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People wear face shields and masks while waiting for their flight at Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport in Dallas, TX on July 27, 2020.
Erin Clark | Boston Globe | fake images
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a “strong recommendation” on Monday that all passengers and employees on planes, trains, subways, buses, taxis, and rideshare vehicles should wear masks to avoid the spread of Covid-19.
The provisional guide also requires face coverings in transportation hubs such as airports and train stations.
“The widespread and routine use of masks in our transportation systems will protect Americans and provide confidence that we can once again travel safer even during this pandemic,” the CDC said.
Airlines, Amtrak, and most U.S. public transportation systems and airports already require all passengers and workers to wear face covers, as do most airports and ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft. .
But the White House in July opposed the language in a bill before Congress that would have mandated that all passengers and workers on airlines, trains and public transportation wear masks. The White House did not immediately comment on the CDC’s recommendation.
In July, the White House Office of Management and Budget said the legislation requiring masks was “too restrictive.” He added that “such decisions must be left to states, local governments, transportation systems and public health leaders.”
The CDC said transportation operators must ensure that all passengers and employees wear masks “during the trip” and must provide information to “people who buy tickets or book transportation” about the need to wear masks, as well as, when possible, the availability of masks.
He said transit operators could exempt children under the age of two or people with written instructions from a medical provider.
The Travel Association of America commended the CDC’s guidance. “There simply cannot be an economic and jobs recovery unless travel can be widely resumed, and universal adoption of the use of masks and other hygiene measures is what will allow that to happen,” the group said.
US airlines have collectively banned hundreds of travelers for not wearing masks after they began requiring them in April.
Airlines for America, a trade group representing major airlines, said that “the requirement to cover the face along with improved sanitation practices and health recognition forms are key components in our multi-layered approach to protecting wellness. of our employees and the traveling public. “
