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A2 UP FRONT
Friday 11 March 2022
U.S. extends mask rule for travel while weighing new approach

Continued from Front

A decision to eventually
scrap the mask requirement
— one of the last vestiges of
nationwide pandemic rules
— has grown more likely
in recent weeks as more
states, even those led by
Democratic governors, re-
laxed their own mandates
for wearing masks indoors,
and the CDC eased its rec-
ommendations.
That led critics to question
why the CDC would allow
maskless people to gath-
er in movie theaters and
sports arenas but not on
planes.
White House press secre-
tary Jen Psaki said Thursday
that deciding on the right
policy for travel was more
complicated than setting
recommendations for local
communities.
“If you’re moving from one
zone to another and pick-
ing people up ... it’s a little
bit different, and that re-
quires some consultation,
which is what (CDC offi-
cials) are going to endeav-
or to do between now and
April 18,” Psaki said.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Commuters wear face masks and social distance while riding an M Train, Tuesday, March 9, 2021, in New York's subway system.
Walensky said last week Associated Press
that her agency must study
the science around virus was imposed in January masks once the federal rule take a position on extend- on our flight crews, and it
transmission “but also the 2021, days after President lapses. ing the mandate beyond puts stress on our passen-
epidemiology and the fre- Joe Biden took office, and “I don’t think the airlines March 18. gers.”
quency that we may en- has been extended sev- have any desire to impose The continuation of the rule Shannon Schreyer of Og-
counter a variant of con- eral times. The Trump ad- their own requirements at seemed to underscore the den, Utah, wants the man-
cern or a variant of interest ministration had declined this point against a pub- position of airlines and air- date killed.
in our travel corridors.” to require masks on public lic that is weary of these craft manufacturers, who “I haven’t seen that it has
Dr. Graham Snyder, medi- transportation, but airlines restrictions,” said Henry have argued since the start provided any measure of
cal director of infection began requiring them in Harteveldt, a travel-industry of the pandemic that high- effectiveness,” he said, his
prevention at the Univer- mid-2020 to reassure pas- analyst with Atmosphere quality filters and strong air mask hanging just below
sity of Pittsburgh Medi- sengers worried about con- Research Group. flow made virus transmission his mouth while picking up
cal Center, said it makes tracting the virus. On four flights he took this unlikely in plane cabins. In luggage at Detroit Metro
sense to be more cautious Last September, the Trans- week, Harteveldt said, “I December, as omicron was Airport. “I think that the
on planes, subway trains portation Security Admin- noticed there were pas- spreading rapidly, the CEO masks have been a pretty
and buses because “they istration doubled the fines sengers who did not wear of Southwest Airlines told big facade from the very
are designed to efficiently for people who refused their masks even when Congress that masks “don’t beginning. We’re pretty
put a lot of people in one to wear a mask on pub- they were not eating or add much, if anything” to much over the whole CO-
place,” raising the risk of vi- lic transportation to up to drinking, and the flight at- safety on planes — a claim VID thing.”
rus transmission. $1,000 for first-time offend- tendants did not ask them that experts quickly disput- Some travelers are just per-
Stephen Morse, an infec- ers and up to $3,000 for re- to put them on.” Flight at- ed. plexed by all the fuss over
tious-diseases expert at peat violations. tendants were once mostly David Neeleman, who wearing masks.
Columbia University, said The requirement became in favor of masks, which founded JetBlue and now “I don’t really mind, hon-
a short-term extension of a lightning rod for confron- they viewed as protecting leads another start-up car- estly — on bus, on train, on
the rule is appropriate, but tation between some pas- their health. They largely rier, Breeze Airways, said plane,” said Natalie John-
he warned that once it is sengers and airline crews. supported the federal rule, passengers “who feel un- ston, a University of Michi-
dropped it will be hard to Since the start of 2021, air- which carried more weight comfortable should wear gan student from Philadel-
revive if COVID-19 cases lines have reported more than an airline policy. a good mask, an N95 phia, who was waiting for a
surge again. He said there than 6,000 incidents of un- But cabin crews are now mask,” but face coverings bus in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
have been so many surpris- ruly passengers, most of divided over keeping the shouldn’t be mandatory. “I don’t really think it’s that
es with the pandemic that them involving disputes federal rule, according to “I would love to see it expire big of a deal.”
“a month may not be long over mask wearing. That their largest union, the As- on (March) 18th,” Neele- News of the extension and
enough.” history could make it un- sociation of Flight Atten- man told The Associated policy review was first re-
The federal mask mandate likely for airlines to require dants, which declined to Press. “It puts a lot of stress ported by Reuters.q