CDC Judged By Federal Judges For Beyond Authority, Rules For Using Masks On Airplanes And Trains In The US Will Be Revoked

Illustration of masked passengers at a United States subway station. (Wikimedia Commons/Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority)

JAKARTA - The rules for the use of masks according to the COVID-19 health protocol on airplanes and trains in the United States will soon be revoked, after a federal judge in Florida judged that the 14-month-old provision violated the law.

Last week, US health officials extended a mandate to May 3 requiring travelers to wear masks on airplanes, trains, and in taxis, ride-hailing vehicles or transit hubs, saying they needed time to assess the impact of the COVID-19 increase. recently, caused by the corona virus in the air.

Industry groups and Republican lawmakers balked and wanted the government to end the mandatory use of masks permanently.

The ruling by US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, who Donald Trump appointed while serving as president, comes in a lawsuit filed last year in Tampa, Florida, by the Health Freedom Defense Fund.

It follows a series of decisions against President Biden's administration directives to fight the infectious disease that has killed nearly a million Americans, including vaccines or testing mandates for employers.

Judge Mzelle said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had exceeded its powers with a mandate, did not seek public comment and did not explain its decision adequately.

Separately, a US government official said, while the agencies assess potential next steps, the court's decision means the CDC's public transport shutdown order is no longer in effect. The government can still choose to appeal the order or request an emergency delay in enforcement of the order.

"Therefore, the TSA will not enforce the Security Directive and Emergency Amendment requiring the use of masks on public transport and transport hubs at this time," the official said in a statement.

Illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Գարիկ )

"The CDC recommends that people continue to wear masks in indoor public transport settings."

The Transportation Security Administration said it would cancel a new Security Directive that was scheduled to take effect on Tuesday.

The decision comes as COVID-19 infections increase again in the United States, with an average of 36,251 new infections reported daily, and 460 deaths daily, based on a seven-day average, the highest number of total COVID-19 deaths reported in the world.

In this regard, the White House called the decision "disappointing." Major airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, as well as national rail line Amtrak eased restrictions effective immediately.

It is known that the CDC first issued a public health order requiring masks in interstate transportation in February 2021. The TSA issued a safety directive to enforce the CDC's orders.

The CDC and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) declined to comment.

United Airlines, American, Delta, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue and Alaska Airlines said masks were now optional on their planes.

"We are relieved to see the US mask mandate lifted to facilitate global travel, as COVID-19 has shifted to a regular seasonal virus," Delta said.

The move could affect travel demand, which has rebounded after a decline caused by the Omicron coronavirus variant. US passenger traffic has averaged about 89 percent of pre-pandemic levels since mid-February, according to TSA data.

With the number of COVID-19 cases rising again, lifting the mandate could alert some passengers, while encouraging others to fly again.