Confusion Surrounds Public Transit Masking as Judge Rules Against Mandate

The decision of whether to wear a mask on public transportation is now left to commuters. A week after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended the mask mandate for public transportation until May 3, a U.S. District Judge in Tampa, Florida vacated the mask requirement nationwide and directed the CDC to reverse the policy, Bloomberg Law reports.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed last year by the Health Freedom Defense Fund, a nonprofit group which says it focuses on “bodily autonomy” as a human right.

Although the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the CDC said they would no longer enforce mask mandates on public transportation, both agencies recommend commuters continue to wear them.

When the ruling came out on Monday, airlines scrambled to make a quick decision, with some announcing the end to the mandate mid-flight while others cautioned passengers to keep their masks on.

Prior to the TSA’s decision to drop enforcement of the mask mandate, airline pilots said they were concerned about the confusion created by a federal ruling going against CDC recommendations. Since then, several airlines have announced whether they will drop the mask requirement or will continue to require passengers to mask up.