The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new order late Friday, January 29, 2021 that requires anyone using public transportation, traveling into or within the United States, to wear a face mask. This order went go into effect on Monday, February 1, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Face-coverings will be required at transportation hubs like airports, train or subway stations, and bus terminals.
Passengers will be required to abide by the new rule while “boarding, disembarking, and for the duration of travel” on planes, trains, subways, buses, ferries, and ride-share vehicles.
The new order clearly states that masks “must completely cover a traveler’s nose and mouth. Face shields, scarves, and bandanas are not permissible forms of coverings.” Children under 2 of age and those who can’t wear a mask due to a disability, as defined by the “Americans with Disabilities Act,” are exempted from the order.
The CDC stated that while it “reserves the right” to enforce the order through criminal penalties, it will rely on “the honor system” by public transportation patrons.
Here is an excerpt from the Saturday, January 30 CDC press release:
“This action is to further prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 and to further support state and local health authorities, transportation partners, and conveyance operators to keep passengers, employees, and communities safe.”
Today’s order from CDC is part of a comprehensive, science-driven, U.S. government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. One component of the whole-of-government response is taking actions related to reducing virus spread through travel. Transmission of the virus through travel has led to—and continues to lead to—interstate and international spread of the virus.
“America’s transportation systems are essential,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH. “Given how interconnected most transportation systems are across our nation and the world, when infected persons travel on public conveyances without wearing a mask and with others who are not wearing masks, the risk of interstate and international transmission can grow quickly.”
Traveling on public transportation increases a person’s risk of getting and spreading COVID-19 by bringing people in close contact with others, often for prolonged periods, and exposing them to frequently touched surfaces. Face masks help prevent people who have COVID-19, including those who are pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic, from spreading the virus to others. Masks also help protect the wearer by reducing the chance they will breathe in respiratory droplets carrying the virus.
Dr. Martin Cetron, director of the CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, who signed the 11-page order, said: “Requiring masks on our transportation systems will protect Americans and provide confidence that we can once again travel safely even during this pandemic. Therefore, requiring masks will help us control this pandemic and aid in reopening America’s economy.”
The new order came at a pivotal point in the pandemic. The United States has seen 26,527,226 cases and 447,773 deaths. Although two vaccines have rolled out and a third is on the way, highly contagious variants from the U.K., Brazil, and South Africa are now present in the United States. Health officials are growing increasingly concerned about the ability to contain the rapidly spreading virus. For more information, go to cdc.gov.
