AUSTIN, Texas — If you plan on flying or taking public transit anytime soon, a mask should be the first thing you pack.
A new Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mandate took effect Feb. 1 at 11:59 p.m. that requires anyone who uses or operates public transit to wear a suitable face covering through at least May 11.
According to the order, public transportation includes boats, airplanes, taxis, ride sharing vehicle services, busses and subways. The mandate can be enforced while waiting, boarding, traveling and disembarking, the order said.
It applies to anyone age two or older, unless they have a disability, or it interferes with job safety.
A mask can only be removed for brief periods, including identification purposes or eating or drinking.
At the Austin airport
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will enforce the rules at America’s airports. For flyers who don’t wear one, they will be turned away from the security checkpoint. After being asked to wear one but still refusing, they can be escorted off the property.
“If someone does not want to wear a mask, they cannot go through. Simple as that. Our officers are there to really work with the community. We consider this a partnership. We want everyone to be safe. We want to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to comply with this executive order,” said Patricia Mancha, media spokesperson for the TSA.
The TSA is emphasizing the partnership with travelers and doesn’t want the rules to be threatening.
The Austin airport has required masks for months, but the new mandate has harsher consequences for people who refuse to comply.
On Capital Metro
Austin’s public transit agency will offer passengers a mask who don’t have one, but if they still refuse, bus operators will not leave the stop, a spokesperson said.
If the passenger continues to refuse, they will be asked to leave the bus. A supervisor or security officer would be called in for assistance if that doesn’t work.
An Austin police officer could be called in for passengers who become disruptive or belligerent.
The federal mandate comes with some specifics about masks that are acceptable:
- Must cover nose and mouth
- Needs to be secured to your head with ties or elastic bands that go behind your ear
- Gaiters are only allowed if they have two layers of fabric or are folded to be two layers
- Face shields are only accepted if they’re in addition to an acceptable mask
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