Federal Mask Mandate for Public Transit Extended
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Passengers on public transit will be required to wear a COVID-19 face mask until at least next month.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Thursday that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will extend the federal COVID-19 mask mandate for airplanes, trains and other forms of public transit will be extended until at least April 18. It was set to expire Friday. The announcement said the extension will give the CDC time to "inform a revised policy framework" for mask-wearing on public transit "based on the Covid-19 community levels, risk of new variants, national data, and the latest science." Federal mask guidance has eased in recent weeks, as the CDC rolled back requirements in most of the U.S. last month. No statewide mask mandates will be in effect once Hawaii's expires on March 26.
Reports across the spectrum highlighted some voices who argued that the extension was unneeded. Some coverage from left- and center-rated sources focused on how TSA says the extended mandate will give the CDC time to develop new policy. Some reports from right-rated sources framed the extended mandate as unnecessary and being at odds with overall CDC guidance.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Biden administration set to extend travel mask mandate for another month
The Transportation Security Administration is set to extend the federal public transportation mask mandate for another 30 days, an administration official told CNN, pointing to guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The mandate is one of the last remaining broad requirements that Americans wear masks in public places. It applies to mass transportation including planes, trains, buses and hubs like airports.
The official's comments came after CNN reported that federal officials began notifying stakeholders in the airline industry of the upcoming announcement. Three sources, including two industry officials...
From the Left
US extends mask rule for travel while weighing new approach 
Federal officials are extending the requirement for masks on planes and public transportation for one more month — through mid-April — while taking steps that could lead to lifting the rule.
The mask mandate was scheduled to expire March 18, but the Transportation Security Administration said Thursday that it will extend the requirement through April 18.
TSA said the extra month will give the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention time to develop new, more targeted policies that will consider the number of cases of COVID-19 nationally and in...
From the Right
Mask Mandate Extended For Airlines, Public Transit Despite Relaxed CDC Guidance
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Thursday that Americans will have to wear a mask on public transport for at least a little bit longer.
The federal mask mandate on airline flights and public transit will be extended until at least April 18, the agency announced. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) ultimately decided to extend the mandate at the recommendation of the CDC.
The TSA’s mandate initially went into effect on Feb. 1, 2021 and was set to expire in May 2021, but it has continually been extended...
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