The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing guidance that will ease the nationwide mask mandate on airplanes, buses and other mass transit next month, according to a U.S. official, but the existing face covering requirement will be extended through April 18.

The TSA mask mandate was extended by a month to allow the public health agency time to develop new, more targeted policies. The requirement extends to planes, buses, trains and transit hubs.

As of March 3 more than 90% of the U.S. population is in a location with low or medium COVID-19 Community Levels, where public face-masking is no longer recommended in indoor settings.

CDC director Dr.  Rochelle Walensky explained the reasoning for delaying removal of mask mandates for transit as being weary of both the science of how Covid is transmitted and the epidemiology of how and when we encounter new variants. See the full article from Arkansas Business here.