The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended the federal transportation mask requirement for two weeks on Wednesday, five days before it was set to expire, despite great pressure from airlines and Republican lawmakers. If the mask mandate is not extended again, it will expire on May 3.
The C.D.C. will be able to assess whether or not BA.2 is going to become aripple because of the additional time. The C.D.C. will use that information to decide if the mandate should be extended further.
I think it's reasonable to remove mask mandates if the number of infections is relatively low.
The C.D.C. said that the extension of the divisive rule made up more than 85% of new U.S. virus cases.
There have been increases in the 7-day moving average of cases.
New U.S. cases have begun to pick up again. According to a New York Times database, the nation reported more than 31,000 new cases a day on average, 8 percent more than two weeks earlier. The true spread of the virus may be undercounted since access to at- home tests has increased and the results are not officially reported.
It is not yet clear how severe the impact will be, as BA.2 has caused more hospitalizations and deaths in the United Kingdom than it has in Israel.
The question is which path is America going to follow, will it follow the U.K. path or the Israeli path?
In recent months, airlines and the hotel industry have been lobbying the White House to overturn the mask rule and the requirement to test before returning to the United States from abroad. In one of the most recent letters, dated April 8, Airlines for America, an industry group representing eight airlines, the U.S. Travel Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
While the public health benefits of these policies have diminished, the economic costs associated with maintaining these measures are significant.
Airlines for America sent another letter to the C.D.C. director on Wednesday, asking for a detailed explanation of why masks are necessary on planes.
It is difficult to understand why masks are still required on airplanes, but not in crowded bars and restaurants, in packed sports arenas, in schools full of children, or at large indoor political gatherings.
David Freedman, the president-elect of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, said airlines are different from other indoor settings because you can't easily leave.
The difference with other indoor settings is that on an airplane you are trapped until the end of the flight or until everyone disembarks.
Dr. Jha made a similar point.
He said that if that person sitting next to you is coughing, you won't be able to move.
Opponents of the mask mandate often point to the advanced ventilation systems on airplanes as a way to eliminate the risk of transmission.
The chair of a group focused on responsible travel for the International Society of Travel Medicine said that there is no risk on an airplane.
She said that Canada is grappling with the same situation. There are still masks required on airplanes and in airports in Canada, but cases have been rising in some parts of the country.
In the United States, the mask mandate has been a challenge for flight attendants who have had to deal with passengers who have physically and mentally attacked them. More than 4,000 mask-related incidents were reported to the FAA.
Two groups that have to deal with implementing the rule were not willing to take a stance ahead of the decision.
The president of the union that represents T.S.A. employees said on Tuesday that they have to comply with whatever the agency puts in place. He believes that masks protect his employees, their families and the flying public.
Some travelers and commuters applauded the extension, while others argued that it should remain in place even longer.
The C.D.C. is extending the mask mandate for public transport for two weeks. Millions of people rely on public transportation to get to work. We need mask mandates to keep society open and accessible during the Pandemic.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
