Last night, after a federal judge put the kibosh on the mask mandate on planes, trains, buses and in public transportation facilities, I noted that the MBTA had planned to continue to enforce the mask rule on its fleet and in its facilities. This morning, in response to a question from a doctor, the MBTA tweeted:
Good Morning. Yes, masks are still required on all MBTA vehicles and in stations.
However, approximately 7 hours later the MBTA did an about face:
Effective immediately, wearing a mask on the T is now optional except for on The RIDE. The MBTA continues to follow @CDCgov guidelines in encouraging people to wear face masks on public transit. Please respect your fellow passengers' decisions. Learn more: ow.ly/Orc750IMWT9
While it would appear the MBTA received its guidance from the TSA, I wonder what other factors might have figured in regarding its about face although I'm sure there was some public feedback. I'm also sure the Biden Administration realizes it is fighting a losing battle where it concerns masks unless there is a major surge in cases accompanied by a major surge in hospitalizations.
As I said last night, I am going to continue wearing a mask aboard the T for now. At this point, I'm simply not comfortable going maskless on a crowded train for any length of time. Especially if the train gets stuck.
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