CDC Recommends Travelers Still Wear Masks on Planes and Trains

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday it recommends travelers still wear masks on airplanes, trains and at airports despite a federal judge declaring the Biden administration’s 14-month-old transportation mask mandate unlawful last month.

The CDC called for all passengers above the age of two to wear masks on all forms of public transportation as well as in transportation hubs such as airports and train stations. The agency’s recommendation comes after dozens of public transit agencies in the U.S. and five major airlines dropped their mask mandates for passengers and staff.

“We also encourage operators of public transportation and transportation hubs to support mask wearing by all people, including employees,” the CDC said.

The CDC said it based its recommendation in part on data that projects the U.S. to experience a surge in Covid cases this summer. The country is currently averaging more than 56,000 Covid cases daily, a significant jump from the 25,000 daily infections reported in early April.