Philadelphia keeps mask mandate in place despite Florida judge ruling against CDC
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Protective masks are worn by shoppers to prevent the spread of coronavirus at Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market.
Matt Rourke | AP
Philadelphia’s health officials will continue to enforce the recently reinstated indoor mask requirement despite Florida’s Federal Judge’s dismissal of a federal mandate that requires public transportation users to cover their faces.
On Monday, the city of brotherly affection became the first U.S. major city to reinstate the Covid-19 mandate for indoor activities. The highly contagious subvariant omicron BA.2 drives Covid cases up across the country.
There are many cities and countries lifted mask mandatesIn February and March, cases dropped from an average of 808,000 new cases per day at mid-January to 35,000 cases each day. However, infections in the United States have been increasing in recent weeks. Cities like Philadelphia are seeing a surge in cases.
On Monday, the Transportation Security Administration announced that it will stop applying mask regulations hours after U.S. Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle ruled in Tampa, Fla., that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had overstepped their bounds by requiring face covers on buses, planes and trains.
Unmasked and masasked travelers queue up at security checks after the Biden administration declared it wouldn’t enforce the U.S. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), mandatory mask requirement on public transportation. The announcement was made at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Arlington, Virginia. It came in the wake of a federal judge ruling that the directive, which had been valid for 14 months, was unconstitutional.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
Although the Philadelphia mask rules regarding public transport may be lifted, it is still required for indoor venues such as restaurants, gyms, and other businesses.
“We are currently reviewing the consequences of the latest ruling. We will provide more clarity on masking transit in Philadelphia once available.” This ruling doesn’t affect the city’s requirement that masks be worn in certain indoor areas. CNBC received an email from James Garrow, the director of communications of Philadelphia Department of Public Health.
Philadelphia reinstated its mask mandateAccording to health officials, the rate of hospitalizations rose 50% in April from April 1 until April 11. As of April 11, hospitalizations had been steady, but they have rapidly increased. The number of people hospitalized with Covid there almost doubled last week, from 46 people on April 11 to 82 people on Monday — what health officials called a “worrisome sign that this wave could be more dangerous than we had hoped.”
In a Monday statement, Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, Health Commissioner said that “we have been watching the wave of pandemics sweep across Europe” and she added that it was coming to Philadelphia. “We must all do our best to protect the lives of our most vulnerable friends and families. We all have the potential to save lives. Let’s put on our masks and stop this increase in cases.
According to Philadelphia’s public broadcast station, the city was at Level 1 or “all cleared” after the initial omicron surge subsided. This meant that no mandatory measures like indoor mask mandates were in effect. However, the rise in cases caused by BA.2 has pushed the city up to level 2, or “caution,” and now requires masks.
According to Philadelphia, the mask mandate will be removed once Philadelphia reaches the thresholds for the “all-clear” level.
Others in major cities have been reluctant to reinstate the unpopular demands.
Chicago’s Department of Public Health said Even though the number of cases is increasing, the city does not expect a return to a mandate for masks.
According to NBC Chicago Dr. AmaalTokars is the acting department director. “That’s certainly not something that we want to talk about,” he said. However, while I wouldn’t say anything has changed, we will do our best to make the most of what is available based upon current conditions.
The Massachusetts public health commissioner stated that there is no plan to reinstate the statewide mandate for masks in Massachusetts. Hawaii’s governor is also quoted. said Last week, he said that he does not plan to reimpose a requirement for masks in indoor public places. At the end March, the state was last to remove its mask mandate.
Washington State public health officials are similarly affected said The return of the mandate for the mask is not in our best interests.
Dr. Mike Lindquist, a state epidemiologist in Minnesota, stated that “I think it’s pretty obvious is that the public is quite tired of mandats and so (we) need to really use that power judiciously.” interview TVW Washington’s Public Affairs Network.
This report was contributed by Spencer Kimball, CNBC.
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