Jan. 30 (UPI) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an order requiring people to wear masks while using public transportation.
The order applies to passengers and workers on public conveyances, such as airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxies and ride shares.
“People must wear masks that cover both the mouth and nose when awaiting, boarding, traveling on, or disembarking public conveyances,” the CDC order, issued late Friday, said. “People must also wear masks when entering or on the premises of a transportation hub in the United States.”
The CDC order takes effect 11:59 p.m. EST Monday.
The federal agency issued the order based on President Joe Biden‘s executive action requiring mask-wearing on certain modes of transportation. The executive order issued last week also required compliance with recommended self-quarantine after entering the United States.
“We are prepared to make sure that we use all relevant authorities to enforce the president’s executive order to ensure that across every mode of transportation workers, passengers, commuters are protected,” Transportation Secretary nominee Pete Buttigieg said at his confirmation hearing last week.
The Senate commerce committee voted Wednesday to advance the former South Bend, Ind., mayor’s nomination to a full Senate vote, which has not been scheduled.
Biden tapped Buttigieg, who is also a U.S. Navy veteran, for the post after he ran against him in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, saying at one point he reminded him of his late son Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in May 2015 at age 46, and similarly served in the military.
If approved, Buttigieg would make history as the first openly gay U.S. Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate.
