CDC says transportation operators must make best efforts to enforce mask mandate

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order Friday that will require people to wear a mask while using any form of public transportation in the US, beginning Monday at 11:59 p.m.

The CDC said that public transportation operators must use best efforts to enforce the mask mandate, including only boarding those wearing masks and disembarking any passengers who refuse to comply.

People can take their masks off briefly to eat, drink or take medication; verify their identity to law enforcement or transportation officials; communicate with hearing-impaired people; don an oxygen mask on an aircraft; or during a medical emergency, the CDC said on its website.

The agency advises people to wash or sanitize their hands after touching their mask.

The order applies to all travelers, including those who have had Covid-19 or the Covid-19 vaccine. Children under the age of 2, those who cannot safely wear a mask due to a disability, and some people who cannot safely perform their job while wearing a mask are exempt from the order.

The order applies to all US transportation hubs, except those operated by the Department of Defense.