From the file entitled “Does the CDC actually know what is happening out here?”

This evening the CDC issued ‘strong recommendation’ for a mask mandate on airplanes, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-share vehicles.

This seems almost ridiculously late given that all airlines, Amtrak, most public transit systems and all U.S. airports already require all passengers and workers to wear masks, as do ride-sharing firms Uber and Lyft. 

The CDC said today that transportation companies should require all passengers and employees wear masks “for the duration of travel.” This would also involve informing customers that “people purchasing tickets or otherwise booking transportation must wear masks,” as well as making masks available on board.

Maybe the hope is that this will help encourage travel, or maybe it is just catch up since this stance was not taken earlier by the agency. In any case it is actually ironic the directive came out just after a study from the DOD and United Airlines showed that airline travel with masks may be the safest transportation possible.

In fact, the airlines have provided data suggesting that employees who wear masks have lower rates of COVID-19 infection than the general public!

Belated kudos to the CDC for helping you to be sure that airline travel is much safer than spending some time in a bar before getting on the plane!

It many ways it is impressive that the private sector took the lead on this initiative!