Travellers in the United States will not be required to wear masks on airplanes or other public transport effective immediately
United States District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle overturned the Biden administration’s mask mandate on public transport saying it is unlawful and oversteps their authority.
The Biden administration mandated masks for all forms of transport with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention wanting to extend the mandate until May 3.
However, Mizelle says the CDC had failed in justifying the mandate and following the rule-making procedure.
White House press secretary, Jen Spaki says while the ruling is disappointing, the CDC is still “recommending wearing a mask on public transit” as a precautionary measure.
Masks are no longer required on domestic flights, select international flights (dependent upon the arrival country's requirements) or at U.S. airports. More comfortable keeping yours on? Go right ahead… the choice is yours (you look dino-mite either way)! pic.twitter.com/hwq678v55d
— United Airlines (@united) April 18, 2022
The ruling comes after a lawsuit was filed last year by a group called Health Freedom Defense Fund. They challenged the vaccine and mask mandates on state and federal levels.
Mizelle says it would be impossible to scrape the mandate for a limited number of people who objected.
“A limited remedy would be no remedy at all,” she says.
The judge also says that the courts have full authority to make such decisions even against the laudable efforts of the CDC.
Rijul Baath contributed to this report
