Health and Medicine

Justice Department might appeal the mask ruling if the CDC says they're still needed

By Jonathan Franklin

Published April 18, 2022 at 2:16 PM PDT

A sign advises people to wear a mask and stand six feet apart as travelers make their way through Miami International Airport in December 2021 in Miami. A federal judge in Florida has ruled that the federal mask mandate on planes, trains, buses and other modes of public transportation is unlawful.

The mask-wearing requirement had been initially imposed in early 2021, shortly after President Biden took office.

A federal judge in Florida has ruled that the federal mask mandate on planes, trains, buses and other modes of public transportation is "unlawful."

U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle wrote in a summary filed Monday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has exceeded its authority and failed to follow proper rulemaking procedures in requiring passengers and employees to wear face coverings while in transit.

Just last week, the agency extended the transportation mask mandate (which had been set to expire originally on April 18) through May 3 — allowing officials to take more time to study the BA.2 subvariant of COVID-19.

The mask-wearing requirement had been initially imposed in early 2021, shortly after President Joe Biden took office in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.