CDC implements mask-wearing mandate on all US public transports [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a nationwide order on Friday, requiring all commuters to wear face masks when in transit and transportation hubs.
• President Joe Biden instructed federal agencies to immediately implement the mask-wearing mandate on all public transportations.
• The agencies are obliged to submit their plan on or before Friday.

Amid the continuous surge of COVID-19 nationwide, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an all-encompassing order on Friday, requiring every American to wear face masks at almost all times when commuting in public.

The directive requires face masks to be worn by commuters on airplanes, buses, ships, subways, taxis, trains, and other ride-sharing transport. Masks would also be required at transportation hubs such as airports, bus or ferry terminals and seaports, and subway and train stations.

On January 21, President Joe Biden instructed government agencies to take immediate action on making mask-wearing a compulsory practice on all public transportation places.

“Requiring masks on our transportation systems will protect Americans and provide confidence that we can once again travel safely even during this pandemic,” director for CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine Marty Cetron said, in an 11-page order he signed.

The CDC said that people who would not comply with the order could face legal punishments, though another applicable suggestion would be civil punishments instead. Authorities such as the Transportation Security Administration together with federal, state, and local agencies would enforce the mandate.

Per the order, passengers should wear a mask (can be homemade or manufactured) while in transit except for short moments like eating, drinking, or taking medication.

Other exceptions to the order include travelers who are less than two years old and individuals with specific medical conditions. People inside private vehicles and solo commercial truck drivers are not required to wear masks.

The order also states that airlines and other modes of transportation may require medical clearance and a negative COVID-19 test from a traveler before he or she qualifies for boarding.

The order states that airlines and other operators must “at the earliest safe opportunity, disembark any person who refuses to comply.” 

This week, the agency said that it was “actively looking” at mandating negative COVID-19 tests for local flights after implementing it on international travel on January 26. The idea, though, gained substantial objections from airlines and other concerned groups.

The order is set to take effect on Monday at 11:59 p.m. EST (0459 GMT Tuesday). Federal agencies, who are tasked to enforce the order, were instructed to send their plans to the White House on or before Friday.

During former president Donald Trump’s period, the CDC was not able to implement such measure. Trump also opposed any legislative efforts to make mask-wearing compulsory.

Source: AOL.com