The justice ministry has filed a complaint seeking to overturn a recent judge’s ruling that ended the nation’s mandate for public transport masks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has asked the department to appeal the decision, issuing a statement Wednesday saying the mandate “remains necessary for public health”.
“The CDC continues to encourage people to wear masks in all public transport areas,” the CDC said in a statement. “The number one priority of the CDC is to protect the public health of our nation. As we said before, wearing masks is most useful in crowded or poorly ventilated places, such as the transport corridor.
The Justice Department said Tuesday it would appeal U.S. District Judge Catherine Kimball Misel’s decision only if the CDC said the mandate was still needed. The department said Tuesday it disagreed with the district court’s ruling, and Justice Justice spokesman Anthony Collie issued a statement Wednesday, saying: “In light of today’s CDC assessment, the disguise order in the transport corridor, remains necessary to protect public health, the Department has filed a complaint with the Health Freedom Defense Fund, Inc., et al., against Biden et al.
On Monday, Misel overturned a CDC requirement covering aircraft and other public transportation, saying the mandate went beyond the powers of U.S. health officials. Subsequently, the Transport Security Administration stated that it would no longer implement the mandate.
The judge’s decision came days after the CDC extended the mandate of the mask, which was due to expire on Monday, by two weeks to give researchers more time to study the Omicron BA.2 sub-variant.
However, the answer to the decision is different. Some cities, including New York and Philadelphia, still require masks at airports and public transportation, while others, such as Houston and Atlanta, do not. Even airlines already have different camouflage rules, although most say masks are not mandatory for passengers. Amtrak also said masks are no longer required on trains or stations.
Asked Tuesday whether people still have to wear masks on planes, President Biden said: “It’s up to them,” according to the Associated Press.
Dr Celine Gunder, an infectious disease expert and editor-in-chief of Kaiser Health News, told CBS Mornings that expanding the CDC was the “right” and “cautious” approach.
“We know this virus is mutating. In fact, it is mutating very fast,” she said. “We will see more options and we will see other pandemics after COVID. So I think the idea of losing a basic tool and toolbox is a really bad idea.
Victoria Albert and Robert Legare contributed to the reports.
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Sophie Reardon is a news editor at CBS News. Contact her at sophie.reardon@viacomcbs.com
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