The federal government isn't ready to lift its transportation mask mandate just yet.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will extend a requirement that masks be worn on public transportation for another two weeks, The Associated Press and CNN reported Wednesday. The mandate affects planes, trains, buses, and transportation hubs.
This mandate was set to expire on April 18 after it was most recently extended for another month in March. At the time, the CDC said it would "work with government agencies to help inform a revised policy framework for when, and under what circumstances, masks should be required in the public transportation corridor."
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But a Biden administration official told CNN the CDC is recommending the TSA extend the mandate again through May 3 to give the agency "additional time" to "learn more" about the BA.2 subvariant of COVID-19 and "make a best-informed decision."
Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House's coronavirus response coordinator, told NBC's Today earlier this week extending the travel mask mandate was "absolutely on the table," though he noted the decision was up to the CDC. At the same time, he told Today he wasn't "overly concerned" about BA.2 as some states see an uptick in cases.
"We've got to watch this very carefully," he said. "Obviously, I never like to see infections rising. I think we've got to be careful. But I don't think this is a moment where we have to be excessively concerned."
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