US to lift compulsory masks on buses and trains as early as next month

In the United States, it is expected that the mandatory wearing of masks will be lifted on public transportation such as airplanes, buses and trains as early as next month.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is developing guidelines to lift the federal government mandate to face masks on public transportation, the Associated Press reported on the 10th, citing an unnamed official.

However, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that the mandatory mask requirement at public transportation hubs such as airports and train stations, which expires on the 18th of this month, will be extended for one month until the 18th of next month.

The extension is also meant to buy time for health authorities to come up with new guidelines that narrow down who needs to wear a mask.

The official said the CDC plans to develop a revised regulatory framework for when to wear a mask on public transport based on the recently revised standards for measuring the level of community spread of COVID-19.