Judge Rules Federal Transport Mask Mandate Unlawful

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—A U.S. judge in Florida said on Monday that a mask mandate on public transportation is unlawful, overturning a Biden administration effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Last week, U.S. health officials extended by 15 days the mandate requiring travelers to wear masks on airplanes, trains, and in taxis, ride-share vehicles or transit hubs, saying they needed time to assess the impact of a recent rise in COVID-19 cases.

The Transportation Security Administration and Federal Aviation Administration declined to comment. The White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not immediately comment.

The Florida lawsuit was filed by a group called the Health Freedom Defense Fund in July 2021.

The CDC first issued a public health order requiring masks in interstate transportation in February 2021. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a security directive to enforce the CDC order.

The judge sent the issue back to the CDC. It was not immediately clear if the judge's order would take immediate effect.

(Reporting by David Shepardson and Mike Stone in Washington, Editing by Franklin Paul and Nick Macfie)

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