Masks are now optional on Corvallis and Philomath buses, a surprising change due to one federal judge based in Florida.
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had extended the mandate for planes, buses, and trains to May 3 due to increased numbers of cases of Covid-19 – in particular the Omicron subvariant BA.2 which is as contagious as the Omicron variant and could be as potentially severe as the Delta variant.
With 59 pages of text, U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle did what the president who appointed her to her seat – Donald Trump – could not when she struck down that mask mandate for public transit. Mizelle justified the ruling by saying that the CDC did not properly justify the mandate and therefore did not follow federal procedures while instigating it.
This means that the Transportation Security Administration can no longer require masks. Quickly following the ruling, airlines Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United removed their mandates.
Portland International Airport and the Eugene Airport have both lifted their mandates. Some airports are maintaining mask mandates due to state mandates, including LaGuardia and JFK airports in New York City and Philadelphia International Airport in Pennsylvania.
The CDC still strongly recommends wearing masks on any public transit, especially if you or someone you know is immunocompromised.
By Sally K Lehman
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