Posted on 04/21/2022 5:49:13 AM PDT by DoodleBob
Masks are no longer required on airplanes, trains and rideshare services in Massachusetts after a federal judge in Florida struck down the mandate for methods of public transportation.
The Biden administration's mask requirement covered airlines, airports, mass transit and taxis, and was the biggest vestige of pandemic restrictions that were once the norm across the country.
“What this court has said is that the mandate coming from the CDC was improper," legal analyst Michael Coyne said. “It does not limit the ability of private agencies and entities to do what they may want.”
A day after the ruling, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced that it was lifting its mask rules for the MBTA and airport facilities in the state.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend wearing masks on public transit. The agency had recently extended the mask mandate, which was set to expire Monday, until May 3 to allow more time to study the BA.2 omicron subvariant of the coronavirus now responsible for the vast majority of cases in the U.S.
The judge's decision freed airlines, airports and mass transit systems to make their own decisions about mask requirements.
Beginning Tuesday, masks are optional on the MBTA, MassDOT said.
"Customers are no longer required to wear a mask on MBTA vehicles, or at stations or facilities if they choose not to; however, if people feel more comfortable wearing a facemask, then by all means continue to do so," MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a statement with MassDOT. "The MBTA remains committed to safety and will continue adhering to all CDC and Massachusetts’ public health guidance. The T is continuing to clean vehicles and stations regularly and upgrade air filtration systems."
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Yesterday, on my commuter line, there were MORE people than usual. It was as if people were boycotting mass transit when they had to wear a mask, and have returned with the mandate removed.
About 1/3 of the riders were self-muzzled. Fair enough...some people moved their parents in with them, and if that makes them sleep better so be it. But it was nice to be able to breath like a human again.
My wife, yesterday, flew for the first time in over 18 months. We drove everywhere because of the mandates.
Looks like the NYC MTA and Port Authority (Airports) is the last holdout.
Gee too bad..
I just rode Boston’s transit system yesterday.Some of the drivers had masks,some didn’t.But most of the passengers did.
Governor Baker is a republican RINO but he is light years better than the democrat alternative Maura Healy who has pledged to make the state carbon neutral by 2030 and to ban the sales of new non-electric cars ASAP.
I stopped flying when the airlines stated treating passengers like cargo.
The muzzles have come off, for now, but the airlines are STILL treating passengers like cargo.
Still not flying.
Both are why voters should never allow Deep State to pick their candidates for them.
Wherever you want. Just don't ask or tell me to wear one and don't expect to see me where most people are wearing one.
The only thing I hate more than masks are the people who force me to wear one.
But the moron class will treat Massachusetts as if it is Alabama and then cry when Healy or someone like her gets elected because they can’t read the electorate properly and mismatch a candidate with the State.
One interesting observation: I had a window seat on a three-seat row. A masked commuter started taking the end seat, then (I think) she balked when she saw my unmasked ugliness and moved elsewhere. Eventually a fellow unmasked passenger took the end seat.
In my Southern free state, I am not required to wear a mask anywhere. Not that I wore one before.
Interestingly I have seen a huge increase of people wearing masks in my area.
No idea why.
What’s wrong with Alabama? Massatwoshits should be so lucky!
Because they are brainless, fearful, moronic sheep.
I view increased mask wearing as angry virtue signaling against the Trump appointed judge who issued the ruling.
I heard Disney is keeping them.
But....all of the Disney characters wear masks.
Truthfully, that's an arrogant, elitist, pro-wealthy and indirectly racist position. In public housing, apartments, and other housing complexes where people below the median income live, there are NO charging stations. Further, EVs cost way more than ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles.
The push toward EVs will invariably hurt poor people, people who live in cities or apartments, and other places where charging stations don't exist. Even if funding for installing stations materializes, imagine the bedlam when 200 apartment inhabitants vie for 10 charging stations...invariably people will unplug their neighbor's EV and jack in their EV. Then, Mary the waitress loses her job because her EV is out of power; if she had an ICE, even with increased gas prices she can still drive her car.
Scratch the people pushing EVs and you'll find a POS who puts the illusion of clean air and virtue-signaling over actual concern for the poor and minorities.
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