Biden extends transit mask mandate by 1 month

Travelers on planes, buses and other public transportation will have to stay masked until April 18. The federal mandate was to expire March 18.

The Biden Administration is extending the federal mandate requiring masks on mass transit, including airplanes, trains and buses.

The Transportation Security Administration’s mask requirement for public transit would have expired March 18, but they announced the month-long extension at the request of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

All 50 states have ended indoor masking or announced they will soon. Last year the TSA doubled the civil penalty for refusing to comply with masking requirements. Multiple offenses can result in fined of up to $3,000.

In the time leading up to April 18, the CDC said it will revise its framework for when masks will be required during transportation. They’ll adjust it based on COVID-19 cases, new variant risks and other data.

It marks the third time the federal mask mandate for transit has been extended, but the agency could end the mandate sooner if it’s supported by the numbers.