Photo: Eleonore Sens / AFP
Image of passengers on a flight from New York in May 2020 — Photo: Eleonore Sens / AFP
Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle of Tampa, Fla. ruled that the CDC exceeded its powers in imposing the requirement, which applies to planes, trains, subways and buses, among others.
The government is evaluating what their next steps will be, but there is no commitment at the moment.
Pressure to make the measure flexible
Democrat Joe Biden’s government has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks to relax or lift the measure.
About twenty Republicanled states and several major airlines have called for an end to mask requirements on airplanes and other public transportation.
However, last week federal officials decided to extend the requirement until at least May 3.