TSA will not enforce COVID mask mandate on planes, public transit after court ruling

(NBC) - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said will not enforce the mask mandate on public transportation after the court’s ruling.

A federal judge in Florida on Monday vacated the Biden administration’s national COVID mask mandate for planes and other forms of public transportation, ruling that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had overstepped its authority.

U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa said the CDC had failed to adequately explain its reasons for the mandate and did not allow public comment in violation of federal procedures for issuing new rules. Mizelle was appointed by former President Donald Trump in 2020.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki, in a press conference Monday, said the administration is reviewing the court’s ruling and the Justice Department will determine whether it will appeal.

The CDC mandate also applied to trains, buses, taxis and ride-shares among other forms of public transit.

The court’s ruling comes less than a week after the CDC extended the mask mandate for 15 days, and a rise in COVID infections nationwide due to the omicron BA.2 subvariant.

The CDC continues to recommend that people wear masks on public transit.

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