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US airlines drop mask mandate after Florida court order

DTMT Network

Airline companies in the United States, including  Delta  Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, have dropped the mask mandate for domestic as well as international travel in some sectors after a Florida court declared the mask mandate issued by the United States Centers for Disease Control and prevention unlawful on April 18, 2022.

Stating that the mandate exceeded the CDC’s statutory authority, US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said that the [mandate] improperly invoked the good cause exception to notice and comment rulemaking and failed to adequately explain its decision.

“Because our system does not permit agencies to act unlawfully even in pursuit of desirable ends, id., the Court declares unlawful and vacates the Mask Mandate,” the judge wrote in her judgement.

Describing the decision as ‘disappointing’, the White House press secretary Jen Psaki said during the press briefing on April 18, 2022, that the federal government while implementing the order while the CDC is reviewing the decision.

Defending the CDC’s mandate Psaki said that the CDC recommended continuing the order for an additional time, two weeks, to be able to assess the latest science in keeping with its responsibility to protect the American people.

“Department of Justice would make any determinations about litigation,” she added.

Meanwhile, Delta Airlines have issued a fresh set of guidelines and made wearing mask optional for its employees and customers inside airports and onboard all aircraft domestically, as well as on most international flights.

“Delta employees and customers may continue wearing masks if they so choose. Wearing a well-fitting mask protects the wearer, even if others around them are not wearing masks,” the airline said.

Not everyone agrees. Dr Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist and founder of World Health Network warned that the move might result in the spreading of the infections resulting in disruption of services in the airports with delayed and cancelled flights.

Taking to Twitter, the US epidemiologist said that the same situation was seen in the United Kingdom recently when the airlines were forced to delay and cancel flights from Heathrow Airport following high levels of staff absence as a result of COVID infections.

 

 


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