U.S. travelers and commuters will have to wear a mask on almost all forms of public transportation and inside transportation hubs, according to an emergency order late Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The mandate, which takes effect on Tuesday and applies to most everyone over the age of two, effectively reverses the Trump administration’s policies. It follows an executive order issued Jan. 21 by President Joe Biden requiring passengers to wear face masks during interstate travel.
Under the new CDC policy, all travelers must wear face masks on planes, ships, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride shares and within airports, bus or ferry terminals, train and metro stations and ports, as required.
“The requirements of masks on our transportation systems will protect Americans and give us confidence that we can travel safely again, even during this pandemic,” according to the 11-page order signed by Marty Cetron, director of CDC’s Global Migration and Quarantine Division. . “By increasing the universal mask by 15%, the need for barriers can be avoided and losses of up to $ 1 billion or about 5% of the gross domestic product can be reduced.”
A CDC push to mandate masks in transportation has been blocked under President Donald Trump. Instead, the agency issued strong recommendations for mask use. Mr. Trump also rejected congressional efforts to order the use of masks.
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The order releases people with disabilities who cannot wear a mask and private cars for personal use. People will also be allowed to take off their mask to eat or drink or to identify themselves. Bus drivers and other drivers will oversee the implementation of the new order, which requires that all who do not obey be kicked off the vehicle.
The order comes because 25.9 million people in the U.S. have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began, accounting for more than a quarter of the global total.
The CDC on Friday also extended a moratorium on home evictions related to the failure to pay rent or housing. The order, which would expire on January 31, runs until March 31.
The protection is limited to tenants earning no more than $ 99,000 a year, or a couple earning no more than $ 198,000.
Write to Douglas Belkin by [email protected]
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