A federal judge in Florida said on Monday a U.S. mask mandate on public transportation is unlawful, overturning a Biden administration effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Last week, U.S. health officials extended by 15 days the mandate requiring travelers to wear masks on airplanes, trains, and in taxis, ride-share vehicles or transit hubs, saying they needed time to assess the impact of a recent rise in COVID-19 cases.
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The ruling by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, an appointee of President Donald Trump, came in a lawsuit filed last year in Tampa, Florida, by a group called the Health Freedom Defense Fund, Reuters reported.
Judge Mizelle said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had exceeded its authority with the mandate, had not sought public comment and did not adequately explain its decisions.
It was not clear whether the order would take immediate effect. The judge sent the issue back to the CDC, but the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) mask mandate appeared to still be in effect.
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The decision could create confusion on airplanes, where the mask mandate has led to an increase in incidents and altercations between airline officials enforcing the mandate and passengers who reject the face-covering requirement.
Following the ruling, Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, called for “calm and consistency at airports and on airplanes. The last thing we need for front-line workers or passengers traveling today is confusion and chaos.”
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