A federal mask mandate is no longer in effect following the ruling of a U.S. district court judge who determined the order was unlawful.
Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle on Monday ruled that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeded its authority with the mandate, which was implemented in February 2021 in violation of administrative law.
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed last year in Tampa, Florida, by the Health Freedom Defense Fund. The suit claimed that the mandate was "arbitrary and capricious" because it gave exemptions to certain groups, like children under 2-years-old, but not others, NBC News reported.
The ruling was unexpected, given the mandate requiring people to wear masks on airplanes, trains, and in taxis, ride-share vehicles or transit hubs, was just extended last week until May 3.
So, what does the ruling mean for you?
The Biden administration announced that the Transportation Security Administration would no longer enforce the mandate while the ruling is being reviewed. The TSA also issued a statement saying masks would no longer be required on public transportation or in transportation hubs.
But that doesn't exactly mean you'll be able to go mask-free everywhere you travel.
In absence of a national mandate, the ruling opens the door for individual airlines, airports, trains and other public transit systems to make their own rules for mask requirements. Some could choose to have mask optional policies or they could implement their own mandates.
So far, major airlines including American, United, Delta and Southwest, as well as the Amtrak rail system and rideshare company Uber, have dropped mask requirements effective immediately. Their updated policies allow individuals to personally decide whether or not to wear a mask.
Local transit, including buses, subways and taxis, may still require passengers to wear masks. Face masks may also be required when traveling to certain international locations, based on country requirements.
As of April 18, the U.S. is reporting an average of 35,000 new COVID-19 cases per day, up slightly from the daily average of 26,800 reported on March 18, according to the CDC.
The CDC continues to recommend that people wear masks in indoor public transportation settings.
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