Despite Weary Staff and Frustrated Passengers, it’s “2 More Weeks” All Over Again

Leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has decided to extend the mask recommendation originally set to expire on April 18. 

Now, the duration has been extended by 15 days, ostensibly to monitor for any observable increase in severe virus outcomes - not cases - as the most recent COVID-19 variant begins making the rounds in New York. The Transportation Security Administration heeded CDC recommendations and extended the requirement through May 3.

The TSA specifically cited the new BA.2 subvariant in their announcement, referring to an increase in the 7-day moving average of cases in the USA. "During the 15-day extension period,” their announcement read, “[the] CDC will assess the potential impact the recent rise of COVID-19 cases has on severe disease, including hospitalizations, deaths, and healthcare system capacity. TSA will continue to coordinate closely with CDC and communicate any changes to this requirement with the public." The change to hospital outcomes, and not cases, shows at least a minor level of awareness of the downsides of gauging interventions off of the less reliable case totals.

The mask rule has been troublesome over the last 2 years, being a flash point for disagreements and a common thread in many unruly passenger incidents. Airlines have grown weary of the enforcement, even asking policy makers to discontinue the requirements. They point to fatigued employees, describing the function as something they are not trained to perform as a normal part of their duties, especially when those efforts fall upon frustrated, and sometimes combative customers. 

In a letter to the presidency, execs from Delta, American, United, and 7 other carriers issued a statement. "Much has changed since these measures were imposed and they no longer make sense in the current public health context," they said, noting that the world has shifted since 2020. The traveling public has now largely been vaccinated, and most other venues of public gatherings have been maskless for months. 

"It makes no sense that people are still required to wear masks on airplanes, yet are allowed to congregate in crowded restaurants, schools and at sporting events without masks, despite none of these venues having the protective air filtration system that aircraft do."

"Now is the time for the Administration to sunset federal transportation travel restrictions - including the international predeparture testing requirement and the federal mask mandate - that are no longer aligned with the realities of the current epidemiological environment."

FMI: www.tsa.gov