A federal judge in Florida on Monday struck down the Joe Biden administration's mask mandate for travelers on planes, trains, buses and other public transportation.
District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle concluded that the mandate exceeds the authority of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its implementation violated administrative laws, as reported by CNN and the agency. news The Associated Press.
The ruling responds to a lawsuit filed in late March by 21 states governed by the Republican Party.
It is not yet clear how quickly the ruling will be implemented at airports or train stations across the country or whether the Justice Department will attempt to block the decision by filing an appeal.
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The CDC ordered in January 2021, after Biden's arrival at the White House, the use of masks in all public transportation, including planes, trains, ships and buses, as well as in transportation hubs, such as airports and subway stations.
The requirement has remained in place even after health authorities announced a change in COVID-19 guidelines in February, stating that most citizens are safe indoors without a mask.
It was supposed to expire this Monday, but was recently extended until May 3.
The CDC indicated that they needed more time to analyze the impact of the omicron subvariant BA.2, which is the one currently prevalent in the country.
The mask mandate has been challenged for months by airlines on the grounds that modern aircraft air filters are good enough to reduce the risk of catching the virus in flight.
