Flyers, Riders of Trains, Buses Can't Take Masks Off Yet

CDC extends mandate until April 18 as it examines policies

By Newser Editors and Wire Services

Posted Mar 10, 2022 11:48 AM CST

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Mask Mandate on Planes, Trains Extended a Month — Commuters wear face masks and social distance while riding New York's subway system. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

The CDC is developing guidance that will ease the nationwide mask mandate on airplanes, buses, and other mass transit next month, but the existing face-covering requirement will be extended through April 18, per the AP. The requirement, which is enforced by the Transportation Security Administration, had been set to expire on March 18, but was extended by a month to allow the public health agency time to develop new, more targeted policies. The requirement extends to planes, buses, trains, and transit hubs.

The CDC is developing a “revised policy framework” for when masks should be required on transit systems based on its newly released COVID-19 community levels metric, one official tells the AP. As of March 3, more than 90% of the US population is in a location with low or medium COVID-19 Community Levels, where public face-masking is no longer recommended in indoor settings.

(More CDC stories.)

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